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Japan’s currency reached ¥150.16 per U.S. dollar on Tuesday in New York trading, its weakest value since October 2022. Then, within seconds, it rebounded to ¥147.43 per dollar.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 4, 2023

Yen rebounds from ¥150 to dollar as Japan mum on intervention

The yen quickly strengthened to ¥147.30 against the dollar, with its swift recovery sparking chatter that a quiet intervention had occurred.
Passengers line up to board a bullet train at Tokyo Station in August.
JAPAN
Oct 4, 2023

Shinkansen rail pass prices soar 70% for tourists

Even with the big increase, demand is likely to stay strong thanks to a cheaper yen and steady flow of inbound visitors.
Hakuoho's (left) impressive performance at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament saw him nearly win the Emperor's Cup in his top-division debut.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 4, 2023

JSA on right track with new rules to increase pro sumo participation

Revisions to the tsukedashi system will see more spots reserved for top amateur performers in the third and fourth divisions.
Ayuko Kato, minister in charge of child policies, speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 4, 2023

Children's agency chief Ayuko Kato vows to tackle falling birthrate

One of the aims of the agency is to help implement the Children's Future Strategy, a plan that was announced as a way to reverse the declining birthrate.
Masayoshi Son, chairman and chief executive officer of SoftBank Group, speaks during the SoftBank World event in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 4, 2023

SoftBank’s Son tells Japan: Adopt AI or get left behind again

Japan, which largely missed the initial wave of growth from the internet, can’t afford to lose another three decades, SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said.
Ozu High School in Ozu, Kumamoto Prefecture
JAPAN / Society
Oct 4, 2023

Probe launched over 'serious' Kumamoto soccer team bullying

A member of the renowned school team was allegedly forced to kneel on the ground in apology while naked as he was filmed by senior members of the team.
Jun Sawada, head of the Japan-U.S. Business Council, holds a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 4, 2023

Business leaders call for boost to supply-chain investment

The governments of Japan and the U.S. were urged to step up cooperation with Southeast Asian nations to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
The PayPay app now seeks to keep its pace of double-digit growth with help from other SoftBank portfolio companies.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 5, 2023

SoftBank’s PayPay app showcases Masayoshi Son’s clout in Japan

Seen to be next in SoftBank’s initial public offering pipeline, the startup now holds two-thirds’ share in QR-code payments in Japan.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan head Kenta Izumi (left) and the Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki (right) attend a Rengo convention in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 5, 2023

Kishida’s attendance at union event offers hint at electoral strategy

The prime minister attended the event in his latest effort to court union members and expand his party's electoral base.
Japan's real wages in August declined for a 17th straight month, as persistent price hikes continued to outpace salaries.
BUSINESS
Oct 6, 2023

Japan's slower-than-forecast wage growth supports BOJ caution

Nominal cash earnings for workers rose 1.1% from the previous year, matching the revised figure from the previous month.
Yotsuya Otsuka cram school head office in Nakano Ward, Tokyo
JAPAN / Crime & Legal / FOCUS
Oct 6, 2023

Cram school teacher arrests ignite child safety debate

Two cram school teachers in Tokyo were arrested for allegedly taking photos of a female student's underwear and sharing them on a group chat.
Rahm Emanuel, U.S. ambassador to Japan, and Ann Burroughs, president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, discuss the importance of preserving the history of interned Japanese Americans.
CULTURE / Art
Oct 6, 2023

U.S. ambassador honors artworks by interned Japanese Americans

“This is not a great moment for America, and we have to own it,” Rahm Emanuel said at a reception in Tokyo.
Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto speaks to reporters in Sapporo on Friday.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 6, 2023

Sapporo to push back Winter Olympics bid to 2034 or later

Sapporo mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto will meet with the Japanese Olympic Committee next week to request the change.
An electric monitor displays the yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and the Nikkei share average outside a brokerage in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 6, 2023

Japan's re-defined intervention trigger may slow yen bears

The new interpretation of "excessive" yen volatility is aimed at keeping investors on guard rather than lowering the threshold for intervention.
From happōshu to real beer, Japan’s tax changes aim to improve brewing quality and prices.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 6, 2023

Amid rising costs, why is Japan making beer cheaper?

