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☆ Japan's Nidec lines up five execs as chairman contenders
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, March 13 (Reuters) - Japanese electric motor company Nidec Corp (6594.T) on Monday lined up five contenders to eventually take the reins as chairman from the firm's no-nonsense 78-year-old founder, Shigenobu Nagamori. Nidec said its board of directors had on Friday decided to name five people Executive Vice Presidents (EVP) from April 1. After serving four years as President, this person will be appointed as Chairman, Nidec said, as it seeks to bring an end to the saga. "I will gradually move away from work after that," Nagamori told reporters during an online news conference on Monday. Toshiyuki Otsuka, Tatsuya Nishimoto, Yoshihisa Kita, Toshihiko Koseki and Mitsuya Kishida were the five named as EVPs.

☆ Mask-free Monday comes to Japan as government eases COVID guidelines
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Rocky Swift | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Commuters make their way on the first day of the Japanese government's relaxation of official guidance on masks as it emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, in Tokyo, Japan March 13, 2023. "Mask-wearing was part of our culture even before COVID-19," said Hitoshi Oshitani, a Tohoku University professor who was an architect of Japan's COVID response. "I think many people will be wearing masks even after the rules are relaxed." "As of today, mask wearing is at the discretion of each individual," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike told reporters on Monday. Health experts in Japan have pointed to widespread mask use along with an embrace of hygiene and social distancing for the country's relatively lower death toll from COVID.

☆ Rice into low-carbon plastic: bringing hope to a struggling Fukushima town
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Last November, Tokyo-based firm Biomass Resin opened a factory in Namie to turn locally-grown rice into pellets. "Even now, we can't sell it as Fukushima rice. The same wave slammed into the nuclear plant, setting off meltdowns and explosions. "Namie was hit by four disasters - the quake, the tsunami, the reactor accident and then rumours about radiation danger," said Takemitsu Imazu, president of Biomass Resin Fukushima. The plastic isn't biodegradable, Imazu said, but using rice cuts the petroleum products involved - and growing more rice in Namie reduces overall atmospheric CO2.

☆ The week in Asian football
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Michael Church | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Talking points from the week in Asian football:RONALDO'S SAUDI SCORING STREAK CONTINUES WITH HAT-TRICKCristiano Ronaldo's scoring run continued on Saturday as the Portuguese attacker netted all three goals in Al Nassr's 3-0 victory over Damak. The 38-year-old capped the scoring a minute before halftime when he side-footed home after Ayman Yahya cut the ball back towards the penalty spot. The goal was Ronaldo's eighth in five league games since joining Al Nassr after the World Cup. The defeat was the second in a row for new Urawa coach Maciej Skorza and the Pole's team are bottom of the standings. JANKOVIC APPOINTED NEW CHINA COACHSerbian Aleksandar Jankovic has been named coach of the China national team for next year's Asian Cup and the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

☆ An entrepreneur who has used Shopify since it was in beta shares how he built an app to solve the biggest problem he faced on the platform while scaling to $1 million in sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Thomas Bertrand built a Shopify app after years of selling on the e-commerce platform. He launched his Shopify store, Bento&co, where he sells bento boxes and related accessories, in 2008. But he also created an app on Shopify's App Store that was directly inspired by his years as a merchant. Shopify's app store is home to more than 7,000 apps to help merchants with tasks like store design, product sourcing, SEO, marketing, and shipping. Shopify's merchants made $46.2 billion in sales on the platform in the third quarter of 2022 alone.

☆ The next 'White Lotus' is expected to be filmed in one of these locations in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

When the HBO black comedy "The White Lotus" premiered in the summer of 2021, it took viewers to Hawaii's sunny Maui. The Maldives was named-dropped near the end of season two of "The White Lotus," leading fans to speculate it would be the next filming location. Cue the theories that "The White Lotus" is heading to the Southeast Asian nation known as "The Land of Smiles." Two characters spent the night in Villa Tasca in the second season of "The White Lotus." Beyond "The White Lotus," the broader trend of traveling to visit iconic TV and movie locations continues to grow.

