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[1/5] Taiko Nakamura samples whisky barreled in the year he founded at his distillery in Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan October 25, 2023. The explosion of craft whisky in Japan follows a boom and bust in the industry. Last week, Sotheby's offered what it claimed was the most valuable collection of Japanese whisky at auction, headlined by a 52-year old bottle that sold for 300,000 pounds ($373,830). Suntory, Japan's biggest and best-known whisky maker, recently invested 10 billion yen ($67 million) to upgrade its distilleries, including its Yamazaki site. "I believe we need to put all our effort into making Japanese whisky that lives up to the quality of the Japanese whiskies made by our predecessors," he said.

Persons: Rocky Swift, Suntory's, Taiko Nakamura, Long, whiskies, Sotheby's, Shinji Fukuyo, Casey Wahl, Kamui, Shizuoka's Nakamura, Miral Organizations: REUTERS, Suntory, trailblazer, Nikka, Asahi Group, Japan's, Japanese distillers, Diageo, IJW Whiskey, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, Yamazaki, Scotland, Hong Kong, Japanese, Komasa Kanosuke, Kentucky, Hokkaido, American, Rishiri

[1/5] A member of the teamLab digital art group poses in an installation in preparation for the reopening of their Borderless museum in February at the Azabudai Hills complex in Tokyo, Japan November 17, 2023. The name refers to digital art pieces that blend into each other and encourage guests to wander at their own pace. The relocation is part of Mori's strategy of placing cultural attractions in integrated business and residential projects. teamLab has developed a global reputation for its experimental and interactive set pieces that meld images and senses. Previous projects in Tokyo featured digital art mixed with a sauna experience and a laser light show enhanced performance of Giacomo Puccini's opera "Turandot."

Persons: Kim Kyung, Toshiyuki Inoko, Mori, Giacomo Puccini's, Inoko, Rocky Swift, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo Bay, Mori's

TOKYO, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Visitors to Japan exceeded pre-pandemic levels in October, official data showed on Wednesday, marking a full recovery in arrivals for the first time since the relaxation of border controls last year. The number of foreign visitors for business and leisure rose to 2.52 million last month from 2.18 million in September, data from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) showed. Reuters GraphicsVisitor numbers improved to 100.8% of levels seen in 2019 before the outbreak of COVID-19 led to travel curbs around the world. That year, Chinese accounted for nearly a third of all visitors and 40% of all tourist spending in Japan. Almost 20 million visitors have arrived in Japan in the first 10 months of 2023, JNTO data showed, compared to the record of about 32 million in all of 2019.

Persons: Rocky Swift, Miral Organizations: Visitors, Japan National Tourism Organization, Graphics, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Germany, China

Yasunori Ogawa, Seiko Epson Corporation President and Representative Director and CEO, talks about their strategy at the company office in Tokyo, Japan, October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Miho Uranaka Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Printing giant Seiko Epson (6724.T) is betting on growth in the Middle East and Africa as demand ebbs in its home market of Japan and other developed nations, its chief executive said. The Middle East, Turkey, and Africa were growth highlights in fiscal 2022. "Our products are not yet widely distributed in the Middle East, and there is tremendous potential there," Yasunori Ogawa said in an interview after the company posted quarterly results on Friday. To eke out more growth in developed markets, Epson plans to shift its portfolio more towards commercial and industrial customers looking to reduce waste.

Persons: Yasunori Ogawa, Miho Uranaka, Ogawa, stokes, Rocky Swift, Stephen Coates Organizations: Seiko Epson Corporation, REUTERS, Rights, Seiko Epson, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, East, Africa, Turkey, India, Dubai

Operating profit for the fiscal year through August is expected to rise 26% to 374.6 billion yen ($2.52 billion), according to the average estimate of 12 analysts collected by LSEG. The company has forecast 370 billion yen, which would far exceed last year's 297.3 billion yen. Consensus estimates could be underplaying the company's results given the recovery in China, the weak yen, and strong performance in the United States and Europe, said LightStream Research analyst Oshadhi Kumarasiri. "I'm expecting a positive earnings surprise and a strong set of guidance for next year," added Kumarasiri, who publishes on the Smartkarma platform. Fast Retailing's shares are up 22% in 2023, about even with the gain in the benchmark Nikkei index (.N225).

