Japan economy revs up to 4 pct annual growth in April-June

TOKYO — Japan's economy gained momentum in the April-June quarter, growing at a hearty 4.0 per cent annual pace fueled by stronger consumer and corporate demand. Economists had been forecasting a relatively strong performance for the world's third ... ( read original story ...)

Japan economy grows at 4 per cent annual pace in April-June

TOKYO — Japan's economy grew at a hearty 4.0 per cent annual pace in the April-June quarter, helped by stronger consumer spending and corporate capital investment. Economists had been forecasting a relatively strong performance for the world's third ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s economy grows at fastest pace for more than two years

Investment tied to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has also given Japan's economy a boost in recent months. Is this a triumph for Abenomics? Well up to a point. Certainly, the growth in consumer spending and business investment is welcome. Nonetheless while six ... ( read original story ...)

Can these giant deep-water fish predict earthquakes?

In the days leading up the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan, around 20 of the fish purportedly washed ashore. Dozens were discovered by Japanese fishermen around the time a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile in March 2010. ( read original story ...)

Japan economy posts longest expansion in over a decade

Private consumption picked up 0.9 percent in the second quarter -- individual spending accounts for more than a half of Japan's GDP. The labour market is tight and business confidence is high but efforts to lift inflation have fallen flat despite years of ... ( read original story ...)

8 crazy ways Japan is coping with its demographic time bomb

Japan's population is falling faster than ever before. Burdened by a low fertility rate and widespread aging, Japan is losing its young people who can perform everyday jobs. Economists call situations like these "demographic time bombs," since they create ... ( read original story ...)

Japan: Magnitude 4.9 quake hits Tokyo, no threat of tsunami

A 4.9-magnitude earthquake hit the Tokyo area on Thursday, the Meteorological Agency of Japan said. However, the authorities did not issue any tsunami warning. According to the agency, the quake was centred in northwestern Chiba prefecture, east to Tokyo. ( read original story ...)

Legoland Japan attendance deals big blow to local businesses

NAGOYA--The bricks are in place, all 10 million of them, but business proprietors near Legoland Japan here are perplexed by the low turnout of visitors spilling over from the outdoor theme park. That, they complain, is because there is insufficient ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s June core machinery orders unexpectedly fall

Robust global demand has boosted Japanese business confidence to a three-year high in the there months to June, heightening policymakers' hopes that cautious companies will finally increase spending on plant and equipment. A sustained economic recovery ... ( read original story ...)

New hope for endangered eels, Japanese summer delicacy

FUJISAWA, Japan — The Japanese summer delicacy of roasted eel, braised with a tangy sauce and sprinkled with prickly mountain pepper, is in question as the creatures with their mysterious migrations become increasingly endangered. Soaring demand for ... ( read original story ...)

Japan PM should focus on regulatory reforms, say economists

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ought to prioritize regulatory reforms, according to economists in a monthly Reuters poll whose forecasts show they remain pessimistic on prospects for the pace of inflation to pick up in coming years. ( read original story ...)