☆ Koji Sato, incoming Toyota CEO, must navigate shift to clean energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Sakura Murakami | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Currently the CEO of Toyota's luxury brand Lexus, Sato will succeed Akio Toyoda as the CEO of Toyota on April 1. Under Toyoda, the automaker has followed a go-slow approach to electric vehicles, arguing that the hybrid technology it pioneered with the Prius will remain important along with investments in hydrogen. Sato started his career at Toyota in 1992, before rising through the ranks to become chief engineer of Lexus International in 2016, according to his profile on the Toyota website. That passion was obvious in a brief video clip released in 2021, where Sato sits next to Toyoda as they test-drive a Toyota Lexus. As Toyoda accelerates and whoops excitedly, Sato can be seen with a wide grin and occasionally laughing, unable to contain his delight.

☆ Nidec shares slide 7% after profit forecast cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

After markets closed on Tuesday, the company announced a 48% cut to its operating profit forecast for the financial year through March to 110 billion yen ($843 million), well below analysts expectations. The third-quarter result, which saw the Kyoto-based firm report an operating profit of 28 billion yen, down 37% from a year earlier, delivered investors a negative surprise, said Kazuyoshi Saito, senior analyst at Iwai Cosmo Securities. Investors were likely to seek some evidence of the recovery the company is expecting, Saito added. Nidec faces weakening demand in the tech sector due to a downturn in the personal computer and data centre market. ($1 = 130.35 yen)Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Heavy snow, deep cold halts transport across Japan, at least one dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A train is stranded at Nishioji station in Kyoto, Japan in this photo provided by Kyodo on January 25, 2023. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERSTOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations and disrupting train travel, leaving at least one person dead. An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday. Snow was particularly heavy on the side of the nation facing the Sea of Japan, with the city of Maniwa in western Japan hit with a record 93 cm (36 inches) in the 24 hours to 8:00 a.m. (2300 GMT) on Wednesday. Strong winds connected to the storm may have caused the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship between western Japan and South Korea's Jeju island early on Wednesday.

☆ Heavy snow causes havoc in Japan as cold snap sweeps through Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Heavy snow blanketed wide swathes of Japan on Wednesday, snarling traffic, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, disrupting train travel and leaving at least one person dead. An unusually cold weather front and extreme low pressure systems set snow falling and strong winds blowing across Japan from Tuesday after causing havoc in other Asia countries earlier this week. Some 3,000 people were stranded at two train stations in the western city of Kyoto after snow and high winds forced service to be suspended on Tuesday. Strong winds connected to the storm may have caused the sinking of a Hong Kong-registered cargo ship between western Japan and South Korea's Jeju island early on Wednesday. Reporting by Kaori Kaneko, Sugiyama Satoshi and Elaine Lies in Tokyo and Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, writing by Elaine Lies and Miyoung Kim Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Kim Coghill and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan's Nidec slashes full-year operating profit forecast on weak demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The company cut its operating profit forecast for the financial year through March by 48% to 110 billion yen ($845 million). That was worse than expectations for a full-year operating profit of 202.5 billion yen based on estimates from 20 analysts, Refinitiv data showed. For the third quarter through December, the Kyoto-based firm reported an operating profit of 28 billion yen, down 37% from 44.3 billion yen a year earlier. That was also lower than a 51.34 billion yen average profit estimated by six analysts. Nidec, which will mark its 50-year anniversary in July, forecast last quarter that its e-axle business will reach profitability in the financial year starting from April.

☆ Funky Boutique Operator Ace Hotel Reaches Deal to Sell the Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Kate King | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Ace has 11 hotels in operation, including locations in Los Angeles, New York and Kyoto, Japan. A Portland, Ore.-based hospitality firm has reached an agreement to acquire Ace Group International , the operator of a quirky but influential hotel chain known for its cafes, in-house DJs and reclaimed furniture scattered throughout its lobbies. Sortis Holdings Inc. has agreed to pay $85 million in an all-cash transaction for the Ace brand and its hotel management company, according to Sortis Holdings Executive Chairman Paul Brenneke .

