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US wants 'credible negotiations' with North Korea

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:53:57 -0400

WASHINGTON - The United States has said it wants "credible negotiations" with North Korea as Pyongyang in its latest offer has expressed desire to start "senior-level" talks with America on regional peace and easing tensions. President Barack Obama and his South Korean counterpart, Park Geun-hye, are said to have discussed the issue by telephone Sunday evening. They agreed to close ...

Squeaky clean Tokyo favourite host for 2020 Olympics say IOC sources

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:20:01 -0400

Tokyo is reportedly leading in the race for the host city for the 2020 Summer Olympics, according to members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Japanese capital's emphasis on safety and security appears to be influencing the race for the 2020 Games by pitting its squeaky clean image against the turmoil and instability being witnessed in Istanbul and Madrid, The Japan Times ...

Japans ORIX acquires over 25 percent share of MEDGULF insurance firm

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:50:02 -0400

ORIX Corporation, a leading integrated financial services group of Japan, has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire 25.7 per cent of issued shares of Bahrain-based Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Company (MEDGULF). Founded in 1980 in Lebanon, MEDGULF is a business group with insurance businesses throughout the Middle East in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Jordan and ...

Japanese telecoms carry out tests of 4K television streams over the internet

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:34:30 -0400

A Japanese telecoms company is carrying out tests to try to prove 4K-resolution video can be streamed over the internet to television set-top boxes. NTT West is hosting the trial - which runs until Friday - and says it believes it is the first of its kind. A new video compression standard is being used to reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted. 4K broadcasts offer four ...

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to visit Tokyo in autumn

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:24:49 -0400

TOKYO, June 18 (Itar-Tass) - The Japanese government considers an agreement on Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Tokyo in autumn substantial progress. This agreement was reached at the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the G8 summit in Lough Erne Golf Resort in Northern Ireland. "Foreign ...

Japan revised April industrial output up 0.9 m-o-m

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 02:01:18 -0400

industrial output rose 0.9 per cent in April, according to government data revised to reflect a change in the base year, showing a steady pickup in firms' productive activity. The government changes the base year for the data every five years. For April's revised figure, the base was shifted to 2010 from 2005, altering the weightings of items in the index and the method of adjusting for ...

Japan moves to boost influence in Asia

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:31:41 -0400

The Japanese government is engaged in its own diplomatic offensive to cement relationships with countries in Asia, in line with the Obama administration's efforts to undermine Chinese influence in the region. At the end of May, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Burma (Myanmar) before hosting India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Tokyo. In Burma, Abe met with President Thein Sein and ...

Japan Is That Really The Third Arrow

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:09:06 -0400

In this Global Bite, Holger Schmieding assesses Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recently announced structural reforms - the third of his "Abenomics" plan to fix Japan's stagnant, drifting economy. It's a ...

Top Russian diplomat to visit Japan in fall

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:57 -0400

Edward Snowden, the fugitive former CIA employee and NSA contractor who leaked secrets about America’s spying operations, often hung out online with foreigners in Japan who shared his interests in anime, video games, martial arts, the stock market and the expat lifestyle. Snowden, who ...

Aum death-row inmates to be grilled in open court during cultist’s trial

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:56 -0400

Creating a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council would risk adding rigidity to the decision-making process during a national ...

Leaders attending Northern Ireland G-8 meet divided over Syrian civil war

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:55 -0400

The Toronto Comics Arts Festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, has of late made its name bringing over cutting-edge Japanese artists for signings, live drawing sessions and speaking events. The atmosphere at this year’s event, held in May, in many ways like ...

Snowden defends leaks denies spying for China

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 01:00:54 -0400

Edward Snowden, the National Security Agency leaker, defended his disclosure of top-secret U.S. spying programs in an online chat Monday with The Guardian newspaper and attacked U.S. officials for calling him a traitor. ';The U.S. government is not going to be able to cover ...

G8 stance is sign of approval for Abenomics Japan

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:58:15 -0400

Group of Eight summit's stance on Tokyo's sweeping stimulus policies as a vote of confidence in the government's strategy to end 15 years of entrenched deflation and revive a lacklustre economy. Japan's economics minister also moved to parry any suggestion that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies, known as ...

Japanese Market Trades Higher

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:20:08 -0400

Swinging between gains and losses, the Japanese stock market is trading notably higher on Tuesday, with investors mostly tracking the yen's movements against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which tumbled to 13,006 after rising to around 13,140 in early trades, is currently up 41.8 points or 0.3 percent at 12,991.3.Hino Motors, Meidensha Corp., Mitsui OSK Lines, Kawasaki Kisen ...

