Japan's embattled Prime Minister, Taro Aso, will call a general election for 30 August, after his party lost a key vote in Tokyo on Sunday.
Tokyo is a fantastic city at any time of year, but there are some annual events you won't want to miss. Here are some of the city's seasonal highlights.
From luxury hotels in colossal tower blocks to traditional "ryokan" and functional capsule hotels, there's plenty of variety in Tokyo's hotel scene.
Japanese films dominated the 2009 Asian Film Awards, as Kiyoshi Kurosawa won Best Film and Best Screenwriter for "Tokyo Sonata."
Tokyo is a huge and often confusing city for travelers, but with these tips you needn't be daunted by the Japanese capital.
Yume-Hotaru's first novel was a best-seller in Japanese bookstores, and he wrote it entirely with his thumbs.
Asian and Pacific stocks slid Tuesday, with Tokyo's benchmark index ending down more than 2% and Hong Kong dropping 3%.
Tokyo's Nikkei tumbled more than 4 percent by the midday break Tuesday amid a string of negative economic news showing massive job cuts and sagging industrial production.
Canadian Jean Snow moved to Asia to study Chinese in Tianjin, China, but departed for Tokyo after falling for a Japanese woman, who is now his wife. Since 2002, Jean's excellent blog Jeansnow.net has been keeping tabs on design and pop culture in Tokyo. Here he writes for CNN about life in the Japanese capital.
For a world-class shopping experience you should head to glitzy Ginza. As well as flagship fashion outlets, the area boasts one of the city's best department stores, Mitsukoshi (4-6-16 Chuo Dori). The real treat here, as at many Tokyo department stores, is the fantastic basement-level food hall ("depachika"). For the complete Mitsukoshi experience, there's an ever bigger store in Nihombashi.
Japan's embattled Prime Minister, Taro Aso, will call a general election for 30 August, after his party lost a key vote in Tokyo on Sunday.
Tokyo is a fantastic city at any time of year, but there are some annual events you won't want to miss. Here are some of the city's seasonal highlights.
From luxury hotels in colossal tower blocks to traditional "ryokan" and functional capsule hotels, there's plenty of variety in Tokyo's hotel scene.
Japanese films dominated the 2009 Asian Film Awards, as Kiyoshi Kurosawa won Best Film and Best Screenwriter for "Tokyo Sonata."
Tokyo is a huge and often confusing city for travelers, but with these tips you needn't be daunted by the Japanese capital.
Yume-Hotaru's first novel was a best-seller in Japanese bookstores, and he wrote it entirely with his thumbs.
Asian and Pacific stocks slid Tuesday, with Tokyo's benchmark index ending down more than 2% and Hong Kong dropping 3%.
Tokyo's Nikkei tumbled more than 4 percent by the midday break Tuesday amid a string of negative economic news showing massive job cuts and sagging industrial production.
Canadian Jean Snow moved to Asia to study Chinese in Tianjin, China, but departed for Tokyo after falling for a Japanese woman, who is now his wife. Since 2002, Jean's excellent blog Jeansnow.net has been keeping tabs on design and pop culture in Tokyo. Here he writes for CNN about life in the Japanese capital.
For a world-class shopping experience you should head to glitzy Ginza. As well as flagship fashion outlets, the area boasts one of the city's best department stores, Mitsukoshi (4-6-16 Chuo Dori). The real treat here, as at many Tokyo department stores, is the fantastic basement-level food hall ("depachika"). For the complete Mitsukoshi experience, there's an ever bigger store in Nihombashi.
Last year, the Michelin guide's first foray into Tokyo left the city with some 190 Michelin stars, compared with 95 in Paris and 50 in London and New York. Of course, that's partly down to the sheer number of eateries in Tokyo -- estimated at more than 180,000 establishments -- but it's also testimony to the reverence Tokyoites have for fresh ingredients prepared with the utmost care.
Tokyo has a dynamic and varied nightlife, although, as with the city's restaurants, many of the best bars are tucked away off the beaten track.
Tokyo may not be traditionally beautiful and it has few historic sights, but it is undeniably spectacular. You'll want to walk around the city, feeding off the incredible energy, rubbernecking at the skyscrapers and marveling at the sheer "Tokyoness" of it all.
