Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, the world’s fifth largest bank, is to invite 100,000 customers to participate in a pilot of MUFG Coin, a blockchain-based digital currency that customers will be able to use to make mobile payments in stores. The trial is ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s Economy Likely to Rebound: 5 Solid Buys
For the first time in two years, Japan’s economy slipped in the first quarter. The economy contracted 0.6% on an annualized basis in the first quarter thanks to an unexpected fall in capital investment and flat private consumption. This might cause a ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese seniors sue government over forced sterilization program
They filed their cases Thursday at district courts in Tokyo and the northern cities of Sendai and Sapporo. One of them, Kikuo Kojima, 76, from Sapporo, said he decided to speak out to let people know about the policy. He is seeking 11 million yen ($127,000 ... ( read original story ...)
Finance Minister Aso warned over jeering in Diet
TOKYO -- Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said on May 16 that he gave a verbal warning to Finance Minister Taro Aso over his jeering of an opposition legislator during a recent Diet session. During a House of Representatives Budget ... ( read original story ...)
Mercari, Japan’s first unicorn, files for $1.1B Tokyo IPO
Mercari, the eBay-like service that is Japanese first tech startup unicorn, has filed to go public in an IPO that could raise as much as $1.1 billion. The company is scheduled to list on the Toyko Stock Exchange’s Mothers Market — a board for high ... ( read original story ...)
Coming to grips with Yokohama Advan dB V552
We tested Yokohama’s latest Advan dB series and checked out its ‘silent running’ credentials in Thailand. Yokohama Rubber is extremely proud of its “silent” tyre, the Advan dB; thus labelling it ‘dB’ (decibel) was deemed the perfect ... ( read original story ...)
Japan core machinery orders fall in March, capex recovery seen intact
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s core machinery orders fell in March for the first time in three months, but manufacturers forecast a rise for April-June, suggesting capital expenditure could hold up despite news that the economy contracted in the first quarter. ( read original story ...)
Earthquake jolts eastern Japan’s Chiba, no tsunami warning
TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 hit eastern Japan on Thursday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The epicenter of the quake was off the coast of Chiba prefecture, the agency said, adding that a tsunami warning had ... ( read original story ...)
Light earthquake, 4.5 mag was detected near Ofunato in Japan
A light earthquake with magnitude 4.5 (ml/mb) was reported 65 kilometers (40 miles) from Ofunato in Japan on Thursday. Global date and time of event UTC/GMT: 19/04/18 / 2018-04-19 04:57:59 / April 19, 2018 @ 4:57 am. The 4.5-magnitude earthquake has ... ( read original story ...)
5.3-magnitude quake strikes Japan’s Chiba Prefecture, no tsunami warning issued
TOKYO, May 17 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.3 struck Japan's Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo in the Kanto region, at 12:12 p.m. local time on Thursday, the weather agency here said. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency ... ( read original story ...)
Japan plans retaliatory tariffs against United States: NHK
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is considering slapping tariffs on U.S. exports worth $409 million in retaliation against steel and aluminum import tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday. The government is preparing to ... ( read original story ...)
Halep races past Osaka in Rome, Wozniacki advances
(Reuters) - World number one Simona Halep produced a ruthless display to see off Japan’s Naomi Osaka 6-1 6-0 in the second round of the Italian Open on Wednesday. Romanian Halep was forced to save four break points in her opening service game for 1-1 but ... ( read original story ...)
Deutsche Bank has no plans to pull out of Asian countries – CEO
“Our first steps outside of Germany nearly 150 years ago were in fact in this region, in China and Japan. We knew then, as we know now, how fundamental Asia is to our global business,” Sewing said. Deutsche Bank is present in 15 Asian countries ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo stocks open down after Wall St drop
Tokyo stocks opened in the red on Wednesday ... While yields on US Treasury bonds rose, the New York Federal Reserve Bank’s survey of business conditions showed a big jump in the price index. That reignited investor concern that inflation will accelerate ... ( read original story ...)
World’s Fifth Largest Bank To Trial Own Cryptocurrency In 2019, Report Says
The banking unit of Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) plans to trial its own cryptocurrency as early as 2019, Cointelegraph Japan reports today, May 15. Cointelegraph Japan quotes local news media outlet NHK saying that a test phase of the ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo: Gangster smuggled gold from Hong Kong
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 34 ... According to the Ministry of Finance, the number of cases of gold smuggling has surged since the consumption tax was upped from 5 percent to 8 percent in 2014. Between 2016 and last year ... ( read original story ...)