Mitsubishi Motors to recall 9478 faulty vehicles in China

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:16:54 -0400

(MENAFN) China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) stated that Mitsubishi Motors plans on recalling 9,478 vehicles in China due to a potential safety hazard in the sunroof, reported Xinhua News.China's consumer quality watchdog also said that the problem was related to the installing of the sunroofs causing a possibility of the glass panel ...

38 will support ruling party in Tokyo poll

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:11:14 -0400

Thirty-eight per cent of voters will vote for candidates from the Liberal Democratic Party at Sunday's Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, according to an opinion poll conducted ...

Putin Meets with Japanese PM Abe

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:05:02 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands before their meeting during the G8 Summit at Lough Erne in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, June 17, ...

Nikkei down at break

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:00:54 -0400

(16 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo were down 0.70 percent ahead of the start of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting as investors look for clues on the future of its massive stimulus. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which advanced 2.73 percent the previous day, was down 91.32 points to 12,941.80 by the break, while the Topix index of all first-section shares slipped 0.29 percent, or 3.14 points, to ...

Nikkei turns down as market wary ahead of Fed outcome Sony gains

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:00:21 -0400

* Nikkei falls 0.7 pct, Topix down 0.3 pct * Trading remains volatile as focus turns to Fed outcome * Sony rises after hedge fund ups stake, presses spin-off By Dominic Lau TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average reversed early gains on Tuesday, underscoring the volatility that has roiled the market lately, as investors awaited the outcome of a Federal Reserve meeting for clues on ...

South Korea struggling without Japanese tourists

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:07:20 -0400

Recent economic and diplomatic issues within South Korea has resulted in a significant drop in tourist arrivals from Japan, according to new research data. Approximately 689,000 Japanese travellers visited South Korea during the first three months of 2013, a 22 percent decline in visitors compared with the same period last year, Channel News Asia reported. These figures stem from data ...

Third Point Lifts Sony Stake Urges Spin Off

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:06:05 -0400

Sony and urged the Japanese electronics giant to spin-off its entertainment business. Sony appears to be regaining its competitive edge and as a sign of its increased confidence in the company, Third Point has raised its stake to 70 million shares valued at 136.5 billion yen ($1.4 billion), the hedge ...

Nikkei in negative mode

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:56:44 -0400

(32 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo opened 0.14 percent lower as the market waited the US central bank's policy meeting starting later in the day for clues on the future of its stimulus program. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which rose 2.7 percent the previous day, was down 17.97 points to 13,015.15 at the ...

Asia Markets Japan Korea stocks choppy as investors eye Fed

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:50:27 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese and South Korean stocks advanced Tuesday after wavering between gains and losses, as investors pondered whether the U.S. Federal Reserve will maintain its monthly bond ...

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left shakes hands with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after the meeting with the Visegrad 4 regional cooperation framework in Warsaw on June 16.

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:37:46 -0400

WARSAW -- In a first-ever summit, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on June 16 agreed with leaders of four central European nations to advance cooperation in the energy sector in an attempt to boost exports of nuclear ...

Familiar faces win 1.6 billion in nuclear public relations projects after Fukushima disaster

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:37:44 -0400

The brown facility designed to educate the public about burying radioactive waste was built beside a research center operated by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency in Horonobe in northern Hokkaido. (Satoshi ...

Nikkei rises on track for longest winning run since May 23 selloff

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:16:54 -0400

* Nikkei and Topix both up 0.6 pct * Sony rises after hedge fund ups stake, presses spin-off By Dominic Lau TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei rose on Tuesday, heading for a third straight day of gains, which will mark its longest winning run since a sharp selloff on May 23, underpinned by hopes the Federal Reserve will reinforce its commitment to support the U.S. economy. Sony Corp ...

Japan’s PM hopes for fruitful exchange of views with Putin

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:06:39 -0400

LOUGH ERNE /Northern Ireland/, June 17 (Itar-Tass) - Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hopes with fruitful discussions with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin of a diversity of issues, including the problem of the peace ...

UPDATE 1-Third Point raises Sony stake presses for entertainment spin-off

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:04:13 -0400

Mon Jun 17, 2013 9:04pm EDT TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - New York-based hedge fund company Third Point said it had raised its stake in Japan's Sony Corp and asked for an opportunity to present its proposal to Sony's board for a partial spin-off of the company's entertainment unit. The move comes after Third Point, a $13 billion hedge fund founded by billionaire investor Daniel Loeb, ...

Japan stocks on path for 3rd straight day of gains

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:47:07 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks rose Tuesday to stay on course for a third straight day of gains, with the real-estate, insurance and brokerage firms advancing alongside exporters after a strong finish on Wall Street. The Nikkei Stock ...

