Japan smokers will pay more

Rising materials costs may hit Japan consumers in their front pockets, as Japan Tobacco eyes hiking prices for the first time in 14 years.

JT expects profit to fall to $3 billion this year, its first drop in 8 years.

Source: Reuters, Dan Sloan reports.

Japan - Love for Roses

Tens of thousands gather for a rose and gardening show on the outskirts of Tokyo.

An estimated 250,000 visitors are expected to visit the Tenth International Rose and Gardening Show over five days. The rose does not have a long history in Japan compared to the chrysanthemum or the cherry blossom, which are Japan's "national flowers", but its popularity is definitely blooming!

Source: Reuters, Michelle Carlile-Alkhouri reports.

Japan and Earth Quakes

Earth Quake is quite common in Japan. During my initial days, when I feel that something shaky, I suspected it my wrong judgement. I never disclosed that sometimes I feel like the earth shivering. Since I have a back pain, I attributed those shakes to my bad back. One day Mr. Balasan, the man who is behind my coming over to Japan, asked me whether I felt an quake last day. Then only I could realize that it is common in Japan and nobody seems to bother much.

These are the news I read from Mainichi Daily News about the mild quakes on July 5, 2008.

A fairly strong earthquake jolted Ibaraki Prefecture Saturday afternoon, the Meteorological Agency said. There was no immediate report of casualties or damage to property, police said. No tsunami warning was issued following the quake.

The temblor that struck at 4:49 p.m. registered lower 5 on the 7-point Japanese intensity scale in Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, and 4 in wide areas of southern Ibaraki Prefecture and southern Tochigi Prefecture.

The focus of the earthquake, which is estimated at 5.1 on the open-ended Richter scale, was located about 50 kilometers below the seabed off Ibaraki Prefecture.

Fairly strong quake jolts eastern Hokkaido

A fairly strong earthquake jolted eastern Hokkaido on Thursday morning, the Meteorological Agency said. There was no immediate report of casualties or damage to property, police said. No tsunami warning was issued following the temblor.

The temblor that struck at 8:41 a.m. registered 4 on the 7-point Japanese intensity scale in Urakawa and Hiroo and 3 in Niikappu, Shin-Hidaka, Erimo and Kushiro.

The focus of the earthquake, which is estimated at 5.3 on the open-ended Richter scale, was located about 60 kilometers below the seabed off Urakawa, the agency said.