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UN agency to open nuclear emergency preparedness centre in Fukushima

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:15:33 -0400

22 May 2013 150 Experts from the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are heading to Japan to launch an emergency preparedness and response centre in Fukushima, the coastal city devastated two years ago when a massive earthquake and tsunami set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. The IAEA, supported by the Government of Japan, will designate a new Response and ...

Japan’s Nikkei Index Falls 7.3 for Several Reasons Europe and U.S. Indexes Dip after Japanese Nosedive JPMorgan Voters Keep CEO Dimon

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:39:06 -0400

YahooFinance ) The Japanese stock market’s single-largest, one-day loss since the 2011 tsunami featured a 7.3 percent plunge yesterday that was blamed on lower-than-expected Chinese manufacturing figures for April, the Federal Reserve's lack of a clear message on continuing quantitative easing and spiking Japanese bond prices.Elsewhere in the Far East, markets generally pulled back. ...

Japan vice econmin Thursday Nikkei plunge a temporary adjustment

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:27:37 -0400

Thursday's plunge in Tokyo stock prices represents a short-term pullback from recent gains, not a sign of doubt in Japan's economic policies, a senior government official ...

Osaka court accepts losing horse racing bets as expenses

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:27:36 -0400

Osaka District Court accepted a claim on Thursday that losses on betting on horse racing should be deductible from payouts to calculate taxable ...

Japan rethinks cultural bias against working mothers

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:27:32 -0400

In Japan, with its aging population and shrinking birthrate, increased female participation in the workforce, or womeonmics as it's been dubbed, matters. In April Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made womenomics key to his future growth strategy, making proposals around tax incentives for working mothers, better daycare and an increase in female representation on executive boards. The employment ...

Is Japan the new apple

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:27:29 -0400

Many big hedge fund investors have in recent years had a very hard time keeping up with the U.S. stock market and other financial benchmarks against which they are judged. The big market drop in Japan will probably make things even harder for some of ...

European stocks slump in wake of Tokyo plunge

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:13:32 -0400

LONDON (AFP) - European stock markets slumped Thursday, with most indices dropping more than 2.0 percent after Tokyo shares plunged owing to weak Chinese data and signs that the US Federal Reserve may soon taper massive stimulus measures, analysts said.London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares fell 2.10 percent to 6,696.79 points, while in Frankfurt the DAX 30 index also dropped 2.10 percent ...

Nikkei’s nosedive Blame it on optimism

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:32:39 -0400

Japan's growth spurt shows early benefits of Abe's policy gamble The last time Japan's benchmark index fell this sharply was in 2011, when Japan was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, which sent the Nikkei tumbling 10.6 per cent. Before that, you have to go back all the way to 1987, when it fell 14.9 per cent.Thursday's decline follows numerous signs of rising ...

Japan and North Korea The frogman cometh

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:20:41 -0400

The Yokotas have not lost hope FOR Shigeru and Sakie Yokota, their daughter seems at once far away and tantalisingly near. Megumi Yokota was kidnapped in 1977, at the age of 13, as she walked home from school. North Korean agents walked up the beach near her home and dragged her back to their boat. Her parents, now elderly, know that she married a South Korean who had also been abducted, and ...

The Warning Signs Ahead of Nikkei Selloff

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:19:32 -0400

A perfect storm of yen strength, a spike in Japanese government bond yields and new evidence of weakness in China's economy sparked a major sell-off in Japan's equity markets on ...

Al Saleh Calls for the Need to Activate Cooperation Agreements Signed with Japan

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:16 -0400

Manama, May 23. (BNA) -- Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al-Saleh has lauded the advanced level of the Bahraini-Japanese relations strengthened thanks to the support of the two countries' leaderships, recalling the fruitful results of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's recent visit to Japan. This came as he received here the Bahrain-Japan Business & Friendship ...

Why Japans stock plunge unnerved Wall Street

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:13:37 -0400

NEW YORK -- It took Japan's biggest one-day stock plunge since the tsunami in March 2011 to remind investors around the globe that even a white-hot stock market can cool in a hurry when information changes and investors get spooked enough to question their investment thesis. In a span of 24 hours, the perception of stocks as the only investment worth owning in a world of rock-bottom interest ...

Markets fall as Japan stocks slide

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:12:42 -0400

23 May 2013 Financial markets around the world have fallen after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ...

No ones particularly sure why the Nikkei dropped 7 overnight

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:05:26 -0400

Well that was fast. Japanese financial markets have experienced a stunning rise over the past six months, as a new government led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe introduced policies of aggressive Keynesian stimulus paired with equally aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan. The surest, steadiest bet on global financial markets in that time has been on rising Japanese stocks and a falling ...

N. Korea nuke arsenal ‘matter of time’

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:21 -0400

Man’s face transplant is quickest on record

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:20 -0400

WARSAW - A 33-year-old Polish man received a face transplant just three weeks after being disfigured in a workplace accident, in what his doctors said Wednesday is the fastest time frame to date for such an operation. It was Poland’s first face transplant. Face transplants are extraordinarily complicated and relatively rare procedures that usually require extensive preparation of the ...

Bangladesh disaster probe blames owner

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:19 -0400

The head of an official inquiry into the deadly collapse of a Bangladesh factory complex said the building’s owner was the ';main culprit'; for the disaster because he violated construction codes. The cave-in of the eight-story Rana Plaza outside the capital last month killed ...

Most buildings in ‘Tornado Alley’ lack shelters

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:18 -0400

Throughout most of Japan, June is the rainy season. While all that rainfall is great for rice paddies so that we can have delicious new harvest rice in the fall, it makes it a rather dull month for seasonal produce: The summer’s bounty of ...

Fighters rookie Otani makes solid impression in mound debut

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:16 -0400

Coach K to remain with Team USA

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:15 -0400

Claude Regy says the team at the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) threw him the ';best birthday party ever'; when he arrived in Japan just days after the actual May 1 occasion. The 90-year-old French director is hoping for an even better birthday gift, ...

Kudo Higashinamed to squad for Australia match

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:15 -0400

Kashiwa Reysol’s in-form striker Masato Kudo and FC Tokyo midfielder Keigo Higashi received their first callups as Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni named a 26-strong squad on Thursday for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Australia. Kudo has scored 13 goals in the J.League and the Asian Champions League this season, including Kashiwa’s third in a 3-2 win over Jeonbuk Hyundai ...

Murton maintains torrid pace in Chiba

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:14 -0400

Hot as a midsummer day: Hanshin's Matt Murton goes 4-for-4 with two RBIs on Thursday at QVC Marine Field. The Tigers defeated the Chiba Lotte Marines 7-1, and Murton went 7-for-9 in the two-game series. | ...

Pens rout Sens take 3-1 series lead

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:13 -0400

OTTAWA - Sidney Crosby was careful not to get too far ahead of himself after helping the Pittsburgh Penguins rout the Ottawa Senators for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. ';I’m not talking about anything ahead of Game 5,'; the Pittsburgh captain said when asked about a potential Eastern Conference final against the Boston Bruins. But after the ...

