Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia for Brand Off to expand its business. Three Brand Off Tokyo shops will open this year and two more shops are planned to open next year, mainly in leading shopping complexes. Each requires 50-100 square metres ... ( read original story ...)
Japan Inc’s inflation expectations stall in March – BOJ survey
TOKYO (Reuters) - Corporate Japan expects to see only minimal inflation in a year and barely any change in the next three to five years, a central bank survey showed on Tuesday, highlighting yet again the difficulty the Bank of Japan faces in reaching its ... ( read original story ...)
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), the export credit agency of the Japanese government, is focused on the development of the country's economic performance through the promotion of exports, imports and economic activities overseas, and ... ( read original story ...)
Foreign investor sales of Japan shares offset by central bank
Foreign investors have broken a 17-year record for weekly net sales of Japanese stocks via equity futures as the Bank of Japan tests new limits of its programme to support the market through purchases of exchange traded funds. Although Japan’s Nikkei 225 ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese banks urged to tackle falling profits through cooperation
The new chief of a main lobby group for Japan’s banking sector has urged Japanese banks to exhaust all means – from mergers to informal tie-ups – to address the issue of declining profitability. According to Koji Fujiwara, chairman of the Japanese ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s ‘womenomics’ plans are driving change in the country
There's an in-house babysitting service for employees of one of Japan's largest staffing and talent agencies. It's not just a perk: It's essential for helping working mothers make an easier transition back into the workforce. That's because the country has ... ( read original story ...)
Robots might solve Japan’s labor problems
When Tetsuya Sawanobori finished grad school about a decade ago, he decided to start his own business. He set up a restaurant in Japan , following in the footsteps of his grandparents and uncle. A year later, he stopped. "I realized it's very hard ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka, Gavrilova among seeds advancing at Volvo Car Open
Naomi Osaka of Japan and Daria Gavrilova of Australia were among the seeded players to advance in the opening round of the WTA's Volvo Car Open on Monday. Osaka, seeded No. 10, topped Jennifer Brady of the United States, 6-4, 6-4. Gavrilova defeated Ons ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui eyes second referendum on merger plan during nationwide elections in 2019
OSAKA – Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui announced Monday that a second referendum on whether to merge Osaka’s wards might be held during the nationwide local elections in April 2019, six months later than the governor and his supporters originally hoped for ... ( read original story ...)
Modeling future earthquake and tsunami risk in southeast Japan
A recent study led by UMass Amherst looked at risk in southeast Japan after the devastating 2011 quake and tsunami. The Japanese government called for hazard-assessment research to define the nation's worst-case scenarios. Study centered on the Nankai ... ( read original story ...)
Assemblies from Niigata to Tottori criticize handling of Moritomo probe as threat to democracy
OSAKA – Over a half dozen local governments have officially expressed concern with the way Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government has handled revelations that the Finance Ministry deleted information on official documents related to the Moritomo Gakuen ... ( read original story ...)
Matsui eyes second referendum on Osaka merger plan during nationwide elections in April ’19
OSAKA – Osaka Gov. Ichiro Matsui announced Monday that a second referendum on whether to merge Osaka’s wards might held during the nationwide local elections in April 2019, six months later than the governor and his supporters originally hoped for ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s PM to meet with Donald Trump ahead of North Korea summits
TOKYO – Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday he plans to visit the U.S. this month to discuss North Korea with U.S. President Donald Trump ahead of expected summits between the North and the U.S. and South Korea. Abe said he will travel to the ... ( read original story ...)
Rare Japanese unicorn Mercari to targets rapid U.S. expansion
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese flea market app operator Mercari Inc targets rapid expansion in the United States, its founder and chief executive told Reuters on Monday, after a recent funding round boosted its value beyond $2 billion. Mercari offers an online ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo shares ease in thin trade; property, banks weaken
TOKYO, April 2 (Reuters) - Tokyo shares edged lower on Monday in choppy trade, with volume falling to the lowest in more than three months, while real estate and banks underperformed. The Nikkei ended 0.3 percent lower at 21,388.58 after flirting in ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s business mood sours for first time in 2 years, upbeat on capex
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese business sentiment worsened for the first time in two years in the three months to March, a closely watched central bank survey showed on Monday, as rising raw materials and labour costs weigh on an otherwise steady economic ... ( read original story ...)