Tag: japan

(CBS NEWS) NEW YORK — Japan’s tsunami last year sent an estimated five tons of debris into the Pacific Ocean. Experts say roughly a ton-and-a-half of debris is still afloat, heading toward Western U.S. shores. Some has already washed up in Alaska. The earthquake-spurred tsunami resulted in an emergency at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, [...]

Thu May 17, 2012 9:36pm EDT * Reconstruction after quake helps Japan outlook * Govt more upbeat on consumer spending and exports * Concerns on euro zone crisis and market turmoil remain TOKYO, May 18 (Reuters) – Japan’s government took a brighter view of the economy in a report on Friday, thanks to to improvements [...]

BY MEGUMI FUJIKAWA TOKYO—Japan’s benchmark 10-year government bond yield declined to a nine-year low on Friday, confirming the popularity of the country’s debt as a safe haven amid renewed concerns about the U.S. economic outlook and continued fears over Europe’s debt crisis. While some analysts warn of a possible rebound in JGB yields in June [...]

SEOUL – Early Friday, Japan successfully launched a South Korean satellite. The historical accomplishment puts the Japanese in the same arena as European and Russian entities in the lucrative commercial space launch business.  The roar of the H-2A launch vehicle shattered the early morning silence On the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima.  The space center [...]

— Japan asks households, firms for 15% power saving in area served by Kansai Electric — Usage cuts of 5-10% requested in other parts of western Japan to supply electricity to Kansai Electric — Mandatory order avoided to minimize harm to business activity (Adds reactions from business community in 5th, 8th paragraphs.) TOKYO (Dow Jones)–The [...]

By Ruairidh Villar TOKYO (Reuters) – After Penguin Number 337 made a daring bid for freedom from a Tokyo aquarium and vanished into the waters of Tokyo Bay two months ago, many feared the worst for the adventurous feathered fugitive. But the one-year-old Humboldt penguin has now popped up on video footage in a different [...]

BY CHESTER DAWSON TANEGASHIMA—Japan launched for the first time early Friday a rocket with a non-Japanese payload, fulfilling a spare-no-expense, two-decade quest to compete in the world’s $4.3 billion commercial satellite-launch business. Japan enters an increasingly crowded orbit of newer players and established companies delivering space cargo at relatively low cost, raising questions about whether [...]

BY JAMES SIMMS Japan’s economy kicked off the year generating growth that puts most rest of the industrialized world to shame. Gross domestic product expanded at an annualized rate of 4.1% in the January-March quarter. That’s nothing to sneeze at, marking the third straight period of growth and the largest rise since last summer’s post-earthquake [...]

By YURI KAGEYAMA TOKYO Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda took the helm at Japan’s auto industry group Thursday with a promise to keep production and jobs at home to help along the country’s recovery fromArticle source: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-05/D9UQGBJO1.htm

BY ATSUKO FUKASE TOKYO—Japan’s largest bank, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, said Thursday it has frozen financial transactions with Iran’s government and central bank, as ordered by a U.S. federal court. The freeze, arising from a long-running court case over the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barrack in Lebanon, is unrelated to the U.S. government’s [...]

By Taiga Uranaka and Osamu Tsukimori TOKYO | Wed May 16, 2012 3:45am EDT TOKYO (Reuters) – A group of Japanese firms is in talks to pay $4.4 billion for a stake in Australia’s Wheatstone gas field that had been set aside for bailed-out nuclear operator Tepco, as the country looks to shore up long-term [...]

BY JOSEPH STERNBERG Tokyo Perhaps you noticed that Japan is embroiled in a debate over whether to restart some of its 54 nuclear reactors. These power plants have been shut down for routine maintenance but have not been restarted owing to fierce political opposition in the wake of last year’s disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi [...]

By Olivier Fabre TOKYO | Wed May 16, 2012 8:24am EDT TOKYO (Reuters) – Like many Japanese women, Koyuki Higashi adores Tokyo Disneyland. So it was only natural that she would want to hold her wedding there, as many other couples have done. “My partner and I just love going to Disneyland, so when we [...]