Soccer-Japan will have edge over Italy says Prandelli

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:51:00 -0400

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 17 (Reuters) - Japan are favourites to beat Italy in the Confederations Cup on Wednesday because of their Italian manager and the fact they have had more rest, according to Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli. He believes Japan's Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni's familiarity with his compatriots might cause Italy problems. "Japan will have the slight edge, I ...

Will abenomics lift up Japan’s economy

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:40:02 -0400

Ian Bremmer Abenomics, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to awaken the "animal spirits" trapped inside Japan's economy, is moving full speed ahead. Fiscal stimulus and monetary easing continue, and work to roll out a "Growth Strategy" to promote structural and regulatory reforms is moving forward. Corporate earnings and consumer spending are up, and despite a ...

Japan Industrial Production On Tap For Tuesday

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:04:59 -0400

Japan is on Tuesday scheduled to release final May numbers for industrial production, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.Little change is expected from last month's preliminary reading that showed a gain of 1.7 percent on month and a decline of 2.3 percent on year.Japan also will see final May numbers for machine tool orders; the preliminary reading suggested a ...

Report Sony raises internal estimates for PS4 sales after strong E3

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:37:25 -0400

Sony is getting busy trying to parlay its successful E3 into a sense of momentum for the PlayStation 4 leading up to its release this holiday season. Exhibit A for this effort is Sony Computer Entertainment International CEO and President Andrew ...

Juicing Baseballs Japan Sees Record Number of Home Runs

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:04:35 -0400

There’s been a record number of home runs in Japanese baseball this season: 60 percent more homers than this time last year in fact. So many that Japanese players started to wonder, is there something different with the ball? Turns out, there ...

Sony Announces 2 More Spider-Man Sequels

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:54:48 -0400

Sony surprised industry watchers today with the announcement of release dates for two additional sequels in the Spider-Man franchise. Since the rebooted series currently has only one film under its belt so far, the move is a strong show of confidence in the upcoming sequel and in the performance of the character in a marketplace that's about to become very crowded with superhero content. ...

Chinas economy at risk of turning Japanese

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:50:31 -0400

Despite a history of conflict and competition, China and Japan share a contiguous geography and development models. China may also share Japan's economic fate.Japan's post-war economic recovery was based on an export-driven model, using low-cost labour to drive manufacturing. Consciously or unconsciously, China followed the same model when the country started to open up economically ...

Abenomics Mobilizes Japan Homebuyers to Action Mortgages

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:44:27 -0400

Bank of Japan unveiled a plan in April to target a 2 percent inflation rate in two years, leading to an increase in benchmark bond yields. That's boosting developers such ...

Eight arrested after clash among Tokyo protesters

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:56 -0400

Tokyo police said eight people were arrested following fistfights between anti-Korean nationalists and counterprotesters who dubbed them "racists." The arrests came after several protests staged in a predominantly Korean neighborhood of Tokyo by a far-right anti-immigrant group Zaitokukai. The group's full name translates to Citizens Group that will not Forgive Privileges for ...

Stocks post gains Monday

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:28:47 -0400

U.S. markets posted gains Monday, as economic data looked positive in reports not considered particularly major newsmakers. Trading might prove muted for the first half of the week, as investors wait for the results of a two-day meeting of Open Market Committee at the ...

Culture mash 5 ways to learn more about Japan

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:49:46 -0400

The coming weeks are rich in opportunities for Seattleites to experience many facets of Japanese culture: a silent film, museum exhibitions, a photography book and a close look at Noh. Dig ...

Merkel says Japan PM to introduce structural reforms

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:31:56 -0400

G8 summit that his country would undertake structural reforms in the foreseeable future and return to budget consolidation in the medium term. Japan's cabinet rubber-stamped a set of measures last Friday to boost economic growth that so far have failed to impress markets and made Abe promise to take more steps after next month's upper house elections. "For me, it was very ...

G8 urges Europe to move on bank reform Japan to fix budget

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:38:10 -0400

European Central Bank from next year. Germany, the euro zone's largest economy, has long worried that it could face potentially unlimited liabilities if countries in the single currency area pool their funds to cope with failing banks in the future. In a statement which will form part of a final communique at a summit ...

Sony Sets Release Dates for Third and Fourth Amazing Spider-Man Films

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:30:47 -0400

'Amazing Spider-Man 2': Chris Cooper to Play Green Goblin The move sets the course for the marquee superhero franchise for the next five years. The threequel had been mentioned, but never a fourth ...

Japan to give Sahel $1bn in aid

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:13:41 -0400

Japan said Sunday it would give $1 billion in aid to help stabilize the Sahel region of Africa, months after the deaths of 10 Japanese in a hostage crisis there. The money is part of a $14 billion aid package to be given to Africa over five years, which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Saturday at the start of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. "Japan will ...

