Japan factors foreigner safety into its disaster prep

TOKYO Japan is beefing up its anti-terrorism measures with a special focus on protecting foreign residents and visitors during the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Cabinet Secretariat recently held a counterterrorism drill ... ( read original story ...)

Japan braces for tough trade talks with old US hand

WASHINGTON -- The man expected to become America's next chief trade negotiator indicated Tuesday that the new U.S. administration will put heavy pressure on Japan to make concessions in agriculture imports on the way toward a bilateral free trade agreement. ( read original story ...)

Japan gathering forces to mine 'burning ice' energy

TOKYO -- About 50 Japanese companies are joining forces to support the commercialization of methane hydrate, a fuel anticipated in Japan as a next-generation energy source. Methane hydrate, also known as "burning ice" for its icelike form, releases methane ... ( read original story ...)

Japan makes a new name for itself — with world-class whisky

YAMAZAKI, JAPAN—A dim storage room surrounded by bamboo groves and ... who manages Nikka’s international business. Nikka Whisky From the Barrel, packaged in a sleek bottle, is doing especially well in Europe, she says. Sukhinder Singh, owner of London ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's central bank holds steady on interest rate, stimulus

TOKYO — Japan's central bank opted Thursday to keep its monetary policy steady, as the U.S. Federal Reserve tightens and European Central Bank edges in that direction. The Bank of Japan ended a policy meeting by keeping the minus 0.1 per cent benchmark ... ( read original story ...)

From Osaka to Frankfurt, listless wages remain G-7 mystery

From York, U.K. to Montreal, and Osaka to Seattle, it’s a pretty good time to be ... the last year of expansion before the financial crisis. “I hate to say it but we may be in a new normal for wage growth,” said Omair Sharif, senior U.S. economist ... ( read original story ...)

Saskatoon swimmer finds freedom in quest for gold

Saskatoon's Shelby Newkirk is at the top of her game, swimming and competing internationally with her sights set clearly on the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Newkirk just returned from a swim meet in Denmark. "Believe in yourself and don't let anything ... ( read original story ...)

Konnichiwa Amsterdam: Japan Banks Seek New Home After Brexit

MUFG, Japan’s biggest bank, sought to build its Amsterdam offices even before Brexit became a reality because it wanted the city to serve as a hub for operations on the European continent. Three of the lender’s European offices started reporting to ... ( read original story ...)