Miyazaki’s departure means 21 teams again next season

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:12 -0400

Another offseason of major change is already in full swing. As a wizened comic might blurt out, ';There no end to the chaos.'; The Miyazaki Shining Suns have exited the bj-league after three seasons of financial woes and an accumulation of outstanding debt to the league. The announcement was made official on Wednesday, though it was expected for weeks after the cash-strapped ...

LeBron saves Miami in OT

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:11 -0400

MIAMI - LeBron James caught the inbounds pass, changed direction and immediately attacked the rim. There was no one in his way. There was no stopping him, either. James made a layup as time expired in overtime, capping a 30-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist effort as the Miami Heat found a way to outlast the Indiana Pacers 103-102 in a wildly back-and-forth Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals ...

Chomp your way through spring

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:10 -0400

www.hilton.co.jp/tokyo), has in store for the diminutive fruit. Taking place through July 13 at the lobby-level Marble Lounge, the American Cherry With Movie Sweets Fair features an array of 30 desserts, including favorites such as cherry pie, sponge cake and the British oat bar known as the flapjack. A fun twist: Sakakura has re-created a quartet of classic sweets featured in Hollywood films, ...

Springtime beans aim for the sky

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:09 -0400

Growing up: Soramame (fava beans) gain their Japanese name from their tendency to point skyward as they grow. They can be served as kakiage (a variation on tempura, above) or simply with rice. | MAKIKO ...

Japanese afternoon tea Beatles and disco dinner party eat off Kutani porcelain

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:09 -0400

Shizuoka theater festival courts the avant-garde

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:08 -0400

Kazuhiro Shiraishi, 66, is a guest-house manager in the Izu-kogen Highlands, a famous resort area on the Izu Peninsula of Shizuoka Prefecture. Looking out onto the Pacific Ocean, and just 90 minutes by train from Tokyo, Izu has a warm climate all year round ...

‘Celeste and Jesse Forever’

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:07 -0400

You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. This banal platitude is the essence of ';Celeste and Jesse Forever,'; a romcom that recalls those heartwarmin,’ chick-pleasin’ love stories of the 1990s and early 2000s. Cowritten by Rashida Jones (Quincy Jones’ daughter, who also plays the titular Celeste), this is an old-school romcom with old-school ...

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:06 -0400

';I was stopped by two men in a government-registered vehicle, blindfolded and dragged off the street. They took me away to a house in a place I did not know. I was forced into a room with blood all over the walls and floor, ...

Son of Cronenberg debuts with sickly body horror

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:05 -0400

As far as debuts go, Shohei Otani's delivered. The celebrated rookie pitched fairly well on Thursday night, and though he finished outside the decision, he left the mound with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters well within striking distance of the Tokyo Yakult ...

Electric fireflies to light up river

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:04 -0400

Light the way: Thousands of bulbs float down Tokyo's Sumida River during last year's Tokyo Hotaru Festival. | AMANOGAWA PROJECTE_SRTM/© TOKYO ...

An overture to Pyongyang

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:03 -0400

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent an aide, Mr. Isao Iijima — a former secretary to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi — to North Korea last week in an effort to make progress on unresolved bilateral issues, including the past abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents. Japan has made it clear to North Korea that the abduction issue as well as the issue of the North’s ...

Mr. Murakami’s tale of redemption

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:03 -0400

Mr. Haruki Murakami’s latest novel, ';Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage,'; his first since the publication of ';1Q84″ about three years ago, sold a million copies in seven days after it hit the stands. The publisher, Bungei Shunju, printed 500,000 copies in advance of the April 12 publication date in anticipation of huge demand — an ...

Global call to women standing on the sidelines

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:02 -0400

Hardly a day goes by without a news story on some violation of women’s rights. In recent months, appalling incidents of violence against women and girls — from Delhi to Johannesburg to Cleveland — have sparked public outrage and demands to tackle these horrific abuses. In Bangladesh and Cambodia, the shocking loss of life by garment factory workers, many of them women, sparked ...

No heroes in AP news leak

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:02:01 -0400

Whoever provided the initial leak to the Associated Press in April 2012 not only broke the law but caused the abrupt end to a secret, joint U.S./Saudi/British operation in Yemen that offered valuable intelligence against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. One goal was to ...

Panic sees Tokyo shares drop 7.3

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:09:07 -0400

Panicky investors dumped shares on the Tokyo market Thursday, sending the main index plunging more than 7 percent on weak Chinese data after months of sharp climbs.The Nikkei 225 index closed at the day's low of 14,483.98, down 1,143.28 points, or 7.32 percent. It was the biggest daily fall since March 15, 2011, in the wake of a huge earthquake-tsunami and the nuclear crisis.In terms of ...

Japan’s companies to blame for debt

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:09:04 -0400

Japan's government is up to its neck in debt. That, however, is not because the government has been overly profligate, but because Japanese companies have been deleveraging for a long time. If Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies revive private investment, the government's track record suggests it will tighten its belt.If the private sector increases savings, the government must ...

Is Japan The New Apple

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:08:29 -0400

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, in Sydney. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Many big hedge fund investors have in recent years had a very hard time keeping up with the U.S. stock market and other financial benchmarks against which they are judged. The big market drop in Japan will probably make things even harder for some of ...

World stocks slump as Japans Nikkei loses 7

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:58:26 -0400

Financial markets around the world were roiled Thursday after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ago. Several reasons have been blamed for the 7.3 percent fall in the Nikkei index to 14,483.98, including a spike in Japanese government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing figures. Mixed messages ...

Plunge in Japans Nikkei stock index sparks global sell-off

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:50:30 -0400

The Dow Jones industrial average shed 107.1 points, or 0.7%, to 15,200.07 shortly after the opening bell in New York. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index tumbled 17.77 points, or 1.1%, to 1,637.58. The technology-heavy Nasdaq was off 33.37 points, or 1%, 3,429.93. Weak Chinese manufacturing data helped send ...

Japans Honda Kagawa picked for WCup qualifier

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:48:08 -0400

TOKYO - Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa were picked Thursday in Japan's 26-man squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Australia next month.Japan has 13 points in Group B of Asian qualifying and can clinch its fifth straight World Cup appearance with a draw against Australia on June 4 at Saitama Stadium. Australia is third with six points and needs to do well in its remaining three ...

Square launches mobile payments in Japan

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:08:23 -0400

Square Inc. CEO Jack Dorsey. Square Inc. has announced available of its mobile-payments system in Japan, its first market outside the United States. Merchants in the country will be able to get a Square credit card reader for free and accept payments for 3.25 percent of each transaction. The company is working in a partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui Card Corp. in the country, where people have a ...

