Japan

[ad_1] The head of Japan's biggest business lobby Keidanren on Tuesday called for wage hikes this year that exceed the inflation rate, setting the tone for annual wage talks that may pave the way for the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to exit its ultraeasy monetary policy.At stake in this year's spring negotiations between trade unions and large Japanese firms, analysts say, is whether wages will rise far enough to ignite […]

[ad_1] LONDON/DETROIT – Volkswagen, whose drive to develop a "solid-state" electric car battery with U.S. startup QuantumScape has been dogged by delays, is casting its net wider in pursuit of the potentially game-changing technology.The German auto giant is holding talks with France's Blue Solutions, which already produces solid-state batteries for Daimler electric buses, about adapting the design for cars, said a source with direct knowledge of the discussions.VW and Blue […]

[ad_1] A Korean Air airliner "struck" an empty Cathay Pacific plane while taxiing at a snow-hit Japanese airport on Tuesday, with both airlines saying there were no injuries.The incident at New Chitose Airport serving Sapporo came two weeks after a near-catastrophic collision at Tokyo's Haneda Airport between a Japan Airlines airliner and a smaller coast guard plane."Our aircraft, which was stationary at the time with no customers nor crew onboard, […]

[ad_1] No. 1 maegashira Wakamotoharu was the man of the hour on a day of surprises Tuesday, the third day of the 15-day New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, when sumo's top four wrestlers were all put under the gun.A day after taking down yokozuna Terunofuji, Wakamotoharu (2-1) bounced back from a weak opening to drive ozeki Takakeisho from the ring to his first defeat at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.Forced back on […]

[ad_1] Melbourne – Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka lost to world No. 8 Holger Rune of Denmark in the men's singles first round of the Australian Open tennis tournament Tuesday. Rune won 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 at Melbourne Park's Rod Laver Arena. With Nishioka's loss, all seven Japanese competitors have been eliminated from singles play. Former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who is coming back after giving birth to her first child, […]

[ad_1] Uniqlo, part of Fast Retailing, sued Shein in Japan, accusing the Chinese retailer of copying its popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag. The entities that operate the Shein brand must immediately cease sales of "imitation products” and compensate for damages, Fast Retailing said in a statement Tuesday. The bag, sold for around ¥1,500 in Japan, has become a global hit, with Uniqlo warning consumers about counterfeits and similar products being […]

[ad_1] Tickets will go on sale for Major League Baseball's March season-opening series between two-way star Shohei Ohtani's new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the San Diego Padres, on Jan. 26 in South Korea where the games will be held, Yonhap News Agency said Tuesday. South Korean streaming service Coupang Play is the exclusive streaming platform for the March 20 and 21 games in Seoul. The company does not […]

[ad_1] Melbourne – Iga Swiatek survived a tough test against former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin to reach the second round in Melbourne on Tuesday as Carlos Alcaraz prepared to make his bow.The Polish world number one came through 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 against the player she beat to win her first Grand Slam title, at the French Open in 2020.In-form Swiatek, 22, twice came back from a break down in […]

[ad_1] Shohei Ohtani has been appointed baseball game ambassador by Konami Group’s content unit to mark the 30th anniversary of video game series Power Pros and the 20th anniversary of spinoff Professional Baseball Spirits. The appointment follows Ohtani’s signing of a $700 million 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December. The contract — the biggest in Major League history — helped support shares of some of the athlete’s […]