BoJ Minutes: Economic Recovery Continues Moderately

TOKYO (Alliance News) - Members of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy board said that the country's economic recovery was continuing moderately, although exports and production were sluggish, due to downside risks stemming from the slowdown in emerging ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo stocks down, Shanghai up in thin holiday trade

Tokyo stocks closed lower on Monday ... of almost $12.5 billion to settle disputes over the sale of mortgage-backed securities during the global financial crisis. Japan's MUFG dropped 1.22 percent while its rival Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group was ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo shares edge down in morning

Tokyo shares edged down Monday morning as overseas investors stayed away from the market for the Christmas holidays. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average shed 17.24 points, or 0.09 percent, from Thursday to 19,410.43. The Tokyo market was closed Friday for a ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo, Shanghai lower in quiet holiday trade

broker at Okasan Securities in Tokyo. Japan's banking sector remained under selling pressure on negative news in the sector from overseas. Italy on Friday approved a state-funded rescue of the world's oldest bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena (BMPS), while ... ( read original story ...)

Nikkei falls in thin holiday trade as weak yen trend pauses

TOKYO, Dec 26 Japan's Nikkei share average edged down on Monday morning led by falls in banking and exporter stocks with risk appetite sapped by a pause in the yen's recent tendency to weaken. The Nikkei dropped 0.2 percent to 19,395.99 in midmorning trade ... ( read original story ...)

Japan ex-PM Yoshida's forgotten Pearl Harbor visit recounted

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who will visit Pearl Harbor with President Barack Obama on Tuesday, wasn't even born when Japan's former leader Shigeru Yoshida went there just six years after the country's World War II surrender, by himself ... ( read original story ...)

Train, casino, reactor woes to grab Kansai headlines in ’17

Despite concerns about the social ills of gambling, and despite a recent opinion poll by Kyodo News showing that 69 percent of the public opposed lifting the ban on casinos, Osaka is charging forward to host the nation’s first “integrated resort ... ( read original story ...)

Bahrain-Japan meetings held

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (BNA): In activation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Political Consultation on April 11, 2012, during the historical paid by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to Japan, the 4th Meeting for Political Consultations between ... ( read original story ...)

In Pearl Harbor Visit, a Symbol of Reconciliation in Japan

Some Japanese news media suggested that the Pearl Harbor trip could even lift Mr. Abe’s approval ratings and give him the confidence to call an election in January. The Japanese public is also aware of the importance of a symbolic visit to Pearl Harbor ... ( read original story ...)

Britain and Japan sign nuclear energy cooperation agreement

Britain and Japan have signed an agreement that significantly expands cooperation in the nuclear energy sector and paves the way for Japanese companies to construct nuclear plants in the UK. It also covers cooperation in the areas of decommissioning and ... ( read original story ...)

'Smartphone toilet paper' at Tokyo airport

Welcome to Japan' News of the smartphone toilet paper spread rapidly among Facebook users. "Give your smartphone a wipe while you answer the call of nature," commented Roger Chen in Singapore. "What if you're tired and jetlagged and accidentally mix up the ... ( read original story ...)

A realistic view of Japan’s island dispute

and it’s Abe’s task to break the news gently to the Japanese people. During a heated discussion on the web news service DemocraTV, former Lower House lawmaker Hiroshi Kawauchi stated that the government “has never had a solution” to the Northern ... ( read original story ...)

Berkshire Hathaway to bet on earthquake insurance in Japan

TOKYO -- An insurance company under Berkshire Hathaway of the U.S. is considering making a foray into Japan, betting on the potential of the country's earthquake insurance market. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance plans to operate as a reinsurer ... ( read original story ...)