Bank of Japan Keeps Monetary Policy Stable

Japan’s central bank maintained its ultra-loose monetary policy on Friday and downgraded its view on inflation, signaling that it will lag well behind its US and European peers in rolling back crisis-era stimulus. Markets are on the lookout for clues ... ( read original story ...)

June Tech & Design News

It’s absolute proof of a transaction and at times feels like necessary proof that you exist here at all. Paperwork rules the roost in any Tokyo office. However, subscription-based software company SmartHR is here to change that. Its goal is to assist ... ( read original story ...)

Osaka floats out-of-box thinking for ties with North

View from Osaka is a monthly column that examines the latest news from a Kansai perspective. North Korea's official Pyongyang Broadcasting Station repeated on Friday that the abduction issue has "already been settled," according to the Tokyo-based Radio ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo stocks open higher on cheaper yen

Tokyo stocks opened higher on Friday helped by a cheaper yen against the dollar partly due to the European Central Bank’s policy decision and expectations for brisk US economic growth. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index edged up 0.56 percent or 127.39 points ... ( read original story ...)

Nagoya Store’s Giant Mannequin Gets Wookie Makeover

The Meitetsu Department Store in Nagoya, Japan has a distinctive mannequin outside its men's department. The mannequin is known locally as Nana-chan, and she's a popular landmark for meet ups because she's easy to spot in the shopping district —she's 20 ... ( read original story ...)