A 350-milliliter can of brew costs drinkers about ¥7 (5 cents) less from October, thanks to changes in the country’s tax system.
A Jera thermal power plant
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 6, 2023

Japan climate group calls for ban on top power firm's emission claims

The group says the ads may mislead consumers as Jera fails to mention that the ammonia the utility plans to use would emit CO2 during production.
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph holds a news conference last month in Toulouse, France.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 6, 2023

Japan coach Joseph makes just one change for Argentina showdown

Coach Jamie Joseph has largely kept faith with the side that beat Samoa 28-22 last time out, with just Fifita Siosaia replacing Jone Naikabula.
Over four days in September, Japan Soca Weekend brought together the Tokyo area's Caribbean community for dance parties, outdoor blowouts and a crowning Carnival festival on a racetrack in Chiba.
COMMUNITY / Issues
Oct 10, 2023

‘Peak happiness’ at the first Japan Caribbean Carnival

For Japan’s Caribbean community, Carnival provides a deep sense of community and offers a cure for homesickness.
Children jump rope in a park. Young people with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) can have difficulties in jumping rope, throwing a ball or doing other common physical activities.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Regional voices: Chubu
Oct 16, 2023

Better understanding of developmental coordination disorder needed

DCD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it hard for children to control their bodily movements to perform daily activities.
Japan's women's volleyball team celebrates its silver medal during the podium ceremony at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
OLYMPICS
Oct 8, 2023

Japan looks to youth at Paris Olympics after mixed Asian Games

Japan is looking to its young talent to impress at next year's Paris Olympics after finishing a distant second in the Asian Games medals table to host China.
Since Prime Minister Fumio Kishida launched his administration in 2021, he has vowed to boost spending by trillions of yen to tackle some deep-rooted issues. But how exactly the government will fund such efforts remains unclear.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 8, 2023

Private group calls for independent body to monitor long-term fiscal policy

The proposal suggests future projections can help citizens think more seriously about how fiscal matters could affect future generations.
A Korean Air passenger jet takes off from Incheon International Airport.
BUSINESS
Oct 9, 2023

South Korean airlines to boost number of flights to Japanese cities

According to an estimate by the Japan National Tourism Organization, 569,100 South Koreans visited Japan in August, up about 20 times from a year before.
The Brave Blossoms leave the pitch after their loss to Argentina at the Rugby World Cup in Nantes, France, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 9, 2023

Japan shows heart in bittersweet finale at Rugby World Cup

Japan's hopes at the Rugby World Cup were dashed in a thrilling match against Argentina.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses the U.N.-sponsored Internet Governance Forum held in Kyoto on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 9, 2023

G7 to draw up AI code of conduct this autumn: Kishida

Part of the plan will deal with battling disinformation by establishing systems to verify who has created content using AI.
An online banking system used by 11 banks including MUFG Bank and Resona Bank has been disrupted by a glitch, impacting transfers, the Japanese Bankers Association has said.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 10, 2023

Glitch at Japan's clearing system prevents transfers at 11 banks

It's not clear when it will be possible to restore the system, the Japanese Bankers Association has said.
Japan had hoped to progress to the knockout phase of the Rugby World Cup on international soil for the first time.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 10, 2023

Japanese rugby faces murky future following World Cup exit

The 2019 Rugby World Cup, and all that it promised, feels like a long time ago after the Brave Blossoms' pool-stage exit in France.
A notification of a banking system glitch at an MUFG Bank's branch in Tokyo's Taito Ward on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2023

Disruption of Japan's payments clearing network continues

The issue affecting 11 lenders, including MUFG Bank, has disrupted at least 1.4 million transactions.
Fundamentals bode well for financial firms amid speculation the Bank of Japan will move toward ending negative rates, with banks and insurers among the best performers on the Topix, climbing more than 30% since the start of April.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 11, 2023

Buffett watchers tout Japan financial firms as next value play

The famed U.S. investor is known for taking long-term stakes in companies with low valuations, which many Japanese insurers and banks have.
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. European nations have been dealing with a range of geoeconomic changes.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Oct 12, 2023

European Union being shaken by geoeconomic changes

European countries previously did not see China as a security threat due to their geographical distance. That is starting to change.
A Molten basketball designed exclusively for the 2023 World Cup finals
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2023

World Cup feat spurs basketball merchandise sales in Japan

The number of junior and senior high school students taking basketball lesson courses is also experiencing a sharp increase.

Longform

Totopa in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward was picked by consultants TTNE as the best sauna of the year.
Japan’s sauna movement: Relax, refresh, repeat