Tokyo is not a market for the faint-hearted

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:53:12 -0400

Whoosh! That is not the sound of Shinzo Abe's famed three arrows hitting their mark, but rather of Japan's stock market dropping on disappointment that they have not done so yet. In three weeks the Topix has fallen 18 per cent and is one bad day away from its level when the first arrow - unprecedented quantitative easing - was fired. The index is now trading at its lowest level relative ...

FBI to meet Tokyo flight in Newark after passenger claimed he had poisoned everybody aboard

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:51:50 -0400

NEWARK, N.J. - FBI agents are going to meet an incoming flight at a New Jersey airport after reports that a passenger claimed he'd poisoned everybody on board. United Airlines Flight 116 from Tokyo is scheduled to land at 2 p.m. Eastern on Monday at Newark Liberty Airport, outside New York City. An FBI spokesman says the passenger stood up and made the statement several hours ago and that ...

8 Arrested in Tokyo Fights Involving Anti-Korean Group

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:59:48 -0400

TOKYO ...

Cashin Japan Is Playing a Dangerous Game

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:33:57 -0400

Monetary policy in Japan could trump news from the Fed this week, and the kind of inflation the Bank of Japan is creating - with little or no velocity - is a "dangerous game", said Art Cashin, UBS Financial Services director of floor ...

Japans Deflationary Destiny Ordained By Demographics And The BOJ

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:31:15 -0400

Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Last week saw the likely death of Abenomics. It is not a foregone conclusion but Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will need to come out fighting in a very un-Japanese way to save his program of national regeneration. In a few short weeks he has gone from hero to zero. Most likely, Abe will soon be the umpteenth one-year Japanese leader in ...

Metro race finds party chiefs take to streets

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:17 -0400

Manu Ginobili ran onto the floor as fans stood and screamed. He went to the bench, and they chanted his name. The sights and sounds of so many San Antonio spring nights were back Sunday — and the real party might be just a ...

Chen says China pressured NYU to ditch him

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:16 -0400

Activist Chen Guangcheng charged that China waged an ';unrelenting'; pressure campaign that led New York University to end his studies as he voiced fear for academic freedom in the United States. The blind self-taught lawyer, one of the most emblematic Chinese human rights campaigners, spoke out after adamant denials from the private New York university, which said it never planned to ...

Pope marks Harley anniversary blessing thousands of riders bikes

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:15 -0400

Maternity leave day care still elude many working mothers

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:14 -0400

While moms work: Children of Shiseido Co. employees play Friday in the Kangaroom day care facility in its head office in Minato Ward, Tokyo. | SATOKO ...

U.S. open to ‘real’ talks with North

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:13 -0400

Creating a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council would risk adding rigidity to the decision-making process during a national ...

Rowhani may be lucky charm for Iran rulers

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:12 -0400

Kepco’s MOX load to arrive June 27

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:11 -0400

If you’re like me or the men in my life, you probably broke down and wept for joy on June 4, when Japanese midfielder Keisuke Honda scored the goal that bagged Japan’s slot in the FIFA World Cup next year. At such sports events, ...

U.K. ‘hacked’ phones email of diplomats

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:09 -0400

The Guardian newspaper says the British eavesdropping agency GCHQ repeatedly hacked into foreign diplomats’ phones and emails when the U.K. hosted international conferences, even going so far as to set up a bugged Internet cafe in an effort to get an edge in high-stakes negotiations. The report — the latest in a series of revelations that have ignited worldwide debate over the scope ...

Ginobili brings Spurs to brink of NBA title

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:08 -0400

Italy beats Mexico eyes Japan clash

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:07 -0400

Federer beats Youzhny to end 2013 drought

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:06 -0400

Roger Federer found the perfect place to end his title drought — a small town in western Germany that has a big tennis stadium and a street named Roger-Federer-Allee leading to it. Federer left Halle a winner again Sunday, ending a 10-month run of 11 tournaments without a title, an eternity by his standards. The 31-year-old Swiss great overcame a sluggish start to beat unseeded Mikhail ...

Fujinami tops fan votes for All-Star Series

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:05 -0400

Highly praised Hanshin Tigers rookie Shintaro Fujinami was the top vote-getter in fan balloting among Central League starters for the upcoming All-Star Series after results were announced at the halfway point on Monday. Fujinami received 96,322 votes, ahead of second-place Hiroshima Carp right-hander Ken Maeda (89,995) in the category for starting pitcher. Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters rookie ...

Ramirez keeps focus waits for next opportunity to contribute

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:04 -0400

Rose sneaks by Mickelson to claim first U.S. Open win

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:03 -0400

Creating a Japanese version of the U.S. National Security Council would risk adding rigidity to the decision-making process during a national ...

