Obama urged to help end Japan’s dolphin hunt
Sep 2nd
Animal rights activists protested against Japan’s dolphin hunts in a rally outside the US embassy in Tokyo Thursday, calling on President Barack Obama to pressure the country over the issue.
Ric O’Barry, star of the Oscar-winning eco-documentary “The Cove”, handed a petition with 1.7 million signatures from more than 150 countries to US embassy officials, a day after the dolphin season started in the town of Taiji.
Kan Steps Up Tone of Yen Comments
Aug 27th
Prime Minister Naoto Kan stepped up Japan’s threats to counter the soaring yen, warning of “decisive” action to protect the economy and announcing a meeting with the central bank chief.
“Excessive movement in the currency market is bad for the economy and financial markets,” Mr. Kan said Friday. “I have the utmost recognition of this. We will take decisive action when necessary.”
Japan Considers Stimulus Spending
Aug 19th
Worried by a sharp slowdown in the economy and a strong yen, Japan’s government is considering another round of stimulus to stoke growth as measures enacted during the recent financial crisis begin to expire.
But policy makers face a daunting challenge balancing any new spending with their pledges to curb the country’s debt, which is already approaching twice the size of Japan’s gross domestic product. Economic growth slumped in the quarter ended in June to an annualized pace of 0.4% from 4.4% in the previous quarter, and tax revenue will likely take a hit as a result.
Global growth fears spark Asia sell-off
Aug 12th
Japanese stocks fell briefly into a bear market on Thursday as global growth fears created a broad sell-off across Asia with the Tokyo benchmark hitting a 13-month intraday low.
“Investors are on alert since they don’t have confidence in the economic outlook,” said Masaru Hamasaki, of Toyota Asset Management.
Tokyo’s ‘oldest woman’ missing for decades
Aug 5th
Tokyo’s reputed oldest woman has been missing for decades, Japanese officials have discovered as they made checks after the city’s supposed oldest man was found to have died years ago.
Fusa Furuya, aged 113, had been registered as living with her daughter.
But the daughter says she has not seen her mother since the 1980s.
Angelina is the ultimate Yummy Mummy in Japan
Jul 29th
ANGELINA Jolie looked the ultimate yummy mummy as she arrived in Japan yesterday with four of her six children.
The Hollywood actress, 35, was stunning in a black satin mini dress, aviator sunglasses and beige flip flops strolling through Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. More >
Tokyo remembers subway attacks
Mar 19th
Tokyo marked the 15th anniversary Saturday of the sarin nerve gas attack on its subway system by AUM Shinrikyo cult members that left 13 dead and sickened some 6,300.
A moment of silence was held at Kasumigaseki Station in central Tokyo at 8 a.m., roughly the hour when the cult members planted and ruptured plastic bags containing sarin on rush-hour trains on March 20, 1995.
Tokyo a heaven for whisky drinkers
Mar 19th
Amid the neon blur of Tokyo, Japan’s whisky culture is flourishing, with dozens of specialist bars offering a head-spinning choice of drams
ANA expects profit after job cuts
Mar 19th
All Nippon Airways Co., Asia’s second-largest carrier by sales, predicted a return to profit next fiscal year as the company cuts jobs and adds flights.
Nikkie up on Friday
Mar 19th
Stocks in Tokyo closed higher as the prospect of economic and exports recovery solidify. Japan’s corporate power demand surged 17.7% in February but department store sales declined 5.4%. Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co. is expected to price its $12 billion public offering this weekend.