At the open TSX U.S. stocks slide as Nikkei plunge ignites fears

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:05:00 -0400

U.S. and Canadian stock markets opened with steep losses, as a breathtaking plunge in Japanese stocks overnight created concern that it could foreshadow a broader correction in global equity markets. A surprisingly weak economic report out of China, along with heightened worries that the U.S. Federal Reserve may soon start curtailing its massive bond-buying program, have given investors reason to ...

Nikkei Tanks 7 U.S. Stocks Struggle For Support

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:55:30 -0400

Ben Bernanke testifying in front of Congress followed by the Fed minutes. Many investors, I think, were wary of those two events given the recent rhetoric about QE tapering, and it appears big institutional players elected to take some profits before and during those events yesterday. World markets reacted overnight to the major reversal in U.S. markets yesterday and are down big this morning. ...

Japan stocks plunge 7

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:46:01 -0400

A global rally in stocks came to an abrupt halt Thursday as a 7% plunge on Japan's Nikkei index unnerved investors in Europe and set the tone for a weak opening on Wall ...

Tokyo’s Nikkei Tanks Jobless Claims Fall Major Merger in Store

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:43:14 -0400

Stocks are poised to open significantly lower after a tanking in Tokyo. The Nikkei plunged 7.3% today. That's the biggest drop for the index since the country's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. And it happened on record volume. But what exactly sparked the massive sell-off? Yahoo! Finance Senior Columnist Mike Santoli explains in the video above. Weekly jobless claims have ...

NewsWatch Japan minister Not worried about day’s stock drop

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:37:50 -0400

Japan's economy minister says the government is not worried about a sharp decline in share prices earlier in the day, as the move represented large-scale profit taking orders triggered by weak Chinese ...

Square Opens Up in Japan Its First Expansion Outside of North America

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:36:51 -0400

Square is available in Japan with the support and partnership of Sumitomo Mitsui Card Corporation (SMCC). Responsible for introducing Visa to Japan, SMCC is widely recognized and respected for its ability to provide a wide range of solutions, including a comprehensive and highly secure credit card and payment ...

Global Stocks Slip on Signs of Economic Stress in China and Japan

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:01:43 -0400

HONG KONG ...

Microsoft boosts Japan Azure offering adds data centers

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:58 -0400

IDG News Service - Microsoft will boost its Azure cloud offering in Japan, adding two domestic data centers to speed response times and improve reliability in the face of natural disasters. The software giant said Thursday that it would add cloud-based hosting services in two regions, one near Tokyo and one in the Kansai region further south. Redundancy is a priority in earthquake-prone Japan, ...

Salesforce.com Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff to Speak at Customer Company Tour Tokyo and U.S.-Japan Council 2013 Japan ...

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:31:11 -0400

Benioff to deliver keynote at Customer Company Tour Tokyo on how companies can revolutionize the way they sell, service, market and innovateBenioff to speak on entrepreneurialism and innovation at the U.S.-Japan Council 2013 Japan ...

REFILE-HOW TO PLAY IT-Despite hot stock market you should avoid Japan

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:58 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 9:11am EDT By David Randall NEW YORK May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's white-hot stock market has investors crowding in, but there are a few reasons why you shouldn't follow the pack. It's a temptation, of course. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index is up 50 percent for the year, more than any other developed market, and nearly triple the approximate 17 percent gain for the ...

Volatility rocks Europe following Tokyo tumble

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:34 -0400

(59 mins ago) European stock markets slumped dragging down most indices by more than 2 percent after Tokyo shares plunged at the close today. Analysts said small investors headed for the exit in Tokyo as a result of weak daya from China and signs that the US Federal Reserve may soon taper stimulus. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index sank 1.82 percent to stand at 6,715.83 points in midday ...

Gold Price Bounces 3 with Silver as Tokyo Stocks Sink China Slows US Fed Discusses Immediately Cutting $85Bn in Monthly QE

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:04 -0400

pushed higher Thursday morning in London, with silver making the same 3.0% rally from yesterday's sell-off while world stock markets slid and commodities fell.Tokyo's Nikkei index - up by 85% from November - dumped more than 7% after new data showed a surprise contraction in China's manufacturing sector.Private "retail" investors have "abducted" the Japanese ...

Gold Up 1.5 As Stocks Globally Fall After Nikkei Crashes 7.3

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:25:10 -0400

Today's AM fix was USD 1,386.00, EUR 1,074.92 and GBP 919.16 per ounce. Yesterday's AM fix was USD 1,385.25, EUR 1,071.43 and GBP 917.75 per ounce. Gold fell $10.20 or 0.74% yesterday to $1,367.60/oz and silver finished up 0.07%. Gold is up today while stock indices globally are sharply down after the Nikkei crashed 7.3%. The stock crash in Japan is leading to weakness in European ...

Nikkei dives 7 ends below 14500

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:23:47 -0400

Tokyo’s Nikkei stock index tumbled more than 7 percent Thursday to end a roller-coaster trading session below 14,500 as selling triggered by weak Chinese data outpaced sharp gains made earlier and snapped a four-session winning streak. The 225-issue average closed down 1,143.28 points, or 7.32 percent, from Wednesday at 14,483.98, marking its steepest point fall since April 17, 2000, after ...

600 students lose loans for poor performance

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:23:46 -0400

About 600 university students have been declared no longer eligible for student loans because of their poor academic performance last year, the Japan Student Services Organization said Thursday. It is the first time the organization has taken such tough action, which was prompted by a growing number of unpaid loans. To continue to receive the loans, students are required to renew their ...

UPDATE 1-Japan govt Nikkei plunge temporary wont derail Abenomics

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:52:14 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 7:52am EDT * Japan government puts brave face on Nikkei plunge * Government, investors agree trigger was China data, recent rise * Top spokesman says no change to 'Abenomics' * Biggest slide since 2011 quake, tsunami (Adds government officials, market analysis) By Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - The biggest plunge in Japanese stock prices since a 2011 ...

Premarket Stock futures off lows after Nikkei plunge

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:42:32 -0400

Stock futures are suggesting significant losses when U.S. and Canadian markets open this morning, but not nearly to the same degree as what was seen overnight in Asia and so far this morning in Europe.Japan's Nikkei took a brutal fall overnight, losing more than 7 per cent in heavy volumes, as the value of the yen spiked as much as 2.3 per cent against the U.S. dollar. It was the biggest ...

Markets roiled by Nikkeis 7.3 percent slide

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:40:45 -0400

A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo ...

Global Markets Reel on Nikkeis 7.3 Slide

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:30:18 -0400

Japans Nikkei plunges 7.3

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:24:57 -0400

U.S. stocks tumbled Thursday after Bernanke spoke, Fed meeting minutes released U.S. stocks, which fell sharply Wednesday, were poised for more declines Thursday. Following a sharp sell-off in global markets, Dow Jones industrial average futures were 1% lower while the broader Standard &Poor's 500 futures fell 1.2%. The tech-laden Nasdaq composite index was down 1.1%.Those declines are ...

