Japan’s ruling party gets lion’s share of business donations

Automakers association was the single largest donor to Shinzo Abe's LDP in 2016 TOKYO -- Political contributions by Japanese companies and organizations grew for a fifth straight year in 2016, with nearly 90% going to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ... ( read original story ...)

Japan inflation ticks up, jobless rate at 2.8 pct in October

TOKYO — Japan reports its core inflation rate rose 0.8 per cent in October, a slight increase from the month before, while the jobless rate remained steady at a very low 2.8 per cent. The data reported Friday add to indications of a stable recovery ... ( read original story ...)

Behind Japan’s Corporate ‘Culture of Concealment’

A look into why Japan’s once sterling corporate reputation has taken such a hit amid a number of high-profile scandals in recent years. Also in the programme, a deep dive into why the nation's efforts to make it easier for women to return to work after ... ( read original story ...)

Major Japanese crypto exchange lands in the US

The world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, Japan-based bitFlyer ... Sarah Kocianski, senior research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has put together a report that compiles various fintech ... ( read original story ...)

Melco Resorts Makes Japan Its No. 1 Priority

Estimates of Japan's casino-gaming market range from $25 billion to $40 billion, which would make it the No. 1 or No. 2 market out of the gates. Given the potential, casino companies are pulling out all the stops to win a license, promising to spend up to ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s Economy Is Still Outrunning Its Potential Growth Rate

Inflation is rising, with prices excluding fresh food increasing in October by the most in more than two years, but at 0.8 percent it remains far off the Bank of Japan’s 2 percent target. Tepid consumption makes companies cautious about raising prices ... ( read original story ...)

How To Finance A War?

War is a costly venture. Before engaging in combat a nation needs to consider how it will finance expanding its military forces. The graph below shows Japan’s extensive military funding. With a government debt reaching over 400% of GDP, it surpassed all ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s Emperor Akihito to abdicate in April 2019

What do Japanese people think? Most support the emperor's desire to abdicate - a survey by the Kyodo news agency after Akihito suggested he wanted to step down found more than 85% saying abdication should be legalised. Why is the abdication timing contentious? ( read original story ...)

Japan’s emperor to abdicate at end of April 2019

TOKYO - Japan's much admired Emperor Akihito plans to abdicate on April 30, 2019, at age 85 in the first such abdication from the Chrysanthemum Throne in about 200 years, the government said Friday. Akihito's elder son Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the ... ( read original story ...)

Nikkei edges down in choppy trade; Sharp soars

TOKYO, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Friday morning, trimming earlier gains in choppy trade and led lower by real estate stocks, though Sharp Corp soared after it announced a return to the bourse's main board. Traders said ... ( read original story ...)

Kuroda Gives Japan’s Long-Suffering Bond Dealers Hope for 2018

That’s why a couple of throwaway lines from Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda in a Zurich speech last month has brought some cheer to Japanese government bond market players keen to close the books on 2017. It’s poised to become the first full ... ( read original story ...)