The death of a former newsreader who won acclaim for blogging about her breast cancer fight hit the headlines Saturday in Japan, with the media and officials praising her courage. Mao Kobayashi died Thursday aged 34, her husband and popular kabuki actor, Ebizo Ichikawa, said Friday at a nationally televised news conference attended by about … Read more
Takata shares plunged again Wednesday, losing almost half of their value in just three days of trading on reports the troubled Japanese airbag maker will file for bankruptcy protection and sell its assets to a US company. Takata, at the centre of the auto industry’s biggest ever safety recall, finished at 244 yen, tumbling by … Read more
Japan plans to donate retired military patrol aircraft to Malaysia, a report said Friday, as alliances strengthen in response to China’s maritime claims. The two countries are among a number in the region stepping up defence cooperation against what they see as Beijing’s aggressive stance on the high seas. Beijing insists it has sovereign rights … Read more
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to visit Japan, China and South Korea later this month to discuss Pyongyang’s nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes, local media reported on Saturday. Tillerson has so far kept a low profile and it will be his first visit to the region since he became President Donald Trump’s … Read more
Japanese brewer Kirin said Monday it would sell its Brazilian unit to Dutch beer giant Heineken for $706 million, citing a “stagnant and competitive” market. The company said it will transfer all shares of Brasil Kirin Holdings to Heineken subsidiary Bavaria SA for 2.2 billion reals. “Considering various risks associated with (the) Brazilian economy and … Read more