Several hundred Pikachus started flooding the streets of Japan one fine day and no one knew what was happening. No, it wasn&#39;t anything remotely associated with the game Pokemon, that has caught the fancy of everyone around us. But an annually celebrated festival.&nbsp; 
 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PPqFqOJWsVA?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> 
 
 
Called Pika fiesta, it has been happening since 2014 known as Pikachu Tairyou Hassei- Chu. Lasting for a week&rsquo;s time, it is a celebration of all things Pokemon.&nbsp;

Several hundred Pikachus started flooding the streets of Japan one fine day and no one knew what was happening. No, it wasn't anything remotely associated with the game Pokemon, that has caught the fancy of everyone around us. But an annually celebrated festival. Called Pika fiesta, it has been happening since 2014 known as Pikachu Tairyou Hassei- Chu. Lasting for a week’s time, it is a celebration of all things Pokemon.

Video: Humanized Pikachus on the streets of Japan

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Thursday morning &nbsp;but there were no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning was not issued, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The epicentre of the earthquake, which occurred at 11:50 a.m. (0250 GMT), was in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Japan, one of the world&#39;s most seismically active areas, accounts for about 20 per cent of the world&#39;s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

No tsunami warning was issued, the Japan Meteorological Agency said

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Thursday morning but there were no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning was not issued, Reuters reported. The epicentre of the earthquake, which occurred at 11:50 a.m. (0250 GMT), was in Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency was quoted as saying. Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas, accounts for about 20 per cent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater, Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

5.3 magnitude quake rattles eastern Japan?

The rising Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) into India for several projects including high-speed railway could widen trade deficit between the two countries, says a report.

&quot;With increase in Japanese ODA for several projects including for the Shinkasen bullet train project and expected further FDI from Japan in the coming years, imports from Japan could see a rise that can widen the trade deficit,&quot; said the report -- &#39;India-Japan CEPA: An Appraisal&#39;.

The report by Research and Information System for Developing Countries, released today, is authored by V S Seshadri.

The Rs 98,000 crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project is being financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is providing a soft loan of about Rs 79,380 crore, amounting to 81 per cent of the project cost.

Sustained increase in India&#39;s export to Japan, the report said, will come about only if greater attention is given to increasing competitiveness, strengthening compliance with standards, enhancing export capacity, and moving beyond traditional areas of export.

It pointed out that the utilisation of India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for trade in goods is steadily increasing in both directions.

&quot;While CEPA concessions are not relevant for about 75 per cent of India&#39;s export to Japan, since duties on them are zero even on MFN basis, India has benefited from CEPA concessions towards increasing exports in the seafood pharma, garments, leather, dyes and pigments and a few other sectors and products,&quot; the report said.

According to the report, Japan&#39;s utilisation has also been rising judging from the number of certificates of origin issued annually by the authorised agency from Japan.

&quot;It would be very important to ensure immediate ratification of the Totalisation Agreement signed by the two countries in 2012,&quot; it noted.

Referring to Japanese FDI trend in India, the report pointed out that India presents a mixed picture post CEPA with significant fresh investment inflows but also with two large investments, Daiichi Sankyo&#39;s investment in Ranbaxy and NTT Docomo&#39;s investment in Tata Teleservices, seeking to exit their investments.

It further said the &#39;Japan Plus&#39; arrangement to fast track investments from that country and regular engagements between the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India and DIPP of the government are positive features. 
 
Japan and India are the second and third largest economies in Asia. The economic engagement witnessed significant rise after both countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2011.

The trade between the two countries pre-CEPA in 2010 was USD 10.4 billion and currently stands at USD 14.5 billion.

(PTI)

The report by Research and Information System for Developing Countries said that imports from Japan could widen the trade deficit

The rising Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) into India for several projects including high-speed railway could widen trade deficit between the two countries, says a report. "With increase in Japanese ODA for several projects including for the Shinkasen bullet train project and expected further FDI from Japan in the coming years, imports from Japan could see a rise that can widen the trade deficit," said the report -- 'India-Japan CEPA: An Appraisal'. The report by Research and Information System for Developing Countries, released today, is authored by V S Seshadri. The Rs 98,000 crore Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project is being financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is providing a soft loan of about Rs 79,380 crore, amounting to 81 per cent of the project cost. Sustained increase in India's export to Japan, the report said, will come about only if greater attention is given to increasing competitiveness, strengthening compliance with standards, enhancing export capacity, and moving beyond traditional areas of export. It pointed out that the utilisation of India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) for trade in goods is steadily increasing in both directions. "While CEPA concessions are not relevant for about 75 per cent of India's export to Japan, since duties on them are zero even on MFN basis, India has benefited from CEPA concessions towards increasing exports in the seafood pharma, garments, leather, dyes and pigments and a few other sectors and products," the report said. According to the report, Japan's utilisation has also been rising judging from the number of certificates of origin issued annually by the authorised agency from Japan. "It would be very important to ensure immediate ratification of the Totalisation Agreement signed by the two countries in 2012," it noted. Referring to Japanese FDI trend in India, the report pointed out that India presents a mixed picture post CEPA with significant fresh investment inflows but also with two large investments, Daiichi Sankyo's investment in Ranbaxy and NTT Docomo's investment in Tata Teleservices, seeking to exit their investments. It further said the 'Japan Plus' arrangement to fast track investments from that country and regular engagements between the Japan Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India and DIPP of the government are positive features. Japan and India are the second and third largest economies in Asia. The economic engagement witnessed significant rise after both countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2011. The trade between the two countries pre-CEPA in 2010 was USD 10.4 billion and currently stands at USD 14.5 billion. (PTI)

'Rising Japanese assistance to India will widen trade deficit'

Japanese regulators are considering taking action against Apple Inc over possible antitrust violations that may have helped it dominate the nation&#39;s smartphone sales, government sources said, a move that could hit the company&#39;s profit margins in one of its most profitable markets. 
 
In a report published last month, Japan&#39;s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said that NTT Docomo, KDDI Corp and Softbank Group were refusing to sell older surplus iPhone models to third party retailers, thereby hobbling smaller competitors. 
 
Apple was not named in that report, but two senior government sources told Reuters that regulators were also focusing on Apple&#39;s supply agreements with all three carriers. 
 
Under those deals, surplus stock of older iPhones is kept out of the market and sent to overseas markets, such as Hong Kong, according to industry sources. 
 
The carriers, locked in a costly battle to win consumers who covet iPhones, also bulk purchase the Apple smartphones and sell them at a discount, which gives the U.S. company an advantage over rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co, according to the two government officials and an industry source. 
 
Both iPhone 7 and Samsung&#39;s Galaxy S7 edge model sell for 93,960 yen ($932) under Docomo&#39;s main service package without any contract, but the cost for the iPhone drops sharply to 38,232 yen with a two-year contract, while the Galaxy falls to 54,432 yen. 
 
When asked about the antitrust concerns, Apple forwarded a link to a webpage published at the time of the Aug. 2 FTC report that says it has created or supports 715,000 jobs in Japan with Japanese-based developers raking in more than $9 billion in revenue from Apple apps since 2008. It did not comment further. 
 
Largest share 
 
The strategy has helped Apple sustain demand for new iPhones, making Japan one of its most profitable markets. The U.S. company accounts for almost one in every two smartphones sold in Japan, its largest share in a major market. 
 
It also kept new mobile service providers such as messaging app firm Line Corp and online retailer Rakuten Inc from selling iPhones, and helped the top three carriers control more than 90 percent of the mobile phone market. 
 
Any government order for corrective measures may crimp demand for more profitable new iPhone models that compete against well-reviewed Android phones such as the Galaxy S7. 
 
&quot;The actions of the three operators alone do not account for the state of the market,&quot; said one of the officials, who confirmed that the August report was also directed at Apple. &quot;We are getting closer to taking action.&quot; 
 
The officials said the watchdog hoped pressing the carriers would get them to solve the antitrust issue, which could include renegotiating contracts with Apple. 
 
They asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media. 
 
The FTC did not give a deadline or say what penalties, such as fines, it would impose if the companies did not act. 
 
In the past, FTC has issued cease and desist orders, and imposed a &quot;surplus charge&quot; to recoup profits resulting from antitrust violations. The biggest surplus charge to date for a case, which involved five companies, is 27 billion yen ($269 million). 
 
Fines on companies judged to be operating cartels or monopolies, however, can be higher. 
 
NTT Docomo said it did not believe it was blocking new entrants. &quot;We have always strived to conduct sales and services appropriately and we will take the FTC&#39;s report on board and consider our response,&quot; a spokesman said. 
 
A spokeswoman for KDDI said her company had operated its business in an appropriate manner and followed guidelines. 
 
A Softbank spokesman also said it would work with regulators. &quot;Up to now we have never had any issues with competition laws over our sales practices and pricing,&quot; he said. 
 
Samsung declined to comment. 
 
($1 = 101.87 yen)&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

The country's Fair Trade Commission said the carriers were not selling older iPhones to third party retailers, hobbling smaller competitors

Japanese regulators are considering taking action against Apple Inc over possible antitrust violations that may have helped it dominate the nation's smartphone sales, government sources said, a move that could hit the company's profit margins in one of its most profitable markets. In a report published last month, Japan's Fair Trade Commission (FTC) said that NTT Docomo, KDDI Corp and Softbank Group were refusing to sell older surplus iPhone models to third party retailers, thereby hobbling smaller competitors. Apple was not named in that report, but two senior government sources told Reuters that regulators were also focusing on Apple's supply agreements with all three carriers. Under those deals, surplus stock of older iPhones is kept out of the market and sent to overseas markets, such as Hong Kong, according to industry sources. The carriers, locked in a costly battle to win consumers who covet iPhones, also bulk purchase the Apple smartphones and sell them at a discount, which gives the U.S. company an advantage over rivals such as Samsung Electronics Co, according to the two government officials and an industry source. Both iPhone 7 and Samsung's Galaxy S7 edge model sell for 93,960 yen ($932) under Docomo's main service package without any contract, but the cost for the iPhone drops sharply to 38,232 yen with a two-year contract, while the Galaxy falls to 54,432 yen. When asked about the antitrust concerns, Apple forwarded a link to a webpage published at the time of the Aug. 2 FTC report that says it has created or supports 715,000 jobs in Japan with Japanese-based developers raking in more than $9 billion in revenue from Apple apps since 2008. It did not comment further. Largest share The strategy has helped Apple sustain demand for new iPhones, making Japan one of its most profitable markets. The U.S. company accounts for almost one in every two smartphones sold in Japan, its largest share in a major market. It also kept new mobile service providers such as messaging app firm Line Corp and online retailer Rakuten Inc from selling iPhones, and helped the top three carriers control more than 90 percent of the mobile phone market. Any government order for corrective measures may crimp demand for more profitable new iPhone models that compete against well-reviewed Android phones such as the Galaxy S7. "The actions of the three operators alone do not account for the state of the market," said one of the officials, who confirmed that the August report was also directed at Apple. "We are getting closer to taking action." The officials said the watchdog hoped pressing the carriers would get them to solve the antitrust issue, which could include renegotiating contracts with Apple. They asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak to the media. The FTC did not give a deadline or say what penalties, such as fines, it would impose if the companies did not act. In the past, FTC has issued cease and desist orders, and imposed a "surplus charge" to recoup profits resulting from antitrust violations. The biggest surplus charge to date for a case, which involved five companies, is 27 billion yen ($269 million). Fines on companies judged to be operating cartels or monopolies, however, can be higher. NTT Docomo said it did not believe it was blocking new entrants. "We have always strived to conduct sales and services appropriately and we will take the FTC's report on board and consider our response," a spokesman said. A spokeswoman for KDDI said her company had operated its business in an appropriate manner and followed guidelines. A Softbank spokesman also said it would work with regulators. "Up to now we have never had any issues with competition laws over our sales practices and pricing," he said. Samsung declined to comment. ($1 = 101.87 yen) (Reuters)

Japan's antitrust watchdog considers action against Apple, carriers: Sources

The United Nations Security Council on Friday strongly condemned four North Korean ballistic missile launches in July and August, dubbing them &quot;grave violations&quot; of a ban on all ballistic missile activity. 
 
The council expressed &quot;serious concern&quot; that North Korea carried out the launches after six ballistic missile firings between April and June &quot;in flagrant disregard&quot; of its repeated statements to halt such launches as well as nuclear tests which violate council resolutions. 
 
UN vows significant measures&nbsp; 
 
In a press statement approved by all 15 members, the council deplored the fact that the North&#39;s ballistic missile activities are contributing to its development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and increasing tensions. 
 
Council members agreed to &quot;continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures,&quot; said the statement, without elaborating. 
 
It urged all UN member states &quot;to redouble their efforts&quot; to implement sanctions against Pyongyang, including the toughest measures in two decades imposed by the council in March. 
 
