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    Biden’s new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity seeks to level playing field, facilitate peace

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    In Tokyo Monday, President Joe Biden announced the launch of the new Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), a trade framework involving 13 countries that want economic opportunity outside usually scant trade deals with China.

    “We share a commitment to a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that has the potential to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth,” a joint statement from IPEF leaders said. “We acknowledge our economic policy interests in the region are intertwined, and deepening economic engagement among partners is crucial for continued growth, peace, and prosperity.”

    President Joe Biden meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace, Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tokyo.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

    The new economic agreement includes Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the U.S.

    “In order to prepare our economies for the future, we are launching the process to establish the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity,” the statement added. “This framework is intended to advance resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness for our economies.”

    WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST WARNS BIDEN IS ABOUT TO MAKE A BLUNDER WITH CHINA

    “Through this initiative, we aim to contribute to cooperation, stability, prosperity, development, and peace within the region,” the leaders also said.

    Together, the countries make up more than 40% of the world’s GDP and Biden said regional unification under the new IPEF creates an environment where these countries can freely decide the rules to allow for a level playing field in economic engagement and trade.

    U.S. President Joe Biden, front, left, and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, front right, listen to the national anthem at the Akasaka Palace state guest house in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, May 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

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    Biden also said the deal benefits American workers and American businesses, giving even small businesses and ranchers a chance to compete as it is expected to lower shipping costs and protect against shipping disruptions — which have resulted in higher costs for consumers.

    The new agreement comes as the U.S. has invested over $969 billion in the region in 2020, a figure that has nearly doubled in the last decade.

    Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, right, greets U.S. President Joe Biden prior to their meeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Monday, May 23, 2022. (Saul Loeb/Pool Photo via AP)

    The Indo-Pacific region also supports more than three million American jobs with nearly $900 billion invested back into the U.S.

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    “We look forward to jointly creating conducive environments to boost flows of commerce, trade, and investments amongst our economies, and to enhancing standards and access to opportunities for our workers, companies, and peoples in our combined markets,” the IPEF leaders concluded.

    The IPEF framework consists of four key principles to unify economies among its partners: a wide variety of trade issues, improving the “transparency, diversity, security, and sustainability in our supply chains,” privacy provisions to protect against money laundering or bribery regimes and strong labor and environmental standards including decarbonization.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

    Japanese government debt hits record ¥1 quadrillion as leaders struggle to correct course on spending

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    The Japanese government’s long-term debt has hit a record ¥1 quadrillion (approximately $7.6 trillion) for the first time ever.

    Japan reached the debt landmark in fiscal year 2021, which ended in March, according to Japan’s Ministry of Finance. Japan’s debt currently sits at approximately 266% of its annual GDP, making a swift turnaround unlikely.

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    This is the eighteenth year in a row that the Japanese government’s long-term debt has risen, and the sixth consecutive year of record-breaking debt totals.

    The build up of debt is a symptom of the increased pressure on the Japanese social security system and expensive COVID-19 spending during the height of the pandemic, as well as aggressive banking policies in Japan.

    People stand by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo on Monday. (AP/Koji Sasahara)

    Japan’s economic troubles are compounded by an aging workforce and a stagnant job market. The country has had a difficult time creating quality jobs, and has relied on a supplement of foreign migrant labor for low-skill positions. 

    With one of the lowest birth rates in the world, the Japanese government has implemented a variety of high-value incentives for young couples to have children. Government benefits for parents include financial assistance checks for each individual child and generously subsidized education costs.

    British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, greets Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida before their meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Thursday, May 5, 2022.  (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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    Due to China’s prominent threats against neighboring Taiwan and North Korean threats of missile strikes, conflict with would-be hostile nations have also gripped Japanese politics.

    Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with Pope Francis for a private conversation last week, the same day a ballistic missile was fired into the Sea of Japan.

    The world leaders met for approximately a half hour at the Vatican, spending the majority of their time discussing the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Pope Francis, a vocal opponent of nuclear weapons, has previously expressed sympathy with the island nation’s history with the issue. The meeting also marked the important 80-year milestone between Japan and the Holy See.

    “During the cordial talks in the Secretariat of State, satisfaction was expressed at the bilateral collaboration, evoking the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations. In this context, the contribution of the Catholic Church in many sectors of Japanese society was noted and appreciated,” the Holy See said in a statement.