Chatting about Japan with Snowden the NSA whistle-blower

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:02 -0400

Why workers can no longer wear their demands on their sleeves

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:01 -0400

Dear reader, where are you from? To what era do you belong? I was born in 1971 in Japan and grew up here, too, but I’ve never — in all my years visiting hotels, restaurants, shops or government offices — seen workers wearing vests, armbands, badges, ribbons or bandanas with political messages. I’ve never seen a waiter with an armband reading ';We demand wage ...

Quickies on bringing in psychotropics and bags calling Japan buying shoes

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:00 -0400

Democracy interrupted How local voices were silenced in Tokyo’s first referendum

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:59 -0400

On Sunday, May 26, something quite remarkable happened in Kodaira city, western Tokyo: Over 50,000 citizens voted in Tokyo’s very first local referendum ...

Mr. Mayor tear down this smoking area and make Toshima a true ‘safe community’

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:58 -0400

Finnish diplomat pushes child-rearing for dads

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:57 -0400

, or child rearing) comes naturally. Hailing from a country known to have a high level of gender equality, Koivumaa says ikumen is standard practice in Finland. ';In Finland, there’s a social welfare policy that enables that. Also men work short hours — especially compared with Japan — which enables an ikumen lifestyle seven days a week,'; the 36-year-old said. As ...

Apps to keep track of everything Acer’s new tablet and a better way to make presentations

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:56 -0400

Top economists remained divided Monday over whether Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ';Abenomics'; policies will bear fruit but all saw eye-to-eye on the need for deregulation and new growth strategies. ';You can only buy so much time with monetary policies,'; Yuichi Kodama, chief economist at ...

The ‘Sunny’ side of Taiyo Matsumoto

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:55 -0400

Sunny side up: Taiyo Matsumoto (right) and his editor at IKKI magazine, Hideki Egami, take a break at the 10th Toronto Comics Arts Festival. | ANNE ...

Cruise missile threat in Asia

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:53 -0400

Cruise missiles that are difficult to detect, increasingly fast and capable of carrying nuclear warheads are spreading, especially in Asia, complicating arms control and raising the risk of catastrophic conflict. Until recently, most concerns have focused on the actual or potential spread of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles in China, North Korea, India and Pakistan — the four Asian states ...

Visiting premier talks of protracted Thai crisis

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:52 -0400

During Yingluck Shinawatra’s official visit to Japan late last month, Thailand’s first female premier did not just exploit her charm to win over Japan, but also dared to talk openly about the most sensitive issue facing her country — the protracted political crisis that followed the 2006 military coup that had overthrown her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, the most successful prime ...

No excuse for NPB’s deceit

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:51 -0400

After initially denying that any changes had been made despite an explosion in the number of home runs this season, Nippon Professional Baseball on June 11 admitted that it had made the standardized ball used this season livelier than before and apologized for making such a change without notifying players. Clearly NPB has betrayed the trust of players and fans. NPB commissioner Mr. Ryozo Kato ...

Will new ‘NSC’ enhance security

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:23:36 -0400

Knife-wielding intruder arrested at Shiga school

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:28:21 -0400

According to police, the man, identified as Tsuyoshi Nagamine, 45, entered Moriyama Minami Junior High School at around 8:30 a.m., TBS reported. The man approached a teacher and demanded to see a certain student and also asked for the student's phone number. When the teacher refused, the man unwrapped a towel and produced a knife. Nagamine was quickly restrained by police who were already ...

TEPCO puts radioactive water decontamination process on hold yet another leak detected

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:28:19 -0400

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), operator of the disaster stricken Fukushima nuclear power facility, put on hold the ongoing test run of its water decontamination system on Sunday, June 16 because of a suspected leak in the holding tanks of the highly radioactive waste ...

Japans cabinet approves Abes growth strategy

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:21:18 -0400

Currency pressures keep the Reserve Bank of India on hold As we anticipated, the RBI kept its repo rate unchanged at 7.25% today amidst downward pressures on the rupee triggered by external vulnerabilities and the recent broad-based sell-off in EM assets on concerns of a possible tapering of QE by the US Fed. The RBI cut rates by 25bps in each of its previous three successive policy meetings in ...

BestWorst Daily ETF Returns Japan ETFs Dive

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:29:35 -0400

WisdomTree's Japan Hedged Equity fund ( ) led the pack of Japan-focused ETFs to underperform their peers on Friday, June 14. DXJ lost 4.08 percent as the S'P 500 retreated 9.63 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 1,626.73. U.S.-listed ETF assets remained at $1.476 trillion. Top 10 1-Day Performers, Excluding Leverage/Inverse Funds and '1,000 Shares ...

