News On Japan

The Bank of Japan's new measure of offering to buy unlimited amounts of Japanese governments bonds at a fixed yield seems to be effective, as interest rates have fallen since such operations were carried out last week, BOJ Policy Board member Takako Masai said Monday. (Jiji)

Russian President Vladimir Putin showed no sign Sunday of softening his position on bilateral negotiations over concluding a peace treaty with Japan, while also broaching a proposed joint economic project on disputed islands already rejected by Tokyo. (Kyodo)

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed with Chinese President Xi Jinping that the two countries should make continued efforts to improve bilateral relations, bearing in mind that next year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China and other events. (the-japan-news.com)

Visitors arriving in Japan will be able to take advantage of duty free shops at international airports from next year. - See more at: https://www.insidejapantours.com/japan-news/4110/japan-airports-to-provide-duty-free-shops-on-arrival/#sthash.53qffWh0.dpuf (insidejapantours.com)

Japanese corporate managers are giving their new recruits higher salaries for the 3rd straight year. The country's tight labor market is apparently behind the improved compensation. (NHK)

The Japanese government plans to seek a law revision next year to extend the maximum child care leave by six months to two years, it was learned Monday. (Jiji)

An advance party of a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force unit has arrived in South Sudan for a peacekeeping mission after being given expanded duties. (NHK)

Japan's government and ruling camp are considering starting to revise the tax rates on beer and quasi-beer in October 2020, aiming to unify them into a single rate in October 2026, informed sources said Monday. (Jiji)

An unmanned train station in Akita Prefecture is drawing fans of the popular anime movie "Kimi no Na wa" (your name.) for its purported resemblance to a station that appears in the film. (the-japan-news.com)

At the Chiba District Court on Monday, prosecutors requested life imprisonment for a defendant in the killing of an 18-year-old girl last year in which she was buried alive, reports TV Asahi (tokyoreporter.com)

Domino's Japan announces that they're seriously considering this as an option for sending out pizzas this winter. (rocketnews24.com)

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture rocked widespread areas early Tuesday, triggering tsunami warnings. (Japan Times)

Tsunami waves have been observed along the coast of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures in northeastern Japan following a strong earthquake on Tuesday morning. (NHK)

The Tokyo Electric Power Company says it has restored a cooling system at the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant that briefly stopped after a powerful earthquake. (NHK)

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says tsunami waves reached the coastline next to the plant on Tuesday morning, but have caused no problem so far. (NHK)

The Meteorological Agency has downgraded a tsunami warning to an advisory for the coastal areas of Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures in northeastern Japan. But the agency is calling on people to stay cautious. (NHK)

Commercial facilities, including outlets of regional banks and convenience stores, in Tohoku temporarily suspended their operations following a powerful earthquake that hit the northeastern Japan region on Tuesday, Jiji Press found. (Jiji)

Unexpected problems have dogged Japan's newest shinkansen bullet train projects as delays in technology development force the government to push back deadlines, exposing a lack of follow-through. (Nikkei)

Nissan said Tuesday it is selling its stake in auto parts company Calsonic Kansei as the Japanese firm casts off non-core businesses to focus on electric vehicles and self-driving cars. (Japan Today)

Paris will seek to host the 2025 World Exposition, French President Francois Hollande said Tuesday, a move that pits the French capital against Japan's Osaka Prefecture. (Kyodo)

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