Japanese climber 80 becomes oldest to summit Everest

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:41 -0400

Yuichiro Miura, 80, scaled Mount Everest Thursday, becoming the oldest person to reach the summit of the world's tallest peak, his office said. Miura, who is also an extreme skier, reached the summit of the 29,028-foot Himalayan peak in Nepal about 9 a.m. Thursday, Mainichi Shimbun reported, quoting his Tokyo office. "It's the greatest feeling in the world. I feel like ...

Tokyo plunges 7.3 as Asian markets fall

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:38 -0400

Asian markets have fallen with Tokyo plunging more than seven per cent as investors took profits after weak Chinese data and signs the US Federal Reserve could start tapering off its massive stimulus measures.Tokyo dropped on record volumes on Thursday afternoon as investors panicked in the rush to take profit, with the index suffering its biggest daily fall since the March 2011 ...

Currencies Dollar tumbles vs. yen as Japan stocks sink

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:14:29 -0400

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- The dollar slumped on Thursday, dropping closer to the 100-yen level, as Japanese stocks plunged on the back of disappointing Chinese data and fears the U.S. Federal Reserve could soon begin to reduce its bond ...

Tokyo market plummets more than 7 drags down global stocks

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:32:01 -0400

A woman walks past an electronic board displaying a graph showing the dramatic downturn of Japan's Nikkei average outside a brokerage in Tokyo, May 23, 2013. (Toru ...

Japan gyrations underline economys vulnerability

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:29:52 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's financial markets gyrated wildly Thursday, underscoring the vulnerability of its economy to a loss of investor confidence as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attempts shock monetary easing to end two decades of ...

Japans Monetary Policy a Big Experiment

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:43 -0400

Ben Broadbent, member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, tells CNBC that Japan is in the midst of a big monetary experiment, so volatility in equity and bond markets should be seen in that ...

CA stops PH-Japanese contract to develop Nampeidai property in Tokyo

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:08:04 -0400

MANILA, Philippines--The Court of Appeals indefinitely stopped the implementation of a contract forged by the Philippine government with Japanese consortium Nagayama Taisei Corporation (NTC) for the development of the controversial Nampeidai property in Tokyo, Japan. In a 5-page resolution, the appeals court granted the injunction sought by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Foreign Affairs ...

Japanese shares plunge Nikkei closes down 7.3

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:02:43 -0400

Japanese shares plunged in Thursday’s trade – with the Nikkei closing down 7.3 percent and the Topix ending down 6.9 percent, its biggest fall since March 2011. One of the main drivers of the losses was data from China showing that manufacturing activity fell in May. Markets were also spooked by concerns that the US Federal Reserve might downscale its bond purchases. The Nikkei and ...

Liberia President Sirleaf Departs Liberia for AU Summit in Ethiopia Ticad V in Japan and Forbes Philanthropy Event in the United States

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:57:25 -0400

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf departed the country on Wednesday, May 22, for intergovernmental engagements in Ethiopia and Japan, and a philanthropy event sponsored by Forbes Magazine, in the United States. According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf departed for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the first leg of her trip, to attend the 21st Ordinary Session of the Summit of the ...

Japans Nikkei index slumps over 7

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:21:07 -0400

Japanese stocks plummeted today after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting on top of months of massive gains in share prices. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo slumped by 7.3% to close at 14,483.98, its worst drop since the 2011 tsunami. Japan's 10-year government bond yield rose above 1% for the first time in a year, unnerving ...

Japan stocks plummet 7

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:15:56 -0400

Japanese stocks were also hurt by a strengthening in the yen, which makes exports more expensive overseas and erodes repatriated earnings. - ...

Roundup Japan mulling to resume inter-governmental talks with DPRK

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:14:22 -0400

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said here Wednesday that Japan is mulling to resume the stalled inter-governmental talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in an effort to resolve abduction issue.Suga said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is resolute to resolve the issue and Japan seeks every possibility to communicate with DPRK to make the issue settled.Abe said ...

Nagatomo Recalled for Japans World Cup Qualifier

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:11:52 -0400

(Reuters) - Flying fullback Yuto Nagatomo was recalled to the Japan squad on Thursday for the crunch 2014 World Cup qualifier against Australia next month, where victory would secure a berth in Brazil and damage the Socceroos' hopes of joining them. A knee injury forced Nagatomo to miss Japan's last qualifier in Jordan where the Asian champions needed only a point to claim an early place ...

Japan stocks plunge on weak China data

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:05:00 -0400

A seven-month rally in Japanese stocks came to an abrupt halt Thursday as the benchmark Nikkei index plunged by 7.3%, with investors rattled by weak economic data from ...

Japan files protest over S.Korean editorial

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:31 -0400

Japan has issued a protest with a major South Korean newspaper over a commentary that describes the 1945 US atomic bombings of Japan as divine ...

Japanese researchers find virus-carrying tick

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:30 -0400

A United Nations committee on May 21 called on Japan to prevent hate speech and other actions that degrade former "comfort women" and portray them as prostitutes for Japanese troops in World War ...

U.N. urges Japan to block defamation of comfort women

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:30 -0400

A United Nations committee on May 21 called on Japan to prevent hate speech and other actions that degrade former "comfort women" and portray them as prostitutes for Japanese troops in World War ...

Youth arrested for hitting 16-year-old girl with baseball bat

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:30 -0400

An 18-year-old youth has been arrested on a charge of attempted murder after he allegedly hit a 16-year-old girl in the head with a baseball ...

Japan to give fresh 40-billion-yen grant aid to Myanmar

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:29 -0400

The Japanese government plans to provide 40 billion yen in fresh grant aid to Myanmar for the country's infrastructure development, officials said ...

Foreign travelers to Japan hit record-high

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:29 -0400

The number of foreigners visiting Japan reached a record high last month. Analysts say the weakening yen is making Japan a more affordable ...

Olympics Japan hammer-thrower Murofushi loses IOC vote appeal

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:03:28 -0400

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday said it had rejected an appeal by Japanese hammer-thrower Koji Murofushi against his exclusion as a candidate for election to the IOC Athletes' Commission on the grounds of unfair campaigning at the 2012 London ...

European markets dive following Nikkei slump

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:00:42 -0400

(1 hr 6 mins ago) Europe's main stock markets slumped at the start of trading today, with Frankfurt and Paris down more than 2 percent following a plunge in Tokyo. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index slumped 1.42 percent to 6,743.32 points, Frankfurt's DAX 30 crashed 2.11 percent to 8,351.19 points and in Paris the CAC 40 shed 2.24 percent to 3,953.32, AFP reports. Tokyo ended ...

Nikkei index futures fall below 14000 in after-hours trade

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:57:38 -0400

TOKYO | Thu May 23, 2013 4:57am EDT TOKYO May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei index stock futures briefly dropped below 14,000 in after-hours trade, indicating possibly a further decline in the cash market on Friday after a 7.3-percent dive on Thursday. The index futures was last down 2.8 percent at 14,180. That compared with the benchmark Nikkei's close of 14,483.98 on ...