    Writers order up coffee and a side of ‘nagging’ at anti-procrastination café in Japan

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    Writers’ block meets a dead end at one Japanese café.

    Manuscript Writing Café in Tokyo is welcoming writers facing deadlines, with an agreement that they cannot leave the premises until their work is finished.

    If all of this sounds a bit draconian, consider this: The western Tokyo café has 10 seats available to be reserved by writers of all kinds.

    It features high-speed Wi-Fi, docking ports at every seat and unlimited, self-serve coffee and tea. 

    Any customer who opts for a hard progress check will be closely watched over by staff.

    The quaint corner location — drenched in natural sunlight and with exposed brick — also features a full bar.

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    Although the workspace seems like a writer’s dream, the staff’s job is to diminish procrastination among customers — meaning that some nagging will be served up, too.

    • Customers work on their manuscripts at the Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo, Japan, on April 21, 2022 (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

    • Customers work on their manuscripts at the Manuscript Writing Cafe in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2022. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

    Upon entering the café, writers record their names, writing goals and intended time to wrap up their work on a paper form. 

    Those intentions are then tacked up on a big board and displayed to the public.

    Writers may request progress checks on their work — ranging from mild, asking if they finished their work as they pay — to normal, which warrants a staff check-in every hour.

    Customers will feel the silent but very clear pressure of someone standing behind them and monitoring their work as they write in this cafe. (iStock)

    Any customer who opts for a hard progress check will be closely watched over by staff. 

    So, yes, these customers will feel the silent but very clear pressure of someone standing behind them and monitoring their work.

    • Takuya Kawai, owner of the Manuscript Writing Cafe, shows a slip of paper on which customers write down goals and the amount of time they plan to finish at the cafe in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2022. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

    • Takuya Kawai, owner of the Manuscript Writing Cafe, works at the cafe in Tokyo, Japan, on April 21, 2022. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

    The first 30 minutes for all of this costs 130 yen ($1.01) — which increases to 300 yen ($2.34) for every hour that follows. 

    Manuscript Writing Café owner Takuya Kawai, a writer himself, told Reuters that he had hoped the strict rules would promote focus. He disagreed with people on social media who have considered the concept to be “scary.”

    “I’m proud to be able to offer my support so that things written here can be published to the whole world.”

    “Actually, instead of monitoring, I’m here to support them,” he said. 

    “As a result, what they thought would take a day actually was completed in three hours, or tasks that usually take three hours were done in one.”

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    The café, which was originally a live-streaming space, was harshly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, though Kawai said he is hopeful about the new venture. 

    Customers work on their manuscripts at the Manuscript Writing Cafe, which is designed for writers who are working on a deadline, in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2022. Picture taken on April 21, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

    “I don’t know what kind of work might be born, but I’m proud to be able to offer my support so that things written here can be published to the whole world,” he said.

    Although some customers have stayed past closing time, every writer has completed their work by the time they leave the building.

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    Reuters contributed reporting to this article.

    10 of 26 people from sunken Japan tour boat confirmed dead

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    Japan‘s guard says 10 of the 26 people aboard a tour boat that sank in the frigid waters of a northern national park have been confirmed dead.

    The search for the others is still ongoing a day after the boat sent a distress call saying it was sinking.

    The coast guard said Sunday that the bodies of the 10 victims included seven men and three women.

    There were two crew and 24 passengers, including two children, on the tour boat when it ran into troubles on Saturday afternoon near the tip of Shiretoko Peninsula.

    The location is known as a difficult place to maneuver boats because of its rocky coastline.

    This aerial photo shows the fishing boats conduct search operations for the passengers and crew members on a missing tour boat, off Shiretoko Peninsula, northern Japan of Hokkaido Sunday, April 24, 2022.  (Masanori Takei/Kyodo News via AP)

    The Transport Ministry has launched an investigation into the boat’s operator, which had two accidents last year.

    THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

    The Japanese Coast Guard said Sunday that rescue helicopters found nine of the 26 people from a tour boat missing in the frigid waters of northern Japan since the day before, but their conditions are unknown.

    The Transport Ministry, meanwhile, launched an investigation into the boat’s operator over its safety standards and its decision to conduct the tour despite rough weather on Saturday.

