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The Bank of Japan's tankan survey showed that large nonmanufacturers saw improvement in their sentiment with the index reaching the highest level since 1991, helped by a surge in inbound tourists.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 1, 2024

Japan service firms’ optimism tempered by softer factory sector

The deterioration in manufacturing sentiment partly reflects the impact from scandals among some vehicle producers.
Tadashi Imai, who became Nippon Steel's new president on Monday
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 1, 2024

Nippon Steel emphasizes its roots in the U.S. as it pursues deal

The Japanese firm has agreed to buy U.S. Steel for roughly $15 billion but the deal faces an uphill battle to approval in a U.S. election year.
Cardboard beds at an evacuation center in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on Jan. 31. Because evacuation shelters are operated by municipalities, the quality of disaster relief varies depending on the strength of each local government, one expert points out.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 1, 2024

Over 8,000 still in evacuation centers three months after Noto quake

The patchy progress of Japan's decentralized disaster relief shows that lessons from past disasters have not been learned, experts say.
Akihiro Fukutome, head of the Japanese Bankers Association, said new takeover guidelines from the industry ministry last year have helped lower psychological hurdles associated with unsolicited bids.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 1, 2024

Japan's banks less hesitant with hostile takeovers, lobby chief says

His comments offer evidence of a sea change in Japan — which once shunned hostile bids — that has helped bring it closer to Western-style dealmaking.
Customers browse Gashapon official shop “Ikebukuro Sohonten” in Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 2, 2024

Top capsule-toy maker Bandai bets on huge market outside Japan

Machines for capsule toys have become ubiquitous in Japan, found not only in arcades, but also malls, supermarkets, airports and train stations.
Akira Amari, a senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, says Nippon Steel’s acquisition of United States Steel would help counter China’s dominance in steel-making.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 2, 2024

Japanese lawmaker says U.S. steel deal would help counter China risks

The $14.1 billion deal would be a win-win for both companies and both economies, said former minister Akira Amari.
Japan’s power supply is expected to be sufficient for both the upcoming summer and winter, according to government forecasts.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 2, 2024

Japan forecasts sufficient power for upcoming summer and winter

Japan’s grid has proven fragile in the past, which has sometimes forced the government to ask households and businesses to conserve electricity.
Japan will provide ¥590 billion in additional subsidies to chip venture Rapidus.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 2, 2024

Japan approves extra ¥590 billion in aid to chip startup Rapidus

The additional funding will help Rapidus buy chipmaking equipment and also develop advanced back-end chipmaking processes.
A customer walks past a display for Nintendo's Super Mario at an electronics store in Tokyo on Jan. 12. Last year, Nintendo increased salaries, in part to be competitive with other studios.
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2024

Japan’s game industry weathers the storm amid layoffs worldwide

The country's studios are actually scrambling to attract and retain talent — a state of affairs that is symptomatic of the nation’s demographic challenges.
Workers prepare processed crickets at Hygente Technology in Shinjo, Yamagata Prefecture, in November.
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Tohoku
Apr 8, 2024

Next-gen protein sources explored as meat replacements in Tohoku

While proponents tout the benefits of edible insects and plant-based meat, getting consumers to change their eating habits remains an uphill task.
Ride-sharing apps on a smartphone. Since Monday, users have technically been able to hail private vehicles through such apps, but only in specific areas and at certain times.
BUSINESS / EXPLAINER
Apr 2, 2024

Japan has started private ride-hailing services. Here’s how they work.

Private drivers can only be called during times of high demand and in certain areas.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's Tokyo office. The company reported more cases of hospitalization linked to its dietary supplements.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 2, 2024

Kobayashi Pharma's health supplements tied to 157 hospitalizations

The figure reflects an increase from the 114 hospitalization cases that the company said were linked to its products containing red yeast rice.
A seafood restaurant at Tsukiji Outer Market in Tokyo. In a proposal to the government's top economic council, the panel urged policy changes in the face of rising domestic prices and interest rates, as well as wage growth at a 30-year high as companies face job shortages.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 2, 2024

Japan panel calls for shift away from stimulus-driven economy

The panel urged policy changes amid rising domestic prices and interest rates, as well as wage growth at a 30-year high as companies face job shortages.
Former Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs Tatsuo Yamasaki previously warned of the possibility of a looming currency intervention two days before Japan entered markets in September 2022.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 3, 2024

Ex-finance official who warned of Japan's 2022 yen intervention sounds alarm

"Officials wouldn’t have issued such strong warnings unless they were prepared.” said Tatsuo Yamasaki, a former vice minister overseeing the yen.
Startup Genome officials speak to representatives from startups that will participate in the Global Hypergrowth Tokyo program during its kickoff event last week in Tokyo.
BUSINESS / Tech
Apr 3, 2024

