Japan, Peru pledge to step up effort for early TPP approval

LIMA (Reuters) - Japanese and Peruvian leaders said on Friday they will work harder to put into force a Pacific rim trade pact as early as possible, pledging support for the 12-nation accord with an uncertain future. "The two leaders have committed ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo Police Club at Vanier Cup

Popular Ontario-based band, Tokyo Police Club, has been named as the featured halftime act at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup. The national university football championship is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at Tim Hortons Field. Tickets are ... ( read original story ...)

Fukushima 'safe' for Tokyo 2020 Olympics, says baseball boss

Fukushima, site of one of the world's worst nuclear disasters, poses no threat to players if baseball games are held there at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the sport's top official said Friday. Tokyo organisers want to hold part of baseball's preliminary rounds ... ( read original story ...)

"The Tokyo Trial: for World Peace" launched at Romania book fair

A book providing a comprehensive picture of the Tokyo Trials, also known as the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, drew crowds at the Gaudeamus book fair in Romania on Thursday. The book tells the story of Japanese war criminals tried after ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's Diet votes yes to more foreign care workers

TOKYO -- Legislation passed Friday opens more doors for foreign-born nursing care professionals to work in Japan, a move taken to address a labor shortage. The measures, approved by the upper house across party lines, take effect next year. Nursing care ... ( read original story ...)

Bank of Japan gets serious on yield-curve control

The Bank of Japan has put its "yield-curve control" plan into practice. On Nov. 17 the central bank offered to buy shorter-dated bonds in unlimited amounts, the first time it has wielded the tools it introduced two months ago. This episode hasn't cost the ... ( read original story ...)

Five Bright Spots for Japan Banks Burdened by Negative Rates

That’s all welcome news for the Tokyo-based banks, which this week reported lending income fell for a fifth straight quarter as interest margins continued to shrink under the Bank of Japan’s negative-rate policy. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with the ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese monetary policy and the property market

Earlier this year, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) became the latest central bank to experiment with Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP). They followed this up in September with even further unconventional monetary policy, which they have called "Qualitative and ... ( read original story ...)

U.S. Treasury yields subside, Asian stocks steady

Japanese government bond yields also pulled back from multi-month highs after the Bank of Japan conducted a special fixed-rate bond buying operation for the first time, firing a warning shot against excessive yield moves. The dollar index, which measures ... ( read original story ...)

Japan's Central Bank Believes Blockchain Could Create Tax Issues

Growth in the use of both digital currencies and distributed ledgers could hold regulatory and monetary policy implications, a senior official for Japan’s central bank said today. Speaking during a fintech event at the Univeristy of Tokyo, Bank of Japan ... ( read original story ...)