    Rescuers conduct a search operation in waters near Shiretoko Peninsula in northern Japan of Hokkaido Sunday, April 24, 2022.  (Kyodo News via AP)

    TOUR BOAT WITH 26 ABOARD MISSING IN NORTH JAPAN AFTER DISTRESS CALL 

    “We will thoroughly investigate what caused this situation and what kind of safety oversight was involved to allow the tour in order to prevent another accident,” Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito, who visited the area Sunday, told reporters.

    The ministry will also investigate if or how Saturday’s accident was related to two previous accidents involving the same boat last year, Saito said. The operator had been instructed to take steps to improve its safety following the incidents.

    The coast guard confirmed that the same boat went aground in the area last June, though nobody was injured in that accident. In May, the boat collided with an object at sea, causing minor injuries to three passengers.

    Rescuers intensified their search earlier Sunday and found four people near the tip of Shiretoko Peninsula and five more people in the same area a few hours later, but the coast guard said it could not confirm whether they were rescued alive. NHK public television said they were unconscious.

    This photo shows a fishing port where a tour boat which went missing, left for tour in Shari, in the northern island of Hokkaido Saturday, April 23, 2022.  (Kyodo News via AP)

    The coast guard said all nine people were found in the area near the tip of the peninsula north of where the boat sent a distress call on Saturday. The location is known as a difficult place to maneuver boats because of its rocky coastline.

    Footage on NHK showed one of the rescued people arriving on a helicopter and being transferred to an ambulance on a stretcher, while rescuers held up blue plastic shields for privacy.

    An orange-colored, square-shaped lifesaving float with the boat’s name on it was also seen on the rocky coast.

    The boat carrying 24 passengers, including two children, and two crew members went missing after sending a distress call, saying it took on water and was beginning to sink.

    The first report of Sunday’s rescue came after nearly 19 hours of intense search involving six patrol boats, several aircraft and divers. The coast guard said the search continued through the night and has since expanded, with local fishing and tour boats joining the efforts, while the Self Defense Force dispatched a destroyer and three planes.

    The 19-ton Kazu 1 made an emergency call early Saturday afternoon, saying the ship’s bow had flooded and that it was beginning to sink and tilt, while traveling off the western coast of Shiretoko Peninsula on the northern island of Hokkaido, the coast guard said.

    The tour boat has since lost contact, according to the coast guard. Seventeen people are still missing. The coast guard said the operator told them that everyone on the boat was wearing a life vest.

    Average April sea temperatures in Shiretoko National Park are just above freezing.

    An official for the vessel’s operator, Shiretoko Pleasure Cruise, said he could not comment because he had to respond to calls from worried families of the passengers.

    Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was attending a two-day summit in Kumamoto in southern Japan, canceled his program for the second day and returned to Tokyo. He told reporters in the early hours of Sunday that he instructed officials “to do everything they can for the rescue.”

    The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but experts suspect there may be a safety negligence, and the boat ran aground and was damaged in rough seas in an area known for strong currents and a rocky coastline.

    High waves and strong winds were observed in the area around noon, according to a local fisheries cooperative. Japanese media reports said fishing boats had returned to port before noon because of the bad weather.

    NHK said there was a warning for high waves of up to 3 meters (9 feet).

    A tour boat crew belonging to another operator told NHK that he warned of rough seas when he spotted the Kazu 1 crew and told them not to go. He said the same boat went aground last year and suffered a crack on its bow.

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    Yoshihiko Yamada, a Tokai University marine science professor, said the boat was likely to have run aground after it was tossed around in high waves and damaged, flooded and probably sank. A tour boat of that size usually does not carry a life boat, and passengers possibly could not escape a rapidly sinking vessel with its windows likely closed to shield them from strong winds.

    In an interview with TBS television, Yamada said there was also a slight possibility the boat could have been hit by a whale.

    The cold temperature and strong wind could cause hypothermia and put the passengers in severe conditions for survival, according to Jun Abe, vice chairman of the Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research. “It’s a very severe condition especially when they are wet,” Abe told TBS.

    According to the operator’s website, the tour takes around three hours and offers scenic views of the western coast of the peninsula and includes potential sightings of animals such as whales, dolphins and brown bears. The national park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is famous as the southernmost region to see drifting sea ice.

    Tour boat with 26 aboard missing in north Japan after distress call

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    A tour boat with 26 people aboard was missing in rough and cold waters off northern Japan Saturday after its crew issued a distress call and reported it was sinking, the coast guard said.

    No survivors have been found after more than 10 hours of an intense search involving six patrol boats, five aircraft and divers. The coast guard said it will continue with the search through the night.