BY TAKASHI NAKAMICHI TOKYO—A Japanese ruling-party heavyweight said the government must intervene in the currency markets if the yen’s rise accelerates sharply, adding to the level of jawboning aimed at controlling the currency’s moves and its impact on the economy. “It will be imperative for [the government] to take steps such as intervention,” if the [...]

(“Japan, South Korea, China Join Hands With Shell To Take Canada Gas,” at 0850 GMT, misstated the day of the week in the seventh paragraph. The correct version follows:) — Canadian gas export prospects brighten as Asia rivals team up — Investment decision three years off; other projects gather pace TOKYO (Dow Jones)–Energy companies from [...]

TOKYO | Tue May 15, 2012 1:40am EDT TOKYO (Reuters) – World champions Japan have called up a towering goalkeeper to help them in their bid to win the women’s soccer title at this year’s London Olympics. Erina Yamane, who at 187 centimeters (6 feet, two inches) looks down on Japan’s senior men’s goalkeeper Eiji [...]

PULLMAN — Energy is the lifeblood of modern economies and there’s no more amazingly useful form of energy than electricity. That’s why I was initially startled to read the recent news that the last of Japan’s 54 nuclear power plants has been shut down, a turn of events that makes Japan the first major economy [...]

Japan’s economic growth probably peaked in the first quarter and analysts forecast the pace of expansion will halve by year-end as the boost from earthquake reconstruction fades. Gross domestic product rose an annualized 3.5 percent, compared with a 0.7 percent contraction in the final three months of 2011, according to the median estimate of 27 [...]

— Mitsubishi UFJ’s net profit climbs on lower credit costs, bond trading profits — Sumitomo Mitsui, Mizuho net profits gain on lower credit-cost burdens — Combined net profits close to Y2 trillion, highest since the global economic crisis began in 2008 (Recasts, adds details about banks’ JGB holdings in 6th-9th paragraphs, banks’ comments about JGB [...]

BY YUKA HAYASHI TOKYO—Signs of tension are returning to relations between Japan and China, casting shadows over accelerating efforts between the two East Asian powers to strengthen their economic ties. In the latest sign of renewed strain, China has harshly condemned Japan for allowing a group of exiled Uighur activists to hold a major conference [...]

By Chester Dawson Hummer bicycle KASHIWA, Japan—In a shopping mall outside Tokyo, people kick the tires of showroom models lined up under glossy posters. A Hummer SUV is shown in an alpine setting, a Cadillac stands out against a satiny black background. A Chevrolet Suburban is crossing a river bed. Chevys are parked between olive-green [...]

–JAL reports a stronger net profit for the last fiscal year than it previously forecast –Airline expects net profit to drop this fiscal year as the carrier sees tough year ahead –But the net profit outlook is still stronger than its previous target (Recasts the first paragraph and adds background and comments by JAL executives [...]

By DIDI TANG BEIJING The leaders of China, South Korea and Japan said Sunday that they will work together to try to calm tensions on the Korean peninsula. The three largest East Asian economies also tookArticle source: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-05/D9UNMAPO0.htm

Mon May 14, 2012 3:13am EDT Article source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/14/markets-japan-stocks-idUSL5E8GE0W720120514

Mon May 14, 2012 9:36am EDT * Japanese public wary, split on nuclear power * Government likely to await ruling by authorities in prefecture * Critics say government too hasty in seeking restart of reactors * Govt mulls mandatory power cuts * Kansai Electric consumers may face 20 pct power cut goals (Adds info from [...]

Japan will have no children under the age of 15 in 999 years if current trends continue, according to researchers at Tohoku University Graduate School of Economics in Sendai. Japan’s Child Population Clock, as developed at the Tohoku University Graduate School of Economics A population clock developed by the researchers shows the child population count [...]

Enlarge image Bank of Japan Governor Masaaki Shirakawa Article source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-13/shirakawa-urges-japan-to-cut-deficit-for-yen-stability-asahi.html