Japan Economy Forum

[powastick]

Yea, you can find that too. But man, there are other things than just ... that !

Cool toy for girls.

Mind-controlled cat ears hitting shelves in Japan

The wait for communicating feelings via neural-controlled mechanical cat ears is finally near its end.

Japanese company neurowear, the world’s foremost leader in brain-controlled fashion accessories, announced it will release the consumer version of its brainwave-reading cat ear headband nekomimi later this month.

Neurowear introduced nekomimi with a teaser video released on YouTube last March that quickly perked the interest of media outlets worldwide and had the Internet masses purring with a collective: “take our money now.”

Nekomimi cat ears perk up when the wearer is concentrating and lie flat when the wearer relaxes, undoubtedly leading to a number of adorable situations with beautiful Japanese women similar to the one near the end of the video.

Neurowear describes the concept of Nekomimi on their website:

“People think that our bodies have limitations, but just imagine if we had organs that don’t exist, and could control that new body?

We created new human organs that use a brainwave sensor. Nekomimi is the new communication tool that augments the human bodies and abilities.

This cat’s ear shaped machine utilizes brainwaves and expresses your emotional state before you start talking. Just put on Necomimi and if you are concentrating, this cat’s ear shaped machine will rise. When you are relaxed, your new ears lie down.”

The first batch of Nekomimi will be available for purchase at the neurowear booth during “Nico Nico Choukaigi” (Nico Nico Super Conference), a convention that will be held Makuhari Messi in Chiba from April 28-29.

They will be sold at a special discount price of 7,900 yen during the event, and then at a retail price of 8,980 yen after.

Neurowear has yet to announce a specific date for an international release, but judging by a picture on theirFacebook page of a box of “North American version” Nekomimi, we imagine it won’t be much longer.

Source: RocketNews24

 

[Shotgunner51]

View attachment 185920


China and Japan have signed over 40 different collaborative agreements on energy conservation and environmental protection.

The deals have been inked at a bilateral forum held in Beijing.

The meeting is the first time the two sides have met to discuss environmental cooperation in the last 2-years.

Xie Zhenhua is the vice-chair of the National Development and Reform Commission.

"We welcome Japan's involvement in China's energy conservation and environmental protection industries through investment, joint technological development, and technological cooperation. We'll resume the program that sends Chinese personnel in the energy conservation sector to Japan for training."

The latest figures suggest the energy conservation and environmental protection sectors in China are going to be worth a combined 720 billion US dollars this coming year.

Ma Jun with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs says Japan has a lot to offer in terms of new technology.

"Japan has advanced technology when it comes to industrial energy saving. With its well-adapted technology and quality management, Japan's energy consumption can be largely reduced. Its energy consumption per unit is often a small fraction of what it is with its Chinese counterparts in the same industry."

The latest figures suggest the energy conservation and environmental protection sectors in China are going to be worth a combined 720 billion US dollars this coming year.


China, Japan Ink Energy Deals in Beijing

Wow that's brilliant news.
Hmmmm so many lucrative business opportunities ...

 

[Aepsilons]

Japan Retail Sales Rise as Economy Climbs Out of Recession

TOKYO, Japan — Japan’s retail sales rose for a sixth straight month in December, providing evidence of a gradual recovery in private consumption as the economy climbs out of recession.

The 0.2 percent year-on-year sales growth fell short of a 0.9 percent gain seen by economists in a Reuters poll, following a revised 0.5 percent rise in November, data by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) showed on Thursday.

A recovery in private consumption, which accounts for about 60 percent of the economy, is a welcome sign for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has been struggling to get the economy back on track after a sales tax hike in April hit consumer demand harder than expected.

Private consumption has languished since the government raised the sales tax hike to 8 percent from 5 percent, curbing consumers’ purchasing power as broad price increase outpaced wage growth, causing steady declines in real wages.

“Year-on-year growth in retail sales eased due to effects such as falling oil prices and pre-sales-tax buying rush a year ago. Taking these factors into account, private consumption is on track for recovery,” said Hiroshi Watanabe, senior economist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

“Private consumption could accelerate ahead as cheap oil prices boost consumers’ purchasing power and the negative impact of the sales tax hike fades. Strength of consumption will depend on wages.”

Policymakers expect consumer spending to firm up this year as the impact of the sales tax hike fades away, and they count on wages to help private consumption pick up pace.

The government and the Bank of Japan are urging Japanese companies to raise wages, which are seen as crucial for generating a sustainable growth cycle and achieving a 2 percent inflation target.

Crude oil prices below $50 a barrel are expected to give a boost to Japanese households and the broader economy in the long run as they reduce costs for resource-importing Japan, offsetting rising import costs caused by a weak yen.

But cheaper oil also compounds the challenge for the central bank in meeting its 2 percent inflation target around the coming fiscal year that begins in April, which many investors see as impossible to achieve.