    The 19-ton Kazu 1 made an emergency call in early afternoon, saying the ship’s bow had flooded and was beginning to sink and tilt while it was traveling off the western coast of Shiretoko Peninsula on the northern island of Hokkaido, the coast guard said.

    This photo shows a fishing port in Shari on the northern island of Hokkaido, where a tour boat that later went missing left for a tour Saturday, April 23, 2022. The boat with 26 people aboard was missing in rough waters off northern Japan Saturday after its crew issued a distress call and reported the boat was sinking, according to the coast guard.  (Kyodo News via AP)

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    The tour boat has since lost contact, according to the coast guard, which said the boat was carrying 24 passengers, including two children, and two crewmen.

    Average April sea temperatures in Shiretoko National Park are just above freezing.

    An official of the vessel’s operator, Shiretoko Pleasure Cruise, said he could not comment because he had to respond to calls from worried families of the passengers.

    Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was attending a two-day water summit in Kumamoto in southern Japan, was canceling his program for Sunday and was set to return to Tokyo to deal with the missing boat, the NHK public broadcaster reported.

    High waves and strong winds were observed in the area around noon, according to a local fisheries cooperative. Japanese media reports said fishing boats had returned to port before noon because of the bad weather.

    A building in Shari, northern Japan, used by a company that operates a tour boat that went missing Saturday, April 23, 2022.  (Kyodo News via AP)

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    NHK said there was a warning for high waves of up to 3 meters (9 feet).

    Yoshihiko Yamada, a Tokai University marine science professor, said the boat was likely to have run aground after it was tossed around in high waves and damaged, flooded and probably sank. A tour boat of that size usually does not carry a lifeboat, and passengers possibly could not jump out of a rapidly sinking vessel with its windows probably closed to shield them from strong winds.

    In an interview with TBS television, Yamada said there is also a slight possibility the boat was hit by a whale.

    This photo shows Shiretoko Peninsula in the northern island of Hokkaido Sept. 25, 2021.  (Kyodo News via AP)

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    The cold temperature and strong wind could cause hypothermia and put the passengers in severe life-threatening conditions, according to Jun Abe, vice chairman of the Society of Water Rescue and Survival Research. 

    “It’s a very severe condition, especially when they are wet,” Abe told TBS.

    According to the operator’s website, the tour takes about three hours and offers a scenic view of the western coast of the peninsula, including nature and animals such as whales, dolphins and brown bears.

    The national park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and is famous as the southernmost region to see drifting sea ice.

    Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki nearly throws 2nd straight perfecto

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    Japan’s 20-year-old phenom Roki Sasaki almost did it again.

    A week after pitching the first perfect game in Japanese professional baseball in 28 years, Sasaki delivered eight more perfect innings Sunday before being pulled after throwing 102 pitches.

    The game was tied 0-0 when Sasaki left, and his Lotte Marines wound up losing 1-0 in 10 innings to the Nippon Ham Fighters in a Pacific League game.

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    FILE – Chiba Lotte Marines Roki Sasaki pitches during a game against the Orix Buffaloes in Chiba, near Tokyo, Sunday, April 10, 2022.  (Kyodo News via AP, File)

    Marines manager Tadahito Iguchi defended his decision to pull Sasaki.

    “If you think about what’s best in the long run, I thought he reached his limit today,” Iguchi was quoted as saying by Japan’s Kyodo news agency. “By the end of the seventh inning, he was getting close to hitting the wall.”

    The Ham Fighters’ Chusei Mannami, who won game with his home run in 10th, explained the trials of facing Sasaki.

    “(Sasaki) is just too tough,” Mannami said. “The way that forkball drops, forget about it.”

    Sasaki struck out 14 of the 24 batters he faced, just short of the 19 strikeouts he registered in his perfect game.

    Sasaki signed with the Marines out of high school and was scouted by Major League Baseball teams. He is reported to routinely touch 100 mph with his fastball. Kyodo said he was reaching 101 mph when he was pulled.

    US lawmakers meet Japan’s prime minister, affirm alliance

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    U.S. lawmakers visiting Japanese leaders reaffirmed their commitment to working together on Saturday morning. 

    The six members of Congress met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida over breakfast, agreeing with him on the importance of maintaining a “free and open Indo-Pacific region,” according to the Foreign Ministry.