N.Korea hit by 5 sets of UN sanctions&nbsp; 
 
North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.&nbsp; 
 
It has repeatedly flouted Security Council resolutions demanding an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile activities and has continued to launch missiles, escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region. 
 
In March, the council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea&#39;s trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions. 
 
The council met behind closed doors on Wednesday after North Korea launched a missile from a submarine towards Japan, the latest provocation from Pyongyang.&nbsp; 
 
This came days after the US and South Korea began military exercises, prompting North Korean threats of retaliation for the military drills, which it views as a rehearsal for invasion by the US and other adversaries. 
 
The Security Council statement condemned the August 23 launch as well as the North&#39;s ballistic missile launches on August 2 and July 18 and the firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile on July 9. 
 
 
N Korea submarine missiles not ready until 2018: experts 
 
North Korea is making progress on a submarine-launched ballistic missile system but any deployment of the technology is years away, a US think tank said, as the UN Security Council promised action over Pyongyang&#39;s latest test. 
 
The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said yesterday on its closely-watched website, 38 North, that the success of North Korea&#39;s SLBM test this week suggests the program may be progressing faster than originally expected. 
 
&quot;However, this does not mean it will be ready next week, next month, or even next year&quot;, it said. 
 
&quot;Rather, the pace and method of the North&#39;s SLBM testing would suggest possible deployment in an initial operational capability by the second half of 2018 at the earliest.&quot; 
 
The missile, launched from a submerged prototype &quot;Gorae-class&quot; submarine near the northeastern port of Sinpo, flew 500 kilometres towards Japan, marking what weapons analysts called a clear step forward for its nuclear strike ambitions. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

United Nations Security Council has expressed 'serious concern' after Pyongyang test-fired 6 missiles between April and June

The United Nations Security Council on Friday strongly condemned four North Korean ballistic missile launches in July and August, dubbing them "grave violations" of a ban on all ballistic missile activity. The council expressed "serious concern" that North Korea carried out the launches after six ballistic missile firings between April and June "in flagrant disregard" of its repeated statements to halt such launches as well as nuclear tests which violate council resolutions. UN vows significant measures In a press statement approved by all 15 members, the council deplored the fact that the North's ballistic missile activities are contributing to its development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and increasing tensions. Council members agreed to "continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures," said the statement, without elaborating. It urged all UN member states "to redouble their efforts" to implement sanctions against Pyongyang, including the toughest measures in two decades imposed by the council in March. N.Korea hit by 5 sets of UN sanctions North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006. It has repeatedly flouted Security Council resolutions demanding an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile activities and has continued to launch missiles, escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the region. In March, the council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea's trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions. The council met behind closed doors on Wednesday after North Korea launched a missile from a submarine towards Japan, the latest provocation from Pyongyang. This came days after the US and South Korea began military exercises, prompting North Korean threats of retaliation for the military drills, which it views as a rehearsal for invasion by the US and other adversaries. The Security Council statement condemned the August 23 launch as well as the North's ballistic missile launches on August 2 and July 18 and the firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile on July 9. N Korea submarine missiles not ready until 2018: experts North Korea is making progress on a submarine-launched ballistic missile system but any deployment of the technology is years away, a US think tank said, as the UN Security Council promised action over Pyongyang's latest test. The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said yesterday on its closely-watched website, 38 North, that the success of North Korea's SLBM test this week suggests the program may be progressing faster than originally expected. "However, this does not mean it will be ready next week, next month, or even next year", it said. "Rather, the pace and method of the North's SLBM testing would suggest possible deployment in an initial operational capability by the second half of 2018 at the earliest." The missile, launched from a submerged prototype "Gorae-class" submarine near the northeastern port of Sinpo, flew 500 kilometres towards Japan, marking what weapons analysts called a clear step forward for its nuclear strike ambitions. (WION with inputs from agencies)

North Korea likely to face tough sanctions after missile launches

A truck driver in Japan playing Pokemon Go while driving hit two pedestrains,&nbsp;killing one and injuring the other. 
 
This was the first death reported in Japan with regard to the Nontendo Co&nbsp;game. 
 
The driver was arrested for negligent driving on Wednesday evening, the&nbsp;Tokushima prefectual police informed. A decision on his prosecution has not&nbsp;been made yet. 
 
A spokesperson for Naintic, Pokemon Go developer, said that the company had&nbsp;added a pop-up to the game screen last month to dissuade the player from&nbsp;driving the moment the speed increased. 
 
The popularity of the across the world has increased crowds in parks and public&nbsp;places as users search for monsters in the game. 
 
Various sign boards have been installed in Japan asking users to avoid creating&nbsp;nuisance. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

While another pedestrian was injured in the accident, the driver has been arrested for negligent driving

A truck driver in Japan playing Pokemon Go while driving hit two pedestrains, killing one and injuring the other. This was the first death reported in Japan with regard to the Nontendo Co game. The driver was arrested for negligent driving on Wednesday evening, the Tokushima prefectual police informed. A decision on his prosecution has not been made yet. A spokesperson for Naintic, Pokemon Go developer, said that the company had added a pop-up to the game screen last month to dissuade the player from driving the moment the speed increased. The popularity of the across the world has increased crowds in parks and public places as users search for monsters in the game. Various sign boards have been installed in Japan asking users to avoid creating nuisance. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Truck driver kills pedestrian while playing Pokemon Go in Japan

Following North Korea&#39;s missile firing, foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea met in Tokyo on Wednesday, August 24 to talk about closer multilateral cooperation. 
 
Hours before the meeting, North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile that flew 500 km (311 miles) towards Japan. The country has in the recent past conducted a series of such launches despite UN sanctions. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s unforgivable that North Korea launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Japan immediately protested against the North Korean missile launch and would like to cooperate closely with China and South Korea to lead the international community&#39;s response to it,&quot; Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said at the meeting. 
 
&quot;North Korea&#39;s recent nuclear test and continual missile launches have been an urgent and grave threat to this region. In such situations, solidarity and cooperation among three countries is more important than ever,&quot; said South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. 
 
Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi said that it was China&#39;s responsibility to promote economic development, lead regional cooperation and maintain regional peace and stability. &quot;China insists that in the spirit of squarely facing history and advancing toward the future,&quot; he said. 
 
Two days ago, South Korea and the United States began annual military exercises in the South which North Korea condemns as a preparation for invasion, and has threatened retaliation. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

North Korea has in the past conducted a series of missile launches despite UN sanctions

Following North Korea's missile firing, foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea met in Tokyo on Wednesday, August 24 to talk about closer multilateral cooperation. Hours before the meeting, North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile that flew 500 km (311 miles) towards Japan. The country has in the recent past conducted a series of such launches despite UN sanctions. "It's unforgivable that North Korea launched a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Japan immediately protested against the North Korean missile launch and would like to cooperate closely with China and South Korea to lead the international community's response to it," Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said at the meeting. "North Korea's recent nuclear test and continual missile launches have been an urgent and grave threat to this region. In such situations, solidarity and cooperation among three countries is more important than ever," said South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi said that it was China's responsibility to promote economic development, lead regional cooperation and maintain regional peace and stability. "China insists that in the spirit of squarely facing history and advancing toward the future," he said. Two days ago, South Korea and the United States began annual military exercises in the South which North Korea condemns as a preparation for invasion, and has threatened retaliation. (With inputs from agencies)

China, Japan and South Korea meet following North Korea's missile launch

A strong typhoon struck near Tokyo today, with heavy rain and winds grounding more than 400 flights as officials warned of landslides and flooding. 
 
Typhoon Mindulle made landfall at about 12:30 pm (0330 GMT) in Tateyama city, roughly 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. 
 
As of noon, the storm was packing gusts up to 180 kilometres per hour and heading north at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour, the agency said. 
 
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage. 
 
&quot;In Tokyo... please exercise caution for landslides, flooding in low lying areas, surging rivers, violent wind and high waves,&quot; the weather agency said. 
 
Downpours across the greater Tokyo region caused rivers to swell, with television footage showing gushing waterways close to overflowing but staying within their banks. 
 
The storm has caused airlines across the country to cancel a total of 425 flights, mostly to and from Tokyo&#39;s Haneda airport, national broadcaster NHK said. 
 
Japan Airlines said it cancelled 185 domestic flights, affecting 33,692 customers, while All Nippon Airways cancelled 112 domestic flights, affecting 26,500 passengers. 
 
Most major commuter train services in Tokyo and its surrounding region operated normally, including bullet trains, according to East Japan Railway, the region&#39;s biggest railway operator. 
 
Some lines, however, suffered from temporary delays and stoppages. 
 
Separately, typhoon Kompasu, which hit Japan&#39;s northern main island of Hokkaido on Sunday, was downgraded to a temperate depression by early today as it moved away into the Sea of Okhotsk, according to the weather agency. 
 
Heavy rains since Saturday caused high waves and rivers to flood on the island, where rescue workers found a male body today morning. 
 
Police did not immediately link the death to the storm, but local media said the body might be the owner of a vehicle that was stranded due to heavy rains. 
 
The local Hokkaido government has so far said the storm has caused only three minor injuries. 
 
(AFP)

The storm has caused airlines across the country to cancel a total of 425 flights, but train services remained unaffected

A strong typhoon struck near Tokyo today, with heavy rain and winds grounding more than 400 flights as officials warned of landslides and flooding. Typhoon Mindulle made landfall at about 12:30 pm (0330 GMT) in Tateyama city, roughly 80 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. As of noon, the storm was packing gusts up to 180 kilometres per hour and heading north at a speed of 20 kilometres per hour, the agency said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage. "In Tokyo... please exercise caution for landslides, flooding in low lying areas, surging rivers, violent wind and high waves," the weather agency said. Downpours across the greater Tokyo region caused rivers to swell, with television footage showing gushing waterways close to overflowing but staying within their banks. The storm has caused airlines across the country to cancel a total of 425 flights, mostly to and from Tokyo's Haneda airport, national broadcaster NHK said. Japan Airlines said it cancelled 185 domestic flights, affecting 33,692 customers, while All Nippon Airways cancelled 112 domestic flights, affecting 26,500 passengers. Most major commuter train services in Tokyo and its surrounding region operated normally, including bullet trains, according to East Japan Railway, the region's biggest railway operator. Some lines, however, suffered from temporary delays and stoppages. Separately, typhoon Kompasu, which hit Japan's northern main island of Hokkaido on Sunday, was downgraded to a temperate depression by early today as it moved away into the Sea of Okhotsk, according to the weather agency. Heavy rains since Saturday caused high waves and rivers to flood on the island, where rescue workers found a male body today morning. Police did not immediately link the death to the storm, but local media said the body might be the owner of a vehicle that was stranded due to heavy rains. The local Hokkaido government has so far said the storm has caused only three minor injuries. (AFP)

Flights grounded as strong typhoon hits near Tokyo

Japan&nbsp;will develop a new land-to-sea missile as part of plans to beef up its defence of remote southern islands, as tensions with China increase over the disputed territory, a report said Sunday.

The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets known as the Senkaku in&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;and the Diaoyu in China.

The report comes after repeated protests by Japanese foreign ministry officials over what Tokyo calls &quot;intrusions&quot; by Chinese ships in the territorial and contiguous waters of the rocky islands.

Tokyo plans to deploy the weapon, which reportedly will have a range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) on islands such as Miyako in Okinawa prefecture, the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said, without citing sources.

The range will cover the disputed island chain, the Yomiuri said, adding that the deployment is expected by 2023.

Officials at the Defence Ministry could not be reached for comment.

&quot;In light of China&#39;s repeated acts of provocation around the Senkaku islands,&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;aims to increase deterrence with improved long-range strike capability,&quot; the newspaper stated.

The missile will be developed by&nbsp;Japan&nbsp;and will use solid fuel, the Yomiuri said, referring to the technology that allows for weapon&#39;s long-term storage and capacity to be launched at short notice.

Japan&nbsp;also protested in June after it said a Chinese navy frigate sailed close to territorial waters near the islands for the first time.

Tensions over the islands have been a frequent irritant and strained bilateral relations, though tensions had markedly relaxed over the past two years as the countries held talks. 
 
