Latest Japan News
US Navy flagship carrier USS Ronald Reagan leaves its Japan home port after nearly 9 years
YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) — A U.S. Navy strike group's flagship aircraft carrier left its Japanese home port on Thursday, wrapping up nearly nine years of deployment in the Indo-Pacific, where it served a key role in the U.S. effort to bolster defense ties with Japan and other partners in the region. ...
Japanese automaker Honda revs up on EVs, aiming for lucrative US, China markets
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automaker Honda reaffirmed its commitment to electric vehicles Thursday, saying it will invest 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) through fiscal 2031 to deliver EV models around the world, including the U.S. and China. “Honda has not changed its belief that EVs...
Japan, US move ahead in co-developing hypersonic weapons interceptor as regional threats grow
TOKYO (AP) — Japan and the United States on Wednesday signed an arrangement to jointly develop a new type of missile defense system as the allies seek to defend against the growing threat of hypersonic weapons, which are possessed by China and Russia and being tested by North Korea. ...
Japan's economy shrinks on weak consumer spending, auto woes
TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese economy shrank at an annual rate of 2% in the first quarter of this year, as consumption and exports declined, the government said Thursday. Although unemployment has stayed relatively low in the world’s fourth largest economy at about 2.6%, wage growth...
Japan's SoftBank Group trims investment losses but remains in red for fiscal year
TOKYO (AP) — SoftBank Group trimmed its losses for the fiscal year through March to about a quarter of the red ink it racked up a year earlier, as its investment losses declined, the Japanese technology company said Monday. Annual sales at Tokyo-based SoftBank Group Corp. rose...
Japanese automaker Honda reports booming profit on sales growth, weak yen
TOKYO (AP) — Honda’s profit for the fiscal year through March jumped 70% as vehicle sales grew and a weak yen buoyed overseas earnings, the Japanese automaker reported Friday. Annual profit at Tokyo-based Honda Motor Co. totaled 1.1 trillion yen ($7 billion) as sales surged...
Japan defense chief urges higher security after drone video of warship posted on China social media
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s defense chief Friday called for the bolstering of its anti-drone capability after a drone footage posted on Chinese social media showed a Japanese aircraft carrier docked at a restricted navy port west of Tokyo. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara called it a serious security...
South Korea stresses need for fair treatment for Line chat app operator Naver
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea vowed Friday to protect its companies operating in other markets after Japanese regulators told LY Corp., which runs the popular chat app Line, to reduce its dependence on Naver, the Korean partner in the venture. Friction over Naver’s 50%...
Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed after Wall St rally takes S&P 500 near record
TOKYO (AP) — Stocks in Asia were mixed Friday after a rally on Wall Street that pulled the S&P 500 back within 1% of its record. Benchmarks fell in Tokyo, Sydney and Seoul but rose in China, where investors were focused on the release of April inflation figures. ...
Japan proposes expanding commercial whaling to fin whales, a larger species than the 3 allowed now
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Fisheries Agency has proposed expanding commercial whaling along the country’s coast to fin whales, a larger species than the three currently permitted. The proposal comes five years after Japan resumed commercial whaling within its exclusive economic zone...
