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BUSINESS
Jul 26, 2006

NEC to tie with Matsushita unit on cell phones

NEC Corp. and Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., a subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., aim to form a 50-50 joint venture this autumn to develop new cell phone handsets, company officials said Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Jul 22, 2006

KDDI profit jumps 44% in quarter

The Associated Press KDDI Corp. said Friday profit climbed 44 percent in the April-June quarter on rising sales and forecast overall earnings to slide this year due to a weak fixed-line business.
BUSINESS
Jul 21, 2006

McDonald's plans tandoori on pita

McDonald's Co. (Japan) said Thursday it will introduce two health-conscious pita bread sandwiches at its outlets nationwide in a three-week campaign beginning Aug. 4.
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2006

Toyota recalls 268,000 cars over faulty engine

Toyota Motor Corp. said Tuesday it is recalling 268,000 vehicles in Japan over a faulty engine, the latest in a string of recalls rasing doubts over whether the automaker can maintain quality standards amid booming sales.
BUSINESS
Jul 13, 2006

Convenience store trio circle wagons against Seven-Eleven

Three major convenience store chains have agreed to jointly develop and market soft drinks in cut procurement costs and to better compete with industry leader Seven-Eleven Japan Co., sources said Wednesday.
JAPAN
Jul 12, 2006

Company can keep selling cheap classic films: court

The Tokyo District Court on Tuesday rejected a request by a U.S. movie company to suspend sales of low-priced DVDs of old movie classics like "Roman Holiday," which was released in 1953, on grounds that they violate copyrights.
BUSINESS
Jul 12, 2006

Chubu Electric cuts profit estimate

Chubu Electric Power Co. said Tuesday it has lowered its pretax profit projection for fiscal 2006 by 100 billion yen due to losses stemming from an accident last month at its Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture.
JAPAN
Jul 11, 2006

Porn 'anime' boasts big U.S. beachhead

recognizable among anime fans worldwide. Hentai is now used overseas to describe anime with strong sexual content. While Mandarake capitalizes on the kinky boom, other retailers are reluctant to export such products.
BUSINESS
Jul 7, 2006

Key gauge shows firm May growth

A key gauge of the current state of the economy moved above the boom-or-bust threshold of 50 percent in May, the government said Thursday, underscoring the steady growth.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2006

Lawson opens test stores tailored to elderly shoppers

Convenience store operator Lawson Inc. has opened outlets tailored for the elderly in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, and in Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, the first attempt of its kind among major convenience store operators.
CULTURE / Books / THE ASIAN BOOKSHELF
Jul 2, 2006

To be, or not to be published? That no longer is the question

SELF-PUBLISHING IN JAPAN: What You Need to Know to Get Started, by Kathleen Morikawa. Forest River Press, 2006, 76 pp., 1,800 yen (paper). The largest media development since the Gutenberg printing press is coming. The full force has not yet hit, but the waves are lapping our shores. Computers, scanners,...
BUSINESS
Jun 27, 2006

Three auto firms' overseas output up

Three of Japan's five major automakers increased overseas production in May from the same month a year ago on strong overseas demand, according to figures released Monday.
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 22, 2006

Ban on U.S. beef to end after meatpacker checks

Japan agreed Wednesday to lift its ban on U.S. beef imports after on-site inspections of U.S. meatpackers by Japanese experts starting early next week, Japanese officials said.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jun 22, 2006

The D.I.Y. route to rock stardom

From the suburbs of Tokyo to downtown Toronto is hardly the most direct route to pop stardom -- or one assured of success. But it was the path that blues-rock outfit Stone Deaf chose earlier this month in what was a bold move for a group whose sole claim to fame is having been Marky Ramone's backing...
BUSINESS
Jun 6, 2006

Firms log 15.5 trillion yen profits

Combined pretax profits by companies totaled a record 15.51 trillion yen in the January-March quarter, up 4.1 percent from the same period last year, according to a Finance Ministry survey released Monday.
JAPAN
Jun 2, 2006

Workers shed coats, ties for '06 'Cool Biz' season

This year's "Cool Biz" casual attire campaign kicked off Thursday with men across Japan, from politicians to office employees, urged to leave their coats and ties at home during summer to help cut back on power consumption for air conditioning.
BUSINESS
Jun 1, 2006

Nippon Sheet Glass profit up 2.3%

Nippon Sheet Glass Co. said Wednesday its group net profit rose 2.3 percent to 7.76 billion yen in the 2005 business year as proceeds from sales of securities holdings outweighed the impact of higher crude oil and other raw materials costs.
BUSINESS
May 31, 2006

Nissan, Suzuki eye mutual car supply

Nissan Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. are looking to mutually supply motor vehicles under each other's brands starting this fiscal year, sources said.
BUSINESS
May 30, 2006

Nissan launches restyled Presage

Nissan Motor Co. put the remodeled Presage minivan on the market Monday in hopes of stimulating its sluggish domestic sales.
Japan Times
LIFE
May 28, 2006

Manga by any other name is . . .

With the video-game business now outgrossing Hollywood's box office, and anime being distributed to destinations as diverse as Patagonia and Phuket, the influence of Japan's entertainment industry on young people worldwide has never been as powerful.
BUSINESS
May 23, 2006

Profits up for megabanks

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. earned a net profit of more than 1 trillion yen in the 2005 business year while competitor Mizuho Financial Group Inc. booked a record-high net profit, according to earnings reports released Monday by Japan's top two banks.
BUSINESS
May 20, 2006

Economy defies dip in consumption and pulls off 0.5% rise

The economy grew by a real 0.5 percent in the January to March quarter, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of growth despite a slowdown in private consumption, the government said Friday.
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 12, 2006

Merged duo's photo pullout results in loss of 54 billion yen

Konica Minolta Holdings Inc. reported a 54.31 billion yen net loss for fiscal 2005 on Thursday, as it wrote down fixed assets following a decision to withdraw from the camera and film business.
BUSINESS
May 12, 2006

NEC reports 84% plunge in profit

NEC Corp. on Thursday reported an 84 percent plunge in profit for fiscal 2005 due to a drop in prices for computer chips, computers and mobile phones.
JAPAN
May 8, 2006

Sony turns a tumultuous 60 years old

Sony Corp. marked the 60th anniversary of its founding Sunday at a time when the company is struggling to regain its glory with a full recovery in its core electronics business.

Longform

Japan's growing ranks of centenarians are redefining what it means to live in a super-aging society.
What comes after 100?