(AFP)

The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over uninhabited islets known as Senkaku in?Japan?and Diaoyu in China

Japan will develop a new land-to-sea missile as part of plans to beef up its defence of remote southern islands, as tensions with China increase over the disputed territory, a report said Sunday. The two countries are locked in a long-running dispute over the uninhabited islets known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. The report comes after repeated protests by Japanese foreign ministry officials over what Tokyo calls "intrusions" by Chinese ships in the territorial and contiguous waters of the rocky islands. Tokyo plans to deploy the weapon, which reportedly will have a range of 300 kilometres (190 miles) on islands such as Miyako in Okinawa prefecture, the top-selling Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said, without citing sources. The range will cover the disputed island chain, the Yomiuri said, adding that the deployment is expected by 2023. Officials at the Defence Ministry could not be reached for comment. "In light of China's repeated acts of provocation around the Senkaku islands, Japan aims to increase deterrence with improved long-range strike capability," the newspaper stated. The missile will be developed by Japan and will use solid fuel, the Yomiuri said, referring to the technology that allows for weapon's long-term storage and capacity to be launched at short notice. Japan also protested in June after it said a Chinese navy frigate sailed close to territorial waters near the islands for the first time. Tensions over the islands have been a frequent irritant and strained bilateral relations, though tensions had markedly relaxed over the past two years as the countries held talks. (AFP)

Japan to develop missiles amid rising hostility with China

Japan marked the 71st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki today as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe underscored the nation&#39;s nuclear non-proliferation stance, while a city official called for other national leaders to follow in the footsteps of United States (US) President Barack Obama who visited Hiroshima earlier this year. 
 
&quot;As the only country to be bombed by atomic bombs during wartime, I will strongly advocate the importance of maintaining and strengthening the stance of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, while maintaining the three non-nuclear principles,&quot; Abe said, as hundreds of visitors at the Nagasaki Peace Park attended the annual peace memorial. 
 
&quot;With a new sense of commitment, I will continue to make the effort to call leaders of nations to visit the atomic bombing sites, and to tell the stories of the reality of the bombings,&quot; said Masanao Maiguma, the head of Nagasaki city municipal assembly. 
 
Obama this year became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima and he urged nuclear powers, including his own, to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without nuclear weapons. 
 
The US dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing thousands of people instantly and about 140,000 by the end of that year. 
 
US forces dropped another atomic bomb on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9. Japan surrendered six days later. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

US dropped the first bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and three days later another bomb was dropped on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9

Japan marked the 71st anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki today as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe underscored the nation's nuclear non-proliferation stance, while a city official called for other national leaders to follow in the footsteps of United States (US) President Barack Obama who visited Hiroshima earlier this year. "As the only country to be bombed by atomic bombs during wartime, I will strongly advocate the importance of maintaining and strengthening the stance of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, while maintaining the three non-nuclear principles," Abe said, as hundreds of visitors at the Nagasaki Peace Park attended the annual peace memorial. "With a new sense of commitment, I will continue to make the effort to call leaders of nations to visit the atomic bombing sites, and to tell the stories of the reality of the bombings," said Masanao Maiguma, the head of Nagasaki city municipal assembly. Obama this year became the first incumbent US president to visit Hiroshima and he urged nuclear powers, including his own, to have the courage to escape the logic of fear and pursue a world without nuclear weapons. The US dropped the bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, killing thousands of people instantly and about 140,000 by the end of that year. US forces dropped another atomic bomb on the southern city of Nagasaki on August 9. Japan surrendered six days later. (Reuters)

Japan marks 71st anniversary of Nagasaki atomic bombing

Japan&#39;s Fair Trade Commission has raided the office of Amazon Japan on suspicion of pressuring retailers to offer products on more favourable conditions than on rival sites, the Nikkei business daily reported today. 
 
The paper did not say when the raid took place. 
 
Amazon Japan is suspected of imposing conditions on retailers such as forcing them to sell products at a lower price if they were also advertising on other online shopping sites, the Nikkei said, citing sources with knowledge of the case. 
 
A Fair Trade Commission spokesman said he could not confirm the report but added: &quot;I won&#39;t say the contents are incorrect.&quot; 
 
An Amazon Japan spokeswoman declined to comment. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The online giant is suspected of forcing retailers to sell products at lower price if they were advertising on other online shopping sites

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has raided the office of Amazon Japan on suspicion of pressuring retailers to offer products on more favourable conditions than on rival sites, the Nikkei business daily reported today. The paper did not say when the raid took place. Amazon Japan is suspected of imposing conditions on retailers such as forcing them to sell products at a lower price if they were also advertising on other online shopping sites, the Nikkei said, citing sources with knowledge of the case. A Fair Trade Commission spokesman said he could not confirm the report but added: "I won't say the contents are incorrect." An Amazon Japan spokeswoman declined to comment. (Reuters)

Amazon Japan raided over antitrust practices: Nikkei

Reports that Japanese Emperor Akihito intends to abdicate within a few years could reopen debate about female succession, but any such move is likely to provoke strong opposition within the current conservative ruling party.

The 82-year-old monarch, who has had heart surgery and been treated for prostate cancer in recent years, expressed his intention to abdicate in a few years to the Imperial Household Agency, public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday.

No reason was cited and agency officials later denied the earlier reports.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other officials on Thursday declined to comment, but Akihito has been cutting back on official duties recently.

His place has been taken by his heir, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito. But Naruhito has only one daughter, so since only males can inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne, the throne after Naruhito would pass to nine-year-old nephew Hisahito.

No Japanese emperor has abdicated since 1817 and the Imperial Household Law governing the royal family system would have to be revised to allow this, a process requiring parliamentary debate that could take years and might spill over into other areas, such as female succession.

&quot;This is something that has needed to be fixed,&quot; said Kenneth Ruoff, head of the Center of Japanese Studies at Portland State University, of the laws on abdication.&nbsp;&quot;When they open up the debate they will have to debate all kinds of things.&quot;

Before Hisahito, no male had been born into the imperial family for more than four decades. This prompted discussion of equal inheritance for women, a move opposed by traditionalists eager to preserve a male line they believe goes back more than 2000 years.

Most Japanese backed the proposed change and advisors to then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recommended that women be given equal rights to inherit, but debate was shelved when Hisahito was born the next year.

In March, Japanese officials including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe protested when a UN&nbsp;committee said it intended to criticise male-only inheritance as discriminatory. They said the UN&nbsp;move was &quot;totally inappropriate&quot; and disregarded Japanese history. The committee withdrew its criticism.

Key parts of Abe&#39;s political base want him to steer the nation back towards a traditional ethos including pride in the ancient imperial line.

Given that Hisahito is the only male of his generation and women in the imperial family leave it upon marriage, long-term succession remains far from assured. Proposed solutions include allowing women to remain and set up branch families, but debate has languished.

&quot;There&#39;s only two ways to continue an all-male line. One is to have concubines, which I don&#39;t think the people of Japan would accept ... The other would be to have lots of collateral families, which would get complicated,&quot; Ruoff said.

&quot;If they aren&#39;t going to change the law, this will happen again, there won&#39;t be a male heir. Maybe not for one hundred, two hundred years - but why not change the law now?&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 56-year-old crown prince has only one daughter. Since only males can inherit the throne, it would next go to his nine-year-old nephew

Reports that Japanese Emperor Akihito intends to abdicate within a few years could reopen debate about female succession, but any such move is likely to provoke strong opposition within the current conservative ruling party. The 82-year-old monarch, who has had heart surgery and been treated for prostate cancer in recent years, expressed his intention to abdicate in a few years to the Imperial Household Agency, public broadcaster NHK said on Wednesday. No reason was cited and agency officials later denied the earlier reports. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other officials on Thursday declined to comment, but Akihito has been cutting back on official duties recently. His place has been taken by his heir, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito. But Naruhito has only one daughter, so since only males can inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne, the throne after Naruhito would pass to nine-year-old nephew Hisahito. No Japanese emperor has abdicated since 1817 and the Imperial Household Law governing the royal family system would have to be revised to allow this, a process requiring parliamentary debate that could take years and might spill over into other areas, such as female succession. "This is something that has needed to be fixed," said Kenneth Ruoff, head of the Center of Japanese Studies at Portland State University, of the laws on abdication. "When they open up the debate they will have to debate all kinds of things." Before Hisahito, no male had been born into the imperial family for more than four decades. This prompted discussion of equal inheritance for women, a move opposed by traditionalists eager to preserve a male line they believe goes back more than 2000 years. Most Japanese backed the proposed change and advisors to then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi recommended that women be given equal rights to inherit, but debate was shelved when Hisahito was born the next year. In March, Japanese officials including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe protested when a UN committee said it intended to criticise male-only inheritance as discriminatory. They said the UN move was "totally inappropriate" and disregarded Japanese history. The committee withdrew its criticism. Key parts of Abe's political base want him to steer the nation back towards a traditional ethos including pride in the ancient imperial line. Given that Hisahito is the only male of his generation and women in the imperial family leave it upon marriage, long-term succession remains far from assured. Proposed solutions include allowing women to remain and set up branch families, but debate has languished. "There's only two ways to continue an all-male line. One is to have concubines, which I don't think the people of Japan would accept ... The other would be to have lots of collateral families, which would get complicated," Ruoff said. "If they aren't going to change the law, this will happen again, there won't be a male heir. Maybe not for one hundred, two hundred years - but why not change the law now?" (Reuters)

Reports of Japan emperor's abdication could reopen debate about female succession

Japan issued a new protest to Beijing today after Chinese coastguard ships and about 230 fishing vessels sailed close to what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around disputed islets in the East China Sea, Japan&#39;s foreign ministry said. 
 
The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, less than a month after an arbitration court in the Hague invalidated China&#39;s sweeping claims in the disputed South China Sea, in a case brought by the Philippines. 
 
China has refused to recognise the ruling. Japan called on China to adhere to the verdict, which it said was binding, prompting warnings from Beijing to Tokyo not to interfere. 
 
Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters today appeared to be armed, Japan&#39;s coast guard said.&nbsp;Yesterday, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Chinese coastguard ships and fishing vessels entered what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around the islets. 
 
Beijing claims the uninhabited, Tokyo-controlled East China Sea islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, and occasionally sends its coastguard vessels near them.&nbsp;A senior Japanese foreign ministry official today issued a protest to a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo, calling on the coastguard ships to leave the area immediately and condemning the action as a unilateral escalation of tensions, the ministry said. 
 
Japanese vice foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama yesterday summoned China&#39;s ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to lodge a strong protest, the ministry said.&nbsp;Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. 
 
China on Friday accused Japan&#39;s new defence minister, Tomomi Inada, of recklessly misrepresenting history after she declined to say whether Japanese troops massacred civilians in China during World War II. 
 
Ties between China and Japan, the world&#39;s second- and third-largest economies, have been plagued by the territorial row, the legacy of Japans&#39; wartime occupation of parts of China and regional rivalry. 
 
(Reuters)

Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters appeared to be armed, Japan's coast guard said

Japan issued a new protest to Beijing today after Chinese coastguard ships and about 230 fishing vessels sailed close to what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around disputed islets in the East China Sea, Japan's foreign ministry said. The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions in Asia, less than a month after an arbitration court in the Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims in the disputed South China Sea, in a case brought by the Philippines. China has refused to recognise the ruling. Japan called on China to adhere to the verdict, which it said was binding, prompting warnings from Beijing to Tokyo not to interfere. Three of the six Chinese coastguard ships that were in the so-called contiguous waters today appeared to be armed, Japan's coast guard said. Yesterday, a Japanese foreign ministry official said Chinese coastguard ships and fishing vessels entered what Tokyo considers its territorial waters around the islets. Beijing claims the uninhabited, Tokyo-controlled East China Sea islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, and occasionally sends its coastguard vessels near them. A senior Japanese foreign ministry official today issued a protest to a Chinese embassy official in Tokyo, calling on the coastguard ships to leave the area immediately and condemning the action as a unilateral escalation of tensions, the ministry said. Japanese vice foreign minister Shinsuke Sugiyama yesterday summoned China's ambassador to Japan, Cheng Yonghua, to lodge a strong protest, the ministry said. Chinese officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday. China on Friday accused Japan's new defence minister, Tomomi Inada, of recklessly misrepresenting history after she declined to say whether Japanese troops massacred civilians in China during World War II. Ties between China and Japan, the world's second- and third-largest economies, have been plagued by the territorial row, the legacy of Japans' wartime occupation of parts of China and regional rivalry. (Reuters)

Japan protests after China coastguard, fishing vessels sail near disputed islets

Japan today marked 71 years since the city of Hiroshima was destroyed by a US atomic bomb, as its mayor urged the world to unite in abolishing nuclear weapons. 
 
The annual ceremony came just months after Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the western Japanese city, paying moving tribute to victims of the devastating bomb. 
 
American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, dubbed &quot;Little Boy&quot;, on Hiroshima at 8:15 am local time on August 6, 1945.&nbsp; 
 
Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 C (7,232 F) -- hot enough to melt steel -- killing tens of thousands. 
 
About 50,000 participants, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and representatives of more than 90 countries and regions, observed a minute`s silence at the exact time the atrocity occurred some seven decades ago. 
 
During the solemn ceremony, Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui recalled the visit by Obama in his peace declaration, citing the president&#39;s historic speech. 
 
&quot;(His visit) was the proof that Hiroshima`s strong wish not to tolerate the &#39;absolute evil&#39; was shared by President Obama,&quot; he said. 
 
