US$2.3 billion. The ANA deal was at the height of the pre-GFC property investment boom. Despite this, 2016 was a very strong year for hotel sales activity. In 2017, I expect Japan will witness another year of strong capital inflows. But unlike 2007 ... ( read original story ...)
Amazing images of Tokyo before it was a city
Plantation workers pick tea leaves in Tokyo, circa 1910s. Before Tokyo matured into the gleaming, dense city it is today, it was a small fishing village called Edo. Now home to over 13 million people, the Japanese capital has changed dramatically since ... ( read original story ...)
Japan's hi-tech toilets to get standardised symbols
Japanese toilets are set to become easier to use, after manufacturers agreed to standardise the symbols on the control panels. Japan's hi-tech toilets famously include features such as lid and seat controls, flush strength, front and back bidets, and air ... ( read original story ...)
Snow-anime pop up around Japan after winter snowfalls
Extraordinary snow creations of famous anime characters have been appearing all over Japan after recent snowfalls. Less than a month before Sapporo's famous snow festival, amateur snow sculptors have been posting pictures of their creations on social media. ( read original story ...)
Caroline Kennedy Leaves Japan After 3 Years as US Ambassador
Caroline Kennedy is stepping down Wednesday after three years as U.S. ambassador to Japan, where she was welcomed like a celebrity and worked to deepen the U.S.-Japan relationship despite regular flare-ups over American military bases on the southern ... ( read original story ...)
Johanna Konta vs Naomi Osaka Australian Open tennis live: Konta on a winning run after Sydney title
The good news is that Osaka, although she admitted she was ‘very nervous’, felt no recurrence of the left-wrist pain of Auckland, which bodes well for an entertaining contest with Konta. The pair have met once before, in qualifying for the US Open in ... ( read original story ...)
Toshiba mulls chip business stake sale to Western Digital: Nikkei
TOKYO Toshiba Corp is looking to spin off its semiconductor business assets and sell a roughly 20 percent stake in the unit to Western Digital Corp for up to $2.7 billion, the Nikkei business daily reported on Wednesday. Some U.S. investment funds are also ... ( read original story ...)
BRIEF-Claire's Inc files to withdraw IPO plans
TOKYO, Jan 18 Toshiba Corp is in talks to sell a minority stake in its flash memory business to U.S. chips business partner Western Digital Corp in a bid to boost its capital base, a source briefed on the discussions said on Wednesday. ( read original story ...)
Yahoo Japan defies calls to rethink ivory sales as Yahoo Inc CEO weighs in
TOKYO/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Japan, the country's biggest online auction site, is rebuffing calls to end online ivory trading despite Yahoo Inc CEO Marissa Mayer's misgivings over facilitating a business blamed for the illegal slaughter of African ... ( read original story ...)
Luksika loses in three to fiery Osaka
Melbourne: Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum was edged out by Japanese Naomi Osaka in three thrilling sets in the first round of the Australian Open yesterday. The nineteen-year-old Japanese overcame losing the first-set to beat Luksika 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-5. ( read original story ...)
Tokyo 2020 to study golf club's membership policies
Tokyo 2020 organizers say they will review membership practices at the golf course selected for the Olympic Games following criticism that it does not allow women as full members. Founded in 1929, the Kasumigaseki Country Club is one of the oldest private ... ( read original story ...)
Rock, Paper, Scissors at Nikkei National Museum
An upcoming exhibition at the Nikkei National Museum explores connections between Canada and Japan in a unique multimedia installation. Rock, Paper, Scissors, by Cindy Mochizuki, opens at the museum on Saturday, Feb. 4. The multimedia installation includes ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese banks eye cross-group custody services merger
The two aim to integrate Trust & Custody Services Bank, in which Mizuho holds a 54% stake, and Japan Trustee Services Bank, in which Sumitomo Mitsui Trust has a roughly 67% interest. The main proposal entails bringing the custodians together under a single ... ( read original story ...)
I forgot one thing on my trip to Japan — and now I have to apologize to every person I meet
Ten days ago, I traveled to Tokyo to help Business Insider launch its latest international edition. On Monday, Mediagene, our Japanese partner company, arranged a packed day of press conferences and parties to celebrate the website's official launch. ( read original story ...)
Tsukiji fish seller: 'My family has sold tuna for 170 years'
Tokyo's legendary Tsukiji fish market, which supplies the city's finest sushi restaurants and the general public, is set to be closed down and moved to a bigger, more modern site. Toichiro Iida, a third-generation tuna wholesaler, explains how families ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo doctor arrested over alleged fraud following false STD diagnosis
A Tokyo hospital director was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of defrauding a company executive after falsely diagnosing him with a sexually transmitted disease, police said. Michinari Hayashi, 69, head of Shinjuku Central Clinic, allegedly swindled about ¥ ... ( read original story ...)