EU stock markets slide after Tokyo dives

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:57:32 -0400

EUROPE'S main stock markets have slumped at the start of trading, with Frankfurt and Paris down more than 2.0 per cent following a plunge in ...

Tokyo shares plummet 7.3

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:43:19 -0400

TOKYO share prices have plunged more than seven per cent on record volumes as investors panicked in the rush to take profit on weak Chinese data after months of sharp climbs. The Nikkei 225 index closed at Thursday's low of 14,483.98, down 1,143.28 points, or 7.32 per cent, the biggest daily fall since March 15, 2011, in the wake of a huge earthquake-tsunami and the ensuing nuclear ...

ASIA CREDIT CLOSE Nikkei rout adds push to credit sell-off

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:43:03 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 4:43am EDT SINGAPORE, May 23 (IFR) - A sell-off in Asian credit gained momentum after the Japanese stock market suffered a steep drop this afternoon. Investment-grade credits were already some 2bp wider in the morning as investors digested the content of Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony last night to the US Congress. However, after lunch a 7.5%-plus drop in the Nikkei ...

Stricken Japan nuke plant struggles to keep staff

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:40:22 -0400

TOKYO (AP) -- Keeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission ...

Japan confirms DPRKs missile launches

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:39:50 -0400

Japanese government confirmed the DPRK's missile launches on Saturday, saying none of the missiles have landed in Japan's territorial waters, Kyodo news agency reported. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency earlier reported that the DPRK launched three short-range guided missiles into the Sea of Japan on Saturday, citing the country's defense ministry. It is reported that the ...

Hashimoto echoes Japans past failure

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:39:13 -0400

By Walden Bello The words were so brazen that they have created a firestorm globally. Characterized as "outspoken" and "brash" in the international media, Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto has claimed that "comfort women" - the thousands of Asian women who were forced to serve as prostitutes during World War II - were "necessary" for the morale of Japanese ...

Tokyo Seoul hold ugly nuclear option

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:39:13 -0400

if you are interested in contributing. North Korea's nuclear weapons program is undermining regional stability in Northeast Asia, with the present crisis on the Korean Peninsula again prompting the neighboring states into seriously reconsidering their national security policies. This is particularly the case for Japan, against which North Korea has deployed, ...

Japan vice finmin Yamaguchi will closely monitor market moves

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:37:33 -0400

TOKYO | Thu May 23, 2013 4:37am EDT TOKYO May 23 (Reuters) - - Japan's vice finance minister Shunichi Yamaguchi said on Thursday he will closely monitor market moves after volatility in Japanese stocks, government bonds and the yen. Yamaguchi reiterated Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda's comments on Wednesday that the central bank stands ready to respond to bond market ...

Japan econmin Amari No need to be upset about sharp stock falls

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:27:42 -0400

TOKYO | Thu May 23, 2013 4:27am EDT TOKYO May 23 (Reuters) - Japanese Economics Minister Akira Amari said there was no need to be upset about Thursday's sharp falls in Tokyo stock prices, which were due to selling by market players who had been looking for a timing to take profits. "It's natural for the yen to rise in reaction to sharp falls in stock prices," Amari told ...

Japan Shares Plunge 7 Following Negative Chinese Data

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:16:52 -0400

Japanese share prices Thursday experienced their worst one-day decline in two years, following the release of unexpectedly negative Chinese manufacturing ...

Perfect Storm Sparks Massive Nikkei Sell-Off

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:40 -0400

A perfect storm of yen strength, a spike in Japanese government bond yields and new evidence of weakness in China's economy were behind a major sell-off Thursday in Japan's equity markets, said experts. The ...

Japans Gain Isnt South Koreas Pain

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:39 -0400

South Korea's economic problems aren't made in Japan. That isn't the way it looks in the two rival exporters' stock markets. Investors convinced that Japan's weakening yen will help its companies claw global market-share back from Korean competitors have bought almost $75 billion worth of Japanese stocks so far this year. Part of that appears to have come at the expense ...

French shares decline tracking Nikkei loss

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:50:10 -0400

(31 mins ago) French share prices fell by 2.24 percent in initial trading on Thursday when confidence was hit by a fall of 7.32 percent on the Tokyo stock market. The Tokyo market had plunged in response to surprisingly weak figures for Chinese industrial activity, although sentiment had already been shaken by uncertainty over US monetary policy, AFP reports. The French CAC 40 index of leading ...

Nikkei dives 7pc on profit taking

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:49:57 -0400

(1 hr 11 mins ago) Tokyo share prices plunged more than seven percent Thursday on record volumes as investors rushed to take profit following weak Chinese data and after months of climbing. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed down 7.32 percent, or 1,143.28 points, to 14,483.98, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was down 6.87 percent, or 87.69 points, at ...

Japan government bonds gyrate 10-year yield jumps

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:46:09 -0400

TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- Japanese government bonds swung wildly on Thursday, recouping morning losses after the Bank of Japan acted to stabilize the market ...

Dollar sinks below 102 yen on Japan stock slump

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:46:04 -0400

stocks in Japan plunged on back of fears the U.S. Federal Reserve could begin to pare back its bond-buying program. In addition, weak data from China also weighed heavily on Asia markets. The dollar exchanged hands at 101.57 in recent trade, a more than 1% move south from levels seen late Wednesday in North America. Wall Street stocks finished lower on Wednesday and U.S. stock futures were ...

Nikkei falls over 7 | Sensex down over 300 pts | Live Blog

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:17 -0400

TOKYO: The Nikkei share average plunged 7.3 per cent on Thursday, its biggest one-day percentage drop in two years after weak Chinese factory data rattled investors, prompting them to take profits from a recent rally buoyed by massive Bank ...

Japan govt slide in stocks wont hamper Abenomics

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:10 -0400

Tokyo stock prices is unlikely to hamper Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo's economic policies and their positive effects on the economy, the government's top spokesman said on Thursday. ...

Euro Credit Nikkei caranage heralds volatile session

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:40:01 -0400

European credit markets are opening sharply lower on the back of an extremely volatile overnight session in Asia. As of 0645GMT according to Tradeweb, the iTraxx Main index is 4bp wider at 91.5bp having tightened to another new S19 and 3yr plus generic low of 87bp on the close yesterday. The Crossover index is 17bp wider at 386bp having traded down to the S19 low of 367bp last night, a level that ...

ASX sheds almost $30b Japan slumps 7pc

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:38:38 -0400

The Australian dollar and share market both had heavy losses today, but nothing compared to Japan's 7 per cent slump. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index has endured its biggest one-day fall in two years, with most of the 7.3% dive to 14,484 points taking place after that market's lunch break, with a heavy bout of selling just before the close. Analysts say the Federal Reserve ...