The mayor urged the world to take action towards the abolition of &quot;the ultimate form of inhumanity, united and with passion&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
Obama in May embraced survivors as he made his visit to the city and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. 
 
&quot;Seventy-one years ago, death fell from the sky and the world was changed,&quot; he said of the bomb, adding it &quot;demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself&quot;. 
 
Obama offered no apology for the bombings, having insisted he would not revisit decisions made by then president Harry Truman. 
 
But his moving tribute and brief conversations with elderly survivors, which included an unexpected embrace with one of them, profoundly impressed most Japanese. 
 
Abe, after lying a wreath of flowers, reiterated Saturday that Tokyo will continue working to rid the world of nuclear weapons. 
 
&quot;I am convinced (Obama`s visit) brought a great hope for people in Japan, in the world and in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who believe in a world without nuclear arms,&quot; he said. 
 
The bombing claimed the lives of 140,000 people. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later. 
 
A second bomb destroyed the city of Nagasaki three days later. Japan announced its surrender in World War II on August 15. 
 
Many in Japan feel the attacks amount to war crimes and atrocities because they targeted civilians and due to the unprecedented destructive nature of the weapons. 
 
But many Americans believe they hastened the end of a bloody conflict, and ultimately saved lives, thus justifying the bombings. 
 
Since Obama went to Hiroshima, the park and accompanying memorial museum have witnessed an increase in visitors. 
 
But an association of atomic bomb survivors has criticised his speech, saying he failed to explicitly mention US responsibility for the bombing. 
 
Abe last year faced harsh criticism, especially from A-bomb survivors, for his policy of expanding the role of Japan`s military and opening the door to possibly sending troops into combat for the first time since the war. 
 
In his latest cabinet reshuffle, Abe appointed nationalist confidante Tomomi Inada as defence minister. 
 
(AFP)

American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped deadly payload, 'Little Boy', on Hiroshima at 8.15 am on August 6, 1945 that killed 140,000

Japan today marked 71 years since the city of Hiroshima was destroyed by a US atomic bomb, as its mayor urged the world to unite in abolishing nuclear weapons. The annual ceremony came just months after Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the western Japanese city, paying moving tribute to victims of the devastating bomb. American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, dubbed "Little Boy", on Hiroshima at 8:15 am local time on August 6, 1945. Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 C (7,232 F) -- hot enough to melt steel -- killing tens of thousands. About 50,000 participants, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and representatives of more than 90 countries and regions, observed a minute`s silence at the exact time the atrocity occurred some seven decades ago. During the solemn ceremony, Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui recalled the visit by Obama in his peace declaration, citing the president's historic speech. "(His visit) was the proof that Hiroshima`s strong wish not to tolerate the 'absolute evil' was shared by President Obama," he said. The mayor urged the world to take action towards the abolition of "the ultimate form of inhumanity, united and with passion". Obama in May embraced survivors as he made his visit to the city and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. "Seventy-one years ago, death fell from the sky and the world was changed," he said of the bomb, adding it "demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself". Obama offered no apology for the bombings, having insisted he would not revisit decisions made by then president Harry Truman. But his moving tribute and brief conversations with elderly survivors, which included an unexpected embrace with one of them, profoundly impressed most Japanese. Abe, after lying a wreath of flowers, reiterated Saturday that Tokyo will continue working to rid the world of nuclear weapons. "I am convinced (Obama`s visit) brought a great hope for people in Japan, in the world and in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who believe in a world without nuclear arms," he said. The bombing claimed the lives of 140,000 people. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later. A second bomb destroyed the city of Nagasaki three days later. Japan announced its surrender in World War II on August 15. Many in Japan feel the attacks amount to war crimes and atrocities because they targeted civilians and due to the unprecedented destructive nature of the weapons. But many Americans believe they hastened the end of a bloody conflict, and ultimately saved lives, thus justifying the bombings. Since Obama went to Hiroshima, the park and accompanying memorial museum have witnessed an increase in visitors. But an association of atomic bomb survivors has criticised his speech, saying he failed to explicitly mention US responsibility for the bombing. Abe last year faced harsh criticism, especially from A-bomb survivors, for his policy of expanding the role of Japan`s military and opening the door to possibly sending troops into combat for the first time since the war. In his latest cabinet reshuffle, Abe appointed nationalist confidante Tomomi Inada as defence minister. (AFP)

Japan marks 71 years of Hiroshima bombing

Japan, on Saturday, marked 71 years since the city of Hiroshima was destroyed by a US atomic bomb, as its mayor urged the world to unite in abolishing nuclear weapons. 
 
The annual ceremony came just months after Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the city, paying moving tribute to victims of the first atomic bomb. 
 
American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, dubbed &quot;Little Boy&quot;, on the western Japanese city at 8:15 am local time on August 6, 1945.&nbsp;Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 degrees Celsius (7,232 Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt steel, killing tens of thousands. 
 
Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui recalled the visit by Obama in his peace declaration during the solemn ceremony.&nbsp;&quot;(His visit) was the proof that Hiroshima&#39;s strong wish not to tolerate the &#39;absolute evil&#39; was shared by President Obama,&quot; he said. &quot;It is the time for us to make actions towards the abolition of the &#39;absolute evil&#39;, the ultimate form of inhumanity, united and with passion.&quot; 
 
The bombing claimed the lives of 140,000 people. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later. 
 
A second bomb destroyed the city of Nagasaki three days later. Japan announced its surrender in World War II on August 15. 
 
Many in Japan feel the attacks amount to war crimes and atrocities because they targeted civilians and due to the unprecedented destructive nature of the weapons.&nbsp;But many Americans believe they hastened the end of a bloody conflict, and ultimately saved lives, thus justifying the bombings. 
 
Obama, in May, embraced survivors as he made his historic visit to the city and its Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. 
 
&quot;71 years ago, death fell from the sky and the world was changed,&quot; he said of the bomb, adding it &quot;demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself&quot;. 
 
Obama offered no apology for the bombings, having insisted he would not revisit decisions made by then president Harry Truman.&nbsp;But his moving tribute and brief conversations with elderly atom bomb survivors, which included an unexpected embrace with one of them, profoundly impressed most Japanese. 
 
Since Obama went to Hiroshima the park and accompanying memorial museum have witnessed an increase in visitors. 
 
But an association of atomic bomb survivors has criticised his speech, saying he failed to explicitly mention US responsibility for the bombing.&nbsp;Abe, who also attended the service, faced harsh criticism last year, especially from A-bomb survivors, for his policy of expanding the role of Japan&#39;s military and opening the door to possibly sending troops into combat for the first time since the war. 
 
(AFP)

Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 degrees Celsius. 140,000 died, some immediately, some weeks and years later

Japan, on Saturday, marked 71 years since the city of Hiroshima was destroyed by a US atomic bomb, as its mayor urged the world to unite in abolishing nuclear weapons. The annual ceremony came just months after Barack Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the city, paying moving tribute to victims of the first atomic bomb. American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped its deadly payload, dubbed "Little Boy", on the western Japanese city at 8:15 am local time on August 6, 1945. Much of the city was incinerated by a wall of heat up to 4,000 degrees Celsius (7,232 Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt steel, killing tens of thousands. Hiroshima mayor Kazumi Matsui recalled the visit by Obama in his peace declaration during the solemn ceremony. "(His visit) was the proof that Hiroshima's strong wish not to tolerate the 'absolute evil' was shared by President Obama," he said. "It is the time for us to make actions towards the abolition of the 'absolute evil', the ultimate form of inhumanity, united and with passion." The bombing claimed the lives of 140,000 people. Some died immediately while others succumbed to injuries or radiation-related illnesses weeks, months and years later. A second bomb destroyed the city of Nagasaki three days later. Japan announced its surrender in World War II on August 15. Many in Japan feel the attacks amount to war crimes and atrocities because they targeted civilians and due to the unprecedented destructive nature of the weapons. But many Americans believe they hastened the end of a bloody conflict, and ultimately saved lives, thus justifying the bombings. Obama, in May, embraced survivors as he made his historic visit to the city and its Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. "71 years ago, death fell from the sky and the world was changed," he said of the bomb, adding it "demonstrated that mankind possessed the means to destroy itself". Obama offered no apology for the bombings, having insisted he would not revisit decisions made by then president Harry Truman. But his moving tribute and brief conversations with elderly atom bomb survivors, which included an unexpected embrace with one of them, profoundly impressed most Japanese. Since Obama went to Hiroshima the park and accompanying memorial museum have witnessed an increase in visitors. But an association of atomic bomb survivors has criticised his speech, saying he failed to explicitly mention US responsibility for the bombing. Abe, who also attended the service, faced harsh criticism last year, especially from A-bomb survivors, for his policy of expanding the role of Japan's military and opening the door to possibly sending troops into combat for the first time since the war. (AFP)

Japan observes 71st anniversary of Hiroshima nuclear bombing

One of the popular Pokemon Pikachu got humanized and 50 of them were found flooding the streets of Japan in a parade like arrangement.

Pikachus stroll around the streets of Japan

North Korea fired a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time today, drawing an outraged response from Tokyo and ramping up tensions with the United States and South Korea. 
 
The US military said the North had actually launched two Rodong intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, but one appeared to have exploded on take-off. 
 
The launches followed a North Korean threat of &quot;physical action&quot; over the planned deployment of a sophisticated US anti-missile system in South Korea, and came just weeks before the start of large-scale, joint South Korea-US military exercises. 
 
Abe: Serious threat against national security 
 
Japan said the one missile had landed in the Sea of Japan, some 250 kilometre off its northern coast and within the country&#39;s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a serious threat against our country&#39;s security,&quot; Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. &quot;This is an outrageous act that cannot be tolerated.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The United States condemned what it called a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea&#39;s use of ballistic missile technology. 
 
&quot;This provocation only serves to increase the international community&#39;s resolve to counter (North Korea&#39;s) prohibited activities,&quot; said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross. 
 
US strategic command said the two missiles were launched from a site in western North Korea at around 7.50 am Seoul time (22:50 GMT Tuesday). 
 
&quot;Initial indications reveal one of the missiles exploded immediately after launch, while the second was tracked over North Korea and into the Sea of Japan,&quot; it said in a statement. 
 
It was the first time a North Korean missile has been fired direct into Japanese waters. The second stage of a medium-range missile fired over Japan had splashed down inside the EEZ off Japan&#39;s Pacific Ocean coast in 1998. 
 
 
Japan slams&nbsp;Pyongyang 
 
Japan&#39;s top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga slammed Pyongyang for providing no advance warning of today&#39;s test. 
 
&quot;From the perspective of the safety of aircraft and ships, it is an extremely problematic, dangerous act,&quot; Suga said. 
 
The Rodong is a scaled-up Scud variant with a maximum range of around 1,300 kilometres. 
 
Pyongyang has conducted a series of missile tests this year in defiance of UN sanctions imposed after its fourth nuclear test in January. 
 
On July 19, it launched three ballistic missiles - including one Rodong - in an exercise that the North said simulated a nuclear strike on the South. That came just days after Washington and Seoul announced an agreement to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, system in South Korea by the end of next year - a move condemned by Pyongyang and also vehemently opposed by China and Russia. 
 
South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-Se said today&#39;s missile test only served to &quot;underline the need to deploy THAAD.&quot; 
 
Tensions building up on divided Korean peninsula&nbsp; 
 
Tensions on the divided Korean peninsula are also building up ahead of an annual South Korea-US military exercise later this month that involves tens of thousands of troops. 
 
North Korea says such drills are a provocative rehearsal for invasion, while Washington and Seoul insist they are purely defensive in nature. 
 
&quot;Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad,&quot; Ross said today. 
 
&quot;We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation,&quot; he added. 
 
There are nearly 30,000 US troops permanently stationed in South Korea. 
 
Pyongyang has repeatedly warned of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against the South and US targets there and elsewhere, although the main focus of its nuclear weapons programme is to develop a credible strike threat against the US mainland. 
 
Since its fourth nuclear test, North Korea has claimed a series of technical breakthroughs for its weapons programme. 
 
