Naomi Osaka's return to the top of women's tennis has hit a speed-bump with the former world No.1 bowing out in the first round of the Australian Open for the first time. ( read original story ...)
‘With a heavy heart’: Gram Cafe and Pancakes Singapore closes VivoCity outlet, has 1-for-1 promotion
Singaporeans were elated when the famous Gram Cafe & Pancakes from Osaka announced the opening of their first store in Singapore at VivoCity. But good things don't last forever, as the cafe is ... ( read original story ...)
IMF sees scope for Asia to cut rates, urges clarity in China’s property fixes
Asian central banks may see scope to loosen monetary policy later this year as inflation moderates, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday and called on China to give a clear message in how ... ( read original story ...)
Property sector critical to growth
This is indeed a portentous ingredient of Japan's balance-sheet recession. Unlike Japan during its lost decades after the collapse of its property bubble, China faces its own significant structural ... ( read original story ...)
Unique houses survive quake in Japan village thanks to architectural design
Not one of around 100 structures in windswept Akasaki collapsed in the magnitude 7.5 quake that hit the country on New Year’s Day, despite the epicentre being just a few kilometres away. ( read original story ...)
Osaka’s Grand Slam comeback ends in 1st-round loss to Garcia,
Naomi Osaka’s comeback to Grand Slam tennis after a 15-month break has ended in a 6-4, 7-6 (2) loss to 16th-seeded Caroline Garcia in the first round at the Australian Open. The four-time major winner ... ( read original story ...)
New Tokyo apartment costs 25 times Japanese salary
The price of new apartments in Tokyo during 2023 averaged more than 100 million yen (US$677,785) annually for the first time ever, about 25 times higher than Japan's nationwide salary. ( read original story ...)
Japan’s 8.5 million abandoned rural homes, or akiya, have become a ‘cheap’ option for foreigner owners
A push into the city and population decline are two reasons they sit empty, as well as the Japanese preference to newly built homes rather than pre-owned. ( read original story ...)
MFA director-general facing charges over use of diplomatic bags allowed to visit Tokyo
Ms Kaur obtained permission from the court for Oh to visit Tokyo from Jan 28 to Feb 20. The purpose of the trip was for leisure, according to court records. Oh wants to "explore and negotiate the ... ( read original story ...)
Retro Japan: Osaka social club hall exudes cosmopolitan atmosphere
With eye-catching features such as totem pole-style stone pillars and terra cotta carvings in the arches on the facade, as well as floral-pat・・・ ... ( read original story ...)
Osaka plans to keen busy in 2024 with packed tournament schedule
MELBOURNE - Naomi Osaka said on Friday she has no plans to ease herself back into the tour after returning from a 15-month absence with the double Australian Open champion already planning a ... ( read original story ...)
Why Japan has more than 8 million cheap abandoned houses that people are renovating into dream homes
Why can't the Japanese government demolish these homes? Japan's property rights laws make it hard for the government to interfere. Before 2015, the government had no right to get akiya owners to ... ( read original story ...)
Azumi Setoda review: A lovingly restored family home in Japan’s best hidden gem
The restored ryokan once belonged to the Horiuchi family, influential salt barons who hired Japan’s finest craftsmen to build their home. Over 100 years later, the property’s original features shine ... ( read original story ...)
Japan is Top Cross Border Commercial Property Investment Target in 2024
According to CBRE's 2024 Asia Pacific Investor Intentions Survey, Japan is the top target for cross-border real estate investment in Asia Pacific for the fifth consecutive year, with investors ... ( read original story ...)
Little Tokyo Wishing Tree Removed From Japanese Village Plaza
Ikeda, known by her friends as Nikki, stayed up until midnight on Jan. 15 tearing down the wishes of hundreds of Little Tokyo visitors. “I closed at 7 and spent five hours to take down the paper,” she ... ( read original story ...)
The 30 Best Hotels in Tokyo
Whether it's a traditional ryokan in the middle of the city or a quirky boutique hotel you seek, Tokyo offers a little bit of everything. ( read original story ...)