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May 03, 2024
 

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Taiga Uranaka
For Taiga Uranaka's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
BUSINESS
Feb 16, 2006
Don Quijote shocks Origin by boosting stake to 46%
Don Quijote Co. made a surprise announcement Wednesday that it had acquired a 15.28 percent stake in Origin Toshu Co., refusing to give up its quest for the chain of 24-hour boxed-meal stores.
JAPAN
Feb 15, 2006
'Manga' industry worried cyberspace bootleggers may spread
Comic book artists and industry officials expressed concern Tuesday about the potential for illegal distribution on the Internet, pointing to cheap and simple technologies that could spawn homemade bootleg factories.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 15, 2006
Matsushita, Sony unveil new cameras
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Sony Corp. unveiled new digital cameras Tuesday that will go on sale next month in a bid to get out in front of the pack amid intensifying competition.
BUSINESS
Feb 14, 2006
Livedoor chief says firm could be sold
Backpedaling from his previous position, Livedoor Co. President Kozo Hiramatsu said Monday the firm is preparing for any eventuality, including possibly selling itself to a willing buyer.
BUSINESS
Feb 11, 2006
Asahi taps subsidiary head in bid to keep suds on top
Asahi Breweries Ltd. said Friday it had named Hitoshi Ogita, president of Asahi Soft Drinks Co., to replace President Koichi Ikeda, as the country's top brewer faces growing pressure from rival Kirin Brewery Co.
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2006
Livedoor units poised to jump ship
Like rats fleeing the sinking ship, Livedoor Co. subsidiaries moved closer to severing ties with their beleaguered parent Thursday, aggravating its bid to recover under new President Kozo Hiramatsu.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2006
Premium beers carve market niche
Breweries have watched beer drinkers defect to cheaper brews in recent years, but now they are beginning to see a small but growing group of consumers willing to pay more for premium beers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 8, 2006
Suntory revives nostalgic blend for retiring baby boomers
For businesses from banks to high-end stereo makers, the expected mass retirement of the baby boomer generation beginning next year represents the birth of a huge consumer base with relatively deep pockets and a lot of free time.
BUSINESS
Feb 4, 2006
TSE studies simplifying minimum trade rules
Distressed by a recent streak of huge erroneous orders, the Tokyo Stock Exchange has begun to study the possibility of streamlining the seven kinds of minimum trading units currently allowed for shares on the bourse.
BUSINESS
Feb 3, 2006
Matsushita profits up 39% despite heater fiasco
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. said Thursday robust sales of plasma display panel TVs and digital cameras boosted its earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2005, raising its net profit by 39 percent to 49.3 billion yen.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 3, 2006
New games bring more people to video consoles
There may be no monsters to slay or racing cars to spin, but new video games that claim to stimulate the brain or translate languages are being snapped up by a new crowd of gamers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 3, 2006
TSE's new IT czar has big task
The newly installed chief information officer at trouble-plagued Tokyo Stock Exchange Inc. vowed Thursday to improve the computer trading system of Asia's largest bourse to make it more competitive in the global capital market.
BUSINESS
Feb 2, 2006
Sharp's third-quarter profit climbs to record 26 billion yen
Sharp Corp. said Wednesday its net profit jumped 26 percent to a quarterly record of 26.26 billion yen for the three months through December, driven by continued strength in its liquid crystal display TV sales.
BUSINESS
Feb 1, 2006
Fuji Photo plans to ax 5,000 jobs, reduce its film lineup
Fuji Photo Film Co. said Tuesday it will cut 5,000 workers, one-third of its image product division, due to the rapidly shrinking photo-film market.
BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2006
Canon made record net of 384 billion yen in 2005
Canon Inc. said Monday its net profit rose 12 percent to a record 384.1 billion yen in 2005, thanks to strong sales of digital cameras and color laser printers.
BUSINESS
Jan 31, 2006
Aeon to launch friendly bid for Origin Toshu
Retail giant Aeon Co. announced Monday it will launch a friendly takeover bid for Origin Toshu Co., offering to serve as a white knight for the boxed-meal chain currently facing a hostile takeover by Don Quijote Co.
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2006
Fast Retailing, Daiei partner on apparel
Struggling retailer Daiei Inc. said Thursday it has reached an agreement with Fast Retailing Co., which runs the Uniqlo clothing stores, on a tieup to open a new low-price casual clothing chain, with outlets at all Daiei general merchandise stores.
BUSINESS
Jan 27, 2006
Bravia, Vaio sales buoy Sony earnings forecast
Sony Corp. said Thursday it revised its earnings forecast for the full year through March 31 from a net loss of 10 billion yen to a net profit of 70 billion yen, buoyed by stronger-than-expected sales of Bravia TVs and Vaio PCs over the holidays.
JAPAN
Jan 26, 2006
Livedoor stock still falls in curtailed trade
Investors were able to execute transactions of Livedoor Co. shares during a brief window Wednesday for the first time since prosecutors raided the firm last week. The stock ended at 137 yen, down 39 yen, or 22 percent, from Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 25, 2006
Horie no longer head of Livedoor; Fuji TV to sell
Takafumi Horie is out as head of Livedoor Co.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Number of vacant homes in Japan hits record high of 9 million
A vacant house in Tokyo is seen demolished in January 2020.
'So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines
A pedestrian cools himself with a folding hand fan as he waits for a ride along a road in Manila on Wednesday, as extreme heat hit the Philippines.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Town to block view of Mount Fuji in response to overtourism
The town government of Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, decided to set up a 2.5-meter-high screen to prevent tourists from taking pictures of Mount Fuji looming behind a convenience store.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

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