Toyota says to sell 9.7 mn vehicles this year, up 22%Toyota said Wednesday that it expects to sell 9.7 million vehicles globally this year, up 22 percent from 2011 as Japan's biggest automaker accelerates a recovery after last year's natural disasters.
27 December 2012
China and emerging powers to pay more for UN China, Brazil, India and other emerging powers agreed to major increases in their United Nations payments as the global body hammered out a new budget deal this week to avoid its own fiscal cliff.
26 December 2012
Hawkish Abe to be named Japan's next prime minister Japan's conservative leader Shinzo Abe is to be named as the country's new prime minister Wednesday, after he swept to power on a hawkish platform of getting tough on diplomacy while fixing the economy.
Japan's new China envoy urges stronger economic ties Japan's new envoy to China urged stronger economic ties with Beijing in an interview broadcast Monday, after the incoming premier pledged to mend bilateral ties strained by a bitter territorial row.
24 December 2012
Japan's incoming PM pledges to mend ties with China Japan's incoming premier Saturday pledged to seek a thaw in ties with China after a report said he will send a special envoy on a fence-mending mission to Beijing.
22 December 2012
Mitsubishi expands oil leak recall to 1.7 mn vehicles Mitsubishi Motors on Wednesday widened a recall over an oil leak issue on vehicles sold in Japan to about 1.7 million vehicles, prompting a rebuke from the country's transport ministry.
Group defiant over US ban on tackling Japan whalers US conservation group Sea Shepherd vowed Tuesday to fight a US court order to stay at least 500 yards away from Japanese whaling ships, and to keep protecting whales "with our ships and our lives."
19 December 2012
Toyota shares hit highest level this year Toyota shares on Tuesday jumped to their highest level this year, boosted by a weaker yen and after a report said the firm was on track to be the world's biggest automaker in 2012.
18 December 2012
Japan election candidates make final pitches Hundreds of candidates vying for a seat in Japan's parliament made their final pitches on Saturday in an election expected to see the return of the country's old guard.
15 December 2012
Candidate, 94, uses funeral fund for Japan election A 94-year-old man who cashed in his funeral savings to use as an election deposit was out canvassing for votes Friday, just two days ahead of Japan's general election.
Japan scrambles fighters for China plane Japan scrambled fighter jets on Thursday after one Chinese state-owned aeroplane entered airspace over islands at the centre of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing.
14 December 2012
World leaders face big challenges in 2013 Barack Obama is back and China has a new leader in Xi Jinping, but world leaders face heavyweight issues in the coming year, from lingering economic crises to bloody tumult in the Middle East.
13 December 2012
Japan utilities dive on atomic plant shutdown fears Shares in Japanese power companies plunged Tuesday after a panel of experts said one of the nation's nuclear plants may sit over an active seismic fault, raising fears it would have to be scrapped.
12 December 2012
Activists convert Japanese boat for whaling campaign Activists aiming to halt Japan's whaling fleet Tuesday revealed their new weapon for their latest Antarctic campaign -- a US$2 million ship once owned by the government in Tokyo.
11 December 2012
Hundreds queue up for Wii U debut in Japan Hundreds of people queued up at electronics shops across Japan Saturday as Nintendo released its new Wii U game console, hoping to reposition itself in a gaming market invaded by online social games.
08 December 2012
Beer is good for you: study finds anti-virus powers Consuming large quantities of a key ingredient in beer can protect against winter sniffles and even some serious illnesses in small children, a Japanese brewery said citing a scientific study.
07 December 2012
Japan eyes reduced emission cut target: official Japan may backpedal on its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter, an official said Wednesday, dealing a further blow to already deadlocked global warming talks in Doha.