Tokyo 

Tokyo  - Japan's hottest new idols are busy not only brushing up their appearances, but also their inner beauty by cramming on East Asian history to maintain the title of reki-doru or history-buff idols.

The erudite idol genre grew from the popularity of a Japanese video game focusing on the nation's 15th and 16th centuries war-time era and popular manga comics depicting China's Romance of Three Kingdoms. This has helped boost clientele, according to Japan's business daily, The Nikkei.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday on renewed concerns about the economy of the United States, a major export market for Japan.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 110.71 points, or 1.33 per cent, to close at 8,213.22. The index gained more than 5 per cent Tuesday after the US government announced a bail-out plan for the struggling Citigroup Inc.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 14.36 points, or 1.73 per cent, at 817.22.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks ended Wednesday morning trading lower on renewed concerns about the economy of the United States, a major export market for Japan.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 108.27 points, or 1.3 per cent, to trade at 8,215.66. The index gained more than 5 per cent Tuesday after the US government announced a bail-out plan for the struggling Citigroup Inc.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 14.03 points, or 1.69 per cent, at 817.55.

Tokyo - Asian stock markets rebounded Tuesday after gains on Wall Street spurred by the US government's bailout plan to save the banking giant Citigroup Inc.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average surged more than 5 per cent on Wall Street's overnight rally and a weaker yen, which increases exporters' overseas earnings.

The Nikkei index soared 413.14 points, or 5.22 per cent, to close at 8,323.93.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 3.6 per cent at 831.58.

Tokyo - Having grown up during years of economic slumps and now seeing their country in a recession, young Japanese are bucking their national image of being globe-trotters and are preferring to stay at home.

Home is not only more comfortable, but overseas travel has lost the allure that it used to have.

"The number of young Japanese [customers] has dropped notably in the last years, and that's crucial for us," said Yumi Isozaki, a spokeswoman for the Japan Association of Travel Agents.