Persons: Tadashi Yanai, Oshadhi Kumarasiri, I'm, Daisuke Tsukagoshi, Uniqlo, Yanai, Rocky Swift, Varun Organizations: Retailing, Japan's, Forbes, Nikkei, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, United States, Europe, doldrums, North America

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.'s chief executive Makiko Ono speaks during an interview with Reuters at the company headquarters in Tokyo, Japan December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food (2587.T) sees Australia as a model for integrating canned alcoholic drinks into offerings in other global markets, Chief Executive Makiko Ono said. As Japan's second-biggest domestic maker of soft drinks, Suntory Beverage has traditionally focused on non-alcohol offerings under the umbrella of global spirits maker Suntory Group. In taking the top job at Suntory Beverage in April, Ono became the first woman to head a Japanese listed company valued at more than 1 trillion yen ($6.83 billion). But the record was soon broken when Yumiko Takano became chief executive of Oriental Land (4661.T), the operator of Tokyo Disneyland, in June.

Persons: Makiko Ono, Issei Kato, Japan's, Ono, Yumiko Takano, Rocky Swift, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Japan's Suntory Beverage & Food, Suntory Beverage, Suntory Group, Suntory Oceania, Suntory, Oriental, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Australia's, Brisbane, Europe, Japanese

TOKYO, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Japan opening of the hit film "Barbie" was dealt additional setbacks as an online petition gained steam calling on Hollywood studios to disavow a grassroots marketing movement that made light of nuclear holocaust. Warner Bros initially latched on to fan-produced memes that depicted Robbie's Barbie with actor Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer alongside images of nuclear blasts. But fans were not amused in Japan, which in coming days will mark the memorials of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 78 years ago. "This incident is really, really disappointing," she posted. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel posted a picture of his meeting in Tokyo with director Greta Gerwig, but the response online was chilly.

Persons: Oppenheimer, Barbie, Margot Robbie, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Robbie's Barbie, Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer, Barbie delighting, Koji Maruyama, Mitsuki Takahata, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Greta Gerwig, Emanuel, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Michael Perry Organizations: Hollywood, Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, Warner's, Twitter, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Warner's Japan, Tokyo

[1/6] German tourist Kevin Khani and Austrian tourist Georg Riedlbaur use an automated translation window at the Seibu-Shinjuku station in Tokyo, Japan, July 26, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File photoTOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - As Japan enjoys a post-pandemic resurgence in tourism from around the globe, Seibu Railway is testing out an automated translation window to help confused foreigners navigate one of Tokyo's most complex transportation hubs. Kevin Khani was among foreign travellers who got turned around in the Seibu-Shinjuku station recently and found the VoiceBiz window helpful. Across the road from the Seibu station is Shinjuku's central Japan Railway (JR) station, which is the busiest in the world, with some 3.6 million people passing through daily. Weary from a 1 a.m. flight arrival, French tourists Isabelle and Marc Rigaud used the translation window to try to find their way from the Seibu station to the JR station.

Persons: Kevin Khani, Georg Riedlbaur, Kim Kyung, Harry Potter, Ayano Yajima, Toppan, Isabelle, Marc Rigaud, Tom Bateman, Rocky Swift, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Seibu, REUTERS, Japan, Seibu Railway, Seibu Holdings, Kansai International, Japan Railway, Thomson Locations: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, United States, Europe, Seibu, Alibaba

[1/7] Nadine, a 43-year-old tourist from the U.S., wearing a sumo wrestler costume, tries to spar against former sumo wrestler Towanoyama on the sumo ring before tourists from abroad, at Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka in Tokyo, Japan June 30, 2023. Beneath its vaulted roof is a sumo ring and 14 tables where patrons pay 11,000 yen ($76) to eat breaded pork cutlets before watching - and joining - the action. Another former sumo wrestler, Yasuhiro Tanaka, started the restaurant after founding a company to give ex-wrestlers a second career as actors in commercials and movies. "But no, it was really, really amazing." "As sumo wrestlers, we couldn't really play around at all," said Tanaka, 47, who admitted he wasn't a particularly strong competitor.

