Nikkei tumbles to 4-month lows on Fed minutes

TOKYO, April 6 Japan's Nikkei share average tumbled to a four-month low on Thursday morning after U.S. shares tumbled overnight on signs the U.S. Federal Reserve may start cutting its king-sized balance sheet earlier than expected. The Nikkei dropped 1.4 ... ( read original story ...)

Kuroda likely favourite for new Bank of Japan term, if willing

TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan governor Haruhiko Kuroda has emphatically missed his single most important performance indicator, and yet is looking a good bet for a second term - the first in more than half a century - if the 72-year-old can face the strain. ( read original story ...)

Is Pokemon Go helping stop suicide at hotspot in Japan?

"The Pokemon Go effect is huge," he told Japanese news website Dot (in Japanese). "I hope we can continue at this pace with zero suicides." Vicki Skorji, director of Tell Lifeline, a counselling and mental health service for Japan's international community ... ( read original story ...)

Curling is big in Japan

"If they qualify for the Olympics it will be the top story. It will be front page. It's very big news in Japan," Nagai said. She has two deadlines a day because of the time change — one file in the morning and a day recap at night. People can't get ... ( read original ...

Japan to break 17-year drought with 2017 America's Cup challenge

Japan will campaign for the America’s Cup for the first time in 17 years in May. Team Japan general manager, Kazuhiko Sofuku, said the race in Bermuda was an important opportunity to showcase his nation's sailing legacy. "It is a great challenge to show ... ( read original story ...)

Japan education reforms stir memories of wartime indoctrination

The pronouncement coincides with plans for government-approved textbooks that critics say paint a narrowly traditional view of Japanese culture, and a scandal over a nationalist private school with ties to Abe's wife. Abe has denied that he or his wife ... ( read original story ...)

Yokohama Launches ADVAN A052

The new ultra-high performance ADVAN A052 hits the streets. Street-legal and race-ready, Yokohama Tire Corporation’s new ultra-high-performance ADVAN A052 is ready to roll. Geared toward sports car, track day and race enthusiasts, the A052 is the latest ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's Nikkei falls to lowest level since mid-January

TOKYO, April 6 Japan's Nikkei share average fell to the lowest level since mid-January in early trade on Thursday as weak Wall Street performances soured sentiment, while a stronger yen pressured the overall market. The Nikkei dropped 1.0 percent to 18,668 ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's Nikkei edges up as yen rally loses steam

TOKYO, April 5 Japan's Nikkei share average gained on Wednesday as the yen rally paused, although investor caution ahead of an upcoming U.S.-China summit limited the gains. The Nikkei rose 0.3 percent to end at 18,861.27. Banks and insurers, which seek ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's economy marks third-longest postwar recovery

TOKYO -- Japan's economic recovery has become its third-longest since World War II, driven by higher corporate profits and public works spending. Yet weak wage growth has made improvements tepid and hard to detect. The recovery likely continued through ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's services PMI hits 19-month high in March

TOKYO -- The Nikkei Japan Services Purchasing Managers' Index, or PMI, edged up to a 19-month high of 52.9 in March from February's 51.3. A reading above 50 indicates economic expansion, while one below 50 points toward a contraction. In March, the growth ... ( read original story ...)

Nikkei drops to 4-month low as Asian markets pull back

That means there is “no short term catalyst for U.S. equity to go up,” said Kyoya Okazawa, head of global markets for BNP Paribas in Japan, and less support for equities elsewhere. The Nikkei Stock Average NIK, -1.40% hit a four-month low Thursday ... ( read original story ...)