Latest Japan Headlines

All the headlines from our Japan Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Security Analysts Warn About Terrorism Risk After Fukushima Meltdown

Jul 2 2013 // Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, whose 2011 meltdowns dislocated 160,000 people, may provide a new blueprint for terrorists seeking to inflict mass disruption, security analysts said at a United Nations...

Best Affirms Mitsui Sumitomo’s U.S. Subs Ratings; Upgrades Aioi Nissay U.S.

Jun 3 2013 // In conjunction with its affirmation of the parent company, A.M. Best Co. has also affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and the issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “aa” of...

Best Affirms Mitsui Sumitomo Ratings; Upgrades Aioi Nissay Dowa

Jun 3 2013 // A.M. Best Asia-Pacific Limited has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of ‘A+’ (Superior) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa” of Japan’s Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company...

China to Study Possibility of Joining U.S-Led Trade Talks

Jun 3 2013 // China will study the possibility of joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade talks, the Commerce Ministry said on Thursday, signaling its openness to the U.S.-led trade pact.“We will analyze the pros and...

Tokyo Prepares for a 1-in-200-Year Flood to Top Sandy

Jun 3 2013 // Tokyo, the world’s most populated metropolis, is building defenses for the possibility of a flood in the next 200 years that could dwarf the damage superstorm Sandy wrought on the U.S. East Coast.Japan’s...

Insurers, Banks Leveraging Trade Talks to Change Dodd-Frank

May 23 2013 // U.S. bankers and insurers are trying to use trade deals, which can trump existing legislation, to weaken parts of the Dodd-Frank Act designed to prevent a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis.While the companies say they...

Commentary: Accounting for Non-Modeled Sources of Loss

May 23 2013 // The purpose of modeling is to anticipate the likelihood and severity of catastrophes so that companies can prepare for their financial impact — before they occur.The evidence suggests that, for the most part,...

Abe Faces Uphill Task in Boosting Foreign Investment in Japan

May 20 2013 // Japan risks missing, yet again, an opportunity to use foreign investment to help fuel sustained economic growth that has eluded it for the last two decades.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to make Japan “the...

Japan Nuclear Agency Halts Test Reactor Over Safety

May 16 2013 // Japan’s nuclear watchdog announced Wednesday that the nation’s trouble-plagued next-generation test reactor will not be allowed to restart due to safety violations, dealing a setback to the country’s...

Willis North America Appoints Japan Global Practice Group Co-Leaders

May 13 2013 // Willis North America has named Brian Murphy and Hiromoto Ushiki as North American Practice co-leaders of the Japan Global Practice Group.Murphy and Ushiki assume the position previously held by Junji Hamada who retired in...

RIMS Conference in LA Risks No Loss of Subject Matter

May 6 2013 // Renewal of the Terrorism and Risk Insurance Act was a much talked about topic at the annual Risk and Insurance Management Society conference, a four-day event in Los Angeles, Calif. in late April that included panels...

First Confirmed Japanese Tsunami Debris in California

Apr 29 2013 // A barnacle-covered fishing boat that washed ashore this month in Crescent City, California, has been confirmed as the first debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan to reach California’s shores.The National Oceanic...

White House Formally Notifies Congress of Japan Free-Trade Talks

Apr 26 2013 // President Barack Obama’s administration on Wednesday notified Congress it will start free-trade talks with Japan, bringing the world’s third-largest economy into U.S.-led negotiations on a regional free-trade...

Nevada Quake Lab Has New $4M Research Project

Apr 25 2013 // The University of Nevada’s world-renowned earthquake laboratory has launched a nearly $4 million research project aimed at making nonstructural parts of buildings more earthquake proof.Engineers at the school’s...

RIMS in Southern California Touts Risks

Apr 22 2013 // Risk managers will play a greater role in strategic planning in the near future, according to a report issued on Monday.That was among the plethora of risk related information delivered at the annual Risk and Insurance...

Japan, U.S. Agree on Tokyo Joining Trans-Pacific Trade Talks

Apr 12 2013 // Japan and the United States have agreed on a deal to allow Tokyo to join talks on a U.S.-led Asia-Pacific free trade pact that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is making a keystone of his strategy to open Japan’s economy...

Japan Carmakers Recall 3.4 Million Vehicles for Takata Airbag Flaw

Apr 11 2013 // Four Japanese automakers including Toyota Motor Corp and Nissan Motor Co are recalling 3.4 million vehicles sold around the world because airbags supplied by Takata Corp are at risk of catching fire or injuring...

Dryad Maritime Welcomes Japan Plan to Allow Armed Guards on Ships

Apr 10 2013 // Dryad Maritime, a UK-based commercial maritime intelligence company, has welcomed the Japanese government’s plans to submit legislation that will permit the carriage of armed guards on Japanese-flagged vessels.The...

Ironshore International to Enter Japanese Market through its Lloyd’s Syndicate

Apr 8 2013 // Ironshore International, a subsidiary of Ironshore Inc., announced that its Lloyd’s Pembroke Syndicate has been authorized by the Japanese Financial Services Authority to offer Representations & Warranties...

Analysts Say Asia-Pacific Trade Talks Could Stretch Well into 2014

Apr 4 2013 // Free-trade talks between the United States and 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region could stretch into late next year, especially if Japan joins the negotiations, former U.S. trade officials said on...