Striving to export its pop culture, Japan crosses swords with pirates Much has been made of the potential for "soft" exports to be a source of hard cash for Japan. Publishers and distributors are taking their anime cartoons, manga comics and pop music abroad. The government is in on the act, too, with 50 billion yen ($505 million) of the fiscal 2013 budget going to the so-called Cool Japan initiative - which is all about getting those cultural exports flowing.
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Yen seen continuing fall after 100-to-dollar breach Now that the yen has breached the 100-to-the-dollar mark for the first time in a little over four years, many market players believe Japan's currency will lose further ground to the greenback. Some see an exchange rate of 105 yen in the near future.
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Electric motorbikes gaining ground - but in farming and outlying areas While electric cars have recently received a lot of global attention for their small carbon footprints, electric motorbikes are quietly but steadily gaining popularity here in Japan.
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