Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura in Little Nights, Little Love. Photo: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura in Little Nights, Little Love. Photo: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura in Little Nights, Little Love. Photo: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research
Mikako Tabe and Haruma Miura in Little Nights, Little Love. Photo: Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research

Japan Film Week returns to Ras Al Khaimah for second year


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

Japan Film Week is returning to Ras Al Khaimah.

Fans of Japanese cinema will be able to watch four films for free at RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event runs from July 3 to 6, with screenings starting at 6pm. All movies will be shown with English subtitles and seating is on a first come, first served basis.

The film festival is organised by the Consulate General of Japan in Dubai and the UAE’s Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research.

“Building on last year’s success, we are thrilled to present the second Japan Film Week, an event that celebrates the exceptional talent and creativity of Japanese filmmakers,” said Suqrat Bin Bisher, art and culture manager at the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research.

“Collaborating with our esteemed partners, we are committed to offering experiences that enrich Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural landscape and simultaneously bolster our long-term relations.”

Here’s a look at what is playing.

First Gentleman (2021)

When: Monday, July 3

The romantic comedy stars Kei Tanaka and Miki Nakatani as married couple Hiyori and Rinko.

Hiyori is a zoologist and expert on birds and decides to go on a 10-day trip to an isolated location to study and watch them. Meanwhile Rinko is a politician and the leader of the minority opposite party. Before he goes away, she asks if he would support her if she became the prime minister.

When he returns from his trip, Rinko has indeed become Japan’s new prime minster – the country’s first female leader – which puts Hiyori in the unusual position of being Japan’s first gentleman.

Neko Ninja (2017)

When: Tuesday, July 4

The action film follows the adventures of an aspiring ninja called Kagerota (Takuro Ohno) whose father – a legendary red nose ninja – left him at the age of 10. He travels to Edo for his first mission in which he must steal a goldfish from a house. As he's leaving, he notices that he's being followed by a fat orange and white cat that happens to have a red nose like his father.

Little Nights, Little Love (2019)

When: Wednesday, July 5

Based on the best-selling compilation novel by Kotaro Isaka, the film centres on a young man named Sato (Haruma Miura) and young woman named Minako (Shihori Kanjiya) and those around them such as their friends, colleagues and children over the period of a decade. The multi-layered narrative shows how love, hope and friendship can bring together the most unlikely of people.

Children of the Sea (2019)

When: Thursday, July 6

The anime directed by Ayumu Watanabe follows Ruka, a young girl whose parents are separated and whose father works in an aquarium. When she was younger, she saw a ghost in the water. She is later drawn to two boys who were raised in the sea by dugongs. When they come to the aquarium, she realises that she has a supernatural connection to the water and so do they.

More information at eventbrite.com

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Dos

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Don’ts 

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Updated: July 01, 2023, 3:04 AM