Seoul shares drop 1.2 pct Nikkei China PMI spark investor jitters

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:28:47 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 3:28am EDT * Chinese PMI, Nikkei tumble spark investor worries * Telcos find favour as investors seek high-dividend issues * Crude oil, chemicals issues lead falls SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - South Korean shares dropped 1.2 percent on Thursday after a slide in Japanese stocks and weak Chinese factory data hit investor sentiment, with chemical makers and energy-linked shares leading ...

Japan stocks dive as benchmark bond yield spikes

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:27:37 -0400

BANGKOK (AP) -- Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo nosedived 7.3 percent to close at ...

Japan bond yields jump following Fed comments

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:01:32 -0400

TOKYO -; Yields on 10-year Japanese government bonds briefly topped 1 percent for the first time in a year on Thursday, unnerving some investors at a time when Japan's already overburdened government finances are vulnerable to rises in interest rates. Japanese shares fell ...

Japan Bond Yields Spike Again 10-Year at 1

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:50:47 -0400

Japanese government bond (JGB) yields soared to 1 percent on Thursday, their highest level in a year, prompting the Bank of Japan to hold true to its promise of taking action to stabilize an incredibly volatile bond market. Analysts expected the market volatility to last for a while, but added that buying by domestic pension funds and the central bank should help keep a lid on yields. Benchmark ...

Stock futures drop on Japan volatility China data

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:35:17 -0400

surge in bond yields in that country, mirroring action seen in the U.S. a day prior on worries the Federal Reserve could begin tapering its bond buys in the coming months. The Bank of Japan announced a fund-supplying operated in reaction to recent turbulence in the bond market. European stock markets were also setting up for heavy losses after U.S. stocks slid on reaction to testimony by Federal ...

Korea Japan dominance eroded in Asian football

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:33:05 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea and Japan's domination of eastern Asian football is being further eroded, judging by the make-up of the quarterfinalists in this season's Asian Champions League.The two nations have between them won all but one of the past seven Asian Champions League titles -- with the exception being a penalty shootout loss in the final -- and have been the top dogs ...

As yen tumbles Japans gain isnt S Koreas pain

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:30:01 -0400

Nikkei futures trade briefly halted cash Nikkei dives 6 pct

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:48:21 -0400

TOKYO | Thu May 23, 2013 1:48am EDT TOKYO May 23 (Reuters) - The Osaka Securities Exchange on Thursday briefly suspended trade in Nikkei futures due to a steep drop as investors took profits following a recent sharp rally, after weak Chinese factory activity rattled investors. The Nikkei share average slid as much as 6 percent to 14,682.05. The benchmark was last down 5.6 percent at ...

Nikkei slumps 3.7 pct on weak China data 10-yr JGB prices turn higher

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:40:33 -0400

Reset TOKYO (May 23): Japan's Nikkei stock average tumbled 3.7 percent on Thursday, in a dramatic turnaround from a 5-1/2-year high hit in morning trade and was on track for its biggest daily drop in two years, as weak Chinese factory activity data rattled investors. The sharp turnover in the Japanese stock market prompted investors to seek safety in government bonds, with the 10-year ...

Japan’s REITs Drop as Government Bond Yields Rise Tokyo Mover

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:34:26 -0400

Japan 's real estate investment trusts fell, with the Tokyo Stock Exchange REIT Index dropping the most in eight weeks, after 10-year Japanese government bond yields rose to 1 percent for the first time in a year. The REIT index declined as much as 5.7 percent and slumped 5.5 percent to 1,398.59 as of 1:21 p.m. in Tokyo, set for the biggest slide since April 1. The Topix Real Estate ...

Will U.S. Yield Follow Japans Higher

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:28:19 -0400

Is the chart of Powershares DB 3x Inver Jap Gov Bond ETN (JGBD) Yield reflecting incipient inflation concerns by Japanese bond investors? Of course, inflation is exactly what the BOJ wants, but that does not preclude an investor exodus from the bond market, which by definition will drive up interest rate costs for the Japanese government. Does the relentless climb in JGB Yield suggest that the ...

Far-right Japan Restoration Party defends wartime abuse of “comfort women”

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:48:59 -0400

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, a leader of the far-right Japan Restoration Party (JRP), set off a firestorm in Asia and within Japan last week, by declaring that the Japanese army's policy of keeping thousands of women as sex slaves throughout Asia during World War II was necessary. At a May 13 press conference, Hashimoto declared: "If you want them [troops fighting a war] to have a rest ...

Tokyo shares down more than 6

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:43:17 -0400

TOKYO share prices have dropped more than six per cent in afternoon trade as investors rush to take profit following weak Chinese data. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday was down 6.05 per cent, or 945.21 points, to 14,682.05 by 1540 AEST. The plunge came after HSBC said manufacturing activity in China contracted in May for the first time in seven months in another sign ...

STOCKS NEWS THAILAND-Bank of Ayudhya up after Japan MUFG stake bid report

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:34:56 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 12:34am EDT Shares in Bank of Ayudhya Pcl rose after a local newspaper cited a financial market source as saying that Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) had offered to acquire General Electric's stake in the Thai bank at 40 baht per share. The potential acquisition of the 25.3 percent stake, or around 1.54 billion shares, from GE Capital International Holding ...

Three Chinese ships in disputed waters Japan coastguard

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:33:45 -0400

A Chinese marine surveillance ship cruises near the disputed islets on April 23, 2013. Three Chinese government ships have entered the waters of disputed islands on Thursday, Japan's coastguard said. ...

Nikkei slumps in afternoon trade

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:24:52 -0400

(8 mins ago) Tokyo shares plunged more than three percent in early Thursday afternoon trade as investors sold positions on weak Chinese data to lock in profits on recent rapid gains. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 3.20 percent or 500.04 points to 15,127.22 at one point before narrowing its loss to 2.15 percent by 0400 GMT, AFP reports. The plunge came after HSBC said ...

Japans wartime brothels were wrong says 91-year-old veteran

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:17:02 -0400

1 of 2. 91-year-old former Japanese army medic Masayoshi Matsumoto points at a photograph of himself taken in the 1940s, during an interview with Reuters at his daughter's house in Sagamihara, south of Tokyo May 22, ...

Britain told U.S. in early 1941 Japan might be preparing for war

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:16:31 -0400

The prospect of a clash over defense policy between South Korea's new president and the U.S. has been diminished by North Korea's own ham-fisted ...

U.S. admits drone strikes have killed four Americans

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:16:29 -0400

Pope Francis’ fascination with the devil took on remarkable new twists Tuesday, with a well-known exorcist insisting Francis helped ';liberate'; a Mexican man possessed by four different demons despite the Vatican’s insistence that no such papal exorcism took place. The case concerns a 43-year-old ...

Brutal meat cleaver murder in London blamed on radical Islam

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:16:28 -0400

LONDON - Two men with butcher knives hacked another man to death Wednesday near a London military barracks and one of them then went on video to explain the crime, shouting political statements, gesturing with bloodied hands and waving a meat cleaver. Soon after, arriving police shot and wounded the unidentified assailants and took them into custody. The brutal daylight attack rocked the city ...

