Hi, Robot: Japan's android pets ease coronavirus isolation

Smart home assistants such as Amazon's Alexa have found success worldwide, but tech firms in Japan are reporting huge demand for more humanlike alternatives, as people seek solace during coronavirus isolation. Here's a look.

As pandemic took hold, suicide rose among Japanese women

Last year saw more women, but fewer men, take their own lives in Japan. For women there, the pressures of Covid-19 have been compounded.

Naomi Osaka beats Jennifer Brady in Australian Open finals; equals Roger Federer, Monica Seles' elite Open era record

Japan's Naomi Osaka dismissed Jennifer Brady in straight sets to win the Australian Open and became only the third player after Monica Seles and Roger Federer to win their first four major finals.

Japan's Naomi Osaka beats Jennifer Brady to win Australian Open final

Osaka edged a tight first set and broke twice in the second to win 6-4, 6-3 in 77 minutes in front of thousands of fans at Rod Laver Arena.

Severe winter exposes energy vulnerability across the globe

A scramble for gas has led to LNG prices and charter rates shooting up

Japan economy shrinks for the first time since 2009

The world’s third-largest economy shrank 4.8 percent last year, its first annual contraction since 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis.

Japanese researchers may have found cure for baldness, hair loss

The RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research scientists may have found a solution to restore hair growth with the help of stem cells.

Strong 7.3-quake rattles east Japan, no tsunami risk

The quake produced powerful shaking along parts of Japan's eastern coast, and was felt strongly in Tokyo, but triggered no tsunami alert.

ICICI Bank, MUFG Bank tie up for serving Japanese corporations operating in India

Both the banks signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for collaboration towards catering to the banking requirements of Japanese corporates present in India, as per an official statement.

AstraZeneca applies for COVID-19 vaccine approval in Japan

The Japanese government in December signed a contract to procure 120 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, enough for 60 million people.

Olympics organisers unveil virus rule book for Tokyo Games

Japan expected to extend COVID-19 state of emergency

The government will decide on the extension after a meeting of its experts panel on Tuesday, with the emergency period in prefectures including the Tokyo area expected to run for another month, the sources said.

PM Yoshihide Suga says Japan determined to hold Olympics this summer

Amid speculation the event might be cancelled again due to the coronavirus pandemic, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday the IOC was fully committed to it going ahead.

Israel to vaccinate all athletes for Tokyo Games by May

Israel, however, currently leads the world on per capita vaccinations, having inoculated 29 percent of its population with at least one dose.

Japan likely to hit COVID-19 herd immunity in October, months after Olympics: Researcher

Rasmus Bech Hansen said Japan will not reach a 75 percent inoculation rate, a benchmark for herd immunity, until around October, about two months after the close of the Summer Games.

Tokyo Olympics 'unlikely', says London 2012 official

Japanese and International Olympic Committee officials remain adamant the 2020 Games, already postponed for a year, will go ahead in July and August despite the ongoing health crisis.

Centre, Japan sign MoU to enhance cooperation in 5G, Telecom Security, Submarine Optical Fiber Cable

The agreement was signed by Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota via a video conference.

This is how one Elon Musk tweet made stock of a Japanese toymaker jump

Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. saw its stock jump 4.4 percent in Tokyo on Wednesday after Elon Musk sent out a meme via Twitter that featured one of the characters from its Idolmaster franchise.

Japan tops list of world’s most powerful passports 2021. Check which countries made top 10 here

The latest Henley and Partners Passport Index of 2021 is out, and India has secured the 85th rank on it.

Fraught history haunts Japan's COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said he would be among the first to be vaccinated for COVID-19, in an apparent attempt to bolster lukewarm confidence about the jab.

New coronavirus variant found in travellers from Brazil: Japan government

The new variant is different from those first found in Britain and South Africa, although the three of them share some common mutation, said Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

80% want Tokyo Games cancelled or delayed: Japanese survey

The survey found 35.3 percent want the Games to be cancelled and 44.8 percent favoured another delay.

India signs Rs 2,113 crore loan pact with Japan to support COVID-19 relief efforts

The loan aims to support India’s efforts to provide coordinated and adequate social protection to the poor and vulnerable across the country against the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tokyo Olympics 'safe and secure' despite virus emergency: Organisers

"This declaration of emergency offers an opportunity to get the COVID-19 situation under control and for Tokyo 2020 to plan for a safe and secure Games this summer, and we will proceed with the necessary preparations accordingly," organisers said in a statement.

What does a new state of emergency mean for Japan?

The month-long declaration is not nationwide. It affects four neighbouring areas that account for much of the rise in Japan's caseload: Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama.