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☆ Dollar steadies, yen pinned near 152
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar was steady on Friday after data showed U.S. inflation remained sticky but easing gradually, keeping alive the chance of the Federal Reserve cutting rates in June, while the yen slid back to the key 150 per dollar level. The dollar was on the front foot on Wednesday, pinning the yen near its lowest in decades though the heightened threat of currency intervention by Tokyo capped further declines in the Japanese currency. The yen was last at 151.585 per dollar, languishing near last month's slump to 34-year lows of 151.975 in the wake of the Bank of Japan's historic policy shift. The dollar , which on Tuesday touched a nearly five-month high of 105.10 against a basket of currencies, was last steady at 104.76. "I think the dollar will hold up pretty well in the near term, and that will be a headwind for the other major currencies."

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Koichi Sugisaki, Sterling, Carol Kong, CBA's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Bank of, Ministry of Finance, U.S ., U.S, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Traders, Fed, New Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, CBA's Kong, New Zealand

☆ NASA will pay 4 health-conscious 'astronaut-like' people to live inside a Mars simulation for 378 days. See if you qualify.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewNASA is hiring four people to spend 378 days living inside a simulated Mars habitat in Houston. NASA is looking for people who are "as astronaut-like as possible," said Bell, who also leads NASA's Behavioral Health and Performance Lab. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio with tomatoes growing on the International Space Station. NASA/Lacey YoungIn the Mars simulation, for 378 days, you can't go for a walk outside. JPL/NASAIt's not just experience and stress tolerance that makes a Mars astronaut.

Persons: —, Suzanne Bell, Bell, Ross Brockwell, Mars, CHAPEA, Frank Rubio, Koichi Wakata, Lacey Young, Bill Stafford, Go Nakamura, It's, There's, NASA It's, there's, that's Organizations: Service, Crew Health, NASA, Behavioral, Business, Space, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, REUTERS, JPL, Getty Locations: Houston

Though one of the most potent and long-running (or at least long-stomping) forces in movies, Godzilla has never before rubbed elbows at the Academy Awards. At the Oscar luncheon, Steven Spielberg warmly greeted Yamazaki and told him he had seen “Godzilla Minus One” three times. But “Godzilla Minus One” returns to the essential nature of Godzilla as a sober symbol of nuclear holocaust and atomic trauma. My intent was to put a spotlight on what Godzilla represented.”In “Godzilla Minus One,” just as WWII is ending, Godzilla is growing. But unlike more broadly blockbuster-styled Godzilla films, “Godzilla Minus One” is rigorously rooted in a Japanese perspective.

Persons: he’s, “, ”, Takashi Yamazaki, —, Yamazaki, Ishirō Honda, Steven Spielberg, ” Yamazaki, ‘, ’, ’ They’ve, “ Oppenheimer, “ Barbie, Christopher Nolan’s, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Raymond Burr, Koichi, Ryunosuke, Robert Oppenheimer’s, Nolan, we’re, Hayao Miyazaki’s, Miyazaki, ‘ Oppenheimer, Jake Coyle Organizations: Academy, Toho, “, Galaxy, U.S ., Pictures, Warner Bros, American Locations: Tokyo , Hong Kong, Paris, San Francisco, Boston, Moscow, London, Hawaii, U.S, Canada, Canadian, Tokyo, Japan, Bikini, Kong, Hiroshima, Nagasaki

☆ I tried the perfect space meal for astronauts, and it was surprisingly flavorful and easy to make
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Emily Swaim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Moreover, because of how microgravity affects human metabolism, astronauts need a lot more energy to function than people on Earth. The perfect astronaut meal: space saladNASA astronaut Frank Rubio with tomatoes growing on the International Space Station. How it tastesEmily SwaimI decided to make the meal and determine for myself what this space salad of the future would be like to prepare. Therefore, we can calculate approximately how much nutrition astronauts would earn from eating this space salad. AdvertisementIf you wanted to add meat to your space salad, I'd recommend pairing it with a lighter option such as chicken or tuna.

