Japan News

A Recurrence of Recalls; ‘PIGS’ in a Poke; Lloyd’s Powers on; Haiti Now Faces Floods and Hurricanes

First Toyota, then Honda – who’s next? 2010 is not starting out as a good year for car companies. Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. was already in the process of recalling approximately 8 million vehicles, due to problems with the accelerator …

Lloyd’s Analyzes Lurking Danger of Active Volcanoes

An article on the Lloyd’s web site (www.lloyds.com) points out that there are “around 1,500 active volcanoes in the world and, although deadly eruptions are rare, they can cause devastation to people and property over a wide area, leaving huge …

Honda Adds 437,000 Cars to Global Faulty Air Bag Recall

Honda Motor Co. is adding 437,000 vehicles to its 15-month-old global recall for faulty air bags in the latest quality problem to hit a Japanese automaker. The company will replace the driver’s side air bag inflator in the cars because …

Special Reuters Report: Inside Toyota’s Epic Breakdown

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s most dominant and profitable automaker, was not accustomed to outsiders telling it what to do, let alone some obscure bureaucrat from the United States, whose own car industry was on taxpayer-funded life support. But in …

Toyota Adds Prius to Global Recall List; Brake Problems Cited

Toyota Motor Corp said it is recalling nearly half a million of its flagship Prius and other hybrid cars for braking problems as it seeks to address criticism over the handling of its worst safety crisis. The world’s largest automaker …

Bermuda Signs Tax Pact with Japan

Bermuda’s Minister of Finance, the Hon. Paula A. Cox J.P., M.P., announced that the island has signed a bilateral agreement with Japan that provides for a full exchange of information on criminal and civil tax matters between the two countries. …

Congress to Probe Toyota Recalls

Congressional investigators Thursday sought documents from Toyota Motor Corp and U.S. safety regulators about a pair of safety recalls the automaker was racing to address. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman said he would hold a hearing next …

Tragedy in Haiti; XL Moves to Ireland; NYC Exchange Doesn’t Worry London; WEF Prepares for Davos

The tragedy in Haiti is a reminder of how fragile life can be in developing countries.Despite the massive loss of life and widespread destruction in and around the capital Port-au-Prince, vital rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of …

U.S. Senate Vote Dims Hopes for Stronger World Climate Pact

Hopes for stronger world action in 2010 to curb climate change have dimmed after the U.S. Democrats lost a key Senate seat to a Republican opposed to capping emissions, experts said Wednesday. The election of Republican Scott Brown, an opponent …

S&P:No Downgrades for Financials, Insurers from Japan Airlines Bankruptcy

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services stated that its ratings on Japan’s financial institutions and insurance companies “would be unaffected by the debt forgiveness requested by Japan Airlines Corp. (JAL) to lenders as part of its bankruptcy procedures under the Corporate …