Obama arrives in Belfast Putin scolds West on Syria before G8 meeting

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:17:06 -0400

U.S. President Obama and his family arrived at Aldergrove International Airport in Belfast Monday for a Group of Eight summit and diplomatic side meetings. Obama emerged from Air Force One in foggy and wet conditions without an umbrella or rainwear. The first family chatted with several diplomatic greeters on the tarmac before Obama departed by helicopter for Belfast City Airport to give a ...

Japanese Watermelon Fetches over $3000

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:40:53 -0400

Tokyo, June 17 (BNA) - A watermelon from Japan's northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, has fetched more than 3,000 dollars at the 1st auction of the year. The Densuke watermelon sold for 300,000 yen, or about 3,200 dollars, matching the top price from last year's auctions. Densuke watermelons, from the town of Toma, are famous for their black skins and sweet flesh. They are prized as ...

Research and Markets Japan Logistics Real Estate Handbook - 2013 Report

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:34:27 -0400

"Japan Logistics Real Estate Handbook - 2013" book to their offering. "The Japan Logistics Real Estate Handbook 2013" features never-before-published research and data about the Japanese Real Estate, Logistics and E-Commerce market, the culmination of many years of watching the market evolve. Japan is one of the largest property markets in the world by transaction ...

Japan France vow to enhance political economic ties

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:12:39 -0400

Visiting French President Francois Hollande and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed here Friday to enhance bilateral political and economic relations. In a joint statement released after their summit, the two leaders agreed to promote bilateral political ties and form a "two plus two" dialogue between foreign and defense ministers from the two countries. Japan and France will ...

Frances Hollande calls Japan China

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:18:43 -0400

France's Francois Hollande was left red-faced in Tokyo on Friday after a slip of the tongue that saw him confuse his Japanese hosts with the Chinese. During a press conference Hollande, speaking in French, referred to the Algerian hostage crisis in January in which 10 Japanese nationals died, saying he had "expressed the condolences of the French people to the Chinese people." ...

Brazil versus Japan in a fish fight

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:53:55 -0400

Japan at the Estadio Nacional Mane Garrincha in Brasilia on Saturday. What you probably didn't know is that they battled it out earlier that day around 18,000km away - at least fish representing the two countries ...

China and Japan pledge support to Nepalese polls

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:51:06 -0400

China and Japan have welcomed the announcement of the Nepalese Constituent Assembly election date, and pledged support to the polls. A statement issued by the Chinese Embassy said that as a friendly neighbour, China supported the constitution-making process in Nepal and hoped that the Constituent Assembly election will be held in a smooth way. The Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu also welcomed the ...

Japanese education ministry to change college entrance exam system

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 04:24:56 -0400

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in Japan is considering scrapping Japan's Center Test system, according to reports. The National Center Test for University Admissions is Japan's standardized series of exams used by public and some private universities in Japan. The exams have traditionally been held annually in mid-January over a period of two ...

Nikkei rallies on bargain hunting Fed in focus

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:52:15 -0400

Japan's Nikkei ended above the key 13,000 level, and Australia's S&P ASX 200 closed just below an earlier seven-day high. Amid laggards, the Shanghai Composite and South Korea's benchmark closed down 0.3 percent after trading flat for most of the session. The Fed's two-day policy-meeting starts on Tuesday and is likely to be watched closely for clues into the central ...

Iwate town on alert following series of bear attacks

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:52:15 -0400

According to police, the first attack took place on Saturday evening in a garden, where an 81-year-old man was attacked from behind by two bears, NTV reported. Police believe the animals to have been a female bear and her cub. The man sustained serious injuries in the attack, following which members of a local hunting club shot the ...

Shizuoka Gov. Kawakatsu wins reelection

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:52:14 -0400

Shizuoka Governor Heita Kawakatsu won a second four-year term in Sunday's gubernatorial election in the central Japan prefecture, easily defeating his two competitors including a candidate backed by the country's ruling Liberal Democratic ...

Sony Pictures Television Garners Five Daytime Emmy Awards Including Outstanding Talk Show Informational for The Dr. Oz Show and Outstanding Drama Series for Days of our Lives

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:09:04 -0400

Breaking hearts, winning minds ; Five directors have been nominated for the Irish Council for Civil Liberties film award. Here they discuss their ...

Australia shares reverse losses track Nikkei higher banks shine

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:06:40 -0400

Mon Jun 17, 2013 3:06am EDT * Financial shares underpin market, led by CBA * Investors cautious ahead of Fed meeting this week (Adds details, comments) SYDNEY, June 17 (Reuters) - Australian shares reversed early losses to finish 0.7 percent higher on Monday after a rebound in Japanese stocks buoyed market sentiment and bolstered financials like Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Top lender ...