    The visit from the six lawmakers – led by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham – comes as global tensions are heightened. 

    CHINA STAGES MILITARY EXERCISES AS BIPARTISAN GROUP OF US LAWMAKERS VISIT TAIWAN

    The delegation includes Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas.

    On Friday, the bipartisan group met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, where they declared their support for the self-governing island democracy. 

    In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, members of an American Congressional delegation, from left, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pose for a photo with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, center right, and other Taiwanese officials during a meeting at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, April 15, 2022.  (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

    The move drew ire from China and the nation carried out military drills near Taiwan in protest. 

    China is against any official exchanges between the Taiwanese government and other foreign governments because it claims Taiwan is part of its national territory and not an independent country. China and Taiwan split after a civil war in 1949.

    Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian pledged that China would “continue to take strong measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

    In addition, North Korea tested intercontinental ballistic missiles in March, prompting the U.S. to impose sanctions on five North Korean entities and Japan to issue its own penalties.

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    North Korea has also said it is prepared to use its nuclear capabilities on South Korea, should its neighbor launch a “preemptive strike,” following statements made by a senior South Korean official. 

    Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and an authoritative figure in its government, said noted that South Korea is not their “principal enemy,” according to North Korean news agency KCNA Watch.

    Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a press conference at the prime minister’s official residence on April 8, 2022, Tokyo, Japan.  (Photo by Rodrigo Reyes Marin / Zuma Press)

    This month, U.S. and Japanese warships are conducting joint naval drills in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula for the first time in five years.

    Concerns among conservative politicians in Tokyo have heightened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

    While Japan does not recognize Taiwan, they maintain friendly relations. The country’s pacifist constitution, adopted after its defeat in World War II, bans the use of force in international disputes. 

    Kishida told the lawmakers that the bilateral alliance superseded political party divisions and the ministry said Tokyo asked for U.S. support for ongoing efforts by Japan to bring home Japanese who were abducted by North Korea decades ago. 

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    North Korea returned some of the abducted people in 2004.

    Fox News’ Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Joro spider could spread across East Coast, researchers say

    AMAZING PICS: Giant spiderweb confused for frost blankets road

    Eerie photos taken in Scotland show a huge road verge blanketed by a giant silky spiderweb, which the man who took the photos originally mistook for frost. According to Leo Anderson who spotted the web, it stretched across ‘hundreds of yards.’ According to conservationists, the web may have been created by money spiders, a part of the family Linyphiidae, ‘the largest family of spiders in the UK.’

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    Scientists say that the Joro spider is spreading across the southeastern U.S. and could move into much of the East Coast.

    The newly invasive spider from East Asia is yellow, blue-black and red, and its thick golden web was spotted on power lines, porches and vegetable patches across Georgia and South Carolina in 2021. 

    WORLD’S MOST VENOMOUS SPIDER FOUND IN STORE-BOUGHT BANANAS

    It remains unclear how and when the first Joro spider arrived in the U.S., but a researcher identified one in Georgia in 2014.

    The University of Georgia (UGA) says the arachnids first arrived stateside around 2013.

    In the February study from university entomologists published in the journal Physiological Entomology, they found the Joro – also known as Trichonephila clavate – appears better suited to colder temperatures than a related species: the golden silk spider.

    The Joro spider has spread across Georgia (iStock)

    It has about double the metabolism, a 77% higher heart rate and can survive a brief freeze that kills off its relatives, according to researchers. 

    “Results show the Joro spider has a shorter season than its cousin, indicating it can complete its lifecycle within a narrow period of suitable weather. It has an inherently higher metabolism (twice as high), and has a 77% higher heart rate when exposed to low temperature. Finally, Joro spiders survive better (74% compared to 50%) in a brief freeze,” the authors wrote. “These findings suggest the Joro spider can exist in a colder climatic region than the southeastern USA, which can be useful information for management or planning purposes.”

    They also noted that Joros are found in much of Japan, which has a similar climate to the U.S.

    MAINE’S BROWNTAIL MOTHS NOW HAVE THEIR OWN MONTH TO RAISE AWARENESS AND SLOW THEIR SPREAD

    “Just by looking at that, it looks like the Joros could probably survive throughout most of the Eastern Seaboard here, which is pretty sobering,” study co-author Andy Davis said in a statement. 

    Davis said people should try to learn to live with the orb weavers. 

