Japan’s prime minister will make an appearance at Parliament’s ethics hearing over a funds scandal

TOKYO — Japan’s beleaguered prime minister was set to stand before a political ethics committee Thursday at Parliament in a bid to showcase his leadership. Fumio Kishida has fought against plummeting support ratings since his governing party’s corruption scandal rocked the government. The scandal, considered the biggest in decades, centers on political funds raised through … Read more

Japan’s SLIM moon probe unexpectedly survives lunar night

By Kantaro Komiya TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s space agency said on Monday its SLIM moon lander has unexpectedly survived a freezing lunar night and re-established communication with the earth, more than a month after the spacecraft made a historic “pinpoint” touchdown on the moon. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) touched down on the … Read more

Japan’s Nikkei hits all-time high on reforms, robust corporate earnings

Pedestrians walking across with crowded traffic at Shibuya crossing square. Jaczhou | E+ | Getty Images Japan’s Nikkei 225 hit a record high Thursday, powered by banking, electronics and consumer stocks as robust earnings and investor-friendly measures fuel a blistering rally in Japanese equities this year. The Nikkei 225 jumped nearly 2% to hit 39,029, … Read more

Japan’s new flagship H3 rocket reaches planned trajectory in key test after failed debut last year

TOKYO — A Japanese flagship H3 rocket lifted off from a space station in southwestern Japan Saturday, successfully reaching its planned trajectory and releasing one of the two payloads in a key second test, overcoming its failed debut launch a year ago and buoying hope for the country to stay competitive in the global space … Read more

Japan’s economy unexpectedly slips into recession, hurt by weak domestic demand

An editorial picture of the Japan flag set against an economic trend graph and images associated with the stock market, finance and digital technology. Manassanant Pamai | Istock | Getty Images Japan’s economy unexpectedly contracted again in the October-December period, provisional government data showed Thursday, as high inflation crimped domestic demand and private consumption in what’s … Read more

Are we about to find out the moon’s origin? Japan’s space agency says it may now have clues

TOKYO — TOKYO (AP) — An unmanned lunar spacecraft has captured and transmitted data analyzing 10 lunar rocks, a greater-than-expected achievement that could help provide clues about the origin of the moon, a Japan space agency official said Wednesday. For four days, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM — which landed on the … Read more

Japan’s stock markets are rallying. Will ‘zombie’ firms be a threat?

TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 03: Zombies perform on the red carpet for the ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ World Premiere at Roppongi Hills on September 3, 2012 in Tokyo, Japan.  Adam Pretty | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Japan’s stock markets have been on a stellar run since the start of 2023, repeatedly breaching 33-year highs … Read more

Japan’s SoftBank Group marks a return to profit as it cuts Vision Fund losses

TOKYO — Japanese technology conglomerate SoftBank Group returned to profitability in October-December after four straight quarters in the red, the company said Thursday. Tokyo-based SoftBank reported a 950 billion yen ($6.4 billion), profit for the October-December quarter, a reversal from a 783 billion yen loss in the same period a year earlier. It remained in … Read more

Japan’s Aozora Bank hits near 3-year lows as bad U.S. property loans prompt loss forecast

The Aozora Bank Ltd. headquarters in Tokyo Japan, on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024. Japan’s Aozora Bank became the second lender in a span of hours to surprise investors with losses tied to US commercial property, sending shares down by the limit and heightening concern over global banks’ exposure to souring real estate bets. Akio Kon … Read more

Japan’s lunar probe regains power nine days after landing upside-down

Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) has been resurrected, over a week after the probe ran out of electricity following its troubled lunar touchdown on January 20th, leaving it upside-down and its solar panels pointing in the wrong direction. On Monday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that communication with the SLIM spacecraft … Read more