Japan experience positive - Davies

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:58:57 -0400

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Nikkei jumps 2.7pc at close

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:57:02 -0400

(33 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo jumped 2.73 percent, boosted by a weakening yen as investors scooped up shares following weeks of wild volatility on Japan's premier exchange. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended up 346.60 points to 13,033.12, while the Topix index of all first-section shares climbed 2.68 percent, or 28.27 points, to ...

Japanese appliance makers target Southeast Asia region

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:13:43 -0400

Home electronics manufacturers are accelerating moves to expand production and sales of appliances such as refrigerators in Southeast Asian countries. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has started manufacturing luxury refrigerators in Thailand, while Sharp Corp. unveiled a plan to start operating a new plant in Indonesia earlier than initially planned. The enhancement of production in the region ...

Worlds oldest man ever dies in Japan at age 116

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:47:13 -0400

In this Feb. 27, 2013 file photo, Japan's Misao Okawa, then 114, poses with the Guinness World Records certificate, unseen, of the world's oldest woman at a nursing home in ...

Abenomics will fail if Japan doesn’t address its debt problem. Here’s the crucial way forward

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:15:09 -0400

Japan's government debt is so excessive that, one way or another, many think it will eventually default. But there's a way Japan can begin sloughing off its debt and growing its economy: by privatizing government assets. In fact, the nature of its debt means that it can't fix its debt ...

Roche drug approved in Japan for treatment of brain cancer

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:13:09 -0400

ZURICH, June 17 | Mon Jun 17, 2013 1:13am EDT ZURICH, June 17 (Reuters) - Japan's health ministry has approved drug Avastin for the treatment of aggressive brain cancer in Japan, Swiss pharmaceuticals company Roche said on Monday. Avastin is the first new medicine approved worldwide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer, in the ...

Japanese fad of eyeball licking linked to music video

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:02:37 -0400

Teens in Japan who practice the fad of eyeball licking, or oculolinctus, are risking an eye infection, eye expects say. The craze -- spread via YouTube, Tumblr and social media -- is believed to have been started from a music video by Japanese emo band Born, The Guardian said. The eyeballs are very sensitive in order to detect grit and particles, and some theorize the sensation of having them ...

Tokyo Steel prices unchanged for 4th month amid rising China supply

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:38:18 -0400

TOKYO, June 17 | Mon Jun 17, 2013 12:38am EDT TOKYO, June 17 (Reuters) - Tokyo Steel Manufacturing Co Ltd , Japan's top construction steel maker, will keep prices of key products unchanged in July for the fourth straight month amid rising supply from China and inventory adjustment at home. The pricing strategy of Tokyo Steel is closely watched by Asian rivals such as Korea's ...

Out Loud Confronting Suicide in Japan

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:35:08 -0400

This week in the magazine, Larissa Macfarquhar Profiles a Japanese Buddhist monk who offers counsel and aid to people contemplating suicide. Here, Macfarquhar talks with Sasha Weiss about the culture of suicide in Japan and how Ittetsu Nemoto’s belief in suffering as a path to self-knowledge has prepared him to help the suicidal. Also, Sasha Frere-Jones on album ...

Sony sees entertainment arm as core pillar report

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:15:39 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Sony Corp. believes its electronics and entertainment businesses should be managed together because of the need for business coordination, Chief Executive Kazuo Hirai reportedly said in an interview with the Nikkei newspaper on Friday. The report, published in the Nikkei's Saturday edition, followed a call by billionaire hedge-fund manager Daniel Loeb for Sony to ...

Abe aims to get opposition support to amend Constitution after poll

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:14:25 -0400

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday he will try to persuade lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Japan, the main opposition force, to support his bid to amend the Constitution following next month’s Upper House election. Abe told reporters in Warsaw he will try to secure the two-thirds majorities of both Diet members that are required to amend the Constitution. ';There must be ...

Asias territorial disputes and the law

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:26:46 -0400

Almost anyone, looking from the outside on the excitement about the various territorial disputes in the East China and South China Seas, is inclined to wonder what all the fuss is about: an inclination no doubt that is deeply offensive to almost all the protagonists ...

Population pyramid a thing of the past

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:26:46 -0400

The Japanese word "choju," meaning longevity, implies, with its kanji, joyous celebration of long life. Intrinsically, it is a joyful thing for people to live long. But if a society has many people who age in solitude, isolated from their families and local communities, it cannot be called choju. It should rather be called "roka shakai," or a society that weakens as it ...