Persons: —, Frank Rubio, Koichi Wakata, It's, Emily Swaim, Volker Hessel, who's, Lacey Young, Leland Melvin, Hessel Organizations: Service, NASA, Space, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Food Science & Technology, University of Adelaide, Food Systems Laboratory, International, Getty

☆ Toyota halts shipment of 10 models over diesel engine testing issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

A special investigative committee found irregularities during horsepower output testing for the certification of three diesel engine models. Ten models use the affected engines globally, Toyota (TM) said, including the Hiace van, Fortuner SUV, Innova multi-purpose vehicle and Lexus-branded LX500D SUV. The company said it would take measures such as running new engine certification tests in the presence of regulators as needed. The company holds a near 25% stake in Toyota Industries, which is a key Toyota group company. Shares in Toyota Industries sank into negative territory shortly after the news and ended down 4%.

Persons: Koichi Ito Organizations: Toyota, Cruiser, Toyota Industries, Lexus, world’s, Daihatsu, Toyota Motor, Mar Locations: Tokyo, Aichi prefecture

☆ Rare photo shows a macaque riding a deer for fun in a Japanese forest
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Maiya Focht | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Wildlife photographer Atsuyuki Ohshima captured a rare interaction between a macaque and a deer. The photo is recognized in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. Macaques have been observed riding sika deer before, scientists said. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe frame is one of 16 highly commended photos in this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The winners of the 59th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will be announced on October 10.

Persons: Atsuyuki Ohshima, Ohshima, Koichi Kamoshida Organizations: Service, Wildlife Locations: Wall, Silicon, London

☆ A supernova that exploded in a nearby galaxy is one of the brightest in a decade. Here's how to see it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A supernova has exploded in the Pinwheel Galaxy 21 million light-years away. Named SN 2023ixf, it sets itself apart by being one of the brightest seen in a decade. The supernova, which appeared in the Pinwheel Galaxy 21 million light-years away, is one of the biggest and brightest in our skies in a decade, Space.com reported. But this supernova, named SN 2023ixf, sets itself apart by its proximity to Earth: it's located in the Pinwheel Galaxy, which is only about 21 million light-years away. The Pinwheel Galaxy is located close to two of the stars in the handle of the Big Dipper.

Persons: —, Space.com, Dan Perley, Kuntz, Mould, Chu, Jacoby, Hanna, Miller, Rodriguez, de Martin, Koichi Itagaki, Webb, Perley, It's Organizations: Galaxy, Service, Liverpool John Moores Observatory, Hubble, Gemini, NASA, ESA, K, JHU, Bresolin, University of Hawaii, Jet Propulsion, University of Illinois, CSA Locations: Urbana, Canada, France, Hawaii, T.A

☆ A new supernova has appeared in the night sky
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —A sparkling new supernova has appeared in the night sky, and a telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii was perfectly poised to capture the aftermath of the cosmic burst. The supernova was first spotted within the spiral arms of the Pinwheel Galaxy by Japanese astronomer Koichi Itagaki on May 19. The Pinwheel Galaxy is in the direction of the Ursa Major constellation, about 21 million light-years from Earth. The new supernova glimmers bright blue in one of the galaxy’s spiral arms in the bottom left of the image. It’s the second supernova observed in the Pinwheel Galaxy in 15 years.

Persons: Koichi Itagaki, Itagaki Organizations: CNN, Galaxy, Ursa, Pinwheel Galaxy, Gemini Locations: Kea, Hawaii, Yamagata, Japan

☆ In Los Angeles, an Indian Chinese Feast Celebrating Female Founders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Jean Trinh | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Before all of that, though, the women had some cooking to do, with help from chef Akilah York, whom Gao had hired to provide culinary back up. The goal was to kick back while shoring one another up. “We’re going around the table being like, ‘I see you. The guest Yasmine Khatib of the Los Angeles flower studio Yasmine Floral Design provided a trio of pastel arrangements: white vases filled with foxgloves, pincushions, peonies, poppies and alliums. And Shelley Kleyn Armistead, another guest and the chief executive of the Gjelina hospitality group, supplied the speckled white dinner plates from Gjelina’s kitchenware brand, Gjusta Goods.

