| Japan far outstrips other industrial nations in mobile technology Japan far outstrips other Group of Seven industrial economies in terms of mobile technology with a massive 83 percent of cellphone users in the country already having a third-generation connection, according to a survey report released Thursday. (Kyodo)  Japanese companies curb shareholder perks, gifts amid recession  Japanese companies are curbing gifts and other perks to shareholders as a global recession spurs them to cut costs, according to Daiwa Securities Co. (Bloomberg)Japan's adopted talking heads  There are two groups of people that westerners who spend time in Japan can broadly be counted on to loathe. The first are the uyoku: rightwing propagandists in black loudspeaker trucks who block traffic to bellow their support for xenophobia and militarism, with nary a glance from the police.
The second are foreigners on television. (FT.com)Asian nations brace for economic crisis Asian countries led by economic powerhouses China and Japan want an expanded regional emergency fund in place next year to better shield the region from the impact of the global financial crisis, officials said Thursday. (AP) Lightning shuts 2 reactors at Kansai nuclear plant Kansai Electric Power Co (9503.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Thursday that two reactors at its Mihama nuclear power plant shut down automatically earlier in the day after lightning hit the facility. (Reuters) Japan, Australia agree on diplomacy to solve whaling row Japan and Australia said Wednesday they were doing everything they could to diplomatically resolve an emotionally charged dispute over whaling, though officials' remarks showed divisions remained deep. (AFP) Japan's DoCoMo eyes 'Google phone' launch next year Japan's top carrier NTT DoCoMo Inc. aims to launch next year a cellphone developed with Internet search giant Google, an official said Wednesday, a move that could counter Apple's iconic iPhone. (AFP) News Wizard |