Persons: Nadine, Towanoyama, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, Issei Kato, Ohtori, Yasuhiro Tanaka, Jose Aguillar, Jumbo, Aguillar, Fumio Kishida, Tanaka, Rocky Swift, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Netflix, Thomson Locations: U.S, Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, Koto, Monterrey, Mexico

Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki said on Tuesday: "We will closely watch currency market moves with a strong sense of urgency and will respond appropriately if the moves become excessive." Japan intervened to boost the yen last year when it weakened past the 145 per dollar level. "Euro-dollar is a bit stronger this morning, we had probably a bit of help from hawkish ECB (European Central Bank) comments this morning," said ING's Pesole. Latvian central bank governor and ECB official Martins Kazaks said in Portugal on Tuesday that the central bank will likely keep hiking interest rates after July. China's central bank set its daily yuan fixing stronger than market expectations for a second day in a row on Tuesday.

Persons: paring, Shunichi Suzuki, Francesco Pesole, ING's Pesole, Martins Kazaks, Kazaks, Christine Lagarde, Jerome Powell, Andrew Bailey, Kazuo Ueda, Lagarde, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Sterling, Harry Robertson, Rocky Swift, Barbara Lewis, Conor Humphries, Chizu Organizations: Central, . Finance, Bank of Japan, ING, hawkish ECB, European Central Bank, ECB, Federal, Bank of England, Wednesday, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Sintra, Portugal, Latvian, Russian, China, China's, London, Tokyo

TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar held firm against major currencies on Tuesday as tension simmered in Russia and traders looked ahead to U.S. data that may determine the timing of further interest rate hikes. The Russian rouble weakened 0.41% versus the dollar at 84.75 after hitting its weakest level since March 2022. Japan intervened to boost the yen last year when it weakened past the 145 per dollar level. U.S. data this week include new orders for durable goods, housing figures, and consumer surveys from The Conference Board and University of Michigan. If the U.S. economic data comes out on the strong side, then further pricing in for the two rate hikes will push up the dollar," Yamamoto said.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Shunichi Suzuki, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yamamoto, Christine Lagarde, Sterling, Rocky Swift, Christopher Cushing, Barbara Lewis Organizations: U.S, Japanese Finance, Conference Board, University of Michigan, Federal Reserve, Mizuho Securities, European Central Bank, ECB, Central Banking, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Russia, Russian, U.S, Sintra , Portugal, China, China's

"In light of what the Fed has announced, it's a hawkish pause," said Bank of Singapore currency strategist Sim Moh Siong. "The message here is that the Fed is tightening, and this is why I think the dollar itself could stay supported in the near term." The yen plunged 0.9% to 141.365 per dollar, and earlier touched 141.430, a level not seen since Nov. 23. The kiwi dollar sank 0.52% to $0.6177 after data showed New Zealand's economy slipped into a technical recession in the first quarter, putting further rate hikes in doubt. "Following the rate cut from earlier this week, there's a lot of expectation for more wide ranging stimulus to shore up the economy," said Bank of Singapore's Siong.

Persons: it's, Sim Moh, Rocky Swift, Edmund Klamann Organizations: U.S ., Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Fed, European Central Bank, Bank of, Singapore, People's Bank of China, Singapore's, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China's, Bank of Japan

TOKYO, June 13 - Japan's benchmark Nikkei gauge surged on Tuesday, closing over 33,000 for the first time in 33 years, led by technology shares on expectations of a flood of investment in chip-related companies. The Nikkei (.N225) climbed for a third-straight session, adding 1.8% to 33,018.65, closing above the key psychological level for the first time since July 1990. Global shares climbed on Monday ahead of closely watched U.S. inflation data on and policy decisions from the Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, and other central banks. Toyota's EV strategy "was well received by the market, and also last night the U.S. market was strong, so we have a strong market today," said Daiwa Securities strategist Kenji Abe. The auto sector (.TEWP.T) rose 3.4% to become the best performer among the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry sub-indexes.

