From center-stage in Davos last year, President Donald Trump told the world's corporate bosses that America is a great place to invest. It hasn't quite turned out that way. Foreign direct investment to the United States fell in 2018, and companies gathered at the World ...

On the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a sales pitch for sake produced in Fukushima Prefecture. At the Japan Night event in Davos, Abe advertised Yamato no Kokoro, produced in Fukushima's Aizuwakamatsu from rice that ...

"Is it OK if I smoke during the interview?" I ask Bungaku Watanabe, reaching into my coat pocket. A look of incandescent outrage flashes across the 81-year-old's face, before I quickly reassure him that I was joking. "No. No. No," he says firmly, breaking into a ...

Ruling and opposition lawmakers on Thursday criticized the labor ministry for releasing faulty jobs data for more than a decade in the first Diet discussions held on the issue since the scandal broke in December. Labor minister Takumi Nemoto apologized for the debacle, which led ...

Japanese firms are involved in a clash of titans that is expected to intensify this year between two successful ride-hailing startups in Southeast Asia. Fierce competition is looming between Indonesia's Gojek and Singapore-based Grab, which is backed by companies including SoftBank Group Corp., Toyota Motor ...

The operation of Japan's oldest monorail line, located at a Tokyo zoo, will be suspended in November following a 62-year run, as the current vehicles are getting old, the metropolitan government said Wednesday. It was vague about whether the monorail runs at Ueno Zoological Gardens ...

One of Japan's most influential and divisive political figures in recent decades may be staging another comeback. On Thursday, Liberal Party leader Ichiro Ozawa and Yuichiro Tamaki, head of the Democratic Party for the People, met at the Diet, where they agreed to form a ...

Hitachi Ltd. plans to remain in the nuclear business, its chairman said, even after suspending a reactor project in the U.K. and as public anxiety over the technology persists. "When we build up some nuclear power stations, we have to maintain this for 40, 50, ...

Their meeting marked the first face-to-face talks between the two ministers since bilateral ties chilled over wartime labor compensation and disputes over military encounters.

General Oyster Inc., Japan's largest oyster restaurant operator, has been approached by several Chinese companies interested in buying a stake or perhaps acquiring the business, according to people familiar with the matter. Three Chinese firms including a large internet company have expressed interest in separate ...

Graffiti on a seawall in Chiba Prefecture resembling the work of Banksy has sparked speculation over whether it is a piece by the elusive street artist, and it comes about a month after another possible work by the painter and activist was found in ...

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro pledged swift and sweeping measures to fix the economy and ward off what he said was a risk that Latin America's largest nation turns into a Venezuela-style regime. Plans to sell a large number of state-owned companies are nearly ready, and ...

South Korean state-sponsored education and censorship help fuel biased views of Japan.

The central bank is buffeted by the same factors as its global peers — and homegrown challenges that are tougher to tackle.

Add another candle to the cake — the Royal Park Hotel is turning 30, and it's celebrating by putting together "Thank You Lunch & Dinner" courses at four of its restaurants. All courses run for the same discount prices (¥3,900 for lunches, ¥30,000 for dinners) ...

As part of an international movement to showcase Malaysia's largest halal expo, Halfest Malaysia, Japan kicked off Halfest Tokyo at the Tokyo Ryutsu Center, in Ota Ward, from Nov. 27 to 29 under the theme "Gateway to Japan Halal Food Market." The expo hosted 95 ...

Over the past few years, there has been more mainstream recognition of the idea that discourse is better served when it is expanded outside the sole realm of heterosexual, white, cisgender men. That's true of major forums, and no less true when it comes ...

Iranian director Ida Panahandeh's fourth feature, "The Nikaidos' Fall," took her way beyond her comfort zone. She didn't speak Japanese nor had she ever visited the country, and yet there she was with a Japanese crew and cast, filming a story about the Japanese ...

Takahashi is the second Japanese to win the lifetime achievement award after Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator of the “Akira” manga series, in 2015.

Zimbabwe's most successful and internationally renowned musician Oliver Mtukudzi died on Wednesday after suffering from diabetes, ending a career that spanned four decades and 67 albums. The 66-year-old singer, affectionately known as "Tuku," died at a local clinic on Wednesday afternoon, the Minister of Information ...

With increased popularity and a rise in the competition level of fencing in Japan in recent years, the battle to secure spots for next year's Olympics in Tokyo will not be easy. So the participating local fencers will definitely be fired up to perform better ...

Mongolian sekiwake Tamawashi grabbed a share of the lead with his first career win over yokozuna Hakuho on Thursday, the 12th day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament. On the verge of beating Tamawashi for the 14th time with one final push, overnight leader ...

On the surface sumo generates income the same way as most other sports —through ticket sales, merchandising and sponsorships. While that's the case for the Japan Sumo Association on a macro level; individually, stables and wrestlers also rely on another source of funding — supporters ...

As a college freshman, Kai Toews has quickly become a player to pay attention to. The University of North Carolina Wilmington point guard is one of the elite passers in all of NCAA Division I basketball (351 institutions). The Tokyo native is averaging 7.7 assists through ...

Rescuers said there was almost no chance of Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala being found alive after a recording emerged of a fearful voice message he apparently sent from his stricken plane before it disappeared over the English Channel. Rescue teams reviewed satellite imagery ...