☆ Beyond Kyoto: Japan recommends 11 lesser-known spots to visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Rob Goss | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Japan wants travelers to go beyond the country's iconic tourist sites — and consider spending their yen in lesser-known locations. CNBC Travel takes a look at what each of the 11 spots has to offer travelers — whether or not they're wealthy. Koichi Kamoshida | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesIse-shima is arguably the "model destination" most ready to welcome the JTA's wealthy targets. Kagoshima, Aso and UnzenThe island of Kyushu in western Japan feature everything from active volcanoes to glimpses of samurai culture. Okinawa and AmamiIn 2021, Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa's main island, and Iriomote Island were given joint UNESCO Natural World Heritage status for their biodiversity and endemic wildlife.

☆ Japan nuclear disaster: Fukushima's fishing industry fears Tokyo's next move may finish it off
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Emiko Jozuka Krystina Shveda Junko Ogura Marc Stewart Daniel Campisi | Emiko Jozuka | Krystina Shveda | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Ocean currents have since dispersed the contaminated water enough that radioactive Cesium is nearly undetectable in fish from Fukushima prefecture. A year before the 2011 disaster, government data shows Fukushima’s coastal fishing industry landed catches worth around $69 million. At the same time, ground and rainwater have leaked in, creating more radioactive wastewater that now needs to be stored and treated. This isotope is radioactive tritium, and the scientific community is divided on the risk its dissemination carries. He argues TEPCO should build more storage tanks to allow for the decay of the radioactive tritium, which has a half-life of 12.3 years.

☆ SpaceX capsule returns crew of four from space station mission
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - Four crew members aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off Florida's Gulf coast on Saturday, returning safely from a five-month science mission on the International Space Station. The Crew-5 team launched from Florida on Oct. 6 to conduct routine science aboard the station. The mission was SpaceX's sixth crewed flight for NASA since its Crew Dragon spacecraft first flew humans in May 2020, when it restored crewed launches from American soil after nearly a decade of U.S. dependence on Russia's Soyuz program for space station flights. Kikina, the only woman in Russia's cosmonaut corps, was the first Russian to fly on an American spacecraft under a renewed agreement signed in 2022 between NASA and Russia's space agency to conduct joint flights. NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, currently on the station, launched there on a Soyuz rocket in September.

FILE PHOTO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida poses during his news conference in Tokyo, Japan on February 24, 2023. Stanislav Kogiku/Pool via REUTERSThe news comes as households grapple with intensifying cost-of-living pressures amid elevated inflation for items such as energy and food, hitting consumption and smaller businesses. Thanks to the energy subsidies, a leading indicator of Japan’s consumer prices rose at a slower pace in February, data showed on Friday. However, an index stripping away the effect of fuel hit a fresh three-decade high in a sign of broadening inflationary pressures. The Japanese government will consider asking major utilities to reduce price increases for households in light of recent declines in energy prices, Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.

☆ Video: Watch 2 astronauts spacewalk today to prep solar arrays that will boost the space station's power supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Two astronauts are making a seven-hour spacewalk today outside of the International Space Station. This is the 2nd spacewalk of 2023, after astronauts had problems installing arrays during a January mission. NASA is currently streaming Mann and Wakata's spacewalk live:Mann and Wakata's mission began early Thursday morning EST and will last approximately seven hours. The astronauts are currently preparing to install two final solar arrays on the ISS. According to NASA, once all six arrays are operational, they will bost the station's power supply by 20% to 30%.

☆ Japan PM floats possibility of snap election before defence budget tax hike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday floated the possibility of calling a snap election before a tax increase aimed at funding the country's defence budget comes into place "sometime after 2024". The government is set to implement tax increases to cover a shortfall of 1 trillion yen in the defence budget, despite stiff opposition from within the ruling coalition amid Kishida's sagging popularity. "We will be asking the general public to take on the (tax) burden for an appropriate period of time, starting from sometime after 2024 up to 2027. The next national election is due by 2025, unless Kishida calls for a snap election. Kishida revealed a new national security plan in mid-December and has pledged to double defence outlay to 2% of Japan's GDP by 2027.