☆ Saudi Arabia's wealth fund raises Nintendo stake to 6%
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) has increased its stake in Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) to 6%, a filing showed on Thursday, reflecting the sovereign wealth fund's growing exposure to the Japanese video gaming industry. PIF's stake in the Kyoto-based company has risen from 5.01% to 6.07%, according to the ownership report filed with Japanese regulators. PIF revealed its 5% stake in Nintendo in a regulatory filing in May last year, stating that it was made for investment purposes. It has also taken stakes in video game companies Nexon (3659.T), Capcom (9697.T), and Koei Tecmo (3635.T). Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; editing by Uttaresh.VOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A family who was headed to Tokyo to visit Disney and celebrate their son's 21st birthday is 'devastated' and out $7,000 after Southwest cancelled their flight
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But after Southwest cancelled their flight from Tuscon to LAX, they missed their flight to Tokyo. They were going to visit Tokyo Disney and the Pokemon Cafe in Tokyo, take a train to Kyoto and go sightseeing at historic temples. But Tokyo Disney, which is not owned by The Walt Disney Company, generally does not issue refunds. Tokyo Disney, which is owned by The Oriental Land Company, could not immediately be reached for comment. The Walt Disney Company, which licenses intellectual property to Tokyo Disney, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ With Tesla battery packs and largest hydrogen tank in Japan, Panasonic tests a factory of the future
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Tim Hornyak | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As a bullet train speeds by in the background, a liquid hydrogen tank towers over solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells at Panasonic's Kusatsu plant in Japan. Combined with a Tesla Megapack storage battery, the hydrogen and solar can deliver enough electricity to power the site's Ene-Farm fuel cell factory. As bullet trains whiz by at 285 kilometers per hour, Panasonic's Norihiko Kawamura looks over Japan's tallest hydrogen storage tank. The 14-meter structure looms over the Tokaido Shinkansen Line tracks outside the ancient capital of Kyoto, as well as a large array of solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells and Tesla Megapack storage batteries. The power sources can generate enough juice to run part of the manufacturing site using renewable energy only.

☆ Hoping to beat the tourist crowd on your trip to Japan? That ship has sailed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Abigail Ng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

I thought I managed to beat the tourist crowds on my recent trip to Japan. Visitors gather on a terrace near the Kiyomizu-dera to watch the sunset and autumn leaves in Kyoto, Japan. In the months before those rules were lifted on Oct. 11, there were fewer traffic jams and queues, said Aw. Tokudaw's Aw said bookings with her company remain strong for the year-end period, at around 85% of pre-Covid levels. Travel, however, told CNBC Travel that its customers from Singapore have made bookings all the way through to April.

☆ Nintendo sets sales record with new Pokémon games on the Switch console
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nintendo said its Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games for the Nintendo Switch hit an all-times sales record for the company. Pokémon is one of Nintendo's longest-running and most popular franchises. Nintendo on Thursday said it latest Pokémon games have set a sales record at the Japanese gaming giant as it continues to pump out blockbusters ahead of the crucial holiday season. The Kyoto, Japan-headquartered company said sales of the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet games for the Nintendo Switch surpassed 10 million units in the first three days since their global launch on Nov. 18. Nintendo breathed new life into the series by releasing Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield three years ago and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl last year.

☆ Japanese chipmaker Rohm considering joining JIP for Toshiba buyout
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Hadeel Al Sayegh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Japanese chipmaker Rohm Co Ltd (6963.T) said on Wednesday it was considering joining a consortium led by private equity fund Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) to buy out Toshiba Corp (6502.T), as JIP works to consolidate its proposal. The Nikkei newspaper reported that Kyoto-based Rohm planned to invest up to about 300 billion yen ($2.14 billion) in the proposed 2.2 trillion yen acquisition of Toshiba, citing multiple sources it did not name. A Rohm spokesperson confirmed that the company was considering joining the JIP consortium for the buyout but added that nothing had been decided, including the amount of any investment. Rohm and Toshiba are both major manufacturers of power management chips, which efficiently control electric power in cars, electronic devices and industrial equipment. JIP has contacted several Japanese companies to join the bid for Toshiba, including utility Chubu Electric Power Co Inc (9502.T) and financial services group Orix Corp (8591.T), sources familiar with the matter have said.

☆ Nintendo shares head for biggest one-day drop in a year after Switch sales projection cut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Shares in Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) fell nearly 7%, putting them on track for their biggest one-day drop in a year on Wednesday after the Japanese videogame giant cut its annual sales projection for its Switch console by nearly 10%. The Kyoto-based company on Tuesday cut its sales forecast for the Switch to 19 million units for this business year from 21 million, as microchip shortages constrained production. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa told an earnings briefing on Tuesday that chip supply had begun recovering in recent months, helping boost Switch production. Still, Nintendo shares were up 6.9% in Tokyo trade, against a nearly flat broader market. Shares of Nintendo are up 8.3% so far this year.

