Business sentiment improves in Tankan survey

The Shibuya pedestrian intersection in Tokyo, Japan. Marco Bottigelli | Moment | Getty Images Large Japanese manufacturers indicated their highest level of business optimism in over four years, despite uncertainties brought about from the Iran war. That’s according to the Bank of Japan’s quarterly Tankan survey, a closely-watched poll that measures business sentiment among domestic…

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Visits from China down 60% in January 2026

Visitors (L) dressed in kimonos look at photos they took during a visit to Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa district of central Tokyo on September 16, 2025. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images After living in Tokyo for over a year, Karin Nordin noticed something peculiar. The hot spring towns of Kusatsu and…

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