Blackstone Inc. has bought a Ritz-Carlton resort in Okinawa and is purchasing another hotel on the Japanese island in a deal worth about ¥20 billion ($130 million), according to people with knowledge ... ( read original story ...)
No parachute needed: New typhoon observation device demonstrates high accuracy in field test
Researchers in Japan have demonstrated the high accuracy of their newly developed typhoon observation device, which is designed to drop from an aircraft into the eye of a typhoon. The results are ... ( read original story ...)
3rd anniversary of deadly arson attack at Osaka clinic observed
Bereaved relatives placed flowers and offered prayers Tuesday at the site of a mental health clinic in Osaka where 26 people perished in a fire set by an arsonist in 2021. The fire was started at ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s Honda and Nissan to begin merger talks, Nikkei reports
(Reuters) -Japanese auto giants Honda Motor and Nissan Motor will start negotiations to merge as they face growing competition from bigger global electric vehicle makers, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday. ( read original story ...)
Marriott opens mid-priced Four Points Flex hotels in Japan
OSAKA--U.S.-based hotel giant Marriott International Inc. is targeting budget-conscious travelers with the introduction of mid-priced hotels to Japan under the brand name of Four Points Flex by Sheraton. ( read original story ...)
Philippine military upgrade but no mutual defence: pros and cons of Manila-Tokyo deal
The deal strengthens defence ties between the nations, but analysts warn it could entangle the Philippines in Japan’s regional security role and provoke China. ( read original story ...)
Japanese bar forced to stop slapping customers
A Japanese izakaya chain has discontinued its “face slap service” after receiving a customer complaint about injury and fearing a blow to its reputation. ( read original story ...)
5 Ways Locals Ring in the New Year in Tokyo, Japan
From mindfully thought-out food arrangements to ringing the temple bells, here's how locals celebrate the New Year in Japan. ( read original story ...)
Japan’s Honda and Nissan to reportedly begin merger talks
Nissan and Honda plan to enter into negotiations for a merger to better compete in the rapidly changing automotive industry, the Nikkei newspaper reported. ( read original story ...)
Yokohama breaks ground on ‘smart tire’ factory in China
Yokohama Rubber has broken ground on a $483 million passenger tire plant in Hangzhou, China, that's intended to replace an older factory in the same district. ( read original story ...)
Japan Aims to Expand Nuclear Power in Break From Fukushima Era
Japan’s government plans to decisively back the expansion of nuclear power, dropping a decade-long policy of reducing dependence on the energy source and reversing curbs initiated following the 2011 Fukushima meltdown. ( read original story ...)
COLUMN-Korea is unlikely to be the next Japan or China-Raychaudhuri
South Korea has recently been in the news for all the wrong reasons, with a brief spell of martial law, continuing political uncertainty and market ructions. But the sharp underperformance of the country’s equity market long predates the turmoil involving recently impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. ( read original story ...)
Japan tech giant SoftBank’s $1B investment in U.S. to create 100K jobs, Trump says
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that a Japanese tech conglomerate will make a multi-billion dollar investment in the U.S. and claimed it will create scores of new jobs in artificial intelligence tech. ( read original story ...)
Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson freed from custody and will not face extradition to Japan
Paul Watson, an anti-whaling activist who found fame on the television show Whale Wars, was arrested in Greenland earlier this year under a Japanese arrest warrant. ( read original story ...)
Freed anti-whaling activist Paul Watson won’t face extradition by Denmark to Japan – lawyer
Japan had asked Denmark to extradite Watson, who had been in custody in Greenland since his arrest this summer. ( read original story ...)
Groundbreaking for Yokohama Tire plant in China
Yokohama Rubber held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Hangzhou Qiantang Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd plant in China. Yokohama Rubber intends for the factory to begin operations in 2026 with an initial production capacity of 9 million passenger car tyres a year, ( read original story ...)