Japanese tatami mats, a home-grown tradition
CBS Sunday Morning -- May 17
In Japan, grass-and-straw tatami mats – once a privilege reserved for the elite – have been a key feature of home design since the Middle Ages, crafted by gifted artisans. But now, with cheap knockoffs and changing lifestyles, the industry is at a crossroads.
For three generations the Morita family has been wrapping stitching and trimming modular blocks of woven grass known as tatami in Tokyo's old downtown. But now beset by cheap knockoffs and changing lifestyles the craftsmen have been forced to up their game. Besides traditional grass and straw mats, they now offer low maintenance synthetic options.
Energy crisis slams Japan as weak yen sends import costs surging
straitstimes.com - Jul 05
The slump in the Japanese yen, the war in Ukraine and a heatwave in Tokyo are pushing the world's third-biggest economy toward a full-blown energy crisis.
KDDI: Services won't be fully restored till Tuesday evening at earliest
NHK - Jul 04
Major Japanese mobile carrier KDDI says it has mostly restored services following a nationwide network disruption over the weekend. The company says services won't be fully restored until Tuesday evening at the earliest.
Pension giant GPIF to invest in Japanese startups for first time
Nikkei - Jul 04
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund, one of the world's largest institutional investors, will begin investing in Japanese startups in order to give the sector a boost, Nikkei has learned.
KDDI's over 40-hour mobile disruption affects up to 39m connections
Nikkei - Jul 04
KDDI Corp., a major Japanese telecom company, said Sunday it has finished work to restore services to up to 39.15 million mobile connections that have been affected by a network disruption for over 40 hours.
BOJ owns half of JGB market after huge buying to defend yield cap
Business Times - Jul 04
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) now owns half of outstanding Japanese government bonds (JGB) issued in the market, data showed on Monday (Jul 4), a sign the bank’s aggressive buying to defend its 0.25 per cent yield cap is bloating an already huge balance sheet.
Why Japanese Iron Kettles Are So Expensive
Business Insider - Jul 03
A handmade Japanese iron kettle can cost over $300. For centuries, artisans have made kettles by pouring molten iron into molds and hammering them out once they’ve cooled.
KDDI mobile customers across Japan hit by prolonged network troubles
Japan Today - Jul 03
KDDI Corp, one of Japan's top three carriers, said Saturday its mobile customers have been facing difficulties making calls and getting online for over half a day, with the disruption of its nationwide networks also impacting services from banking and transmission of weather data to parcel deliveries.
Japan's GPIF logs first quarterly investment loss in two years
channelnewsasia.com - Jul 01
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) reported on Friday an investment loss of $16 billion in January-March, the first quarterly negative return in two years, as higher U.S. interest rates and the war in Ukraine rattled financial markets.
Kirin brewery to withdraw from Myanmar
france24.com - Jul 01
Japanese drinks giant Kirin said Monday it will withdraw from Myanmar, after a failed bid to disentangle its operations from a joint venture with a junta-owned company after last year's coup.
Japan business mood dims for a 2nd quarter as costs rise: BOJ Tankan
Nikkei - Jul 01
Business sentiment among Japan's large manufacturers cooled for the second straight quarter amid economic headwinds, including the war in Ukraine, the extended lockdown in China, and global supply shortages and inflation, the Bank of Japan's latest Tankan survey showed Friday.
Apple increases iPhone 13 prices in Japan ahead of iPhone 14 launch in Autumn
9to5mac.com - Jul 01
Apple on Thursday raised the price of iPhone models in Japan, making the product more expensive for Japanese consumers. In some cases, prices are now almost 20% higher, which may be a reflection of the local currency getting weaker against the dollar.
Japan’s growth prospects remain positive, at least in the short term
think.ing - Jul 01
Today's numerous data releases, from inflation to labour to business surveys, suggest a positive outlook for Japan in the near term. The overall picture is still mixed and the figures aren't good enough to change the central bank's current stance
Japan's land price up 0.5% in rebound from pandemic hit
Kyodo - Jul 01
The average land price in Japan as of Jan. 1 was up 0.5 percent from a year earlier, the National Tax Agency said Friday, rebounding from a fall in 2021 as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
Tepco shares surge as Japan’s heat wave stretches power grid
marketwatch.com - Jun 30
Shares of Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. surged Wednesday as a heat wave in Japan boosted power demand in the capital.
Newly listed company plugs gap
Mulboyne - Jun 29
Until today, companies listed on Japan's stock exchange had names beginning with every possible gojūon kana except ぬ. Nulab (ヌーラボ) has ended the drought.
BOJ bond holdings plunged into the red as yields rose: estimates
Nikkei - Jun 28
The Bank of Japan may have been saddled with as much as 600 billion yen ($4.4 billion) in unrealized losses on its Japanese government bond holdings earlier this month, as a widening gap between domestic and overseas monetary policy pushed yields higher and prices lower.
