News On Japan

Japan's land price up 0.5% in rebound from pandemic hit

Jul 01, 2022 (Kyodo) - 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.

While 20 of the country's 47 prefectures saw increases, 13 more than in 2021, prices continued to fall in others, especially tourist and commercial areas hit by diminished inbound travel.

The price of roadside land as of Jan. 1, 2021, was down 0.5 percent on average from a year earlier, largely due to the disappearance of foreign visitors amid tighter border controls to stem the spread of COVID-19. ...continue reading

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Tokyo Metro has unveiled its new headquarters ahead of a full relocation at the end of August, featuring an open office design filled with route symbols, station names and other elements inspired by the subway network.

Tokyo is preparing to allow hunting of Asian black bears for the first time in about 20 years, with a proposed hunting season from November through February and an annual capture target of around 34 animals in parts of the Tama region, including Hachioji.

Typhoon No. 18 (Soudelor) formed near the Truk Islands on August 19 and is forecast to strengthen as it gradually turns northwest, potentially approaching the Ogasawara Islands before moving toward Okinawa or the Pacific coast of western Japan.

After 10 p.m., the clouds that had covered the sky above Shirakoma Pond gradually began to clear, revealing countless stars and the Milky Way rising vividly over the mountain lake in Nagano Prefecture's Northern Yatsugatake range.

A fire broke out at Sairinji temple in Saga city on the morning of August 18, engulfing the building in flames and prompting the dispatch of 10 fire engines and two ambulances, with no injuries reported so far.

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The bankruptcy of payment processing company Zento Shin has raised concerns over the impact on restaurants and other small and midsize businesses, while highlighting regulatory gaps in Japan's rapidly expanding cashless payment industry.

Tokyo stocks fell sharply on August 19, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,326.42, down 3.2%, its lowest finish since August 4, as renewed selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares combined with rising bond yields, higher oil prices and geopolitical concerns to trigger a broad risk-off move.

Real estate company Rewrite has built a business around properties that owners struggle to give away, sometimes listing them for just 1 yen in a strategy that produces virtually no immediate profit but can generate lucrative deals years later through referrals and repeat customers.

Pan Pacific International Holdings, the operator of Don Quijote discount stores and other retail businesses, posted net profit of 110.1 billion yen for the year through June 2026, up 21.6% from a year earlier and exceeding 100 billion yen for the first time.

JA Zen-Noh Niigata decided on August 18 to set its advance payment for standard Koshihikari rice from the 2026 crop at 18,500 yen per 60 kilograms of brown rice, about 40% lower than a year earlier as inventories continue to build.

An international meeting on Pacific bluefin tuna resource management reached agreement on August 18 to raise the catch quota for large fish in the western and central Pacific by 25% while reducing the quota for smaller fish by 6%, a shift that could eventually lower prices for the prized tuna used in high-end sushi and sashimi.

Japan's benchmark long-term interest rate briefly rose to 2.945% as government bonds were sold on August 18, reaching a fresh high not seen in about 30 years as uncertainty in the Middle East pushed up crude oil futures and fueled expectations that inflation could accelerate.

Tokyo stocks rose on August 17, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 69,220.25, up 506.45 points, as buying in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares outweighed weaker-than-expected economic growth, rising bond yields and renewed concern over household spending.