TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese man thought to have been kidnapped by North Korean agents decades ago but whose presence there had never been confirmed is alive and living in the North Korean capital wit... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo Olympics: Cost of opening/closing ceremony up 40%
TOKYO (AP) — The price of the opening and closing ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics has risen about 40 percent according to numbers released by the organizing committee. Toshiro Muto, the chief executiv... ( read original story ...)
Half of couples in same-sex marriage lawsuits in Japan remaining anonymous
I want Japan to be a society where people can freely live as they wish," said Kawata. Another man, who filed his suit with the Nagoya District Court, told a news conference that when he and his partne... ( read original story ...)
Japan to recognise Ainu as ‘indigenous people’ for first time
"It is the first step for ensuring equality under the law," Mikiko Maruko, who represents a group of Ainu people in eastern Japan near Tokyo, told AFP news agency, commenting on the government's move. ... ( read original story ...)
Japan and South Korea lag rivals in fiber-optic speeds as 5G nears
Sweden and Denmark speeds are now around 40 Mbps, while the U.S. and U.K. have overtaken Japan in communications speeds. Nikkei extracted and analyzed data from 199 countries and regions ... ( read original story ...)
Ticket vending machines down at bullet train stations across Japan
(Japanese original by Toru Kuroo and Atsuko Ota, Nagoya News Center; Tsuyoshi Yamada, Osaka City News Department; and Kohei Chiwaki, Tokyo City News Department) ( read original story ...)
Nikkei slides, weak U.S. retail sales trigger profit-taking
TOKYO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Japan’s Nikkei fell on Friday as bleak U.S. retail sales data dampened investor risk appetite and dragged down the broader market, with exporters and financial firms underper... ( read original story ...)
Head of Japan bank lobby urges review of BOJ policy framework
One idea could be to replace the BOJ's 2 per cent inflation target with a target range on desirable price growth, which would enhance flexibility on monetary policy, Mr Fujiwara said. SEE ALSO: BOJ's ... ( read original story ...)
The Conservative Politician Fighting for Gay Rights in Japan
(Bloomberg) -- Tomomi Inada isn’t trying to get Japan to legalize same-sex marriage, or ban discrimination against gay citizens. The conservative lawmaker just wants to “promote understanding” of LGBT ... ( read original story ...)
Ticket machines down at several bullet train stations across Japan
NAGOYA -- Ticket vending machines went down at some stations on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka on the morning of Feb. 15, as well as at stations on the Sanyo Shi... ( read original story ...)
Marriott Signs Second Courtyard Hotel in Osaka, Japan
Marriott has signed a deal to open a second Courtyard hotel in Osaka, Japan. Owned by Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing but rented and operated by Sun Frontier Fudousan, the new-build Courtyard by M... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s GDP to grow 1.3% in first quarter, economists say
TOKYO -- The Japanese economy will maintain a modest ... according to 14 private-sector economists surveyed by Nikkei. This would follow the 1.4% seasonally adjusted expansion for the October ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese women breaking up with Valentine’s Day ‘obligation chocolates’
Japanese women may be falling out of love with the “obligation chocolates” tradition that sees them gift chocolate to male colleagues and acquaintances on Valentine’s Day. The practice, which started ... ( read original story ...)
Japanese same-sex couples sue for equal marital rights
TOKYO -- Thirteen same-sex couples are filing Japan's first lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the country's rejection of same-sex marriage. The Valentine Day lawsuits to be filed in Tokyo ... ( read original story ...)
Yokohama’s 2018 Earnings Fall on Slightly Higher Sales
Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. posted net income of 35.6 billion yen on net sales of 650.2 billion yen for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. That compares to income of 40.0 billion yen on sales of 64... ( read original story ...)
Japanese Jewelry Retailer Primo’s PE Owner Weighs IPO
Longreach Group, the buyout firm founded by former UBS Group AG investment banker Mark Chiba, is considering an initial public offering of its jewelry business Primo Japan Inc., people familiar with t... ( read original story ...)