It said it had miniaturised a nuclear warhead and successfully tested an engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile that could reach the US mainland.&nbsp; 
 
While some experts say the claims are exaggerated, most acknowledge that the North&#39;s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes have made significant strides. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

US says actually two missiles had been fired, but one appeared to have exploded on take-off

North Korea fired a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time today, drawing an outraged response from Tokyo and ramping up tensions with the United States and South Korea. The US military said the North had actually launched two Rodong intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, but one appeared to have exploded on take-off. The launches followed a North Korean threat of "physical action" over the planned deployment of a sophisticated US anti-missile system in South Korea, and came just weeks before the start of large-scale, joint South Korea-US military exercises. Abe: Serious threat against national security Japan said the one missile had landed in the Sea of Japan, some 250 kilometre off its northern coast and within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). "It's a serious threat against our country's security," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters. "This is an outrageous act that cannot be tolerated." The United States condemned what it called a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea's use of ballistic missile technology. "This provocation only serves to increase the international community's resolve to counter (North Korea's) prohibited activities," said Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross. US strategic command said the two missiles were launched from a site in western North Korea at around 7.50 am Seoul time (22:50 GMT Tuesday). "Initial indications reveal one of the missiles exploded immediately after launch, while the second was tracked over North Korea and into the Sea of Japan," it said in a statement. It was the first time a North Korean missile has been fired direct into Japanese waters. The second stage of a medium-range missile fired over Japan had splashed down inside the EEZ off Japan's Pacific Ocean coast in 1998. Japan slams Pyongyang Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga slammed Pyongyang for providing no advance warning of today's test. "From the perspective of the safety of aircraft and ships, it is an extremely problematic, dangerous act," Suga said. The Rodong is a scaled-up Scud variant with a maximum range of around 1,300 kilometres. Pyongyang has conducted a series of missile tests this year in defiance of UN sanctions imposed after its fourth nuclear test in January. On July 19, it launched three ballistic missiles - including one Rodong - in an exercise that the North said simulated a nuclear strike on the South. That came just days after Washington and Seoul announced an agreement to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, system in South Korea by the end of next year - a move condemned by Pyongyang and also vehemently opposed by China and Russia. South Korean foreign minister Yun Byung-Se said today's missile test only served to "underline the need to deploy THAAD." Tensions building up on divided Korean peninsula Tensions on the divided Korean peninsula are also building up ahead of an annual South Korea-US military exercise later this month that involves tens of thousands of troops. North Korea says such drills are a provocative rehearsal for invasion, while Washington and Seoul insist they are purely defensive in nature. "Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, is ironclad," Ross said today. "We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," he added. There are nearly 30,000 US troops permanently stationed in South Korea. Pyongyang has repeatedly warned of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against the South and US targets there and elsewhere, although the main focus of its nuclear weapons programme is to develop a credible strike threat against the US mainland. Since its fourth nuclear test, North Korea has claimed a series of technical breakthroughs for its weapons programme. It said it had miniaturised a nuclear warhead and successfully tested an engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile that could reach the US mainland. While some experts say the claims are exaggerated, most acknowledge that the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes have made significant strides. (AFP)

North Korea fires missile into Japan waters for first time, draws Tokyo ire

A sex exhibition smack in the middle of one of Tokyo&#39;s hippest areas is shining a nostalgic light on Japanese erotica, a culture the curator believes is dying out. 
 
Kyoichi Tsuzuki&#39;s &quot;Erotopia Japan&quot; deals with Japanese sexuality and fantasies, the gallery located in the heart of Shibuya&#39;s trendy fashion district plastered from floor to ceiling with eye-boggling prints, one wall dedicated to love hotel beds. 
 
&quot;This kind of Showa period (1926-1989) culture is being wiped out, as Japan is held to a global standard,&quot; Tsuzuki told AFP. &quot;We might not be able to save it from being killed off completely but we can preserve it for posterity.&quot; 
 
Against a backdrop of erotic photos, the centre of the exhibition is dominated by life-like female dolls tied up in bondage ropes and screaming in agony. Another sex doll is strapped to a table with a suction hose protruding from her crotch and plugged into a television. 
 
&quot;Sex culture in the West and Asia are completely different,&quot; said Tsuzuki. &quot;You see sex museums in Europe, in places like Paris and Amsterdam, but they are often viewed from an intellectual viewpoint, or as erotic art,&quot; he added. &quot;In Japan, erotic art has a humorous edge, it&#39;s cheeky and is meant to make you laugh.&quot; 
 
Japan has a liberal attitude towards sex and fertility festivals.&nbsp;However, the sex museums that once dotted the countryside have died out in recent years, largely due to apathy or political correctness. &quot;The aim of the exhibition is to remind Japanese people of that culture,&quot; said Tsuzuki. &quot;We are not so aware of it anymore.&quot; 
 
But a life-size photograph of a topless woman being sexually ravaged by the mythical &#39;kappa&#39; river demon of Japanese legend, left some visitors scratching their heads. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s just too Japanese,&quot; said florist Kanako Sano, 27. &quot;That might have been funny once, but now it&#39;s just weird and a bit gross.&quot; 
 
Surprisingly, Tsuzuki says, far more women are visiting the exhibition than men. &quot;Men tend to be more shy and leave quickly,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;More women have come and they linger longer over the exhibits. It&#39;s like, women are more knowledgeable about where the best love hotels and which ones have cuter rooms,&quot; he added. &quot;Men don&#39;t care where they do it.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

'Erotopia Japan' is a gallery that deals with Japanese sexuality and fantasies, with one wall dedicated to love hotel beds

A sex exhibition smack in the middle of one of Tokyo's hippest areas is shining a nostalgic light on Japanese erotica, a culture the curator believes is dying out. Kyoichi Tsuzuki's "Erotopia Japan" deals with Japanese sexuality and fantasies, the gallery located in the heart of Shibuya's trendy fashion district plastered from floor to ceiling with eye-boggling prints, one wall dedicated to love hotel beds. "This kind of Showa period (1926-1989) culture is being wiped out, as Japan is held to a global standard," Tsuzuki told AFP. "We might not be able to save it from being killed off completely but we can preserve it for posterity." Against a backdrop of erotic photos, the centre of the exhibition is dominated by life-like female dolls tied up in bondage ropes and screaming in agony. Another sex doll is strapped to a table with a suction hose protruding from her crotch and plugged into a television. "Sex culture in the West and Asia are completely different," said Tsuzuki. "You see sex museums in Europe, in places like Paris and Amsterdam, but they are often viewed from an intellectual viewpoint, or as erotic art," he added. "In Japan, erotic art has a humorous edge, it's cheeky and is meant to make you laugh." Japan has a liberal attitude towards sex and fertility festivals. However, the sex museums that once dotted the countryside have died out in recent years, largely due to apathy or political correctness. "The aim of the exhibition is to remind Japanese people of that culture," said Tsuzuki. "We are not so aware of it anymore." But a life-size photograph of a topless woman being sexually ravaged by the mythical 'kappa' river demon of Japanese legend, left some visitors scratching their heads. "That's just too Japanese," said florist Kanako Sano, 27. "That might have been funny once, but now it's just weird and a bit gross." Surprisingly, Tsuzuki says, far more women are visiting the exhibition than men. "Men tend to be more shy and leave quickly," he said. "More women have come and they linger longer over the exhibits. It's like, women are more knowledgeable about where the best love hotels and which ones have cuter rooms," he added. "Men don't care where they do it." (AFP)

Sex exhibition: In loving memory of Japanese erotica

Japanese police today raided the house of a 26-year-old man suspected of stabbing to death 19 people and wounding dozens at a facility for the disabled in a small town near Tokyo, Japan&#39;s worst mass killing in decades. 
 
About half a dozen plainclothes police entered the home of Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, as reporters and television cameras stood by. 
 
Uematsu was earlier sent from a regional jail in Sagamihara town, about 45 km (25 miles) southwest of Tokyo, to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutors Office in Kanagawa prefecture. 
 
Video footage showed him smiling in a police car as he was driven away. 
 
Uematsu, who gave himself up to police on Tuesday after the attack, had said in letters he wrote in February that he could &quot;obliterate 470 disabled people&quot; and gave detailed plans of how he would do so, the Kyodo news agency reported. 
 
He was involuntarily committed to hospital after he expressed a &quot;willingness to kill severely disabled people&quot;, an official in Sagamihara told Reuters. 
 
He was freed on March 2 after a doctor deemed he had improved and was no longer a threat to himself or others, the official said. 
 
The affair has shocked a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. 
 
Residents of the Sagamihara area, a largely rural, wooded valley where houses are interspersed with orchards and vegetable gardens, were struggling to come to grips with the violence. 
 
&quot;There was no reason or benefit to this,&quot; said 82-year-old Yukiko Inoue. &quot;He just killed them.&quot; 
 
Mass killing sparks debate&nbsp; 
 
The killings have sparked debate on whether the system for involuntary commitment and aftercare has broken down, since Uematsu had previously made clear his intent to commit the crime. 
 
&quot;Involuntary commitment is done forcefully by the authorities ... If the time period drags on longer than necessary, it becomes a serious violation of human rights,&rdquo; the Asahi newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;However ...there were warning signs before the incident,&quot; the paper said. 
 
&quot;Was the treatment and outwatch of the man sufficient? It is vital to closely examine the system of support for the man and his family, and the contacts between the medical system and the police.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Uematsu had said in letters he wrote in February that he could 'obliterate 470 disabled people', gave detailed plans of how he would do so

Japanese police today raided the house of a 26-year-old man suspected of stabbing to death 19 people and wounding dozens at a facility for the disabled in a small town near Tokyo, Japan's worst mass killing in decades. About half a dozen plainclothes police entered the home of Satoshi Uematsu, a former employee of the facility, as reporters and television cameras stood by. Uematsu was earlier sent from a regional jail in Sagamihara town, about 45 km (25 miles) southwest of Tokyo, to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutors Office in Kanagawa prefecture. Video footage showed him smiling in a police car as he was driven away. Uematsu, who gave himself up to police on Tuesday after the attack, had said in letters he wrote in February that he could "obliterate 470 disabled people" and gave detailed plans of how he would do so, the Kyodo news agency reported. He was involuntarily committed to hospital after he expressed a "willingness to kill severely disabled people", an official in Sagamihara told Reuters. He was freed on March 2 after a doctor deemed he had improved and was no longer a threat to himself or others, the official said. The affair has shocked a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the world. Residents of the Sagamihara area, a largely rural, wooded valley where houses are interspersed with orchards and vegetable gardens, were struggling to come to grips with the violence. "There was no reason or benefit to this," said 82-year-old Yukiko Inoue. "He just killed them." Mass killing sparks debate The killings have sparked debate on whether the system for involuntary commitment and aftercare has broken down, since Uematsu had previously made clear his intent to commit the crime. "Involuntary commitment is done forcefully by the authorities ... If the time period drags on longer than necessary, it becomes a serious violation of human rights,” the Asahi newspaper said in an editorial on Tuesday. "However ...there were warning signs before the incident," the paper said. "Was the treatment and outwatch of the man sufficient? It is vital to closely examine the system of support for the man and his family, and the contacts between the medical system and the police.” (Reuters)

Knife attacker?s house raided day after Japan's worst mass killing in decades?

US telecom giant Verizon Communications Inc said it had agreed to buy Yahoo Inc&#39;s core internet business for $4.83 billion in cash, ending a lengthy sale process for the fading web pioneer. 
 
Buying Yahoo&#39;s operations will boost Verizon&#39;s AOL internet business, which it bought last year for $4.4 billion, by giving it access to Yahoo&#39;s advertising technology tools as well as other assets such as search, mail and messenger. 
 
The deal marks the end of Yahoo as an operating company, leaving it with a 15 per cent stake in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Limited and a 35.5 per cent interest in Yahoo Japan Corp. 
 
&quot;The sale of our operating business, which effectively separates our Asian asset equity stakes, is an important step in our plan to unlock shareholder value for Yahoo,&quot; Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer said in a statement today. 
 
The sale does not include Yahoo&#39;s cash, its shares in Alibaba, its shares in Yahoo Japan, Yahoo&#39;s convertible notes, certain minority investments and Yahoo&#39;s non-core patents. 
 
The Alibaba and Yahoo Japan investments are worth about $40 billion, while Yahoo had a market value of about $37.4 billion as of Friday&#39;s close. 
 
(Reuters)

Buying Yahoo's operations will boost Verizon's AOL internet business, which it bought last year for $4.4 billion

US telecom giant Verizon Communications Inc said it had agreed to buy Yahoo Inc's core internet business for $4.83 billion in cash, ending a lengthy sale process for the fading web pioneer. Buying Yahoo's operations will boost Verizon's AOL internet business, which it bought last year for $4.4 billion, by giving it access to Yahoo's advertising technology tools as well as other assets such as search, mail and messenger. The deal marks the end of Yahoo as an operating company, leaving it with a 15 per cent stake in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Limited and a 35.5 per cent interest in Yahoo Japan Corp. "The sale of our operating business, which effectively separates our Asian asset equity stakes, is an important step in our plan to unlock shareholder value for Yahoo," Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer said in a statement today. The sale does not include Yahoo's cash, its shares in Alibaba, its shares in Yahoo Japan, Yahoo's convertible notes, certain minority investments and Yahoo's non-core patents. The Alibaba and Yahoo Japan investments are worth about $40 billion, while Yahoo had a market value of about $37.4 billion as of Friday's close. (Reuters)

US telecom giant Verizon announces acquisition of Yahoo in $4.83 billion deal

Shares in Nintendo plunged today after it warned that the Pokemon Go mania sweeping the world would not translate into bumper profits, taking the wind out of a dizzying rally that saw the firm&#39;s value more than double. 
 
