TOKYO -- In the nearly two years since the Bank of Japan embarked on its negative interest rate policy, the country's major banks have seen their lending operations deteriorate as their average lending rate remains stuck at under 1%. The troubles are ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo Smoke goes public as cannabis companies eye retail
What company becomes the Starbucks of the industry, however, remains to be seen. Tokyo Smoke, owned by TS Brandco Holdings Inc., has been trying to manoeuvre into this position since 2015, carefully cultivating a hip, cannabis-centred lifestyle brand in ... ( read original story ...)
Bad boys: Hokkaido police round up 5 bosozoku members for dangerous riding
HOKKAIDO (TR) – Hokkaido Prefectural Police have sent five male youths belonging to a bosozoku biker gang to prosecutors for allegedly riding dangerously in Sapporo last year, reports Nippon News Network (Jan. 31). In October, a 19-year-old member of the ... ( read original story ...)
Should You Buy One of the World’s Biggest Phone Companies on IPO News?
News broke recently that Japanese telecom giant SoftBank (NASDAQOTH: SFTBF) is considering strategic alternatives for its mobile business, including spinning off a portion of it via an IPO. The company was quick to respond that it has not decided for sure ... ( read original story ...)
DENSO to Strengthen R&D Capabilities and Collaboration with New Tokyo Facility
DENSO will transfer part of the R&D functions currently located in its head office in Aichi Prefecture and existing Tokyo office to the new facility ... and will formulate and carry out business ideas to develop competitive products that better meet ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese investors: Land of the rising sum
Brett Himbury, IFM Investors’ chief executive, says: “There has been a strategic shift to offshore markets among Japanese institutions, insurance and pension funds for investment in debt, equity, private equity, property and infrastructure.” ( read original story ...)
Nikkei drops for 6th day as mining companies, steelmakers fall
Inpex Corp dropped 2.4 per cent and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal shed 2.1 per cent. TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average fell for a sixth straight day on Wednesday in choppy trade, with most sectors in negative territory, while large-cap stock Advantest ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s Fujifilm to take over partner Xerox to slash costs
TOKYO - Fujifilm Holdings and Xerox Corp. say the Japanese company will take over Xerox in a restructuring intended to slash costs. The companies said Wednesday that Fuji Xerox, their 56-year-old joint venture, will combine with Xerox. Fujifilm Holdings ... ( read original story ...)
2020 Tokyo Olympic costs keep rising despite efforts to cut
In late December, Tokyo Olympic organizers said the games would cost 1.35 trillion yen, which is about $12.4 billion at the present exchange rate of 109 yen to the dollar. But at a news conference last Friday, Koike said the city would spend an added 810 ... ( read original story ...)
The rise of ‘made-in-Japan’ Chinese herbal remedies
TOKYO -- With the market for traditional Chinese herbal medicines going from strength to strength, Japanese makers of the remedies are increasingly starting to source raw ingredients at home, rather than importing them from China. An hour and a half by car ... ( read original story ...)
Bank of Japan’s Kuroda urges cryptocurrency service firms to beef up security
TOKYO (Reuters) - Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said on Wednesday companies offering cryptocurrency services must have ample security steps in place. Kuroda also told parliament the BOJ had no plan now to issue digital currencies. Japan’s ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s Line to launch cryptocurrency exchange amid hacking fears
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s Line Corp plans to launch a cryptocurrency exchange, a move that comes as regulators investigate such exchanges in the country after hackers stole $530 million in digital money from Coincheck in one of the world’s biggest ... ( read original story ...)
Starbucks Japan evokes tradition and history with unique designs
TOKYO/MATSUYAMA, Japan -- In the old Japanese capital of Kyoto, on the Ninenzaka slope leading up to the Kiyomizu Temple, one of the city's most notable landmarks, a 100-year-old traditional house has been turned into a Starbucks coffee shop. At Starbucks ... ( read original story ...)
American tourism: Millennials opt for family vacations
According to Google, Athens is among the top 5 destinations of American millennials, with Osaka ranking first ... in 65,000 cities and rising valuation in advance of an imminent IPO. The report found that despite 52% of respondents saying they regularly ... ( read original story ...)
Former school head used Akie Abe’s name in seeking discount
It found that Kagoike had referred to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife, who had assumed the post of honorary principal of the elementary school under construction in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture. According to Finance Ministry officials’ replies in the Diet ... ( read original story ...)
Japan sanctions Coincheck after massive cryptocurrency theft
Bitcoin price tracks Google searches for the cryptocurrency as speculators fear missing out Japan’s finance minister Taro Aso told parliament on Monday that the government would take “necessary administrative measures, including an on-site inspection.” ( read original story ...)