Sapporo’s Snowy Songstress Hatsune Miku Takes Over

In the case of Sapporo, the largest city in the northernmost island of Hokkaido, one such symbol is virtual songstress Hatsune Miku. While Miku's a pretty big deal across all of Japan, she has special significance to Sapporo, which is where the company ... ( read original story ...)

Tickled pink: Japan lovers taste new chocs on Valentine’s Day

It is a marriage made in Heaven for cute-obsessed Japan: this Valentine's Day, lovers can present the object of their affection with a world first -- naturally bright pink chocolate. The KitKat store in the glitzy shopping area of Ginza in Tokyo is a riot ... ( read original story ...)

The Latest: Japan holds off Korea 4-1 in Olympic hockey

Japan has held off Korea 4-1 for its first Olympic victory in women's hockey, with Hanae Kubo and Shoko Ono each scoring in the first period. Japan came into its third Olympics winless, but it has the ninth-ranked team in the world and is tops in Asia ... ( read original story ...)

Japan posts longest growth streak since 1980s bubble economy

A rising yen, which tends to push down Japan’s import prices and depress exporters’ earnings, took the gloss off an otherwise respectable report on the world’s third-largest economy. The GDP data comes after news that Abe’s government has decided ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Display reports fourth straight quarterly loss

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan Display Inc reported on Wednesday a fourth consecutive quarterly net loss, as its slow adoption of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology resulted in fewer orders from its largest client, Apple Inc. The liquid crystal ... ( read original story ...)

Widodo woos Japan as infrastructure ambitions stall

"Japan is slow at planning but always makes things happen." A growing number of voices in the government say it has no choice but to rely on Tokyo. In a December interview with The Nikkei, Widodo said he was closest with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo stocks lead most Asia markets down ahead of US inflation

Tokyo led most Asian markets lower on Wednesday, extending the previous day's losses while nervous investors await the release of key US inflation data later in the day fearing a renewal of recent volatility. While Hong Kong and Seoul clocked up healthy ... ( read original story ...)

Japan posts longest growth streak since bubble economy

TOKYO (Reuters) - Robust consumer spending drove Japan’s economy to eight straight quarters of growth in October-December, its longest continuous expansion since the 1980s bubble economy, and evidence that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign to ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s economy grows at 0.5 per cent annual pace in Oct-Dec

TOKYO — Japan’s economy grew at a slower than expected 0.5 per cent annual pace in the October-December quarter, as strong exports failed to fully compensate for relatively weak domestic demand. The preliminary data released Wednesday show Japan has ... ( read original story ...)

Japan keeps airtight lid on refugees as applications soar

TOKYO -- Japan approved only 20 out of a record 19,628 applicants for refugee status last year as authorities reject appeals they suspect come from job-seekers. Last year saw an increase of 8,727 people applying for refugee status from 2016 levels ... ( read original story ...)