Japan’s love of cash is a costly business

TOKYO -- If you go out for drinks with your colleagues in Japan, chances are that you end up doing warikan at the end of the night. And the warikan, or the splitting of the bill evenly, is most likely done in cash despite almost everyone having plastic and ... ( read original story ...)

Japan succession crisis could rip links out of auto supply chain

TOKYO -- Japanese automakers and major parts manufacturers are dealing with one headache after another. "The chief of a supplier has grown old and is less motivated, leading to product quality problems," one industry insider lamented. Another complained of ... ( read original story ...)

Bitcoin: Big in Japan

Known as "Miss Bitcoin" on Japanese social media, Mai Fujimoto says she invests all of her savings in the virtual currency that has proved a huge hit in Japan. "I convert all my disposable income into cryptocurrency," the 32-year-old tells AFP. ( read original story ...)

QE Party Over, even by the Bank of Japan

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda keeps saying that the BOJ would “patiently” maintain its ultra-easy monetary policy, so too in his first speech of 2018 in Tokyo, on January 3, when he said the BOJ must continue “patiently” with this monetary ... ( read original story ...)

Japan ETFs Already Looking Very Bullish In 2018 (DXJ)

From Zacks: Japan’s manufacturing activity in December expanded at its fastest pace since February 2014, per the Nikkei Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). Strong global recovery provided support to Japanese manufacturing activity. ( read original story ...)

Japan Inflation Ticks Up: ETFs in Focus

Japan’s core consumer prices ticked up in November owing to a rise in prices of gasoline and utilities. However, it is still lagging Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) target rate. Economic Scenario Japan’s core consumer prices, which exclude prices of fresh food ... ( read original story ...)

Japan leads Asia’s New Year stock rally, hits a 26-year high

TOKYO -- Stock markets across Asia have started 2018 on a strong note, with Japan's benchmark Nikkei Stock Average advancing 3.26% Thursday on the back of rosy economic indicators coming from the U.S. and China. The Nikkei average topped 23,500 for the ... ( read original story ...)

AirAsia plans Manila-Osaka flights by 2nd half

“We have [entitlements] for Osaka, around second semester ... Philippines AirAsia is planning to launch its initial public offering (IPO) by the second half of this year. The company expects to raise up to $250 million from the IPO, which will be ... ( read original story ...)

Abenomics faces year of reckoning with Japanese public

"Japan's economy is marching steadily away from the deflation ... Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told The Nikkei in December, indicating that the bank's goal of stable 2% price growth should be reached before a drawdown begins. ( read original story ...)