New mentoring program aims to help later-stage Japan startups go overseas

While many acceleration programs target young startups, the new initiative focuses on later-stage firms that already have a certain degree of experience.
Shohei Ohtani's response, or lack thereof, to the gambling scandal sheds light on the cultural differences in crisis management between Japan and the West.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 2, 2024

Ohtani swings and misses at PR, but he’s not Japan’s first

Shohei Ohtani's response, or lack thereof, to a gambling scandal sheds light on the cultural differences in crisis management between Japan and the West.
It would be dangerous for Kyiv to negotiate with Moscow at this stage of the war as Russia occupies 18% of Ukraine's territory.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Apr 3, 2024

Negotiating with Putin now won’t end the war

The surest way to end the war is for Japan, and others, to support Kyiv militarily. Negotiating with Putin at this stage is dangerous and unrealistic.
Japan's law-abiding pedestrian culture and norms may help explain its economic performance.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2024

The economic consequences of legal behavior

There is a complex relationship between cultural norms, legal systems and economic development.
Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu apologizes for his gaffe at a news conference in Shizuoka on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 3, 2024

Shizuoka governor's resignation may remove hurdle for maglev project

Heita Kawakatsu has long opposed the construction of a tunnel in the prefecture for the next-generation shinkansen, citing environmental concerns.
The Dodgers, with Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, could be in line to play in next year's MLB season-opening series in Japan, reports have suggested.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 4, 2024

Japan to host MLB season opener next year, baseball commissioner says

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs could be the teams to play the series, reports suggested.
Citigroup is betting that Japan’s bond market revival will gather steam after the Bank of Japan's rate hike.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 4, 2024

Citigroup sees ‘exciting market’ for Japan bonds after BOJ move

"Normalization has started, so we foresee a lot of activity going forward”
People visit to view cherry blossoms in full bloom at Chidorigafuchi, one of the moats around the Imperial Palace, in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN
Apr 4, 2024

Tokyo crowds revel as cherry blossoms reach full bloom

The Meteorological Agency declared that Japan's most common and popular Somei Yoshino variety of cherry tree was in full bloom.
Japanese household spending fell 0.5% in February from a year earlier, down for a 12th straight month, indicating the impact of persistent price increases on spending patterns.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 5, 2024

Japan’s households continue to cut outlays as inflation hits

Outlays decreased 0.5% in February from a year ago, sliding for a 12th consecutive month.
Yuki Tsunoda attends a promotional event ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, in Tokyo on Wednesday.
MORE SPORTS / Auto Racing
Apr 5, 2024

Japan favorite Tsunoda looks to shift career into higher gear at Suzuka

Without a race seat yet for 2025, the driver's future is up in the air.
Mercuria Energy Group is gearing up to engage in physical power trading in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 5, 2024

Mercuria joins trader push into Japan’s spot electricity market

That follows moves by other European energy companies, including BP and Engie, to expand in one of the biggest power-consuming nations.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a meeting of the Lower House Cabinet Committee on Friday
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 5, 2024

Kishida denies ex-PM Mori's involvement in LDP fund scandal

Many believe that Mori was involved in the scandal, as he had previously served as head of the Abe faction.
Yayoi Kusama’s “Pumpkin,” once the victim of high waves that dragged it into the sea, sits at the end of a pier on the south side of Naoshima.
CULTURE / Art / Longform
Apr 6, 2024

Why is the most exciting art in Japan so hard to get to?

Japan has a unique movement of public art projects and festivals that are a slog to get to — by design. A writer examines the country's “inconvenient art."
A prototype of the Astroscale Holdings ELSA-d in-orbit debris capture and removal craft is displayed at the company's office in Tokyo in December 2018.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 5, 2024

Japan space startup Astroscale aims for June listing, sources say

The 11-year-old company spoke to overseas institutional investors in March to gather feedback before making a decision on a listing.
Foreign tourists get their photos taken in front of a public toilet that was redesigned as part of a project to transform public toilets into restrooms that can be used comfortably by everyone, during a Tokyo Toilet Shuttle Tour, in Shibuya Ward, on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Apr 6, 2024

Flushed with pride, public toilets a tourist draw in Tokyo

Along with taking in temples and cherry blossoms, Tokyo visitors can now join a curated pilgrimage of the city's more modern wonders: its public toilets.
In Japan, dizziness that results from an earthquake is called jishin-yoi (which roughly translates to "earthquake drunk,” or "earthquake sickness”). It is also sometimes called post-earthquake dizziness syndrome.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Apr 6, 2024

How an earthquake can throw the body and brain off-balance

In Tokyo, one team found that some people still experienced balance issues for as long as four months after a big quake.

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