☆ Explainer: A field guide to climate jargon
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Representatives from the world's nations meet in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Nov. 6-18 to flesh out the rules of a new global climate pact. Here is a guide:GLASGOW PACTReached at the 2021 U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, the Glasgow Pact marked the first time a U.N. climate agreement mentioned the goal of reducing fossil fuel use. With time running out for steep emissions cuts, the pact also urges nations to come up with more ambitious climate plans. NATIONALLY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTIONSNDCs are the pledges that each country makes to reduce its emissions and adapt to climate change from 2020 onward. 'LOSS AND DAMAGE'Although richer countries have agreed to provide them with funding to address the impact of climate change, poorer countries continue to press for an agreed basis to assess liability for the losses and damage caused by climate change, and calculate compensation.

☆ How U.N. climate conferences have tackled global warming
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Andrea Januta | Kim Harrisberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File PhotoNov 2 (Reuters) - This year’s U.N. climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, marks the 27th time since 1995 that world leaders have gathered to confront global warming. Here are some key moments in the global climate conversation:1800s - Throughout the 1800s, several European scientists study how different gases and vapours can trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. 1990 - At the U.N.’s so-called Second World Climate Conference, scientists highlight the risks of global warming to nature and society. 2015 - Global warming passes 1 degree Celsius. Signatories promise to try to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees C of the preindustrial average.

☆ Japan's Nidec posts 16% jump in Q2 operating profit to record
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Kyoto-based company reported 51.71 billion yen ($347.21 million) in operating profit for the three months through September, just short of a 52.3 billion yen average of five analyst estimates, according to Refinitiv data. A year earlier, it earned 44.59 billion yen. Nidec's shares dipped 2.9% during the second quarter and have dropped 41.1% this year so far. The company kept its full-year operating profit forecast of 210 billion yen for the year ending March 31. That compared with the 211 billion yen average of 21 analyst forecasts.

☆ Japan's best castles to visit at least once
▼ + stars: | 2022-01-20 | by ( David Mcelhenney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —During Japan’s Sengoku “Warring States” era (1467-1615), castles were constructed, bolstered and fortified all across the Japanese archipelago, resulting in approximately 5,000 individual keeps. Here are some of Japan’s best castles that you can still visit. Edo CastleEdo Castle, bearing the former name of Tokyo, has one of the longest lineages of all Japan’s castles. Edo Castle was huge in its prime, surrounded by a 15-kilometer outer moat crossed by over 30 gates and bridges. Bicchu Matsuyama CastleThe 13th-century Bicchu Matsuyama Castle, perched above quiet Takahashi City in Okayama prefecture, is thought to be Japan’s original yamajiro (mountain castle).

Researchers in Japan are working on masks that glow if they detect the coronavirus. The masks glow under ultraviolet light if they come into contact with the virus. The team has been using ostrich eggs to work on developing the masks. If the coronavirus is present, this will cause the filter to glow under ultraviolet light. In a small study of 32 people who all had coronavirus, all of their masks glowed under ultraviolet light.

☆ Moldoveanul care face film în Japonia — Moldova.org
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-29 | by ( Natalia Graur | ) www.moldova.org time to read: +10 min

În plus, în 2016, au petrecut o lună în Japonia și le-a plăcut enorm această experiență. De la zeroCând vine vorba de integrarea în Japonia, pentru John asta a însemnat integrare în comunitatea artiștilor liber-profesioniști. Sushi e o denumire generică, dar există o grămadă de varietăți, cea mai populară fiind nigiri – orez cu pește deasupra. Totuși, e o țară în care e greu și scump să fii vegetarian, dar mai ales vegan. Fotografiile/infograficele de pe platforma moldova.org pot fi preluate în număr de maxim 2 bucăți per material și doar cu menționarea Moldova.org și numele autorului/autoarei.

Persons: John Donica, John, Iulia, Lui John, napoleon, olivier, John ., Zdub, Alternosfera Locations: Kyoto, Japonia, Moldova, Europa, Tokyo, american, Italia

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