Asia stocks find relief as China set to return seized U.S. drone

The dollar will remain strong. One key question is whether the Dow Jones will hit the 20,000 mark," said Koichi Yoshikawa, executive director of financial markets at Standard Chartered Bank in Tokyo. Expectations that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will ... ( read original story ...)

Japan exports hold up on yen's slide

The finance ministry said Japan had a surplus of 152.5 billion yen ($1.29 billion) in November, reversing a year-earlier deficit but smaller than the 227.4 billion yen forecast in a Bloomberg News survey. "Net exports were the main driver of GDP growth ... ( read original story ...)

Ronaldo hat trick leads Real Madrid to Club World Cup title

YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick on Sunday as European champion Real Madrid claimed its second Club World Cup title by beating Japanese side Kashima Antlers 4-2 after extra time. "This has been an unbelievable year for me and for the ... ( read original story ...)

Ebook: What you need to know to start a business in Japan

Although startups are concentrated in larger metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Osaka, the government has been encouraging new business ventures and even created a special economic zone in Fukuoka with lower corporate tax. Foreign entrepreneurs can get ... ( read original story ...)

Japan culling 210,000 birds amid spreading avian flu

Tokyo: Japan has begun slaughtering about 210,000 farm birds in northern Hokkaido to contain another outbreak of a highly contagious strain of avian flu, an official said Sunday. It is the fifth mass cull this winter in Japan with hundreds of officials ... ( read original story ...)

Breakthrough in Japan, Russia islands row eludes PM Abe, Putin

The islands in the Western Pacific, called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kuriles in Russia ... "The issue won’t be solved if each of us just make their own case," Abe said at a news conference with Putin. "We need to make efforts ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo opts for new volleyball venue for 2020 Games

Tokyo 2020 organizers have vowed to keep costs below $20 billion ... Koike also unveiled a plan to sell off the operating rights of the arena to a private company after the Games, Kyodo news agency reported. After taking office earlier this year, Koike ... ( read original story ...)