Japans SoftBank to give US govt Sprint board choice WSJ

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:11:53 -0400

NEW YORK (AFP) - Japan's SoftBank is preparing to hand the US government an unusual degree of influence over operation of Sprint Nextel, after security concerns raised by the proposed cross-border takeover, The Wall Street Journal reports online."Tokyo-based SoftBank has agreed to give the (US) federal government the right to approve one of the directors it names to Sprint's ...

Tokyo stocks plunge in afternoon trade

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:10:21 -0400

TOKYO shares have plunged more than three per cent in early afternoon trade as investors sold on weak Chinese data to lock in profits on recent rapid gains. The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange lost 3.20 per cent or 500.04 points to 15,127.22 at one point before narrowing its loss to 2.15 per cent by 1400 (AEST) on ...

Japans trade deficit widens to USD8.6b in April

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:31:33 -0400

(MENAFN) Japan's Finance Ministry announced that the country's trade balance posted a deficit of USD8.6 billion last month, up by around 70 percent from a year earlier, reported AP.The ministry added that exports rose by 3.8 percent to USD56.3 billion, while imports gained 9.4 percent to USD64.9 billion.It said that the cost of oil purchases dipped, however, the value of imports of ...

China losing luster for Japan makers

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:24:23 -0400

With labour costs surging in China and domestic production recovering competitiveness thanks to the weaker yen, many Japanese manufacturers have been prompted to review their production in China. Japan Display Inc., the world's largest maker of small and midsize liquid crystal displays, reportedly plans to relocate part of its production in China to Japan. Other domestic manufacturing ...

Japan needs more companies that cherish their female workers

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:23:32 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has trumpeted women's active involvement in the workforce as a pillar of the government's growth strategy. He aims to better utilise women's abilities to invigorate the nation's economy. Abe specifically asked for cooperation from the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and other organisations in urging all listed companies to appoint at ...

Active Fault May Block Restart of Tsuruga Reactor in Japan

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:56:28 -0400

TOKYO ...

Japan govt natural for JGB yields to rise as share prices gain

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:37:39 -0400

TOKYO | Wed May 22, 2013 10:37pm EDT TOKYO May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's top government spokesman said on Thursday that it was natural for government bond yields to rise on the back of gains by Tokyo stocks and that he fully trusts the central bank's response to market moves. "I expect that the Bank of Japan will appropriately deal with it," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide ...

FBI kills man possibly linked to Boston bombings suspects media reports

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:16:29 -0400

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shot dead a man Wednesday who was possibly linked to the Boston bombings suspects, US media reported.The shooting occurred in Orlando, Florida early Wednesday morning while a man was being questioned by an FBI agent in Florida, NBC News reported.FBI Special Agent Dave Couvertier later confirmed in a statement that an unidentified agent encountered the man ...

Japan is integral to the future of Asia PM Lee Hsien Loong

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:12:44 -0400

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Japan is integral to the future of Asia and called on Japan to deepen its strategic engagement with Southeast Asia and the wider ...

Tokyo Skytree celebrates 1 year

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:04:16 -0400

Tokyo Skytree, the 634-metre-high tower in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, marked the first anniversary of its opening on Wednesday. During the past year, 6.38 million people visited the landmark, much higher than the 5.4 million predicted at the time of the opening. The total number of visitors to Tokyo Skytree and its neighbouring Tokyo Solamachi commercial facility was 50.8 million, about 60 per cent ...

Positive start for Nikkei

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:02:58 -0400

(1 hr 7 mins ago) Stocks in Tokyo opened 0.72 percent higher after the yen fell against the US dollar on signals that the US Federal Reserve could soon scale back its aggressive stimulus measures. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which closed at its best level in more than five years yesterday, added 112.72 points to 15,739.98 at the ...

Asia Markets Tokyo stocks soar as Sydney Seoul retreat

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:57:49 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Australian and South Korean stocks dropped Thursday on worries the Federal Reserve could downscale its bond purchases, while Japanese shares marched to fresh multiyear highs as several exporters got a lift from the weakened ...

Japan passes bill to join Hague treaty on child abduction

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:43:40 -0400

Long accused of tolerating "kidnapping," Japan on May 22 approved a bill to join the Hague convention on resolving cross-border abductions of children from broken international ...

Listed firms project 48 jump in fiscal 2013 net profits

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:43:39 -0400

Buoyed by the weakening yen, Japan's largest companies are projecting a 48.4-percent jump in combined net profits for the current fiscal year, building on an increase of 24.1 percent recorded for the previous ...

Nikkei climbs 1.9 pct to new 5-12-year high Fast Retailing stars

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:34:24 -0400

* Bernanke remarks sees yen at 103 to dollar, aids exporters * Nikkei heads for fifth straight day of gain * Fast Retailing jumps as retail investors in hot pursuit By Dominic Lau TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average soared 1.9 percent to a 5-1/2-year high on Thursday, aided by exporters as the yen weakened against the dollar after the U.S. Federal Reserve chief suggested the ...

RUBBER-Tokyo futures fall as oil weakens China data awaited

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:55:05 -0400

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Key Tokyo rubber futures fell on Thursday, pressured by weaker oil prices and caution over the outlook for demand for the industrial commodity ahead of Chinese manufacturing data later in the day. FUNDAMENTALS * The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract, for October delivery , was trading 1.1 percent lower at 287 yen per kg as of 0029 GMT. * The ...

Japan stocks rise on weaker yen banks drop

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:49:33 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks on Thursday sidestepped concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve may downscale its monetary stimulus to rise further toward multiyear highs, with a weakened yen giving several exporters a lift and offsetting losses in banks. The Nikkei Stock ...

Tokyo stocks open up 0.72

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:37:18 -0400

TOKYO stocks have opened 0.72 per cent higher after the yen fell against the dollar on signals that the US Federal Reserve could soon scale back its aggressive stimulus measures. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which closed at its best level in more than five years on Wednesday, added 112.72 points to 15,739.98 at the start on Thursday. The rise came despite the Dow Jones Industrial Average ...

Japan ponders direct talks with Pyongyang

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:55:34 -0400

/enpproperty--> Japan is considering direct talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the government said on Wednesday, adding momentum to the cause after a top level aide to the prime minister made a surprise trip to Pyongyang. Bilateral talks are on the table as Tokyo seeks to salve the running sore of abductions of its nationals by DPRK spies in the 1970s and 1980s, ...

Nikkei set to pull back from 5-12-year highs on Bernanke remarks

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:17:40 -0400

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average is expected to retreat from a 5-1/2-year high on Thursday after U.S. Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke suggested the central bank could scale back stimulus in coming months. The Nikkei is likely to trade between 15,550 and 15,700, strategists said, while Nikkei futures in Chicago closed at 15,640 on Wednesday, down 0.2 percent from the Osaka ...

