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WORLD / Science & Health
Sep 21, 2014

New smartphone app gives sight to the blind

Jonathan Mosen, who has been blind since birth, spent a recent evening snapping photos of packages in the mail, his son's school report and labels on bottles in the fridge. In seconds, he was listening to audio of the printed words the camera had captured, courtesy of a new app on his Apple iPhone.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 20, 2014

Developers urged to concoct apps to tap SoftBank robot's potential

Software engineers converge on Tokyo's Shibuya district to hear why they should develop apps for SoftBank's robot Pepper.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 20, 2014

Russia, Europe in a race to the bottom

As Europe and Russia head into another round of sanctions, economic data are driving home the point that nobody stands to win in this tit-for-tat battle.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 19, 2014

Lookalike carriers struggle to shine in Japan's saturated cellphone market

With the latest Apple iPhone model hitting Japanese stores on Friday, the nation's three major carriers are wracking their brains over how to get a lead in the market despite a plethora of similar products.
WORLD / Society
Sep 19, 2014

St. Andrews to permit female golfers after vote of members

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland, home of the rule-setting organization for the sport outside the U.S. and Mexico, will allow female golfers after a vote of its members.
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 19, 2014

Independence-minded Scots spur signs of life in currency trading

Secession-minded Scots and diverging interest-rate outlooks have benefited at least one part of financial markets. They have eased the recent drought in currency trading with some platforms witnessing record volumes.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 17, 2014

Sony hikes expected annual loss as smartphone business falters

Consumer electronics maker Sony Corp. is running out of ways to reverse its declining fortunes as the Tokyo-based company's smartphone business struggles to compete.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 17, 2014

SoftBank's Son dethrones Uniqlo's Yanai as Japan's richest person

Masayoshi Son has surpassed Fast Retailing Co. Chairman Tadashi Yanai as Japan's richest person after SoftBank Corp.'s worth surged 16 percent since the start of last week.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 15, 2014

Nissan faces battery plant cuts as electric car hopes fade

Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn is preparing to cut battery manufacturing in a new reversal on electric cars that has reopened deep divisions with alliance partner Renault.
EDITORIALS
Sep 12, 2014

Raise wages, not party donations

The Japan Business Federation's decision to resume urging roughly 1,300 member companies to make political donations is aimed at rebuilding the influence of the nation's largest business lobby on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Critics of that tack say raising wages and boosting investments would work better in that regard.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 11, 2014

BOJ adviser Kawai urges Abe to proceed with second tax hike

The Abe administration should proceed with the next consumption tax hike as planned to signal it is serious about reining in the world's biggest debt burden, an adviser to Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 11, 2014

Canceled Tottori mascot makes controversial comeback in manga

A Tottori mascot that was ditched by the city three days after its July debut due to its depressing appearance has made a surprising — if somewhat controversial — comeback.
WORLD
Sep 11, 2014

Islamic State terrorists talked of entering U.S. through Mexico: official

Islamic State extremists have discussed infiltrating the U.S. through its southern border with Mexico, a U.S. official said.
BUSINESS / Economy / 'SUMMER DAVOS' SPECIAL 2014
Sep 10, 2014

Transforming the corporate mindset

Yoshiaki Fujimori, president and CEO of Lixil Group Corp., believes a true leader must carry out two main tasks: implement innovative changes and educate the next generation.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / 'SUMMER DAVOS' SPECIAL 2014
Sep 10, 2014

Suzuki promotes Mie Pref. globally

Mie Gov. Eikei Suzuki, selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum this year, is trying to promote his prefecture on the global stage.
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 10, 2014

U.S., China security leaders spar over jet maneuvers

Top U.S. and China security officials disagreed this week over what the United States said was China's intercept of a U.S. Navy patrol plane near the southern island province of Hainan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 9, 2014

Tesla's Musk keeps door open to future projects with Toyota

As Tesla Motors Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp. conclude an initial vehicle project that met with mixed results, Elon Musk, Tesla's chief executive officer, said his company may form another partnership with the giant Japanese carmaker.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 8, 2014

Sadayuki Sakakibara confirms Keidanren will return to recommending political donations

The nation's biggest business lobby is set to resume recommending for the first time in five years that its member companies make political donations, in an effort to strengthen ties with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration to gain a bigger say in policy.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 8, 2014

Japanese companies riding high on Nishikori's success

After Kei Nishikori became the first Asian male to advance to a Grand Slam final on Saturday in New York, enterprises ranging from Wowow to Uniqlo rejoiced at what they happily described as an “unprecedented” surge in subscriptions and sales of related merchandise.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 8, 2014

Sharp putting U.S. solar unit Recurrent Energy up for sale

Sharp Corp. is seeking to sell its U.S. solar-energy development unit Recurrent Energy.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 7, 2014

Former Canadian minister Prentice to become premier of Alberta

Jim Prentice, a former investment banker and minister in the government of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was selected as the new premier of the oil-rich province of Alberta on Saturday, defeating two rivals in a vote for leader of the province's ruling Progressive Conservatives.
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Sep 6, 2014

Line fends off fury ahead of lucrative IPO

"What's so exasperating for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry ... is the current situation in that platforms, terminals and apps have become dominated by foreign entities," remarked an unnamed writer for a trade publication. "The ministries...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 5, 2014

Uniqlo's tennis bet pays off as endorsers square off at U.S. Open

Fast Retailing Co. is ready for war. The clothing maker's battle begins Saturday, when world No. 1 Novak Djokovic takes on 10th-seed Kei Nishikori in the U.S. Open semifinal.
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 5, 2014

'Abenomics' at risk as firms put brakes on spending, hoard their cash

Japanese companies from NTT Docomo Inc. to Honda Motor Co. are putting the brakes on spending as they pile up cash, showing the challenge Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's new Cabinet faces in reviving the economy.

Longform

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