May 29 (NHK) - Regional banks in Japan saw unrealized losses surge in fiscal 2022. A new survey says the figure climbed by more than 5 times in yen terms over the previous year as investments sank.
An asset-management advisory firm in Tokyo surveyed 99 regional banks across the country.
It says they had unrealized losses totaling more than 1.9 trillion yen, or about 13 billion dollars.
The losses were in domestic and foreign bonds, as well as mutual funds. ...continue reading
The operator of a nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, restarted one of its reactors on Tuesday, more than 13 years after it suffered damage in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. (NHK)
Political parties in Japan are jockeying to form a majority in the Diet following an election that dealt a severe blow to the ruling coalition. A vote to name the prime minister is due to take place in the legislature in a few weeks.
A woman in a neon-colored jacket and mini-skirt was seen supporting a candidate in Japan's latest Lower House election, sparking public debate on extremely short skirts, shorts, and other revealing outfits worn by female campaign staff.
Voter turnout for Japan's lower house election on Sunday stood at 53.85%, marking the third lowest rate since the end of World War II, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has fallen short of its majority target, and voices questioning the accountability of the party’s leadership, including Prime Minister Ishiba, are growing.
US tech giant Meta Platforms, which operates Facebook and Instagram, is facing lawsuits in Japan filed by people who claim to have been defrauded through fake advertisements. (NHK)
To ensure trust in currency, the Mint Bureau in Kita Ward, Osaka, held its annual 'Grand Test for Manufactured Currency' on October 28th, where officials checked whether coins meet the designated weight standards, a tradition that has been ongoing since 1872, marking its 153rd occurrence this year.
Japanese medical equipment maker Olympus has announced the resignation of its chief executive officer Stefan Kaufmann. (NHK)
Registrations for 'gap jobs,' which allow individuals to work as much as they want at their preferred times, have surged in Japan, now totaling over 25 million. This growth reflects not only a labor shortage but also a shift in workers' attitudes.
The race for Japanese New Year's 'lucky bags' has begun. Tobu Department Store and Matsuya unveiled their offerings for 2025 on October 24th. In response to ongoing inflation, Tobu will provide a variety of luxurious food items, such as a 'meat boat platter' featuring different cuts of Yamagata beef, and a 'sashimi boat platter' with bluefin tuna and sea bream.
Funai Electric, a company once referred to as 'The World's FUNAI', filed for bankruptcy proceedings at the Tokyo District Court on October 24th.
Tokyo Metro made a landmark debut on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on October 23rd, with half of its shares, previously held by the national and Tokyo governments, released to the public, creating the largest IPO since SoftBank in 2018.
Uniqlo is set to reopen its global flagship store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, two years after withdrawing from the same location. The new store, called 'Uniqlo Shinjuku Main Store,' will span three floors and offer exclusive items that were previously unavailable in Japan.