Last week, the central bank sharply cut its inflation forecast, and Governor Haruhiko Kuroda conceded it may take longer than expected to hit the price target.

Compared with the previous month, seasonally-adjusted retail sales fell 0.3 percent in December, the METI data showed.

By: Tetsushi Kajimoto; editor: Eric Meijer.

 

[Aepsilons]

Japan Posts Current Account Surplus


TOKYO—Japan posted its sixth straight current account surplus in December, as strong investment income outweighed continuing trade deficits.

The surplus in the current account stood at ¥187.2 billion ($1.57 billion) in December before seasonal adjustment, the Finance Ministry said Monday. That compared with a ¥353 billion surplus forecast by economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal and the Nikkei.

Surpluses derived from overseas investment income have surged in recent months in part due to a substantially weaker Japanese currency, which makes the value of repatriated profits bigger in yen terms. At the same time, a steep fall in oil prices since the latter half of 2014 has helped to mitigate the massive trade deficits the country has been racking up since 2011.

December’s primary income surplus rose 24% on year to ¥1.02 trillion, marking a record for the month, thanks to increased returns from foreign direct investment. For all of 2014, Japan posted a ¥18.07 trillion income surplus, which was also the largest on record.

In December, the trade deficit shrank 63.1% to ¥395.6 billion.

The current account measures trade in goods, services, tourism and investment. It is calculated by determining the difference between Japan’s income from foreign sources against payments on foreign obligations and excludes net capital investment.

Meanwhile, separate data released Monday showed that lending by Japanese banks increased 2.6% from a year earlier.

Japan Posts Current Account Surplus - WSJ

 

[Aepsilons]

Australia’s Toll Holdings has recommended shareholders accept a $6.5bn takeover offer from Japan Post to create one of the world’s largest logistics companies.

The Japanese behemoth, a state-owned global postal and logistics player, unexpectedly offered $9.04 a share for Toll, a 49% premium to the company’s closing price on Tuesday, valuing it at $6.49bn.

Few had been anticipating an acquisition.

Under the proposal, the Melbourne-based transport logistics giant would be run as a division within Japan Post and retain the Toll name, with the company’s chief executive, Brian Kruger, reporting to his counterpart, Toru Takahashi.

“We are delighted to recommend to shareholders that Toll joins with Japan Post,” its chairman, Ray Horsburgh, said.

“Japan Post is one of the world’s leading postal and logistics companies and Toll is the largest independent logistics group in the Asia-Pacific.

“Together this will be a very powerful combination and one of the world’s top five logistics companies.”

A shareholder meeting to vote on the offer will be held in May, with the deal also requiring approval from the treasurer, Joe Hockey, under Australia’s foreign investment laws.

Toll has a global network spanning road, air, sea and rail routes, with significant operations in Asia, and Takahashi said it was a perfect fit for Japan Post as it looks to expand its global footprint.

“We believe the combination of Japan Post and Toll will be a transformational transaction for both our companies and we are very pleased we have been able to reach agreement,” he said.

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“In partnership with Toll we are starting a new chapter of looking outward and becoming a leading global player.”

The government of a former prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, split the state-owned Japan Post into four units in 2007 to handle deliveries, savings, insurance and counter services at each of its post offices.

The government retained full ownership of the group at first, with plans for the bank and insurance units to go fully private by 2017.

But the plan was stalled after the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost power to the Democratic Party of Japan between 2009 to 2012.

After returning to power in 2012, the current LDP-led government resumed the privatisation project with Japan Post in December, confirming it will list its shares in Tokyo this year.

An IG Markets strategist, Stan Shamu, said the deal was a good one for Toll.

“Japanese companies hold an enormous amount of cash on their balance sheets and, given the two-way trade between Australia and Japan, this is a solid move,” he said.

A colleage of Shamu at IG Markets, Chris Weston, said: “No one was expecting a bid and if they were they weren’t expecting that sort of magnitude.”

Toll, which was founded in 1888 as a horse-and-cart coal haulage business in Newcastle, New South Wales, said the merger would improve its service to existing and new customers.

“The proposed combination is a reflection of the strategic value of our business and our strong footprint throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” Kruger said.

“The great Toll culture built on safety and operational excellence will work well alongside Japan Post’s established values. I am delighted to have been invited to lead this powerful new division of Japan Post and look forward to working with the rest of the group.”



Japan Post offers $6.5bn to take over Australia's Toll Holdings | World news | The Guardian

 

[Aepsilons]

 

[Aepsilons]

MANILA – The Japanese co-owner of San Miguel Brewery Inc (SMB) eyes to bring its lineup of non-alcoholic beverages into the Philippine market, as the local brewer plans to re-enter the soft drinks business.

