OSAKA – After 45 years on the run, a suspected ultra-leftist wanted for the 1971 killing of a police officer during a protest over the reversion of Okinawa to Japan may have been captured, investigative sources said. Masaaki Osaka, 67, is suspected of ... ( read original story ...)
Bitcoin going mainstream as Japanese business signs on
TOKYO -- Virtual currencies are gaining traction in Japan, with restaurant operators and retailers realizing the benefits of a simple, transnational form of digital payment. At Nippon Gas' headquarters here, customers paying in bitcoin can settle their ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s manufacturing sector experienced a broad-based slowdown in May
Activity levels across Japan’s manufacturing sector improved at a slower pace in May, according to the lastest Nikkei-IHS Markit “flash” manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) released today. The headline PMI came in at 52.0, down from 52.7 in ... ( read original story ...)
Zespri’s Japanese markets grows by 30 per cent
Kiwifruit sales in Zespri's Japanese market have grown by 30 per cent over the past two seasons and the co-operative plans to keep growth at 25 per cent over the next five years. Zespri sold a record 24 million trays of kiwifruit in Japan last season with ... ( read original story ...)
How Amazon helped push Japan’s famed delivery men to the edge
Person-to-person home delivery sales have been an important cultural feature in Japan for decades. So the growing burdens of e-commerce that threaten it are not just a business story; they are a story about social infrastructure. For the delivery companies ... ( read original story ...)
Nikkei flat as Manchester blast sours mood; airlines, exporters down
TOKYO, May 23 Japanese stocks were flat on Tuesday morning as a risk-averse mood kept investors sidelined following an explosion in the English city of Manchester, which lifted the safe-haven yen and depressed some export-oriented shares. The Nikkei share ... ( read original story ...)
Japan finance minister vows to stick to fiscal year 2020/21 budget balancing goal
TOKYO Japan must adhere to the government's goal to achieve a balanced budget by the fiscal year ending in March 2021, Finance Minister Taro Aso said, in a resolve to push for fiscal consolidation to fix the country's tattered finances. Aso made the pledge ... ( read original story ...)
Yokohama Geolandar G003 M/T Tire Bows: Getting down and dirty
It's a stark contrast between wilderness and civilization, the kind of contrast facing off-road tire makers like Yokohama. Because, with few exceptions, you're probably going to drive your vehicle to the trail on the same tire you'll actually use on the ... ( read original story ...)
Man arrested in Hiroshima is likely radical leftist on wanted list for 45 years
OSAKA – A man arrested last week in Osaka for alleged obstruction of public duty is likely an ultra-leftist terrorist who has been on a wanted list for 45 years, investigative sources said Tuesday. Masaaki Osaka, 67, is suspected of being involved in a ... ( read original story ...)
Japan anti-conspiracy bill clears lower house despite rights worries
Japanese governments have tried three times without success ... Cannataci responded by calling Suga's remarks "angry words" with "no substance" in an email to Reuters. A Kyodo news agency survey published on Sunday showed voters are split over the bill ... ( read original story ...)
Japan protests against U.N. expert’s queries on bill to fight terrorism
Japanese governments have tried to pass similar legislation ... despite loud opposition protests. A Kyodo news agency survey published on Sunday showed voters are split over the controversial bill, with support at 39.9 percent and opposition at 41.4 ... ( read original story ...)
‘Conspiracy bill’ draws backlash in Japan over state powers
Japan's lower house has approved a bill that allows authorities to punish those found guilty of planning serious crimes. It has been called the "conspiracy bill" by critics who worry the bill expanding state powers could be used to undermine basic civil ... ( read original story ...)
Japan May Manufacturing Growth Slows to Six-Month Low: Flash PMI
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese manufacturing activity expanded at the slowest pace in six months in May as export orders slowed, a private survey showed on Tuesday, in a warning sign that global demand may be weakening. The Flash Markit/Nikkei Japan ... ( read original story ...)
Exclusive: U.S., Japanese firms collaborating on new missile defense radars – sources
As nuclear-armed Pyongyang builds ever more advanced missiles with the ability to strike anywhere in Japan, Tokyo is likely to fund a ground version of the ship-based Aegis defense system deployed on warships in the Sea of Japan, other sources had said ... ( read original story ...)
Japan exports gain in April, rising oil prices pinch surplus
TOKYO (AP) " Japan reports its exports rose a solid 7.5 percent in April from a year earlier though the trade surplus dropped as higher oil prices pushed the value of imports higher. The figures released Monday were in line with estimates, given a rebound ... ( read original story ...)
WWII hurt Manipur: Japan
Japan has acknowledged that its wartime actions in the 1940s caused grave human suffering in Manipur. A senior Japanese official posted in India said on Monday that Tokyo is aware of the “aggression” that its soldiers unleashed in Manipur during the ... ( read original story ...)