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Kanako Takahara

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Kanako Takahara
Kanako Takahara is a staff writer who has covered national politics, diplomacy, business and the economy at The Japan Times. A graduate of Sophia University, she is currently a national news editor.
BUSINESS
Jun 24, 2006
Son says Vodafone can top rivals with content
Mobile phone carrier Vodafone K.K., which Softbank Corp. acquired in April, can outperform rivals NTT DoCoMo Inc. and KDDI Corp. by funneling content from Softbank subsidiary Yahoo Japan Corp. into its mobile business, Softbank President Masayoshi Son said Friday.
BUSINESS
Jun 21, 2006
Hankyu-Hanshin deal fails to impress analysts
Hankyu Holdings Inc. said Tuesday it will acquire 63.71 percent of Hanshin Electric Railway Co. for nearly 250 billion yen, paving the way for the first postwar merger of major private railways in October.
BUSINESS
Jun 15, 2006
Livedoor execs meet with shareholders
CHIBA -- Livedoor Co. investors finally had their say Wednesday as the scandal-tainted firm held its first shareholders' meeting since its top executives were arrested in January.
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2006
Skylark to carry out largest MBO in Japan history
Family-style restaurant chain Skylark Co. announced Thursday its management will buy all outstanding company shares to become private, making it the largest management buyout bid in Japanese history.
BUSINESS
Jun 7, 2006
Sony has high hopes for its first digital SLR
Sony Corp. on Tuesday unveiled its first digital single lens reflex camera, the Alpha DSLR-A100, in its first product rollout since acquiring the Konica Minolta Group's digital SLR division earlier this year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2006
Murakami arrested over insider trading
Outspoken investment fund manager Yoshiaki Murakami was arrested Monday for alleged insider trading linked to his investment fund's purchase of Nippon Broadcasting System Inc. shares between late 2004 and early 2005.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 3, 2006
Nissan and Suzuki seal mutual car-supply deal
Nissan Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. announced Friday they will expand their existing partnership by supplying minicars, minivans and pickup trucks to each other both at home and abroad.
JAPAN
May 31, 2006
Patrollers see green, deliverers red under new law
Patrollers see green, deliverers red under new law
JAPAN
May 31, 2006
Parking enforcement now in private hands
Starting Thursday, parcel delivery and other drivers who stop briefly in an unauthorized spot and leave their vehicle may come back to find it sporting a parking ticket.
BUSINESS
May 31, 2006
Vodafone logs 69.4% profit fall on high sales, customer retention costs
Vodafone K.K., which was purchased in April by Internet investor Softbank Corp., said Tuesday its net profit fell by 69.4 percent to 49.5 billion yen on sales of 1.47 trillion yen in fiscal 2005 due to higher sales promotion costs associated with attracting subscribers to its 3G phone service.
BUSINESS
May 30, 2006
NEC close to tieup with TI, Matsushita
Developing or procuring key components for mobile phone handsets are major reasons NEC Corp. will collaborate with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Texas Instruments Inc. in the mobile phone business, NEC President Kaoru Yano said Monday.
BUSINESS
May 26, 2006
FSA orders Sompo suspension
The Financial Services Agency on Thursday ordered Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. to suspend most of its operations for two weeks at all of its offices nationwide for illegal sales practices.
BUSINESS
May 25, 2006
ChuoAoyama faces uncertain future as clients defect to rivals
More and more clients of major auditing firm ChuoAoyama PricewaterhouseCoopers are switching to rival outfits after the Financial Services Agency ordered ChuoAoyama to suspend its business for two months starting in July.
BUSINESS
May 19, 2006
Cho warns domestic automakers about fallout from success in U.S.
Japanese automakers should be careful of possibly sparking trade friction with the United States due to their growing strength in the American market, the new chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association said Thursday.
BUSINESS
May 19, 2006
Softbank, Vodafone set up firm
Softbank Corp. and Britain's Vodafone Group PLC, which recently sold its Japanese subsidiary to Softbank, announced Thursday that they are setting up a joint venture to develop and procure mobile phone handsets, software and digital content.
BUSINESS
May 18, 2006
Honda to build three new plants
Honda Motor Co. announced business expansion plans Wednesday that include construction of a new factory in Japan and two more in North America by 2010 to meet increasing demand for its vehicles.
BUSINESS
May 17, 2006
Isuzu netted record profit in 2005 on strong overseas sales
Truck maker Isuzu Motor Ltd. said Tuesday it set all-time highs in group pretax and operating profit in fiscal 2005, thanks to robust sales in the United States and Southeast Asia.
BUSINESS
May 12, 2006
Automakers' profits up on overseas sales
Japan's major carmakers got a boost in earnings and profits in fiscal 2005 but the figures show many are relying on overseas sales, mainly in the United States, as domestic sales stagnate.
BUSINESS
May 11, 2006
Toyota sets new record profit
Toyota Motor Corp. reported Wednesday a record group net profit of 1.37 trillion yen for fiscal 2005, up 17.2 percent over the previous year and the fourth straight yearly rise, thanks to brisk sales overseas, particularly in North America.
BUSINESS
May 10, 2006
Disney properties' profit down in '05 due to Aichi Expo
The operator of Tokyo Disneyland said Tuesday it posted a pretax profit of 26.69 billion yen in fiscal 2005, down 13.5 percent, due to the World Exposition in Aichi.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Muji has been sustainable from the beginning
Muji has been sustainable from the beginning

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