Persons: Kenji Abe, Drugmaker Eisai, Rocky Swift, Sonia Cheema Organizations: Nikkei, SoftBank Group Corp, Intel Corp, Advantest Corp, Toyota Motor Corp, Global, Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, Daiwa, Tokyo Stock, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S

[1/10] Spectators watch a match at All Together Again Pro Wrestling event in Tokyo, Japan, June 9, 2023. AEW founder Tony Khan said 65,000 tickets have already been sold for the Wembley show, and "it would be a huge benefit to AEW if there is participation from New Japan Pro Wrestling and some of their top stars in the event." The scripted and often ridiculous spectacle of pro wrestling is a serious player in the entertainment sector. New Japan President Takami Ohbari said teaming with AEW would give the companies more of a fighting chance against a merged WWE and UFC operator Endeavor Group (EDR.N). "It's really mutually beneficial in terms of the global expansion for New Japan and also for AEW," Ohbari said.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Hoon TOKYO, Tony Khan, Khan, Brandon Thurston, Wrestlenomics, grappler, Antonio Inoki, Takami Ohbari, AEW, It's, Ohbari, Rocky Swift, Miyoung Kim, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Elite, Wembley, World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, UFC, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Reuters, New, Garden, Endeavor, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Jacksonville , Florida, New Japan, Toronto, U.S, New York's, Britain

TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei index extended its climb to scale a near 33-year high on Tuesday, with trading houses and Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing leading the gains on technical support for heavyweight shares ahead of the fixing of special quotation prices. The Nikkei (.N225) recouped from early losses to close nearly 1% higher at 32,506.78. Shares of Fast Retailing (9983.T) climbed 1.73%, contributing the most to the Nikkei's advance, while trading company Mitsui & Co (8031.T) jumped 3.86%. Trading houses (.IWHOL.T) and mining companies (.IMING.T) led gains among the 33 industry sub-indexes on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, rising 2.5%. read moreReporting by Rocky Swift and Nobuyo Saito in Tokyo; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Sherry Jacob-PhillipsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: speculatively, Takashi Nakamura, Mio Kato, Nitto Denko, Rocky Swift, Nobuyo Saito, Rashmi Aich, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Nikkei, Tokai Tokyo Research, Retailing, Mitsui & Co, Mizuho Financial Group, LightStream, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Apple, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, Tokyo

The dollar index , which tracks the currency against a basket of its peers, was little changed at 101.96 after climbing 0.27% on Wednesday. "The banking results continue to show that the U.S. bank funding situation is stabilizing," said Bank of Singapore currency strategist Sim Moh Siong. "You have the UK CPI that turned out hotter than expected, at the same time the New Zealand CPI which turned out lower than expected, which are driving the sterling and kiwi," he added. New Zealand's consumer price index (CPI) for the first quarter came in below expectations on Thursday, but remained near historic highs. That followed hotter than expected CPI figures in Britain that boosted bets for a rate hike from the Bank of England in May.

The slew of soft economic data has added to fears of an impending recession in the world's largest economy, putting a lid on risk appetite and sending traders in search of some safe haven assets. The U.S. dollar index was up 0.1% at 101.95, having slid to a two-month trough of 101.40 in the previous session. The Japanese yen also found some support from safe haven bids and was last roughly 0.2% higher at 131.01 per dollar. "Weak economic data continues to weigh in on investor sentiment, triggering a flight-to-safety bid," analysts at Westpac said in a note to clients. The soft data sent U.S. shares lower on Wednesday STX/ while Treasuries advanced, which saw the benchmark 10-year yield falling to its lowest since September .

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