Japan rocket with manga art launches satellite into space

Japan's domestically developed mainstay rocket carried two pieces of manga artwork originally drawn by Chuya Koyama, known for his comic book on two brothers who dream about becoming astronauts. "We believe it's the first time in the world to launch a ... ( read original story ...)

IHG Opens Holiday Inn Osaka Namba

LONDON—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened the Holiday Inn Osaka Namba. This is the fifth Holiday Inn hotel in the brand family in Japan, joining others in Sapporo, Sendai, Kanazawa and Miyazaki. The 314-room Holiday Inn Osaka Namba is located in ... ( read original story ...)

Nikkei drops to more than 1-week low on U.S. election shivers

TOKYO, Nov 2 Japan's Nikkei share average dropped to more than a week low on Wednesday as worries over the U.S. presidential election prompted a recoil in global markets, with a stronger yen adding to the cautious mood. The Nikkei fell 1.0 percent to ... ( read original story ...)

Nikkei drops to 2-week low on U.S. election concerns

TOKYO Nov 2 Japan's Nikkei share average fell to a two-week low on Wednesday as worries over the U.S. presidential election prompted a recoil in global markets, with a stronger yen adding to the cautious mood. The Nikkei fell 1.8 percent to 17,134.68 ... ( read original story ...)

Japan, South Korea eye joint action on companies aiding North

TOKYO -- Japan and South Korea are joining the U.S. in punishing companies that have helped North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons development, starting with a Chinese trading company suspected of money laundering. Pyongyang conducted its second nuclear ... ( read original story ...)

Japan faces uphill battle in tackling excessive overtime

TOKYO -- Japan is making a renewed push to tackle the problem of karoshi, or death from overwork, after the work-related suicide of a young woman grabbed headlines and caused a public outcry. But changing a deeply entrenched corporate culture that takes ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo shares open lower on Trump surge

Tokyo shares opened lower on Wednesday, following global sell-offs sparked by a new poll that put Republican candidate Donald Trump slightly ahead of his Democratic rival in the US presidential race. "The Trump risk is in revival," said Chihiro Ohta, a ... ( read original story ...)

A portrait of the tattooist as a nice young man

When Hori Benny moved into his brand new business premises in 2014 near Nipponbashi in downtown Osaka, there was an unwelcoming committee waiting for him. A neighboring business owner had gathered over 1,000 signatories for a petition to get him to move ... ( read original story ...)

Bank of Japan Stands Pat, Trims Inflation Forecasts

TOKYO—The Bank of Japan has given up its starring role in Abenomics, for now. After refitting its tool kit in September, the central bank opted Tuesday to leave policy unchanged, despite sharply cutting its inflation forecasts. And the bank doesn’t ... ( read original story ...)

'Lucky chicken' finds fame in Japan

The male chicken, named Masahiro, has become something of a local celebrity in Osaka, even serving as an honorary "chief" of the local traffic police last month, the Kyodo news agency reports. Masahiro was meant to become raccoon food at the city's Tennoji ... ( read original story ...)

Japanese all-girls band under fire for Nazi-like outfits

TOKYO -- A popular teenage all-girls band in Japan is under fire for performing in outfits resembling Nazi-era German military uniforms. The members of Keyakizaka46 appeared recently in black knee-length dresses that look like military overcoats ... ( read original story ...)

Halloween all the rage in Japan

Enthusiasm among young Japanese for Halloween continues to grow year by year, not only as a day to enjoy "cosplay" but as a time to spend on goodies like nobody's business. Observed in many countries as a time dedicated to remembering the dead, the ... ( read original story ...)