Tokyo was known as Edo until 1868, but it's hard to imagine that this high-rise, high-tech metropolis could possibly have existed in a time before electricity and concrete. Tokyo isn't just a futuristic city; it's the place that has shaped our vision of what the future will look like.
Most Asian stocks were lower on Tuesday, a day after record-breaking lows that also saw U.S. main indices down, while Europe reined in earlier losses to contain the damage.
Asian stocks tumbled Thursday, with Tokyo's market plunging more than 11 percent, after another dive on Wall Street as worse-than-expected data about the U.S. economy heightened fears of a global recession.
Most Asian markets bounced back Wednesday on hopes that a $700 billion bailout for the U.S. financial system will soon win legislative approval in Washington, although doubts persisted about the long-term outlook for the global economy.
H&M has arrived in Japan, seeking to woo a notoriously expensive consumer market with the same cheap prices for fashionable items that have made the Swedish retailer a hit in the U.S. and Europe
A monkey stopped morning commuters in their tracks at one of Tokyo's busiest subway stations this week, as it curiously peered down at them from its perch atop the departures and arrivals board.
A man ran over a group of people with his truck and then stabbed 18, killing at least 7, in a video game district of downtown Tokyo Sunday afternoon, according to a Tokyo fire official.
A passenger who landed at Tokyo's Narita airport over the weekend has ended up with a surprise souvenir courtesy of customs officials -- a package of cannabis.
Hundreds of pro-Tibet demonstrators protested in Tokyo on Tuesday as Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived for the first state visit by a Chinese president in nearly a decade.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger: That should be the motto for anyone doing PR for a car company these days. Luckily for Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan, he has the ultimate spin doctor at his side. Simon Sproule, a Brit based in Japan, traverses the globe ensuring that the world pays proper attention to Nissan's ongoing revival.
This month CNN Business Traveller checks out one of Tokyo's most recent tourist attractions, samples lunch from a vending machine and takes a futuristic boat for the best views of Japan's capital.
The edo-ko, the natives of Tokyo, have a special gift: an ability to push the envelope, to innovate, to pioneer. That was certainly true of Shu Uemura, who went from being the only man in his Tokyo beauty school class to Hollywood makeup legend to international entrepreneur. In convention-worshiping Japan, he defied convention -- and made his name and fortune by doing so.
This month CNN Business Traveller checks out one of Tokyo's most recent tourist attractions, samples lunch from a vending machine and takes a futuristic boat for the best views of Japan's capital.
Video courtesy APWill Smith made a dramatic entrance to his Japanese promotional tour for I Am Legend, but went for laughs once inside.
The fashion icon talks to TIME's Kate Betts about his new fashion emporium in the Japanese capital
For nearly two decades the Tokyo Motor Show reigned as one of the world's two or three elite auto expositions, drawing daringly original concept cars and spectacular new production vehicles. Top auto executives from three continents prowled the floors to see what their competitors were up to.
Heavy rains and strong winds lashed Tokyo on Friday as a typhoon-turned-tropical storm headed north after killing one person, injuring more than 40, and cutting power to tens of thousands of homes. At least three people were missing.
An embarrassed Japanese government has cut the subsidy, but a Tokyo TV company said on Friday it would carry on making a striptease news show with sign language for hearing-impaired viewers.
The global concert series was a target for cynics, but it should be measured by its political impact, not its carbon footprint
A congressional resolution on women forced into prostitution by theJapanese military highlights Tokyo's evasion
TOKYO -- The last time two heroes from Japan clashed in a much-anticipated head-to-head match-up in the major leagues, Hideo Nomo plunked Ichiro Suzuki in the back. The Seattle Mariners right-fielder fell to his knees in pain, and Tokyo gasped.
Looming 60 miles from Tokyo, Japan's immense, symmetrical, 12,388-foot peak all but taunts even mild adventurers to conquer it. Plenty accept the challenge: On just about every day during the July-August climbing season, thousands of mainly greenhorn hikers hit the trails, cheering each other on with cries of "Gambatte!" ("Hang in there!")
THE CARPET OF SUSHI-GRADE TUNA lining the floor of Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market offers a tempting display of the day's catch for wholesalers willing to bid tens of thousands of dollars for a specime...
