Former Post Office boss says evidence against prosecuted sub-postmasters was ‘compelling

The Japanese population fell at a rate of almost 100 people per hour in 2023 as the country logged its biggest ever annual drop since comparable records began in 1950.

According to government data, the number of Japanese nationals fell by 837,000 in the 12 months to October 2023 — a drop that marked the 13th consecutive year of decline for a nation that has led the developed world in demographic contraction and ageing.

The population of under-15s in Japan now stands at a record low of 11.4 per cent of the overall population, while the number of over-75s stands at a record high of 16.1 per cent.

The number of UK company directors to be disqualified for abusing Covid support schemes has risen 80 per cent in the past year, the Insolvency Service said on Friday.

In 2023-24, 831 directors were banned for abusing the Covid Bounce Back Loan Scheme, the highest number on record, with the average ban being almost 10 years.

Financial support was introduced at the start of the pandemic to help small and medium-sized businesses borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 at a low interest rate, guaranteed by the government.

The Insolvency Service started investigating potential financial wrongdoing in this area in 2021 and, to date, 1,430 company directors have been disqualified.