The stock dived 17 per cent to 23,405 Yen by the break after the Kyoto-based firm warned in a statement on Friday evening that the hugely popular game would have only a &quot;limited&quot; impact on its bottom line. 
 
Markets had cheered the app&#39;s global success as a great sign for Nintendo&#39;s nascent move into the mobile games market. 
 
That sent it soaring as investors bought the narrative, pushing it above 30,000 Yen at one stage and briefly making the firm more valuable than Sony.&nbsp;But analysts had warned that the rally was overdone since the actual impact of the game on Nintendo&#39;s finances would be moderate at best, a point it confirmed on Friday. 
 
Nintendo is the creator of the Pokemon franchise but the game, released on July 5, was developed by US-based Niantic. The Japanese firm&#39;s affiliate, Pokemon Company, is on track to receive licensing fees for the game.&nbsp;Nintendo has invested in Niantic and owns about one-third of the Pokemon Company. 
 
It also stands to make money from a device to be used with the application called &quot;Pokemon Go Plus&quot; but &quot;the income reflected on (Nintendo&#39;s) consolidated business results is limited&quot;, it said. 
 
&quot;Taking the current situation into consideration, the company is not modifying the consolidated financial forecast for now,&quot; the statement said. 
 
Since its launch Pokemon Go has sparked a worldwide frenzy among users who have taken to the streets with their smartphones.&nbsp;The app uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train them for battles. 
 
Uneasy 
 
Pokemon Go was seen as a shot in the arm to Nintendo, which also created the Donkey Kong, Super Mario and Legend of Zelda brands after it abandoned a longstanding consoles-only policy and opened the door to licensing some of its characters for mobile game use. 
 
&quot;I think Nintendo issued that statement because it was uneasy with how high the shares were rising,&quot; said Hideki Yasuda, analyst at Ace Research Institute. 
 
&quot;There has been a view that Nintendo cannot succeed in the smartphone business. Even if Pokemon Go does not directly contribute to Nintendo&#39;s earnings, it owns other characters like Super Mario and Zelda. These things were factored in and boosted its shares.&quot; 
 
But Yasuda added the firm&#39;s shares may rally again after an &quot;adjustment period&quot;. 
 
The smartphone app has now been launched in more than 40 countries, but until last week in Japan where Nintendo started the mythical creature franchise 20 years ago was kept waiting. 
 
Pokemon, short for &quot;pocket monsters&quot;, has been a constant in Japan since being launched as software in 1996 for Nintendo&#39;s Game Boy console.&nbsp;Authorities in a number of countries have expressed safety and other concerns about the craze. 
 
Players from San Francisco to Lagos have been warned after trespassing, including some youngsters crossing the Canada-US border.&nbsp;Some walked into sensitive military facilities and a nuclear power plant, while other players found themselves the victims of robbery or violent crimes. 
 
The Japanese government issued a rare safety-guide warning over dangers gamers could face, from heat stroke to online scams. 
 
(AFP)

Pokemon Go was briefly more valuable than Sony,?but analysts warned that this was unsustainable

Shares in Nintendo plunged today after it warned that the Pokemon Go mania sweeping the world would not translate into bumper profits, taking the wind out of a dizzying rally that saw the firm's value more than double. The stock dived 17 per cent to 23,405 Yen by the break after the Kyoto-based firm warned in a statement on Friday evening that the hugely popular game would have only a "limited" impact on its bottom line. Markets had cheered the app's global success as a great sign for Nintendo's nascent move into the mobile games market. That sent it soaring as investors bought the narrative, pushing it above 30,000 Yen at one stage and briefly making the firm more valuable than Sony. But analysts had warned that the rally was overdone since the actual impact of the game on Nintendo's finances would be moderate at best, a point it confirmed on Friday. Nintendo is the creator of the Pokemon franchise but the game, released on July 5, was developed by US-based Niantic. The Japanese firm's affiliate, Pokemon Company, is on track to receive licensing fees for the game. Nintendo has invested in Niantic and owns about one-third of the Pokemon Company. It also stands to make money from a device to be used with the application called "Pokemon Go Plus" but "the income reflected on (Nintendo's) consolidated business results is limited", it said. "Taking the current situation into consideration, the company is not modifying the consolidated financial forecast for now," the statement said. Since its launch Pokemon Go has sparked a worldwide frenzy among users who have taken to the streets with their smartphones. The app uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train them for battles. Uneasy Pokemon Go was seen as a shot in the arm to Nintendo, which also created the Donkey Kong, Super Mario and Legend of Zelda brands after it abandoned a longstanding consoles-only policy and opened the door to licensing some of its characters for mobile game use. "I think Nintendo issued that statement because it was uneasy with how high the shares were rising," said Hideki Yasuda, analyst at Ace Research Institute. "There has been a view that Nintendo cannot succeed in the smartphone business. Even if Pokemon Go does not directly contribute to Nintendo's earnings, it owns other characters like Super Mario and Zelda. These things were factored in and boosted its shares." But Yasuda added the firm's shares may rally again after an "adjustment period". The smartphone app has now been launched in more than 40 countries, but until last week in Japan where Nintendo started the mythical creature franchise 20 years ago was kept waiting. Pokemon, short for "pocket monsters", has been a constant in Japan since being launched as software in 1996 for Nintendo's Game Boy console. Authorities in a number of countries have expressed safety and other concerns about the craze. Players from San Francisco to Lagos have been warned after trespassing, including some youngsters crossing the Canada-US border. Some walked into sensitive military facilities and a nuclear power plant, while other players found themselves the victims of robbery or violent crimes. The Japanese government issued a rare safety-guide warning over dangers gamers could face, from heat stroke to online scams. (AFP)

Nintendo shares plunge on Pokemon Go warning

China said today it has started imposing anti-dumping tariffs on certain steel imports from the European Union (EU), Japan and South Korea, as Beijing itself comes under fire for similar trade practices 
 
Duties on the materials, used in power transformers and electric motors, will range from around 37 to as high as 46.3 per cent, the commerce ministry said on its website. 
 
The measures are intended to prevent the sale of the product at below cost, a practice known as dumping, it added. 
 
The world&#39;s second largest economy, which makes more than half the world&#39;s steel, finds itself under attack by EU countries for allegedly flooding world markets with steel and aluminium in violation of international trade agreements. 
 
On Friday, Premier Li Keqiang told a group of visiting leaders from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other organisations that China &quot;will not engage in a trade war or currency war&quot;. 
 
Nevertheless, the EU sees itself under attack.&nbsp;Earlier this month in Beijing, EU Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to defend the group`s steel industry against China using &quot;all the means at our disposal&quot;. 
 
He also said there was a &quot;clear link&quot; between the steel issue and the EU&#39;s decision on whether to grant China &quot;market economy status&quot; -- a prize eagerly sought by Beijing. 
 
China has been pressing the EU to grant it the status -- which would make it harder for the bloc to levy anti-dumping tariffs -- before the year&#39;s end, citing World Trade Organisation rules. 
 
China&#39;s announcement is the latest in a tit-for-tat fight with other countries over the special metal known as oriented electrical steel. 
 
In May last year, the EU imposed similar duties on imports of Chinese oriented electric steel as well as products from other countries, in a move which Bloomberg News said was intended to curb competition for EU producers. 
 
The decision prompted China to launch an investigation into imports from the European manufacturers. 
 
China has imposed such duties before. In 2012 the World Trade Organisation ruled that Chinese duties on high-tech steel from the US violated trade rules. In 2015 the organisation censured Beijing for continuing the practice despite the judgement against it. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

China's announcement is the latest in a tit-for-tat fight with other countries over the special metal known as oriented electrical steel

China said today it has started imposing anti-dumping tariffs on certain steel imports from the European Union (EU), Japan and South Korea, as Beijing itself comes under fire for similar trade practices Duties on the materials, used in power transformers and electric motors, will range from around 37 to as high as 46.3 per cent, the commerce ministry said on its website. The measures are intended to prevent the sale of the product at below cost, a practice known as dumping, it added. The world's second largest economy, which makes more than half the world's steel, finds itself under attack by EU countries for allegedly flooding world markets with steel and aluminium in violation of international trade agreements. On Friday, Premier Li Keqiang told a group of visiting leaders from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and other organisations that China "will not engage in a trade war or currency war". Nevertheless, the EU sees itself under attack. Earlier this month in Beijing, EU Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to defend the group`s steel industry against China using "all the means at our disposal". He also said there was a "clear link" between the steel issue and the EU's decision on whether to grant China "market economy status" -- a prize eagerly sought by Beijing. China has been pressing the EU to grant it the status -- which would make it harder for the bloc to levy anti-dumping tariffs -- before the year's end, citing World Trade Organisation rules. China's announcement is the latest in a tit-for-tat fight with other countries over the special metal known as oriented electrical steel. In May last year, the EU imposed similar duties on imports of Chinese oriented electric steel as well as products from other countries, in a move which Bloomberg News said was intended to curb competition for EU producers. The decision prompted China to launch an investigation into imports from the European manufacturers. China has imposed such duties before. In 2012 the World Trade Organisation ruled that Chinese duties on high-tech steel from the US violated trade rules. In 2015 the organisation censured Beijing for continuing the practice despite the judgement against it. (AFP)

China slaps EU, Japan, South Korea with anti-dumping duties

The world&#39;s last videocassette recorder is set to roll off the factory line as a Japanese manufacturer ends production of the once booming home-theatre technology. 
 
Funai Electric, which says it is the world&#39;s last VCR manufacturer, pointed to a sharp decline in demand and trouble sourcing parts for its decision to stop production at a plant in China by the end of this month.&nbsp;In recent years, most of the consumer electronics firm&#39;s VCRs were sold in North America, including under the Sanyo brand. 
 
The clunky machines entered into mainstream popularity in the seventies and eighties, but have long been eclipsed by DVDs and other more advanced technologies. 
 
Panasonic withdrew from the business several years ago, making Funai the last VCR maker standing, a company spokesman said.&nbsp;Funai once had annual global sales of about 15 million VCRs, a number that shrunk to 750,000 globally last year, he added. 
 
&quot;A company that was making parts for us said it was too tough to keep making them with sales at this level, so they stopped, which led to our decision - we can&#39;t make them without that part,&quot; the spokesman said on Friday. 
 
Funai has been overwhelmed with calls from desperate VCR tape owners who had not copied weddings and other special occasions on to digital discs, he added. 
 
Last year, Sony announced it would stop selling Betamax video tapes, ending the storied history of a product that had been ousted years earlier by the more popular VHS tape format.&nbsp;VHS later gave way to digital formats, such as DVDs, that have largely been replaced by online streaming technology. 
 
Sony stopped making Betamax recorders in 2002, but it kept making tapes for die-hard fans. 
 
(AFP)

Funai Electric said a sharp decline in demand and trouble sourcing parts led to its decision

The world's last videocassette recorder is set to roll off the factory line as a Japanese manufacturer ends production of the once booming home-theatre technology. Funai Electric, which says it is the world's last VCR manufacturer, pointed to a sharp decline in demand and trouble sourcing parts for its decision to stop production at a plant in China by the end of this month. In recent years, most of the consumer electronics firm's VCRs were sold in North America, including under the Sanyo brand. The clunky machines entered into mainstream popularity in the seventies and eighties, but have long been eclipsed by DVDs and other more advanced technologies. Panasonic withdrew from the business several years ago, making Funai the last VCR maker standing, a company spokesman said. Funai once had annual global sales of about 15 million VCRs, a number that shrunk to 750,000 globally last year, he added. "A company that was making parts for us said it was too tough to keep making them with sales at this level, so they stopped, which led to our decision - we can't make them without that part," the spokesman said on Friday. Funai has been overwhelmed with calls from desperate VCR tape owners who had not copied weddings and other special occasions on to digital discs, he added. Last year, Sony announced it would stop selling Betamax video tapes, ending the storied history of a product that had been ousted years earlier by the more popular VHS tape format. VHS later gave way to digital formats, such as DVDs, that have largely been replaced by online streaming technology. Sony stopped making Betamax recorders in 2002, but it kept making tapes for die-hard fans. (AFP)

End of an era: World's last VCR manufacturer to end production

Nintendo Co Ltd&#39;s Pokemon GO mobile game launched in Japan, bringing the record-setting global hit to the home of the Pokemon characters. 
 
Japan, one of the world&#39;s biggest gaming markets, joins the United States, Canada, Australia and more than 30 countries in Europe to have the &quot;augmented-reality&quot; game, in which players interact with virtual characters in the real world. 
 
The game was created by Nintendo, Niantic, and Pokemon Co. Nintendo owns a third of Pokemon Co, and both have undisclosed stakes in Niantic. 
 
