Japan's bar on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, the high court in the northern region of Sapporo said on Thursday, the first such ruling by an appeals court on a matter that has divided the ... ( read original story ...)
Hokkaido ranch operator in abuse suit admits to paying disabled workers in snacks, juice
A ranch operator in northern Japan's Hokkaido admitted in court on March 12 that they had not paid intellectually disabled workers for deca ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo stocks break 3-day losing streak on bargain-hunting
Tokyo stocks ended up Thursday, snapping a three-day losing streak as investors picked up recently battered shares, while a rise in o ... ( read original story ...)
Japan high court says not allowing same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, media reports
A Japanese high court ruled that it was "unconstitutional" not to allow same-sex marriage in the country, in a first appeal court ruling on the matter, Japanese media reported on Thursday.Sapporo High ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s money markets gird for end of negative rates
Speculators betting on a historic monetary policy shift in Japan expect money markets will be upended by potential new deposit rules and are crowding into bets against short-dated bonds. Yields on one ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s service-sector firms offer biggest pay rise since 2013, union says
Japan's largest industrial union UA Zensen said on Thursday that an average pay rise offered by 231 firms reached the biggest on record since 2013. ( read original story ...)
Alleged unlicensed taxi driver at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport arrested after fleeing police
A man has been arrested for allegedly running an unlicensed taxi, taking tourists to the Japanese capital's Haneda Airport, police here announced on March 12.According to the Metropolitan Police ... ( read original story ...)
Tokyo stocks mixed as tech weighs, oil prices lift energy shares
Tokyo stocks were mixed Thursday morning, as the market was pressured by weak chip-related shares tracking falls in their U.S. counte ... ( read original story ...)
A Tale of Two Chip Plants: Delayed in U.S., On Time in Japan
The plant, operated by TSMC subsidiary Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing, is set to start mass production this year on schedule.Across the Pacific in Phoenix, TSMC is also building a ... ( read original story ...)
Japan’s rate shift will hit zombie firms hardest: podcast
The central bank could end an era of negative borrowing costs as early as next week. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists argue that large companies are ready for the tightening, but ... ( read original story ...)
World’s Largest State Pension, Japan’s GPIF, Poised to Lift Ban on Lending Foreign Stocks
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund will announce as early as Friday that it will resume lending foreign stocks, according to people familiar with the matter, four years after its surprise ... ( read original story ...)
Courts in Tokyo, Sapporo to rule on same-sex marriage
One of Thursday's rulings will be the first by a high court on this issue. The Sapporo High Court will hand down its decision to three same-sex couples in Hokkaido who are seeking damages from the ... ( read original story ...)
Canoeing, Snowshoeing, and Getting Naked With Strangers in Japan
Kussharo is the largest caldera lake in Japan and the second largest in the world. In summer, its trout- and carp-packed waters are popular with anglers, sailors, and windsurfers. In winter, it’s ... ( read original story ...)
Man arrested for third time after assaulting teenage girlfriend
Police in Sapporo, Hokkaido, have arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of assault after he allegedly beat up his girlfriend who is in her late teens. According to police, the suspect, who is a ... ( read original story ...)
The Oxford Street of Tokyo
It is very like Oxford Street and Holborn, too, in other ways besides its length. It is the principal shopping street in the city. It was half shaken down by the earthquake. A double row of shacks and ... ( read original story ...)
Winners and Losers From the Bank of Japan Ditching Negative Rates
The Bank of Japan’s steady march toward raising interest rates for the first time since 2007 begs the question of who will win and who will lose after years of massive stimulus and ultra-low borrowing ... ( read original story ...)