Japans science women seek an identity

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:26:45 -0400

According to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, women accounted for 14 percent of the science and engineering students at Japanese universities, even though they represented 43 percent of college students over all, excluding medical and agricultural schools. In the humanities, they make up 66 ...

Japanese repatriates visit burial site in N. Koreas northeast

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:26:45 -0400

A group of former Japanese residents of what is now North Korea visited Sunday a site believed to contain the remains of Japanese soldiers and civilians near Chongjin, a port city in the country's ...

TABLE-Foreigners buy Japan shares in latest week - Nomura

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:25:15 -0400

Sun Jun 16, 2013 11:25pm EDT Foreign buying and selling in seven Asian equities markets for the week ended June 14: FOREIGN INVESTMENT ($MLN) 1-week 4-week 13-week YTD 2012 Asia ex Japan (4,552) (3,500) (2,897) 10,628 52,325 India (214) 1,904 5,671 14,633 24,843 Indonesia (936) (1,778) (1,345) 700 1,785 Japan 1,651 6,465 ...

Nikkei rallies by break

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:24:13 -0400

(14 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo shrugged off early losses to climb 1.20pc, boosted by a weakening yen. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index added 152.14 points to 12,838.66 by the break, while the Topix index of all first-section shares climbed 1.30 percent, or 13.77 points, to ...

Nikkei advances on gains in defensive stocks crawls out of bear market

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:57:56 -0400

* Nikkei rises 1.2 pct, Topix up 1.3 pct in light trade * Nikkei crawls out of bear market * Market still cautious as Fed outcome looms By Dominic Lau TOKYO, June 17 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average climbed 1.2 percent on Monday as buying in defensive stocks helped reverse early losses, nudging the benchmark out of bear market territory. By the midday break, the Nikkei was up 152.14 ...

Japanese Market Rebounds After Early Setback

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:47:43 -0400

The Japanese stock market opened lower on Monday, with a stronger yen and Friday's weak close on Wall Street triggering some selling in early trades. However, following the dollar's rebound against the yen, the market bounced back smartly and is currently trading in positive territory with solid gains.The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which plunged to around 12,550 in early trades, is ...

Japans Nikkei rises spurred by defensive buying

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:40:03 -0400

By Dominic Lau TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei share average edged higher on Monday as buying in defensive stocks reversed early losses. The Nikkei (.N225) added 0.4 percent to 12,7329.85 after trading as low as 12,549.82 on the back of weak U.S. stocks on Friday. Monday's gain took the index above its 100-day moving average at 12,734.37 "It's a mixed flow so far. It doesn't ...

Nikkei negative at open

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:37:47 -0400

(55 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo opened 0.81 percent lower after falls on Wall Street last week due to mostly disappointing economic data. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 102.15 points to 12,584.37 at the start. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 105.90 points, or 0.70 percent, at 15,070.18 on ...

Japan Tertiary Industry Index Flat In April

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:02:31 -0400

An index measuring tertiary industry activity in Japan was flat on month in April, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Monday, standing at a seasonally adjusted 99.7.That missed forecasts for a gain of 0.2 percent following the upwardly revised decline of 0.9 percent in March (originally -1.3 percent).Industries that saw an increase in activity included finance, scientific ...

Black Sticks set up do-or-die clash with Japan

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:51:56 -0400

Black Sticks men earn honourable draw with hosts The Black Sticks Women have continued their strong form at the World League Semi Final in Rotterdam, winning 4-2 against Belgium in their final pool game today. The Kiwis made their mark early on thanks to first half goals from Krystal Forgesson, Kayla Sharland and Gemma Flynn followed by a goal from Katie Glynn shortly after the break. The Black ...

G8 Summit to start on Monday

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:47:41 -0400

The Group of Eight summit start on Monday in Northern Ireland. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will express his determination to contribute to global stability by reviving Japan's ...

Abe E. Europe leaders agree to deepen nuclear cooperation

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:47:41 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his counterparts from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia agreed in Warsaw on Sunday to deepen cooperation in the field of energy, including nuclear power and ...

Part of port for Japans southernmost islands emerges above sea

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:47:40 -0400

At Japan's southernmost point, a portion of the port that will solidify the nation's claim to the exclusive economic zone around the islands of Okinotorishima in the Pacific Ocean can now be ...

Nikkei falls as yen stays firm languishes in bear market

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:43:42 -0400

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei share average fell in early trade on Monday as weak U.S. stocks and a stronger yen dampened already fragile sentiment, with the Japanese benchmark languishing in a bear ...

Japan blue-chip stocks edge lower in early trade

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 20:41:43 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks edged mostly lower Monday, reflecting caution after a weak finish on Wall Street Friday and ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision later this week. The Nikkei Stock ...