Japan’s ‘lucky bag’ market is a basket of unknowns

The next few weeks may see enlivened speculation Toshiba will be removed from the Nikkei 225 altogether. If that happens, even a cheap yen may not reverse an impression that Japan equities are a lucky bag best left on the shelf. ( read original story ...)

Japanese media critical of new comfort woman statue in Busan

The Japanese news outlets also expressed concerns about South Korea’s upcoming presidential election. The Nikkei noted that while President Park Geun-hye “reached an irreversible agreement” on the comfort women issue, South Korea “could demand ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese is affecting the English lexicon in new ways

The earliest Japanese loanword to appear in the Oxford English Dictionary ... It first appeared in the OED in a 1997 citation from the Nikkei Weekly, but didn’t make the dictionary until 2013. The year before last, it was dubbed Oxford Dictionaries ... ( read original story ...)

More to IBM's AI business than Watson: Japan chief

TOKYO -- IBM Japan succeeds in marketing artificial intelligence solutions by giving customers the advice needed to make the most of its Watson technology, according to the company's president. Paul Yonamine, at the helm since 2015, discussed IBM Japan's ... ( read original story ...)

Japan flavour makers search for tastes of Southeast Asia

Japanese flavor and scent makers are sniffing around for business opportunities in Southeast Asia, relying on local talent to guide them through the subtleties of the region's palates and into the hearts of growing markets. Green tea or seaweed? ( read original story ...)

Over 1,000 Japanese firms to turn 100 years old in 2017

More than 1,000 Japanese companies will mark the 100th anniversary of their founding in 2017, among them precision equipment maker Nikon Corp., automaker Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. and Morinaga Milk Industry Co. Of the roughly 3 million companies in the ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Business Federation concerned about US trade policy

Japan Business Federation head Sadayuki Sakakibara has admitted that he is worried about the trade policies of US President-elect Donald Trump. In an interview with Japanese media, Sakakibara said Trump's protectionist undertones will not only be a ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese cash helps grain firm The Healthy Grain grow

Small Australian nutritional agtech company The Healthy Grain has raised $8 million by selling a big slice of its business to Japanese global corporation, the Teijin Group. The funds will be used by the company, which specialises in the contract growing ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's techies avoid auto sector

The automakers "operate within extremely strict budgets and the business is generally low margin." Japanese companies suffer from a dearth of domestic talent and the perception their business is more "mature and slow moving" than the new wave of tech startups. ( read original story ...)

The Tokyo Station Hotel

The Tokyo Station Hotel has designated areas for smoking ... Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. ( read original story ...)

The top tech stories of 2016

Japan is one of many countries that has banned the device on ... A line on some fresh cash: Line launched its IPO on the Tokyo and New York stock exchanges, and raised more than ¥115 billion ahead of the listing. It was the second-biggest IPO of the ... ( read original story ...)