Martina Hingis began her quest for a record fifth Pan Pacific Open title with a crushing 6-1 7-5 win over Australia's Nicole Pratt in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Kenyan Sammy Korir, the holder of the world's second fastest time, will spearhead a group of invited runners at next month's Tokyo men's marathon, organizers said on Wednesday.
Tokyo is the place where the rest of the world goes to imagine how the future might look -- a megalopolis of some 30 million consumer-citizens that renders most science fiction redundant. The electronic and economic brain of the world's most technologically advanced society, the Japanese capital glows in a neon haze that blurs the boundaries between hyper reality and virtual reality. For the first time visitor, arriving in Tokyo can feel like you're tripping on LCD screens. Bombarded by information, advertising and commerce, Tokyo fulfils the maxim that capitalism abhors a vacuum. There's a reason Tokyo has embraced modernity with such dedication. The city was destroyed twice during the 20th century, first by earthquake and then by firebombs. Tokyoites await the next "big one," aware that they will probably have to rebuild parts of their city once again in the near future -- a factor that perhaps explains Tokyo architects's post-war preference for brutalist concrete. Visit the city's shrines and temples t
World number one Roger Federer has been playing to large crowds even before he has struck a ball in anger at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
Japanese shares gained ground Monday as clothing chain operator Fast Retailing and tire-maker Bridgestone scored large gains. Morning blackouts in Tokyo followed by a shutdown of the benchmark Nikkei stock index failed to dampen sentiment.
Tokyo' s main electric utility may sue construction companies whose equipment knocked out power lines Monday morning and caused a blackout that affected more than a million homes and companies, according to reports.
The mayors of Tokyo and the southern city of Fukuoka have submitted rival bids to host the 2016 Olympics to the Japan Olympic Committee.
Where can you find the best sushi in Tokyo? Which is your favorite piece of art by Takashi Murakami or Japanese manga/anime character? Send us your ideas and suggestions and we'll post your comments below.
Do you have an inside tip on life in the Japanese capital? Send us your own suggestions and comments below.
Check out The Scene's recommendations for the Japanese capital and send us your own suggestions and comments below.
The Scene: How does Tokyo inspire your work?
The Midtown Manhattan branch of Megu, set to open in April on the ground floor of the new 90-story Trump World Tower, will feature much of what you've come to expect from a celebrity chef's latest ...
TOKYO, (Reuters) - The Nikkei average rose 0.13 percent on Monday morning, paring earlier gains as some exporters, such as Sony Corp., were sold after the yen rallied to a one-month high against the dollar.
For the first time in nearly a generation, Tokyo no longer ranks as the world's most expensive city, according to a survey released Tuesday by the Economist Group.
Share markets were mixed to lower across Asia Friday , with Tokyo dragging the region down as traders booked profits during a holiday- shortened session ahead of an extended New Year's break.
The high performance, hectic schedules and late nights demanded of jet-lagged business travelers are a recipe for poor sleep.
The debate over the best medium-term solution for cleaner cars looks set to lengthen as auto executives in Japan for the Tokyo auto show this week discussed more, not fewer, options for weaning cars off oil.
Asian markets generally rose Monday as two of the largest exchanges, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng, were closed for holidays.
A powerful typhoon has made landfall near Chiba city, east of the Japanese capital Tokyo, on Friday morning, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency.
Tokyo indices closed at four-year highs as crude-oil prices eased slightly and U.S. equities gained ground.
A farm in the middle of a busy financial district might seem like a strange concept, but that is exactly what you will find under one skyscraper in downtown Tokyo.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for Beijing and Tokyo to calm their flare-up, even as plans are afoot for more anti-Japanese protests in China this weekend.
Relations between China and Japan continue to cool after Beijing attacked Tokyo's decision to issue drilling rights in a disputed area of the East China Sea.
Japan says it will allow companies to test drill in a disputed area of the East China Sea, a move likely to further anger Beijing at a time of strained ties.
Asian stocks closed mostly lower on Thursday, with falling commodity prices pushing Australian stocks lower and Tokyo giving up early gains.
Tokyo stocks slipped early Friday as investors cautiously awaited key events including a series of earnings reports from major Japanese companies later in the day.
Japan's Meteorological Agency has cleared a tsunami warning it issued for the country's eastern coastline after a strong undersea earthquake.
Tokyo stocks opened moderately higher Friday following Wall Street's overnight gains.