Keisuke Nishimura, senior director of Kirin Holdings Company Limited, said the company plans to “moderately” introduce its beverage products in the Philippines through SMB. The Japanese company makes and sells water, soda, juice and bottled-tea in Brazil, Australia, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

"The beer market is still growing, but SMB has almost 96 percent market share so we don't have so much room to get another market share. To go into the soft drinks business makes sense for us because we can utilize so many platforms of the beer business," Nishimura said.

In its consent solicitation to bondholders last month, SMB said the non-alcoholic beverage category still has a larger share of consumption and is growing at a faster rate than the alcoholic segment.

Sister-company Ginebra San Miguel Inc (GSMI) also last month said it was selling some of its non-alcoholic beverage assets to SMB.

The San Miguel Group used to control 65 percent of Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines Inc until the Philippine conglomerate in 2007 sold its entire stake to The Coca-Cola Company.

Apart from non-alcoholic beverages, Kirin also sees opportunities in the Philippine dairy market.

"Many of the dairy products are from foreign countries like New Zealand and Australia. We should check whether we can start the dairy business in Philippines," Nishimura said.

He said Kirin is still interested in raising its stake in SMB. The Japanese company owns 48.39 percent of the Philippine brewer, leaving at least 51 percent in the hands of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

"Ramon said he will retain the brewery business. I don't know how long,” Nishimura said, referring to SMC president Ramon S. Ang, who earlier said the Philippine conglomerate was contemplating further divestment from SMB to fund new ventures.

“The brewery business is a very profitable business. It's not volatile. It's very stable. It's a very big cash cow. If there comes an intention to sell their stake, we are ready to talk to them," Nishimura said.

SMB’s consolidated revenues grew 5 percent year-on-year to P56.3 billion at end-September last year on the back of a 3 percent increase in sales volumes to 153 million cases.


Japan's Kirin to tap San Miguel for sale of non-alcoholic beverages in Philippines

 

[Aepsilons]

"Ramon said he will retain the brewery business. I don't know how long,” Nishimura said, referring to SMC president Ramon S. Ang, who earlier said the Philippine conglomerate was contemplating further divestment from SMB to fund new ventures.

We should just buy SMB out. SMB has a lot of potential and I believe under Japanese ownership, we can jettison SMB overseas , better than what Mr. Ang has done.

 

[Ayan81]

We should just buy SMB out. SMB has a lot of potential and I believe under Japanese ownership, we can jettison SMB overseas , better than what Mr. Ang has done.

Maybe they can penetrate the market as beer preference comes in age, those who started drinking before 1985-80 prefers drinking SMB, my generation would prefer red horse. Who knows this/future generations like what they're offering.

TAGAY!

 

[Aepsilons]

Maybe they can penetrate the market as beer preference comes in age, those who started drinking before 1985-80 prefers drinking SMB, my generation would prefer red horse. Who knows this/future generations like what they're offering.

TAGAY!

he he he ! San Miguel Beer + Sisig is a great combo, right?

Tagay!

 

[Aepsilons]

SINGAPORE--A Japan-based securities firm said it has established the nation's largest fund in the biotech field, seeding it with $83.6 million to support startup biotech companies at home and in Taiwan.

Taiwan is a target of Daiwa Securities Group because its clinical-trials system meets the same standards as the United States, thus its test data are accepted automatically in other countries such as China.

Daiwa expects to draw other investors into the fund to expand it by another $16.8 million. The fund plans to allot up to $12.6 million for each new biotech project, including those focused on regenerative medicine, all using compounds held by universities and drugmakers, the Nikkei Asian Review reported.

Japan's Daiwa establishes major biotech fund for home and Taiwan - FierceBiotech

 

[Aepsilons]

Tokyo Station will become this week a sister station of Hsinchu Station in northwestern Taiwan.

Designed by the leading Japanese architects of the time, Tokyo Station was the creation of Kingo Tatsuno and opened for service in December 1914. Hsinchu Station, designed by Tsumunaga Matsugasaki, was completed in March 1913.

The signing ceremony is scheduled for Thursday at Hsinchu Station, with the stationmasters of both facilities in attendance.

“We hope to deepen friendly relations by organizing exchanges,” an official at East Japan Railway Co. said.

Tokyo Station has a similar relationship with two celebrated architectural masterpieces — Amsterdam Central Train Station in the Netherlands and New York’s Grand Central Terminal.

Tokyo Station to get a sister station in Taiwan | The Japan Times

 

[BoQ77]

Pictures pls, my friend

 

[Aepsilons]

 

[Aepsilons]

Pictures pls, my friend

This train station was built by Japanese architects back in 1913 and is the epitome of Japanese development of Taiwan (Taihoku) during the Colonial Rule. Am glad to see that it is now a sister station.


Some pictures of Taiwan's Railways during Japanese Rule:

Taiwan Railway Hotel, built in the neoclassical model by Japan.

Taihoku Rail station (one of many built)