IMF upgrades eurozone, Japan; leaves world outlook unchanged

The International Monetary Fund upgraded the economic outlook for Europe, Japan and China this year. But the fund left its forecast for global growth unchanged from an April forecast, partly because the United States is unlikely to get much help from tax ... ( read original story ...)

Japan kicks off ‘Telework Day’

Japanese commuters are being encouraged to work from home ... president of the Ricoh Institute of Sustainability and Business. But the upcoming Olympics are not the only reason for the experiment. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently introduced policies ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese start-ups generate innovation

Many venture capital funds are also getting their financial resources from banks, says Takao Fujiwara, a professor of business administration at Toyohashi University of Technology. In addition, "the Japanese government is eager to support start-ups," Mr ... ( read original story ...)

Surge in visitors to Japan attributed to S. Korean tourists

TOKYO - The surge of foreign visitors to Japan in the first half of this year to a record 13.76 million is primarily attributable to a rise in South Korean tourists, particularly those arriving on low-cost carriers. "More young (South Korean) people are ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo businesses seek to create brands to remember

TOKYO -- The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is just three years away, and the international event provides an exceptional chance for local businesses to package their products under the Tokyo label. This has led them to ask what foreign visitors can take home to ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s foreign workers want faster promotions, pay raises

TOKYO -- Foreign workers in Japan now total more than 1 million, and they form an indispensable part of the country's labor force. The government and business see them as not just a workforce to compensate for worker shortages, but as a force to revitalize ... ( read original story ...)

The Mystery of Why Japanese People Are Having So Few Babies

Zwei’s business model is based on matching women in Japan’s big cities with men in other areas of the country, where men are more likely to have good jobs and be considered viable partners. “Men in this city are not very masculine and they don't want ... ( read original story ...)

Boom in convenience seen as firms gear up for Olympic profits

Japanese companies are accelerating preparations to seize Olympic business opportunities to ensure money will keep rolling in after the quadrennial sporting spectacle ends in 2020. “The mission for the business community is to realize the expected ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo airport police find 30 bullets in US plane crew’s bag

TOKYO — Japanese airport police have found 30 bullets in an American Airlines crewmember’s carry-on bag and say the flight attendant apparently carried them through his security checks at U.S. airports. Police at Tokyo’s Narita airport seized the ... ( read original story ...)