Nintendo shares climbed more than 4 per cent in Tokyo trading on Friday. 
 
Shares of Japan&#39;s McDonald&#39;s Holdings Co, which has turned its stores into spots where Pokemon can be battled or &quot;trained&quot; in the game, briefly surged 7 per cent. 
 
(Reuters)

Nintendo shares climbed more than 4 per cent in Tokyo trading on Friday

Nintendo Co Ltd's Pokemon GO mobile game launched in Japan, bringing the record-setting global hit to the home of the Pokemon characters. Japan, one of the world's biggest gaming markets, joins the United States, Canada, Australia and more than 30 countries in Europe to have the "augmented-reality" game, in which players interact with virtual characters in the real world. The game was created by Nintendo, Niantic, and Pokemon Co. Nintendo owns a third of Pokemon Co, and both have undisclosed stakes in Niantic. Nintendo shares climbed more than 4 per cent in Tokyo trading on Friday. Shares of Japan's McDonald's Holdings Co, which has turned its stores into spots where Pokemon can be battled or "trained" in the game, briefly surged 7 per cent. (Reuters)

Pokemon GO launches in Japan, bringing smash-hit mobile game home

Confidence in Japanese manufacturers is expected to worsen to zero in the next three months, a Reuters poll found, as Britain&#39;s vote to exit the European Union (EU) further clouded the outlook for Japan&#39;s export-reliant economy. 
 
The Reuters Tankan, which tracks the Bank of Japan&#39;s (BOJ) quarterly Tankan survey, also found the service sector&#39;s mood fell in July to levels last seen in April 2013 when the BOJ embarked on massive monetary stimulus to reflate the economy. 
 
The monthly poll of 534 big and mid-sized firms taken July 1-15, of which 266 responded, offered an early glimpse of Japanese business sentiment in the wake of the Brexit vote, which briefly prompted a sharp Yen gain to below 100 Yen versus the Dollar. 
 
The Reuters Tankan sentiment index for manufacturers was unchanged at 3 in July and was seen worsening to zero in October, dragged down by exporters of cars, electronics, steel and chemicals. 
 
The sentiment indexes subtract the percentage of companies saying conditions are poor from those saying conditions are good. A positive number means optimists outnumber pessimists. 
 
The service-sector index fell to 15 from 17 in June, and was seen unchanged in October, reflecting weak domestic demand. 
 
Bleak business sentiment should add to calls for policymakers to do more to revive a flagging economy, with the government eyeing a stimulus package of 10 trillion Yen ($94.62 billion) or more and the Bank of Japan under pressure to ease policy further. 
 
&quot;We cannot see the future, given the effects of a rapid Yen gain due to Britain&#39;s vote to leave EU,&quot; a manager at a chemicals firm said in the survey, which companies answer anonymously. 
 
&quot;Capital expenditures are being put off because of uncertainty over Europe caused by Britain&#39;s exit from the EU, as well as a slowdown in China&#39;s economy, and currency situations,&quot; a machinery-maker said. 
 
While the safe-haven Yen has fallen to about 105 since last week as global risk aversion abated, manufacturers reported concerns over another possible spike in the Yen because of uncertainty over the global economic outlook. 
 
Last week Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered compilation of an economic stimulus package by the end of this month to respond to weak private consumption and investment, and external risks. Speculation also lingers that the BOJ may ease again at its July 28-29 policy review. 
 
(Reuters)

Confidence in Japanese manufacturers, which was steady in July, was seen worsening to zero in October, says a Reuters poll

Confidence in Japanese manufacturers is expected to worsen to zero in the next three months, a Reuters poll found, as Britain's vote to exit the European Union (EU) further clouded the outlook for Japan's export-reliant economy. The Reuters Tankan, which tracks the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) quarterly Tankan survey, also found the service sector's mood fell in July to levels last seen in April 2013 when the BOJ embarked on massive monetary stimulus to reflate the economy. The monthly poll of 534 big and mid-sized firms taken July 1-15, of which 266 responded, offered an early glimpse of Japanese business sentiment in the wake of the Brexit vote, which briefly prompted a sharp Yen gain to below 100 Yen versus the Dollar. The Reuters Tankan sentiment index for manufacturers was unchanged at 3 in July and was seen worsening to zero in October, dragged down by exporters of cars, electronics, steel and chemicals. The sentiment indexes subtract the percentage of companies saying conditions are poor from those saying conditions are good. A positive number means optimists outnumber pessimists. The service-sector index fell to 15 from 17 in June, and was seen unchanged in October, reflecting weak domestic demand. Bleak business sentiment should add to calls for policymakers to do more to revive a flagging economy, with the government eyeing a stimulus package of 10 trillion Yen ($94.62 billion) or more and the Bank of Japan under pressure to ease policy further. "We cannot see the future, given the effects of a rapid Yen gain due to Britain's vote to leave EU," a manager at a chemicals firm said in the survey, which companies answer anonymously. "Capital expenditures are being put off because of uncertainty over Europe caused by Britain's exit from the EU, as well as a slowdown in China's economy, and currency situations," a machinery-maker said. While the safe-haven Yen has fallen to about 105 since last week as global risk aversion abated, manufacturers reported concerns over another possible spike in the Yen because of uncertainty over the global economic outlook. Last week Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered compilation of an economic stimulus package by the end of this month to respond to weak private consumption and investment, and external risks. Speculation also lingers that the BOJ may ease again at its July 28-29 policy review. (Reuters)

Japan's business mood falls as Brexit clouds economic outlook

Gamers in Japan, home of Nintendo Co&#39;s Pokemon, waited in vain today for the launch of its smash-hit mobile game amid reports that the developers behind it had hit the brakes, concerned that overwhelming demand would overload server capacity. 
 
Nintendo&#39;s shares suffered a rare bad day since Pokemon GO took the world by storm, tumbling 13 per cent on the disappointment. Even so, the stock has gained 86 per cent since its US launch earlier this month, adding $17 billion to its market capitalisation. 
 
&quot;Isn&#39;t Japan the home of Pokemon? I beg them to hurry up!&quot; said Toshihide Onchi, a 40-year-old system engineer who took part in the trial of the game&#39;s beta version. 
 
Late on Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch and other media outlets reported the launch would take place the following day. TechCrunch later reported a postponement, but said the rollout for one of the world&#39;s most critical gaming markets was still imminent. 
 
A spokeswoman for Pokemon Company, which created the game along with Nintendo and Google-spinoff Niantic, declined to comment on the report, reiterating that nothing had been decided over the Japan launch date. Nintendo referred any queries regarding Pokemon GO to Pokemon Company. 
 
Investors and analysts are betting the success of game, available officially in 35 countries and played in many more, will be transformational for Nintendo. While Pokemon GO will not prove a major direct boost, it could prompt Nintendo to cash in more effectively on an extensive cupboard of characters. 
 
Until Pokemon GO, the company had focused on more profitable consoles and snubbed mobile games.&nbsp;Niantic CEO John Hanke told Reuters on Friday the developers were being extra-cautious in Japan, given the level of expectation and sheer number of players. 
 
&quot;The technical challenge for us is having enough server capacity on the back end to handle that number of users,&quot; he said. 
 
Pokemon GO, which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, is on its way to becoming the first mobile game to break the $4 billion-per-year barrier, beating Candy Crush Saga, according to Macquarie Research. 
 
Others too have benefited from the craze. Shares of Japan&#39;s McDonald&#39;s Holdings Co ended up 9.8 per cent after the TechCrunch report said the fast-food chain operator would become the game&#39;s first sponsor. 
 
TechCrunch said the sponsorship would see McDonald&#39;s 3,000 plus fast food restaurants across Japan become &quot;gyms&quot;, or battlegrounds, for Pokemon collectors. The chain already gives away Pokemon-themed toys with its Happy Meals.&nbsp;McDonald&#39;s Japan declined to comment. 
 
(Reuters)

Niantic CEO said developers were being extra-cautious in Japan, fearing servers would overload given the level of expectation

Gamers in Japan, home of Nintendo Co's Pokemon, waited in vain today for the launch of its smash-hit mobile game amid reports that the developers behind it had hit the brakes, concerned that overwhelming demand would overload server capacity. Nintendo's shares suffered a rare bad day since Pokemon GO took the world by storm, tumbling 13 per cent on the disappointment. Even so, the stock has gained 86 per cent since its US launch earlier this month, adding $17 billion to its market capitalisation. "Isn't Japan the home of Pokemon? I beg them to hurry up!" said Toshihide Onchi, a 40-year-old system engineer who took part in the trial of the game's beta version. Late on Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch and other media outlets reported the launch would take place the following day. TechCrunch later reported a postponement, but said the rollout for one of the world's most critical gaming markets was still imminent. A spokeswoman for Pokemon Company, which created the game along with Nintendo and Google-spinoff Niantic, declined to comment on the report, reiterating that nothing had been decided over the Japan launch date. Nintendo referred any queries regarding Pokemon GO to Pokemon Company. Investors and analysts are betting the success of game, available officially in 35 countries and played in many more, will be transformational for Nintendo. While Pokemon GO will not prove a major direct boost, it could prompt Nintendo to cash in more effectively on an extensive cupboard of characters. Until Pokemon GO, the company had focused on more profitable consoles and snubbed mobile games. Niantic CEO John Hanke told Reuters on Friday the developers were being extra-cautious in Japan, given the level of expectation and sheer number of players. "The technical challenge for us is having enough server capacity on the back end to handle that number of users," he said. Pokemon GO, which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, is on its way to becoming the first mobile game to break the $4 billion-per-year barrier, beating Candy Crush Saga, according to Macquarie Research. Others too have benefited from the craze. Shares of Japan's McDonald's Holdings Co ended up 9.8 per cent after the TechCrunch report said the fast-food chain operator would become the game's first sponsor. TechCrunch said the sponsorship would see McDonald's 3,000 plus fast food restaurants across Japan become "gyms", or battlegrounds, for Pokemon collectors. The chain already gives away Pokemon-themed toys with its Happy Meals. McDonald's Japan declined to comment. (Reuters)

Delayed Pokemon Go launch upsets Japanese gamers

Game maker Niantic has delayed Wednesday&#39;s planned launch of Pokemon Go in Japan after a leak of a McDonald&#39;s Japan internal communication found its way to Internet forums, technology news site TechCrunch reported. 
 
TechCrunch, citing an unnamed source, said there were concerns among the companies that the hype generated would overload the game. It added that it wasn&#39;t immediately clear when the game would be released in Japan.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)

TechCrunch says that there were concerns among the companies that the hype generated would overload the game

Game maker Niantic has delayed Wednesday's planned launch of Pokemon Go in Japan after a leak of a McDonald's Japan internal communication found its way to Internet forums, technology news site TechCrunch reported. TechCrunch, citing an unnamed source, said there were concerns among the companies that the hype generated would overload the game. It added that it wasn't immediately clear when the game would be released in Japan. (Reuters)

Gamemaker Niantic delays launch of Pokemon Go in Japan: TechCrunch

Nintendo Co&#39;s shares on Wednesday gave up some of their meteoric gains made on the record-breaking success of its Pokemon GO mobile game, hurt in part by a reported delay for the game&#39;s introduction in Japan. 
 
Technology news site TechCrunch said that game developer Niantic Inc had planned to launch Pokemon GO in Japan on Wednesday but had cancelled it, citing a source as saying that the company was worried the hype generated by the game would overload its servers. 
 
TechCrunch said it believed that the launch in Japan, one of the world&#39;s biggest gaming markets, was imminent. 
 
Nintendo&#39;s stock was down 10 per cent in afternoon trade. Even so, it has gained 87 per cent since the July 6 launch of the game in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, adding $17 billion to its market capitalisation. It is now available in 35 countries. 
 
A spokeswoman for Pokemon Company, which created the game along with Nintendo and Google-spinoff Niantic, declined to comment on the report, reiterating that nothing had been decided over the Japan launch date. Nintendo referred any queries regarding Pokemon GO to Pokemon Company. 
 
Pokemon GO, which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, is on its way to becoming the first mobile game to break the $4 billion-per-year wall, beating Candy Crush Saga and Supercell&#39;s Clash of Clans, according to Macquarie Research. 
 
Shares of Japan&#39;s McDonald&#39;s Holdings Co piggy-backed the Pokemon GO craze, rising 8 per cent after TechCrunch reported on Tuesday the fast-food chain operator would become the game&#39;s first sponsor. 
 
TechCrunch said the sponsorship will see McDonald&#39;s 3,000-plus fast food restaurants across Japan become &quot;gyms&quot;, or battlegrounds, for Pokemon collectors. 
 
McDonald&#39;s Japan shares soared as much as 23 per cent to their highest level since late 2001 on Tuesday, the first day of trade since its stores started giving away Pokemon-themed toys with its Happy Meals last Friday. 
 