☆ Japan lawmaker in Taiwan says China threat needs more military spending
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TAIPEI, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Japan needs to increase its military spending in the face of the "grim reality" of the threat from China and North Korea, a senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said on Sunday during a visit to Taiwan. Although Chinese-claimed and democratically-governed Taiwan and Japan do not have formal diplomatic ties, they have close unofficial relations and both share concerns about China, especially its increased military activities near the two. Hagiuda pointed to China's massive increase in military spending, as well as North Korean missile tests, as reasons for Japan to raise its defence budget. Japan hosts major U.S. military bases, including on Okinawa, a short flight from Taiwan, which would be crucial for any U.S. support during a Chinese attack. Addressing a think-tank in Taiwan last December, the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan and the United States could not stand by if China attacked Taiwan, and Beijing needs to understand this.

☆ Taiwan pledges deeper Japan security cooperation as senior lawmaker visits
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen gives a speech on National Day in Taipei, Taiwan, October 10, 2022. REUTERS/Ann WangTAIPEI, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pledged on Saturday to deepen security cooperation with Japan to ensure freedom in the Indo-Pacific, during a meeting with a senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Meeting in the presidential office in Taipei, Tsai thanked Koichi Hagiuda, the LDP's policy chief, for Japan's support over issues like maintaining security in the sensitive Taiwan Strait. "We have seen in recent years Taiwan-Japan relations have become ever closer," she said. Japan has watched with growing concern China's belligerence towards Taiwan as Beijing seeks to assert its sovereignty claims over the island.

☆ SpaceX capsule heads to space station ferrying NASA crew and Russian
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-05 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

A high-ranking official of the Russian space agency Roscosmos said shortly after the launch that the flight marked “a new phase of our cooperation” with the U.S. space agency NASA. The SpaceX launch vehicle, consisting of a Falcon 9 rocket topped with a Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Endurance, lifted off into clear skies at noon EDT (1600 GMT) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. As the spacecraft entered Earth orbit, Kikina radioed her thanks to NASA, Roscosmos and their International Space Station (ISS) partners for “giving us this great opportunity.”“We’re so glad to do it together,” Kikina said. The mission, designated Crew-5, marks the fifth full-fledged ISS crew NASA has flown aboard a SpaceX vehicle since the private rocket venture founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk began sending U.S. astronauts aloft in May 2020. Rounding out the crew from Japan’s space agency JAXA was veteran astronaut Koichi Wakata, 59, a robotics expert making his fifth voyage to space.

☆ Toyota global vehicle output rises 44.3% in Aug to record for month
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Thursday its global vehicle production grew at a record pace for the month of August, as the sector recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and production capacity increased, mainly overseas. Vehicle production soared 44.3% in August year-on-year, the first increase since March. The world's largest automaker by sales produced 766,683 vehicles worldwide last month, above its target of around 700,000 and above year-ago output of 531,448. Still, Toyota said the outlook remained uncertain due to the global chips shortage and COVID-19 outbreaks. Last week, the company said it plans to produce about 800,000 vehicles worldwide in October, about 100,000 short of its average monthly production plan, due to semiconductor shortages.

☆ The U.S. and its allies are joining forces on chips. That could stop China reaching the next level
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Leading chipmaking nations including the U.S. are forming alliances, in part to secure their semiconductor supply chain and to stop China from reaching the cutting-edge of the industry, analysts told CNBC. But the semiconductor supply chain is complex — it includes areas ranging from design to packaging to manufacturing and the tools that are required to do that. "The other geopolitical significance is just related to Taiwan's central role in the semiconductor supply chain. Alliances being built that exclude ChinaBecause of the complexity of the chip supply chain, no country can go it alone. One is about bringing together countries, each with their "comparative advantages," to "string together alliances that can develop secure chips," Kotasthane said.

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