Business and Economy
Japan REITs clouded by uncertainty over post-Kuroda BOJ
Foreign investors are starting to shun Japanese real estate investment trusts, bracing for a change in the ultraloose monetary policy that has underpinned the market as Bank of Japan Gov. Haruhiko Kuroda nears the end of his term in April. ≫
TSMC set to revitalize small farming town in Japan
Japan's rural areas have suffered the brunt of a declining population, but one small town in the Kyushu region set for revitalization with the construction of a new Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) plant could set the example for change. ≫
Isetan Mitsukoshi's overseas retreat quickens with China closure
Japanese department store operator Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings will close its Chengdu Isetan store in China's Sichuan Province at the end of December, Nikkei has learned. ≫
Japan's hotels and retailers eagerly await return of tourist cash
With Japan's reopening to foreign tourists on Friday, June 10, the tourism industry and retailers have high hopes for a rebound in travel spending, but staff shortages and tight entry restrictions mean a real recovery is likely still some way off. ≫
Tokyo 'financial hub plan' fails to lure funds leaving Hong Kong
Japan's dream of turning Tokyo into a new hub of international finance is fading, even as Hong Kong hedge funds scramble to find a new home in Asia. ≫
Tokyo hotels win hearts and wallets with unique style
After a building spree in the run-up to the Olympics, the coronavirus pandemic has forced Tokyo hotels to shift focus from quantity to quality, offering more satisfying experiences to stand out in a crowded, cutthroat market. ≫
KKR nears deal to buy Hyatt Regency Tokyo
Odakyu Electric Railway is in talks to sell its Hyatt Regency Tokyo hotel to U.S. private equity firm KKR, Nikkei has learned, as the Japanese railway operator reevaluates its asset holdings amid the protracted coronavirus pandemic. ≫
Nintendo heirs eye Kyoto revitalization project around HQ-turned-hotel
Nintendo's founding Yamauchi family will redevelop the neighborhood around the company's former headquarters in Kyoto, eyeing restaurants, an art gallery and more. ≫
Hoshino Resorts to open Japan-style hot springs in North America
Hoshino Resorts, the Japanese hospitality company known for its ski slopes and hot springs, has set its sights on the overseas market after opening a string of hotels at home during the COVID-19 era. ≫
Blackstone homes in on Asia as it nears $1tn asset target: COO
lackstone is committed long-term to the Asia, President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Gray told Nikkei, outlining plans to ramp up investments in the growing region while acknowledging potential market risks that face China and the rest of the world. ≫
Hulic to build luxury 'ryokan'-style inn in Ginza
Hulic will open a luxury ryokan -- a traditional Japanese inn -- in Tokyo's Ginza district in 2025, the latest sign that companies are betting on a strong rebound in travel demand as governments around the world relax COVID-19 restrictions. ≫
NTT ties up with Australian fund Macquarie in data center investment
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone is partnering with Australia's Macquarie Asset Management to jointly own data centers in Europe and the U.S. so that the Japanese telecommunications giant need not shoulder the entire investment alone amid booming global demand. ≫