McDonald&#39;s Japan declined to comment on the report. 
 
($1 = 106.0200 Yen) 
 
(Reuters)

Nintendo's stock falls 10 per cent in afternoon trade, even though, it has gained 87 per cent since the July 6 launch of Pokemon Go

Nintendo Co's shares on Wednesday gave up some of their meteoric gains made on the record-breaking success of its Pokemon GO mobile game, hurt in part by a reported delay for the game's introduction in Japan. Technology news site TechCrunch said that game developer Niantic Inc had planned to launch Pokemon GO in Japan on Wednesday but had cancelled it, citing a source as saying that the company was worried the hype generated by the game would overload its servers. TechCrunch said it believed that the launch in Japan, one of the world's biggest gaming markets, was imminent. Nintendo's stock was down 10 per cent in afternoon trade. Even so, it has gained 87 per cent since the July 6 launch of the game in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, adding $17 billion to its market capitalisation. It is now available in 35 countries. A spokeswoman for Pokemon Company, which created the game along with Nintendo and Google-spinoff Niantic, declined to comment on the report, reiterating that nothing had been decided over the Japan launch date. Nintendo referred any queries regarding Pokemon GO to Pokemon Company. Pokemon GO, which marries a classic 20-year-old franchise with augmented reality, is on its way to becoming the first mobile game to break the $4 billion-per-year wall, beating Candy Crush Saga and Supercell's Clash of Clans, according to Macquarie Research. Shares of Japan's McDonald's Holdings Co piggy-backed the Pokemon GO craze, rising 8 per cent after TechCrunch reported on Tuesday the fast-food chain operator would become the game's first sponsor. TechCrunch said the sponsorship will see McDonald's 3,000-plus fast food restaurants across Japan become "gyms", or battlegrounds, for Pokemon collectors. McDonald's Japan shares soared as much as 23 per cent to their highest level since late 2001 on Tuesday, the first day of trade since its stores started giving away Pokemon-themed toys with its Happy Meals last Friday. McDonald's Japan declined to comment on the report. ($1 = 106.0200 Yen) (Reuters)

Nintendo stock loses ground on report of delay of launch of Pokemon GO in Japan

Tokyo was struck by a third earthquake in four days on Wednesday, but there were no reports of damage or casualties. 
 
The 5.0 magnitude jolt was felt in Tokyo and areas of eastern Japan at 7:25 am (2225 GMT Tuesday), the US Geological Survey said. 
 
It was the third quake to shake the capital&#39;s high-rise buildings in recent days, following a 4.8 magnitude quake on Tuesday and one of 5.0 on Sunday, but an official with the Japan Meteorological Agency said they weren&#39;t a precursor of a major jolt. 
 
&quot;This is an area that sees frequent earthquakes&quot; of a moderate size, Nariaki Ohkawara told AFP, adding that the latest quakes were part of that trend.&nbsp; 
 
The epicentre of Wednesday&#39;s quake was east of the capital in Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of about 44 kilometres (27 miles), the USGS said. 
 
There was no threat of a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. 
 
Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year, but rigid building codes and strict enforcement mean even powerful tremors frequently do little damage. 
 
A massive undersea quake that hit in March 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into Japan&#39;s northeast coast, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing, and sending three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. 
 
In April, two strong earthquakes hit southern Japan&#39;s Kumamoto prefecture followed by more than 1,700 aftershocks, and left 49 dead and caused widespread damage. 
 
The country routinely holds emergency drills to prepare for a major jolt, and the government stepped up its disaster response in the wake of the 2011 devastation.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

Japan's meteorological agency denied the possibility of a tsunami following the 5.0 magnitude earthquake

Tokyo was struck by a third earthquake in four days on Wednesday, but there were no reports of damage or casualties. The 5.0 magnitude jolt was felt in Tokyo and areas of eastern Japan at 7:25 am (2225 GMT Tuesday), the US Geological Survey said. It was the third quake to shake the capital's high-rise buildings in recent days, following a 4.8 magnitude quake on Tuesday and one of 5.0 on Sunday, but an official with the Japan Meteorological Agency said they weren't a precursor of a major jolt. "This is an area that sees frequent earthquakes" of a moderate size, Nariaki Ohkawara told AFP, adding that the latest quakes were part of that trend. The epicentre of Wednesday's quake was east of the capital in Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of about 44 kilometres (27 miles), the USGS said. There was no threat of a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Japan sits at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes every year, but rigid building codes and strict enforcement mean even powerful tremors frequently do little damage. A massive undersea quake that hit in March 2011 sent a tsunami barrelling into Japan's northeast coast, leaving more than 18,000 people dead or missing, and sending three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant. In April, two strong earthquakes hit southern Japan's Kumamoto prefecture followed by more than 1,700 aftershocks, and left 49 dead and caused widespread damage. The country routinely holds emergency drills to prepare for a major jolt, and the government stepped up its disaster response in the wake of the 2011 devastation. (AFP)

Tokyo jolted by third quake in four days

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 struck eastern Japan on Sunday and shook buildings in Tokyo, officials and witnesses said, but there was no danger of a tsunami and no immediate report of injuries or major damage. 
 
The US Geological Survey (USGS) put the epicentre of the quake 44 kilometres (27 miles) northeast of Tokyo at a depth of about 44 kilometres. There were no were immediate reports of damage. 
 
Broadcaster NHK reported that the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power station, which has been shut since 2011, was checked for damage after the quake but none was found. 
 
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world&#39;s most seismically active areas, which accounts for a fifth of the world&#39;s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger. 
 
Japan&#39;s strongest quake on record was one of magnitude 9 that struck the northeast coast on March 11, 2011, unleashing a massive tsunami and killing nearly 20,000 people, besides setting off the world&#39;s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. 
 
(Reuters)

The US Geological Survey put the epicentre of the quake 44 kms northwest of Tokyo. There are no immediate reports of damage

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 struck eastern Japan on Sunday and shook buildings in Tokyo, officials and witnesses said, but there was no danger of a tsunami and no immediate report of injuries or major damage. The US Geological Survey (USGS) put the epicentre of the quake 44 kilometres (27 miles) northeast of Tokyo at a depth of about 44 kilometres. There were no were immediate reports of damage. Broadcaster NHK reported that the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power station, which has been shut since 2011, was checked for damage after the quake but none was found. Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas, which accounts for a fifth of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger. Japan's strongest quake on record was one of magnitude 9 that struck the northeast coast on March 11, 2011, unleashing a massive tsunami and killing nearly 20,000 people, besides setting off the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl. (Reuters)

Earthquake measuring 5.0 rattles Tokyo and eastern Japan

Tokyo raised pressure on Beijing at an Asia-Europe summit today to respect an international tribunal&#39;s ruling that dismissed its claims to much of the South China Sea. 
 
At a retreat outside the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the assembled leaders that the rule of law was &quot;a universal principle that the international community must firmly maintain&quot;, according to Japan&#39;s Jiji Press. 
 
&quot;I strongly hope the parties to the dispute comply with the award and lead to a peaceful solution of the dispute in South China Sea,&quot; he said. 
 
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on Tuesday ruled that there was no legal basis for Beijing&#39;s claims to much of the South China Sea, which are embodied in a &quot;nine-dash line&quot; that dates from 1940s maps and stretches close to other countries coasts. 
 
The ruling has proved a boon to Tokyo, which is embroiled in a separate territorial dispute of its own with Beijing and vies with it for influence across Asia. 
 
China boycotted the PCA hearings, saying the court had no jurisdiction, and has reacted furiously, vowing to ignore the ruling and arguing that it misinterprets international law. 
 
It also said the subject should not be brought up at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Mongolian capital. 
 
But despite Chinese objections, the EU also weighed in on the subject, with President Donald Tusk telling reporters that the grouping &quot;will continue to speak out in support of upholding international law&quot;, adding that it had &quot;full confidence&quot; in the PCA and its decisions. 
 
&quot;It`s not so easy to agree with our Chinese partners when it comes to this issue&quot; he said. &quot;Our talks were difficult, tough, but also promising.&quot; 
 
The comments by Abe and Tusk today followed a blitz of meetings between the Japanese leader and officials from around the region, including his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, on the summit sidelines as he sought to build consensus on the issue. 
 
Both countries have competing claims with Beijing in the strategically vital South China Sea, where tensions have mounted over the Asian giant&#39;s construction of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations and its claims on the region&#39;s marine resources. 
 
Manila, which brought the PCA case, has promised not to &quot;taunt or flaunt&quot; the verdict. 
 
But Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura told AFP that in his meeting with Abe, Yasay agreed to &quot;closely cooperate&quot; at upcoming ASEAN-related conferences to ensure that the &quot;parties to the dispute comply with the final award of the tribunal&quot;. 
 
Leaders of the Southeast Asian grouping have so far failed to issue a statement on the ruling, reportedly due to objections from member states with close ties to China. 
 
In Abe&#39;s meeting with Phuc, the two leaders agreed that the tribunal&#39;s ruling should be observed, and Abe offered to increase cooperation on building Vietnam&#39;s maritime law enforcement capabilities, Kawamura said. 
 
Abe also brought his argument directly to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a heated 30-minute meeting Friday. 
 
Kawamura described the exchange as &quot;frank and candid&quot; and Chinese state media accounts described the Chinese leader telling Abe that Japan should &quot;stop hyping up and interfering&quot; in the dispute. 
 
Beijing had hoped to use the ASEM summit official theme &quot;Partnership for the Future through Connectivity&quot;, as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region. 
 
China has sought to assert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military. 
 
While the summit&#39;s final communique made no specific mention of the South China Sea, it said that leaders &quot;reaffirmed their commitment&quot; to maritime security and settling disputes according to the UN Convention on the Law of Sea. 
 
(AFP)

The Hague's verdict has benefitted Tokyo, which is embroiled in a separate territorial dispute of its own with China

Tokyo raised pressure on Beijing at an Asia-Europe summit today to respect an international tribunal's ruling that dismissed its claims to much of the South China Sea. At a retreat outside the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the assembled leaders that the rule of law was "a universal principle that the international community must firmly maintain", according to Japan's Jiji Press. "I strongly hope the parties to the dispute comply with the award and lead to a peaceful solution of the dispute in South China Sea," he said. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on Tuesday ruled that there was no legal basis for Beijing's claims to much of the South China Sea, which are embodied in a "nine-dash line" that dates from 1940s maps and stretches close to other countries coasts. The ruling has proved a boon to Tokyo, which is embroiled in a separate territorial dispute of its own with Beijing and vies with it for influence across Asia. China boycotted the PCA hearings, saying the court had no jurisdiction, and has reacted furiously, vowing to ignore the ruling and arguing that it misinterprets international law. It also said the subject should not be brought up at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in the Mongolian capital. But despite Chinese objections, the EU also weighed in on the subject, with President Donald Tusk telling reporters that the grouping "will continue to speak out in support of upholding international law", adding that it had "full confidence" in the PCA and its decisions. "It`s not so easy to agree with our Chinese partners when it comes to this issue" he said. "Our talks were difficult, tough, but also promising." The comments by Abe and Tusk today followed a blitz of meetings between the Japanese leader and officials from around the region, including his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay, on the summit sidelines as he sought to build consensus on the issue. Both countries have competing claims with Beijing in the strategically vital South China Sea, where tensions have mounted over the Asian giant's construction of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations and its claims on the region's marine resources. Manila, which brought the PCA case, has promised not to "taunt or flaunt" the verdict. But Japanese foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura told AFP that in his meeting with Abe, Yasay agreed to "closely cooperate" at upcoming ASEAN-related conferences to ensure that the "parties to the dispute comply with the final award of the tribunal". Leaders of the Southeast Asian grouping have so far failed to issue a statement on the ruling, reportedly due to objections from member states with close ties to China. In Abe's meeting with Phuc, the two leaders agreed that the tribunal's ruling should be observed, and Abe offered to increase cooperation on building Vietnam's maritime law enforcement capabilities, Kawamura said. Abe also brought his argument directly to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a heated 30-minute meeting Friday. Kawamura described the exchange as "frank and candid" and Chinese state media accounts described the Chinese leader telling Abe that Japan should "stop hyping up and interfering" in the dispute. Beijing had hoped to use the ASEM summit official theme "Partnership for the Future through Connectivity", as an opportunity to showcase its global initiatives, such as the One Belt, One Road programme, an ambitious plan to build infrastructure projects across the Eurasian region. China has sought to assert its claims in the South China Sea by building a network of artificial islands capable of supporting military operations, and this week reiterated its right to declare an Air Defence Identification Zone in the area, which would demand civilian flights submit to the authority of its military. While the summit's final communique made no specific mention of the South China Sea, it said that leaders "reaffirmed their commitment" to maritime security and settling disputes according to the UN Convention on the Law of Sea. (AFP)

Tokyo pressures Beijing on South China Sea ruling

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