Tokyo

Toyota to lower production, slash managers' bonuses

Toyota LogoTokyo - Japanese carmaker Toyota said Tuesday it is cutting back production of luxury cars and slashing bonus payments for thousands of managers as a result of declining sales.

Toyota said it was reducing production of Lexus cars at two plants in Tahara in central Japan and Miyakawa in the south-west of the country on December 24 and 25.

Night shift work will also be partially halted in January at the two plants, which mostly assemble cars for export, the company said.

Toyota also plans to cut the winter bonus payments of about 8,500 managers by around 10 per cent.

Japanese brewery claims to have the world's first "space beer"

Japan FlagTokyo - A Japanese brewery claimed Tuesday it has produced the world's first space be

Unknown son emerges as contender to take over from Kim Jong-il

North Korea airs footage of Kim Jong IlTokyo, Dec. 2 : A previously unknown son of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il may be emerging as a contender to replace him when he dies, according to reports.

"Until now the in-fighting appeared to have been between two factions representing Kim''s two sons, Kim Jong Nam and Kim Jong Chol, but there are now reports of another son coming forward," The Telegraph quoted Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor of international relations at Tokyo''s Waseda University and an expert on North Korean affairs, as saying.

Japanese central bank sets emergency measures to encourage lending

Japanese central bank sets emergency measures to encourage lendingTokyo - The Japanese central bank Tuesday decided on emergency measures to support Japanese companies hit by the global financial crisis.

The central bank's eight-member Policy Board agreed in an extraordinary session on a set of policies aimed at encouraging banks to offer loans to companies facing cash problems as a result of the crisis.

The board also decided to leave the short-term interest rate unchanged at 0.3 percent.

Nikkei follows Wall Street losses in early trading

Nikkei follows Wall Street losses in early trading

Tokyo stocks close lower on general economic concerns

Tokyo stocks close lower on general economic concerns Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks ended trading lower on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 Stock Average losing 115.05 points, or 1.35 per cent, to close at 8397.22 points.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down by 7.35 points, or 0.88 per cent, at 827.47 points. Traders said markets were still hit by general concerns about the world economy.

On currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 95.32-37 yen, up from Friday's 5 pm quote of 95.29-32.

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