    Experts say that Joros are not a threat to humans or pets and won’t bite them unless they are feeling very threatened. Joros are venomous, according to NPR, but their fangs are usually too small to break human skin.

    Their impact on native species and the environment is also unclear – though some researchers believe they are benign.

    According to UGA, they may even serve as an additional food source for native predators like birds.

    While Joros can use their silks to carry them across the wind to new locations, humans have also carried them and likely will on cars or in luggage.

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    “There’s really no reason to go around actively squishing them,” co-author Benjamin Frick said. “Humans are at the root of their invasion. Don’t blame the Joro spider.”

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    10-minute run benefits mood, brain function: study

    Ten minutes of running with moderate intensity benefits pleasure levels and boosts brain function, according to researchers.

    In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, a team of scientists at the University of Tsukuba in Japan aimed to determine the acute effect of a single bout of running on mood, executive function and neural substrates in the prefrontal cortex. 

    STROKE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY INCLUDE LOSING TEMPER, EXTREME EXERCISE: STUDY

    Twenty-six participants completed both a 10-minute running session on a treadmill at “the most popular running condition” and a resting control session in randomized order. 

    The authors assessed executive function using Stroop interference time from the color-word matching Stroop task and mood using the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale questionnaire before and after both sessions. 

    Prefrontal hemodynamic changes – or blood flow changes – while performing the Stroop task were investigated using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. 

    26 participants completed a 10-minute running session  (iStock)

    They concluded that running resulted in significant enhanced arousal and pleasure levels compared to the control and caused a significantly greater reduction of Stroop interference time and increase in oxygen-hemoglobin brain signals in bilateral prefrontal cortexes. 

    Additionally, the researchers found a “significant association” among pleasure level, Stroop interference reaction time and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortexes – which they note are “important brain loci” for mood regulation and inhibitory control. 

    WHAT EXERCISE CAN HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER

    “To our knowledge, an acute moderate-intensity running has the beneficial of inducing a positive mood and enhancing executive function coinciding with cortical activation in the prefrontal subregions involved in inhibitory control and mood regulation,” the authors said. “These results together with previous findings with pedaling imply the specificity of moderate running benefits promoting both cognition and pleasant mood.”

    They also noted that neural mechanisms for running-elicited cortical activation have remained unclear and that specific features of running may benefit brain activation by enhancing blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery.

    Co-authors Chorphaka Damrongthai and professor Hideaki Soya told Medical News Today on Monday that they were “surprised” by the results. 

    The publication noted that almost all previous studies had used pedaling instead of running. 

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    “Running may stimulate the prefrontal cortex more broadly to benefit mood and executive function than other forms of exercise that do not require as much coordination of weight-bearing activity, such as pedaling,” the pair said in a statement.

    Medical News Today highlighted potential study limitations, including its small scale and that the mood scale is self-reported.

    Tokyo reports highest daily COVID cases days after Olympics begin, officials say

    Tokyo has been hit hard with a surge of new coronavirus cases since the Olympics kicked off last week, with Japan’s capital recording the highest number of cases since the pandemic began last year. 

    Fears that the Games could possibly lead to another outbreak were supported on Tuesday after officials announced 2,848 news cases in Tokyo, exceeding the previous record set in early January of 2,520 daily cases. 

    MOROCCAN OLYMPIC BOXER DISQUALIFIED AFTER ATTEMPTING TO BITE OPPONENT’S EAR

    “Refrain from going out unnecessarily and I want you to watch the Olympics and Paralympics on TV,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said, via Reuters. When asked if Japan would have to consider suspending the Olympics, Suga replied: “There is no worry about that.” 

    People wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus walk past extra papers reporting on Japanese gold medalists at Tokyo Olympics, in Tokyo Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

    Health Minister Norihisa Tamura partly attributed the rising rate of infection to the new delta variant. 

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    “Taking into consideration the global acceleration of infections because of the delta strain, which is taking over earlier variants, it was quite possible,” he said.

    As a result of the rise of new cases, authorities reportedly plan to ask medical institutions to increase their capacity to about 6,000 beds for COVID-19 patients.

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    Officials are also pushing people to be vaccinated as a way to decrease the risk. The government says that around 25% of Japan is vaccinated. In Tokyo, about 60% of the elderly are vaccinated, Gov. Yuriko Koike said. He noted that that age group only makes up 2% of the new cases. 

    “It is crucial to promptly vaccinate younger people,” she said.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.