Japan is planning to exempt independent tourists from visas if they have been vaccinated three times or submit a pre-arrival COVID test result, according to Japanese media. The Japan Times said: “Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reportedly plans to make a decision as early as the end of this week, with an eye to implementing the revisions by October.”

The newspaper also said the government has been shifting its virus policies toward a "living with COVID-19" phase, in an attempt to mitigate the spread of infections but also boost the economy.

The remains of 88 Chinese soldiers killed in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953) arrived on Friday in northeast China's Shenyang City after the Republic of Korea returned the bodies earlier in the day. War veterans and people from different walks of life attended a repatriation ceremony at Shenyang Taoxian International Airport, where they awaited the plane's arrival and paid tribute to the deceased.

Earlier, another ceremony was held at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. The bodies were brought back by a Y-20 military transport aircraft, which was escorted by two J-20 fighter aircraft.

Pakistan faces a difficult task following the extensive floods over the past fortnight. The flooding has expedited the spread of dengue among those displaced, with more than 4,000 cases of the disease reported in Sindh province alone. Nine people have lost their lives from dengue, according to the province’s chief minister, Syed Murray Ali Shah. 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the flood-hit areas last week and squarely put the blame for the flooding on climate change. He said "this was a product of climate change, this was caused by those that are populating the atmosphere with greenhouse gases." Pakistan has also seen a resurgence of polio, with 18 cases reported this year. Polio immunization workers complained that the floods have made it impossible for them to travel and inoculate babies.

A 30-percent hike in fuel prices in Indonesia has prompted dozens of drivers of the most popular ride-hailing apps in the country to hold protests. They say they are struggling to make ends meet. 

In an attempt to cut Indonesia's deficit during rising global inflation and soaring energy prices due to the conflict in Ukraine, President Joko Widodo has slashed fuel subsidies.

Damage resulting from this year's monsoon in India is not over. The country’s glitzy IT hub of Bangalore (also known as Bengaluru) was the latest to be hit by flood waters, the worst in 32 years, with tractors and boats replacing vehicles on the city’s roads. Employees in tech companies were told to work from home, but with many places going without power, that became more of a problem than a solution.

(Cover: Tourists ride Sagano Sightseeing Train to see the autumn scenery of Arashiyama in Kyoto, Japan, September 22, 2022. /CFP)