Business

From wagyu beef to melons, Japan’s $2.2 trillion virus rescue piques struggling firms

Published

6 years ago

June 4, 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) – As the coronavirus jolts Japan, the government’s huge stimulus package has come under fire from hard-hit restaurant owners for channelling funds for items like wagyu beef, melons and tourism rather than accelerating help for firms with burning cash needs.

The restaurant industry’s struggles highlight a larger problem in Japan’s revival plan, which at $2.2 trillion is the size of Italy’s economy but is still falling short of sufficient support to an important segment – small businesses which employ 70% of the nation’s workforce.

That puts at risk Japan’s recovery from the worst postwar recession it is now facing. The $232 billion restaurant industry is crucial to boosting growth as it, together with lodging, creates about 1.3 million new jobs a year, or roughly 17% of all the new employment.

More than 190 small businesses including 30 restaurant operators have gone bust during the current health crisis.

Yet, the government’s slow response in pushing through billions of dollars stuck in paperwork is threatening the same fate for many more firms in urgent need of cash to pay salaries and rents.

In contrast, authorities have rapidly pressed ahead with plans to spend nearly $16 billion for a “go-to” campaign to promote tourism, and $1.3 billion to help politically powerful farmers and fishermen promote expensive foodstuffs such as mangoes, tunas and yellowtails. An extra $90 million has also been set aside to promote international flights – when almost all planes are grounded.

“We, as well as many others, are running out of money. If the situation is left as is, we will go under one after another. Then, no one will be left to benefit from the tourism campaign,” said Yoshikazu Moriyama, 42.

Sales at Moriyama’s six fish joints called “IROM Inc.” have tanked 90% and he’s struggling to pay rent and salaries for some 100 staff.

“What we need now is financial support to help us pay rents and compensate for business closures rather than future campaign on tourism,” Moriyama told Reuters.

Some owners say the government’s subsidy of up to $55,000 for each firm to cover rents is insufficient, and that it could afford to do more to keep businesses open and free up cashflow. Last year, rents for all of Japan’s restaurants totalled $13 billion – less than the $16 billion going into tourism promotion.

The government’s subsidy list includes items such as five-star sirloin Kobe beef steak, which costs some $37.20 for 100g, and top-quality Yubari melon that sells for more than $90 per 1.6-kg fruit.

Agriculture ministry official, Satoru Nishio, said the subsidy, which also covers expensive mangoes, strawberries and tunas, was intended “to back farmers facing a decline in inbound tourists and exports.”

The government subsidises half of the cost of buying the produce for e-commerce, take-away services and provision of school meals. For example, traders get up to $9.31 per 100g of wagyu beef and up to $22.34 per kilo of melons.

Funds tied up and in red tape

While a total of $190 billion in financing, loans, cash subsidies and other benefits have been set aside for small businesses, some analysts say struggling firms have been deprived of quick access to much-needed cash due to red tape.

“A government financial agency should provide loans that can be allotted to rents to prevent cashflow from drying up,” said Kota Matsuda, a former lawmaker who now runs a chain of 30 restaurants including 22 Hawaiian-style restaurants called Eggs ‘n Things, employing about 600 workers.

“It’s impossible to cover rents solely with subsidies,” said Matsuda, who has applied for funds but has been frustrated by the cumbersome process as he tries to meet cash needs of more than $650,000 for salaries and $372,370 for rents.

Sales at his restaurants, which reopened fully last Saturday, declined by 90-95% year-on-year in April.

IROM’s Moriyama, who applied for a couple of subsidies, said they were “far from enough” to make up for the losses.

“I can’t foresee what will happen to my business.”

Reporting and photo: Reuters

Business

Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space

Published

4 weeks ago

February 16, 2026

m@ldives

Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.

Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.

Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:

Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration

Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:

A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.

Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.

True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.

The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:

Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.

These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.

With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.

Business

BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet

Published

4 weeks ago

February 16, 2026

m@ldives

Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.

The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.

According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.

With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.

The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.

BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.

Action

Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah

Published

2 months ago

January 29, 2026

m@ldives

Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.

Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.

Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.

The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.

Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.