Latest news with #remoteislands
Japan Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Over-the-counter drugs to be made available at convenience stores
Parliament on Wednesday enacted a bill that will allow people to pick up over-the-counter drugs from convenience stores and other outlets without pharmacists. The bill to revise the pharmaceuticals and medical devices law was approved at a plenary meeting of the House of Councilors following its passage through the House of Representatives last month. The revised law will require consumers to listen to explanations from pharmacists online before purchases. It will take effect by around spring 2027. The government expects the new system to be used also in areas with few pharmacies, such as remote islands and mountainous areas. The current law does not allow stores without pharmacists to sell OTC drugs. As of February 2023, the proportion of convenience stores that can sell such drugs stood at only 0.7% of some 57,000 convenience stores across the country, according to an industry group. Under the revised law, people will be able to listen to explanations on cautionary notes about drugs from pharmacists online and receive a certificate via email. They will then be able to get OTC drugs by showing such a certificate at convenience stores. There are also plans for making possible the picking up of the drugs from vending machines. The revised law will also include a regulation on purchases of cold medicines for younger generations, setting a limit of one small package per person to avoid abuse. The regulation will take effect within a year after its promulgation. The revised law will also require pharmacies to confirm the age of consumers and purchase histories in other stores. Target ages for the rule will be decided later by the health ministry. The requirement will not be applied to older purchasers, but sellers will be mandated to ask reasons for purchases. Warnings on abuse will be necessary on packages.
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Forbes
Is The Kudanil Explorer The Ultimate Indonesian Adventure Yacht?
I'm just going to come out and say it. Yes. Here's why. First off, few yachts I've seen are so well suited to their intended purpose. In this case, transporting adventurous charter guests to gloriously remote dive and surf sites in Indonesia. But what really blows my mind is that while the Kudanil Explorer's looks will never be confused with a superyacht, it provides accommodations that are in many cases even more luxurious than I've experienced on much larger and more expensive superyachts. Kudanil Explorer in remote Indonesia Kudanil Explorer How is that possible? Well, first off, it's not really a 'yacht' in the traditional sense. It's a converted commercial ship that was specifically designed, and lovingly (and thoroughly) rebuilt to be the ideal Indonesian adventure yacht available for charter with Pelorus Yachting by owner Thibaud Epstein. 'I'm originally from Paris,' he says. 'But, I've always loved the sea. So joined my uncle's company that used these boats commercially in Indonesia. 'And when I wanted to do something different, I thought, why not convert one of these cool capable boats into a luxury expedition ship that we could use to explore remote Indonesian dive and surf sites? Massive Manta Ray in Indonesia Kudanil Explorer 'And of course we got carried away. In a good way. I mean, she's not a superyacht. But we hired a hotel designer to create a a luxury interior that allows each cabin to have its own private balcony. She also has a massive top deck for dining and relaxing. And a big aft deck to make it easy to go on adventures. No other indonesian charter boats are anything like this.' A private balcony aboard the Kudanil Explorer Kudanil Explorer As you can see in the photo above, the guest cabin balcony idea really works. In fact, only the owners suites of the largest and most expensive superyachts have the same level of floor to ceiling indoor-outdoor access that all eight guest cabins have aboard the Kudanil Explorer. 'We see the boat as a platform for our guests to have meaningful experiences and to make memories with friends,' he continues. 'Our guests want to do something special. They want to share it with the special people in their lives. And we want to build an experience they will never forget." And that was certainly the case for Vicky Whithouse who cruised aboard Kudanil Explorer last November. 'We really connected with the crew," she says. "They were warm and friendly and made us feel at home. And it was cool to see that they honestly enjoyed sharing their special part of the world with us. We were quite emotional when it came time to leave.' 'All of us onboard have adventurous souls," Thibaud adds. "We're always asking: 'How can share our love these wild places and diverse cultures in the right way?' And when you combine this purpose-built boat, the crew's warm, adventurous, family vibe with all the amazing places to explore in Indonesia, you get something very, very special.' 'What is it about exploring Indonesia that's so special?' I ask. 'Is it the remoteness? Is it undeveloped nature of the archipelago? Is it the diving? The surfing?' 'It's all that,' he says. 'It's the ultimate yachting destination. The diving and surfing are world class. And there are more than 17,000 islands covering the area the size of the United States to explore.' 'How great is the diving really?' you ask. Well, a typical Kudanil Explorer dive trip in the southern Raja Ampat features some of the world's best dive sites such as: Farondi Cave in the Balubulol Lagoon, Magic Mountain and Whale Rock in the protected Misool Marine Park are on the itinerary. And of course, the ship's enthusiastic and highly experienced dive masters are always there make sure the diving is safe and fun. 'The diving was amazing,' Vicky adds. 'We saw sharks, and a huge manta ray, and a giant clam that I've never seen that before. It was like you were in an aquarium. You were surrounded by fish and coral all the time. In fact, on one dive, I kind of lost which way was up because there was just fish everywhere.' The famous heart shaped lagoon in Indonesia Kudanil Explorer And there's more than diving to be experienced. Thibaud and company has hiked with guests to the famous heart shaped lagoon, and Lenmanaka Lake (filled with rare stingless jellyfish) in the Misool archepelago. And they take guests into sacred caves too. 'Kudanil is hands down the most capable expedition yacht in Indonesia—but beneath her rugged exterior beats a heart," says Pelorus' Director of Yachting Gayle Patterson. "From the love poured into her by Thibaud, to the genuine warmth of her crew who welcomed us like family, and the mind-blowing diving experiences, every moment felt like coming home….with a serious dose of adventure.' Thibaud also creates similar itineraries that focus on the world-class surfing that's also to be found in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the ship's warm and smiling crew will always make sure the service—from the gourmet locally sourced meals, to chilling out on the top deck with a drink, or playing with all the water toys (including a large inflatable pool off the back of the boat), enjoying a soothing massage, or visiting a local village—is conducive relaxing and meaningful connections with your family and friends. 'It's funny how life works out, right?' Thibaud says. 'With so many islands and over 250 languages spoken, there's always another island, area and culture to discover. That's why I fell in love with Indonesia. That's why I love sharing it with our guests aboard the Kudanil Explorer. And that's why I can never get leave."
