japan

Japan sewers clean up their act

London - Muslimchronicle

Japan's sewerage industry has found a way to clean up its dirty and smelly image: elaborately designed and colourful manhole covers with 12,000 local varieties nationwide -- including, of course, a Hello Kitty design. Appealing to a Japanese love of detail and "kawaii" ("cute"), bespoke manhole covers adorn the streets of 1,700 towns, cities and villages across Japan and haveRead more

Abe visits memorial to 'Japanese Schindler'

Kaunas - Muslimchronicle

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday visited a memorial to a Japanese diplomat who saved 6,000 European Jews from the Holocaust by issuing visas from war-torn Lithuania, in defiance of Tokyo. Abe visited the two-storey building, now a museum, that housed the consulate where Chiune Sugihara worked in the Baltic state's second city Kaunas. "The courageous humanitarian act of Mr Sugihara is highlyRead more

Japan's 'Virtual Currency Girls' debut

Tokyo - Muslimchronicle

Japan's latest "idol" band, the Virtual Currency Girls, took to the stage for their debut concert Friday to educate the public about cryptocurrencies -- playing to frenzied fans waving their arms and chanting together. "Our brains are fried as we are studying every day" about virtual currencies, said the group's leader Rara Naruse, 18, as they began their live concert inRead more

Uniqlo fashions strong profits

Tokyo - Muslimchronicle

Japan's Fast Retailing said Thursday that sales at its Uniqlo stores abroad had outstripped domestic demand for the first time, as Asia's biggest retailer delivered quarterly earnings that beat market expectations. Driven by a strong performance in China and the wider Asia region, overseas sales at the cheap-chic Uniqlo chain soared by nearly one third to 258 billion yen ($2.3 billion), just beating theRead more

Top Japan canoeist banned for 'evil' drink spiking

Tokyo - Muslimchronicle

Japan's anti-doping body has banned a top canoeist for eight years after he spiked a rival's drink with a banned substance to boost his own chances of selection for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Japan Anti-Doping Agency slapped sprint canoeist Yasuhiro Suzuki, 32, with the eight-year ban, the Japan Canoe Federation announced Tuesday, slamming his offence as "extremely evil". AccordingRead more

Koi story: priceless Japanese fish make a splash

London - Muslimchronicle

Hand-reared for their color and beauty, koi carp have become an iconic symbol of Japan that can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and even participate in fishy beauty contests. The nation’s koi carp were brought to the world’s attention when visiting US President Donald Trump was snapped unceremoniously dumping the last of a box of feed into a palace pond in TokyoRead more

Bitcoin: Big in Japan

Tokyo - Muslimchronicle

Known as "Miss Bitcoin" on Japanese social media, Mai Fujimoto says she invests all of her savings in the virtual currency that has proved a huge hit in Japan. "I convert all my disposable income into cryptocurrency," the 32-year-old tells AFP. "I've been doing this for nearly a year now. I convert all my savings into cryptocurrency instead of puttingRead more

Murray, Nishikori out of Australian Open as injury list grows

Melbourne - Muslimchronicle

Former world number one Andy Murray and Japan's Kei Nishikori pulled out of the Australian Open Thursday as a host of top names battle to be fit for the year's first Grand Slam. Murray, 30, had failed to recover from a hip injury sustained last year and has not played since losing in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last July, while Nishikori hasRead more

Struggling Westinghouse Electric sold to Brookfield for $4.6 bn

Georgia - Muslimchronicle

Financially-troubled Westinghouse Electric announced Thursday it agreed to be sold to Brookfield Business Partners for $4.6 billion, pending approval by a US bankruptcy court. Westinghouse, owned by Japan's Toshiba since 2006, has faced deep losses due to its stalled nuclear business, including cancelled plants in South Carolina. As a result, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2017. Brookfield,Read more

Japan emperor greets New Year well-wishers

Tokyo - Muslimchronicle

Japan's Emperor Akihito on Tuesday delivered his traditional New Year address with tens of thousands of well-wishers flocking to the Imperial Palace for one of the last such occasions before he abdicates next year. It was the final New Year appearance alongside Akihito for Princess Mako, his eldest granddaughter, who is scheduled to wed her college sweetheart in November and leave the royalRead more