Loss-hit Toshiba nosedives on fears about future

Tokyo (AFP) - Toshiba shares plunged Wednesday afternoon as fears grow about the future of one of Japan's best-known firms, which is battling massive losses and accounting fraud allegations at its US nuclear unit. The Tokyo-listed stock dropped 13.62 ... ( read original story ...)

Japan one-ups Scotch with whisky, coveted around the world

YAMAZAKI, Japan — A dim storage room surrounded by bamboo groves and pastoral hills is filled wall-to-wall with 3,000 wooden barrels. Here sleeps, for years, sometimes decades, prized Japanese whisky. The Suntory distillery in Yamazaki, near the ancient ... ( read original story ...)

New deals as Saudi King courts Japan

Saudi Arabia and Japan have signed agreements to cooperate on manufacturing, energy and finance as Saudi King Salman visits Tokyo. As David Pollard reports, there could be bigger prizes at stake for Japanese exporters - and for a Saudi economy determined ... ( read original story ...)

Japan lays groundwork for free education policy to help economy

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is laying the groundwork for a free education programme for some households that will cover a student's costs from pre-school to college to ensure the country maintains a highly-skilled workforce. The programme, still in its early ... ( read original story ...)

Japan could lead a resurgent TPP: Trade advocate group

The 11 non-U.S. countries who signed on to the Trans-Pacific Partnership should realize that the trade pact can survive without buy-in from Washington, and that Japan could lead the way, an expert from the Asian Trade Centre said Wednesday. "If you look at ... ( read original story ...)

Clarify Moritomo land deal

The government still needs to clarify how the land plot in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, had been sold to Moritomo Gakuen at a fraction of its appraisal value and whether there was any political meddling in the deal between the operator and the Finance Ministry. ( read original story ...)

Corporate Japan to power Saudi economic overhaul

Private-sector companies including top Japanese banks are set to reach 20 or so cooperation and investment agreements Tuesday. Nikkei staff writer Hidemitsu Kibe in Riyadh contributed to this report. ( read original story ...)

Japan banking on tourism as economic driver

Tourism has emerged as a driving force in Japan’s economy and the government is banking on it to boost the world’s third largest economy. In 2016, an estimated 24 million foreigners visited Japan, an increase of 21.8 percent over the 2015’s 19.7 ... ( read original story ...)

Japan PM Abe seeks Saudi support for Aramco listing in Tokyo

Besides Tokyo, markets in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto, are vying for what could be the world's largest IPO, potentially raising as much as $100 billion. While the Japanese government is keen to have Aramco shares trade in Tokyo ... ( read original story ...)

Saudi king visits Japan, seeks help on diversifying economy

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters ... Earlier, he pledged $1 billion in development finance for Indonesia and closer co-operation for combating transnational crime such as human trafficking, terrorism and the drugs trade. ( read original story ...)