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Shinya Ajima
For Shinya Ajima's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN / GEARING UP FOR THE GAMES
Jan 3, 2017
Tokyo Olympics fueling expectations of an economic boom — and fear of a bubble
Third of six parts
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 11, 2016
Rare Pokemon deployed to help recovery in Tohoku quake zones
Three of the prefectures slammed by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami are getting a significant boost in efforts to revive tourism from an invisible source — a Pokemon character.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2016
Americans in Japan largely dismayed by Trump win
Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential campaign astonished many Americans in Japan, with some fearing it could derail the long-standing bilateral alliance and others worried whether the divided nation can overcome its differences, according to a survey by The Japan Times.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Feb 20, 2015
Sony faces struggle to find growth path
Sony Corp. has unveiled its latest multiyear business plan, including spinning off its 36-year-old Walkman portable music player unit to cut costs, but it is unclear whether the reforms will be enough to secure growth.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 26, 2015
BOJ's 2% inflation target may prove elusive in 2015
When Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda met the press last week after the BOJ's policy meeting, he effectively admitted the central bank may miss what the market perceives as its deadline of next fiscal year for achieving 2 percent inflation to revive the economy.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 15, 2015
Will 2015 be the year hydrogen took off?
Industries are increasingly pressing pushing for the adoption of hydrogen fuel technology because they sense potential market opportunities worldwide.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 28, 2014
No quick fix for Takata air bag issue as blame game continues
After months of international controversy over possibly defective Takata Corp. air bags, one thing lawmakers, regulators, the media, carmakers and the parts supplier probably agree on is this: It won't be easy to resolve the crisis.
BUSINESS
Dec 9, 2014
Mizuho takes a leap into the deal business
Mizuho Financial Group Inc. will join two U.S. banks in partly financing a $66 billion acquisition in the U.S. pharmaceutical industry, its president said recently, describing the move as the banking group's leap into the deal business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 20, 2014
Delay in second tax hike may hamper BOJ's inflation quest
Skepticism is growing that the inflation-hungry Bank of Japan can do any more to stimulate the economy now that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has delayed the next consumption tax hike.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 5, 2014
Kuroda renews vow to achieve 2% inflation by any means possible
The Bank of Japan will continue to employ every possible measure to achieve its goal of 2 percent inflation, BOJ Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda said Wednesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 23, 2014
Failed Alstom bid rocks MHI's global strategy
The failure of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. to acquire the energy-system assets of France's Alstom SA has put the Japanese engineering group at the risk of falling far behind U.S. rival General Electric Co.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
Jun 20, 2014
Purchasing tweaks hint BOJ shy of monetizing debt
The Bank of Japan has tweaked its unprecedented asset purchase program twice over the past three weeks, supporting a view in financial markets that the central bank is increasingly reluctant to be viewed as financing the government's debt.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 2, 2013
Abe trying to strike a delicate balance
When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met the news media after deciding to raise the consumption tax next April, he stressed that his administration can pursue economic growth and fiscal discipline at the same time.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 1, 2013
Election reform now key task for Abe & Co.
Prime Minister Abe may soon face a challenge over the issue of vote-value disparities as the opposition demands swifter, more comprehensive reforms to close the unconstitutional gaps.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 25, 2013
Regional woes cloud Abe's success in U.S.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's trip to Washington was interpreted by some political analysts as confirmation that his second stint at the government helm has gotten off to a strong start.
Japan Times
JAPAN / ELECTION 2012
Dec 5, 2012
Pledges avoid long-term plans to mend economy
Party pledges for the Dec. 16 general election have highlighted the sense of urgency for economic reforms as the nation remains mired in deflation. But the pledges also reveal a dearth of long-term strategies.
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Nov 1, 2012
BOJ, government in deflation test of wills
The rare joint statement Tuesday by the government and the Bank of Japan to showcase their alliance in fighting deflation meant to display unity, but it also highlighted the lack of trust in each other's commitments.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 21, 2012
EU woes press Japan to address own problems
You can better yourself by observing others, as a Japanese saying goes, and this may well describe how Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was feeling when he hurried home after attending only half of the two-day summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Mexico.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 12, 2012
Investors are kept guessing on currency intervention
Silence seems golden for the government, which wants to leave investors guessing whether Tokyo will intervene in the foreign exchange market to stem the rise of the yen against other major currencies.
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2012
Japan to keep U.S. thinking about IMF reforms: Azumi
Japan will continue to press the U.S. to accept a 2010 agreement for the International Monetary Fund to implement governance reforms, a deal that will help enhance the voices of emerging economies within the multilateral lender, Finance Minister Jun Azumi said Tuesday.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world