A major earthquake in Tokyo could cause up to 13,000 deaths, according to a new report by a government disaster management group.
New York City's epicurean elite flew into a tizzy when Masa, a restaurant at the new Time Warner Center, began charging $400 a head for a meal. But that's a pittance compared with what a Tokyo hote...
If you are wondering how the latest technology, including biometric identification, could affect your Asian business travel experience, visit Tokyo's Narita airport.
Tokyo stocks slipped for a second straight day Friday as tech issues such as Fujitsu, NEC and Kyocera lost ground. Banks also were weaker.
Japanese stocks are lower at midday Tuesday after Wall Street declined. Techs, banks and carmakers are in the red.
Asian stocks closed broadly higher Thursday, with optimism about technology stocks outweighing concerns about high oil prices.
Japanese stocks turned around Wednesday afternoon to close higher, as investors shrugged off concerns about high oil prices and the domestic economy.
Japanese stocks are mainly lower at midday Wednesday as investors weigh high oil prices and fresh concerns about the domestic economy.
Asian stocks are slightly higher in choppy trade at midday Tuesday, following falls in U.S. and European markets and another day of record highs for oil prices.
Asian markets are sharply lower Wednesday afternoon, led by hefty falls in Tokyo as investors sell technology issues in line with Wall Street's losses.
Most Asian markets are slightly higher at midday Tuesday as investors welcome Wall Street's resilience in the face of a terror alert, but Tokyo is in the red.
Are costumed Chihuahuas the next Hello Kitty? If so, credit Loic Bizel with the prediction. Three years ago, Bizel, 32, quit his job as a fashion merchandise agent for a French company in Japan to ...
Asian markets closed mainly lower Thursday, dragged down by a fall of almost 2 percent in South Korea.
Real Madrid's promotional tour of Japan got off to a worrying start on Wednesday when Brazilian striker Ronaldo limped out of a training session.
Tokyo stocks are mixed at midday Wednesday after banks rose on reports two big groups would enter merger talks.
Tokyo stocks recovered to close slightly higher Tuesday after early falls that followed the decline among high-technology shares on Wall Street.
Tokyo stocks are lower Tuesday after high-technology shares suffered on Wall Street. The dollar is higher against the Japanese yen.
Tokyo stocks closed higher Monday, following gains for high-technology shares on Wall Street Friday.
Tokyo stocks are slightly higher at midday Monday after high-technology shares rose on Wall Street Friday.
Asian markets closed mixed Friday, with Tokyo fighting back into the black and a solid gain of 2 percent for South Korea.
Tokyo's consumer price index fell 0.1 percent year on year to 97.4 in June, according to preliminary data released Friday by the Ministry of Public Management.
Japanese big banks led Tokyo's market to a higher close Thursday after a ratings upgrade from Standard & Poor's.
Japanese big banks are leading Tokyo's market higher at midday Thursday after a ratings upgrade from Standard & Poor's.
Tokyo led Asian markets to a mainly higher close Wednesday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan downplayed inflation fears and said interest rate increases would be "measured."
Asian markets are broadly higher at midday Wednesday after U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan downplayed inflation fears and said interest rate increases would be "measured''.
Japan has again closed lower Tuesday on weaker techs and banks, but other Asian stocks have recovered from early falls.
Expensive living is yours for the taking if you're an ex-pat living in Tokyo, London and Moscow.
South Korea tumbled and Tokyo stocks finished lower Friday after closing at a six-week high the previous day.
Tokyo stocks are pushing ahead at midday Friday after closing at a six-week high the previous day.
Asian stocks closed mainly higher Monday, but lingering worries about the price of oil and its impact on global growth kept gains in check.
Japanese stocks are slightly higher at midday Friday, recovering a little of the previous day's 3 percent fall, but other Asian markets are down.
Asian stocks are mainly lower at midday Thursday as Japan and South Korea resume trading after holidays this week.
A big fall in banking stocks pushed the Japanese market to a lower close Monday.
Japan's stock market closed sharply lower Friday over political uncertainty following the capture of three Japanese civilians by militants in Iraq.
Tokyo shares closed at their highest level in 32 months on Thursday and other Asian indices were slightly firmer, but growing violence in Iraq spurred doubts about the outlook for the dollar.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 average has topped the key 12,000 mark in early trade Tuesday before easing back below Monday's close.
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