Nuclear regulators acknowledge fault below Tsuruga reactor is active

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:29:41 -0400

The Nuclear Regulation Authority accepted on Wednesday an assessment that a reactor at the Tsuruga plant in western Japan is sitting above an active fault, making it increasingly difficult for the facility to resume ...

Ama divers seek cultural designation

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:29:40 -0400

Ama female divers from the Toba-Shima area have formed a group to preserve their traditions, as part of a bid by the Mie prefectural government to have the divers declared a national cultural property and UNESCO intangible cultural heritage ...

Sumo Hakuho Kisenosato win to keep title within reach

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:29:35 -0400

Yokozuna Hakuho dispensed with Kotooshu, and Kisenosato did a hatchet job on Aran to improve to 11-0 with four days remaining at the Summer Grand Sumo Tournament on ...

Japan no longer sanctions child abduction in mixed-marriage cases

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:18:52 -0400

Tokyo lawmakers unanimously approve Hague convention to settle child custody in broken international marriages. But Japanese domestic laws and legal loopholes still need to change, say ...

Japan rates may torpedo recovery

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:18:50 -0400

By James Saft (Reuters) - Spiking interest rates in Japan threaten to undermine, and possibly end, the recovery being engendered by Abenomics. That could reverse gains not only in Tokyo stocks, but in stock markets world-wide which have benefited from Japanese liquidity. While a rebound in activity has allowed the Bank of Japan to upgrade its assessment of conditions for a fifth straight ...

Japans Daiichi says key details concealed in Ranbaxy sale

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:29:11 -0400

NEW DELHI (AFP) - The Japanese owners of Ranbaxy on Wednesday accused former shareholders of the Indian company of concealing key information about a US probe into the safety of medicines made by the New Delhi-based firm.Last week, Ranbaxy Laboratories pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of making and distributing adulterated drugs at its two Indian plants of Paonta Sahib and Dewas and ...

Japan reaches historic low in April trade deficit

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:14:54 -0400

TOKYO -- Japan on Wednesday posted its worst April trade deficit as a weak yen ramped up import costs and helped extend the run of monthly shortfalls to the longest in more than three ...

REFILE-Panasonic to stop making silicon wafers at Oregon factory-Nikkei

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:50:16 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 2:50pm EDT May 23 (Reuters) - Panasonic Corp will stop making silicon wafers, used in solar cells, at a factory in Oregon next month as it centralizes production at a plant in Malaysia, the Nikkei reported. Having shut down a plant in California last year, the company will have no processing facilities in the United States, the newspaper said. Panasonic makes silicon ingots at ...

Japan mulls resuming talks with N. Korea official

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:15:37 -0400

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan is considering direct talks with North Korea, the government said Wednesday, adding momentum to the cause after a top level aide to the prime minister made a surprise trip to Pyongyang.Bilateral talks are on the table as Tokyo seeks to salve the running sore of abductions of its nationals by North Korean spies in the 1970s and 1980s, an issue that inflames public opinion at ...

Boom Town Baby African stock markets see gains

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:35:04 -0400

Aly-Khan Satchu, a Kenya-based financial manager, says there is a growing sentiment among investors: If you're not investing in Africa, you should be.Or as Satchu is prone to say on Twitter: "ITS BOOM TOWN BABY."Several African stock markets are seeing huge returns this year. Ghana is up 50 percent. Kenya and Nigeria are up 35 percent.Satchu said that global investors used to put ...

Japan considering resuming NK talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:50:38 -0400

Japan is considering direct talks with North Korea, the government said Wednesday, adding momentum to the cause after a top level aide to the prime minister made a surprise trip to Pyongyang.Bilateral talks are on the table as Tokyo seeks to salve the running sore of abductions of its nationals by North Korean spies in the 1970s and 1980s, an issue that inflames public opinion at home.But any ...

San Francisco Bay Area awarded ’16 Super Bowl

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:35 -0400

Confident rookie Straily outduels Darvish in A’s victory

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:34 -0400

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - Oakland rookie right-hander Dan Straily was well aware of the ace pitcher and the powerful lineup he was facing. Now everyone can take notice of Straily, who on television before his latest start saw plenty of highlights touting Yu Darvish being on the mound. Straily allowed only two singles while facing 22 batters — just one over the minimum for his seven scoreless ...

Wagner Kudo propel Kashiwa into Asian Champions League quarterfinals

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:33 -0400

Closer to the goal: Jorge Wagner celebrates after Kashiwa's second goal on Wednesday. Reysol defeated Jeonbuk Motors 3-2 to reach the Asian Champions League quarters. | ...

Asian shares mixed Tokyo ends at 5-year high

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:40:10 -0400

A visitor takes a picture of an electronic stock board on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday despite a strong lead from Wall Street as markets awaited testimony from the US Federal Reserve chief, but Tokyo stocks finished at their highest level in five years. AP PHOTO/ITSUO INOUYE HONG KONG--Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday ...

Washington alienated by Tokyo rightists

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:38:56 -0400

South Korean President Park Geun-hye's rhetoric proved to have an impressive reach on a recent visit to the US. A series of speeches in Washington caused a panic in Japan, far across the Pacific.The panic stemmed from a declaration at a banquet where Park expressed her willingness to address the North Korea issue in concerted efforts with China and the US after the North suspends its ...

Pacy racing pigeon Bolt sets new world record

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:51 -0400

Ai Weiwei uses obscenity-filled music video to mock state power in China

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:51 -0400

BEIJING - Two emotionless prison guards watch Ai Weiwei as he eats, sleeps, paces, showers — and even sits on the toilet — in the artist’s new obscenity-filled, metaphor-rich music video mocking China’s state power. The video accompanying the visual artist’s single ';Dumbass'; — released Wednesday but blocked online in mainland China — is meant ...

30 of indecent assault victims were staring at mobiles

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:50 -0400

About 30 percent of victims of indecent assaults in Osaka last year were using cellphones, smartphones or portable music players at the time of the attack, Osaka Prefectural Police investigative sources said. Of some 860 indecent assaults reported in 2012 to the prefectural force, about 14 percent of the victims said they were using mobile or smartphones and another 15 percent said they were ...

Olympus fears compact camera sales will keep falling

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:49 -0400

Olympus Corp. fears sales of its compact cameras may fall by half next fiscal year, extending a decline as consumers increasingly use smartphones to take pictures. Volume sales will drop to about 1.35 million units as early as the year starting in April, Chief Executive Officer Hiroyuki Sasa said in an interview in Tokyo on Monday. The company forecasts it will sell 2.7 million compact cameras ...

BOJ maintains monetary easing policy upgrades economic appraisal

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:48 -0400

The prospect of a clash over defense policy between South Korea's new president and the U.S. has been diminished by North Korea's own ham-fisted ...

Kyoto papers seek heritage status

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:18:47 -0400

Preserving history: The 'Toji Hyakugomonjo' documents, mainly minutes of discussions about the management of Toji Temple in Kyoto between the eighth to late 19th century, will be recommended for UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. | ...