News Topic - Japan
Articles 71 - 80 of most recent articles
Japan urging China to improve investment climate - report
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japan is urging China to step up efforts to improve its investment environment, citing lack of transparency in administrative proceedings as a reason for declining Japanese direct investment on the mainland, according to the Nikkei business daily report Tuesday. China and Japan had agreed on an action plan in May, with the former promising to keep Japanese companies posted on the status of their construction and other applications. The two countries also agreed to set up a judicial system to handle intellectual property disputes. Tokyo is considering surveying Japanese firms in China about Beijing's compliance with the action plan and may notify the results to the Chinese government if progress isn't noticed, the report added.Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.
MarketWatch.com – Jul 22, 2008 02:56 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Business: Markets
HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japan is urging China to step up efforts to improve its investment environment, citing lack of transparency in administrative proceedings as a reason for declining Japanese direct investment on the mainland, according to the Nikkei business daily report Tuesday. China and Japan had agreed on an action plan in May, with the former promising to keep Japanese companies posted on the status of their construction and other applications. The two countries also agreed to set up a judicial system to handle intellectual property disputes. Tokyo is considering surveying Japanese firms in China about Beijing's compliance with the action plan and may notify the results to the Chinese government if progress isn't noticed, the report added.Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.
MarketWatch.com – Jul 22, 2008 02:56 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Business: Markets
NYC: Honoring the Man Who Helped Open Japan to the West
A group of visitors traveled from Japan to Brooklyn to pay homage to Townsend Harris, who helped spell the end of more than two centuries of their country’s self-imposed isolation.
New York Times – Jul 22, 2008 01:04 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: New York: New York
A group of visitors traveled from Japan to Brooklyn to pay homage to Townsend Harris, who helped spell the end of more than two centuries of their country’s self-imposed isolation.
New York Times – Jul 22, 2008 01:04 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: New York: New York
Japan's Mobile-content Market Hit US$100B in 2007
PC World - The value of ring tines, music and other content sold through cell phones in Japan broke the US$100 billion mark in 2007.
Yahoo! – Jul 22, 2008 12:50 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
PC World - The value of ring tines, music and other content sold through cell phones in Japan broke the US$100 billion mark in 2007.
Yahoo! – Jul 22, 2008 12:50 AM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Another view: Roboticist Noel Sharkey on Wall-E
I don't believe in the idea of independent thinking robots. Artificial intelligence is about making machines that can appear intelligent to humans, but they are not self-aware. I've been working in artificial intelligence for 30 years, and there is no glimmer of that. I have a robot called eMo, which can recreate human expressions, but I look at WALL-E with envy. Its whole face consists of nothing more than two camera bodies, but the animators have used them to create the whole range of human expressiveness. I would love to have created that. Eve, the more futuristic robot that WALL-E falls in love with, was just as expressive, but I was distracted by its ability to float. I didn't understand it at all as a machine, so that rather ruined the plausibility. WALL-E, on the other hand, was very plausible. Don't forget this is a story set 800 years in the future; a robot that can collect and compact garbage doesn't seem all that unlikely. But why give it a personality, goals and desires? The implication was that WALL-E had developed its character over time, but how? Even if it was programmed as a learning robot, it had no one to learn from. It was abandoned for 700 years, the last inhabitant of a deserted earth. If you left a human alone for that long, they would go completely crazy. There is nothing remotely like WALL-E in robotics, not yet, but the expressive robot is the direction we are heading towards. There's a whole field called HRI - Human Robotic Interaction. The film takes us several steps further and suggests a terminally lazy society completely controlled by service robots. Unfortunately, this really is the direction we are taking. There are robots caring for the elderly in Japan now. I don't want that sort of life. I don't want to be lifted and carried by robots. I wouldn't mind having one in the kitchen, though. · Noel Sharkey is a professor of robotics and artificial intelligence at Sheffield University. WALL-E is on general release.Related StoriesEmily Bell: If Google should falter, how many others will follow?Solve IT: How can I chat to people with different Instant Messenger applications?Paul Lewis on why Bluetooth technology is raising fears about privacyNetbytes: Girl Power blogger takes Singapore by stormMedia: Das Wikipedia - online resource goes into print
The Guardian – Jul 21, 2008 11:06 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
I don't believe in the idea of independent thinking robots. Artificial intelligence is about making machines that can appear intelligent to humans, but they are not self-aware. I've been working in artificial intelligence for 30 years, and there is no glimmer of that. I have a robot called eMo, which can recreate human expressions, but I look at WALL-E with envy. Its whole face consists of nothing more than two camera bodies, but the animators have used them to create the whole range of human expressiveness. I would love to have created that. Eve, the more futuristic robot that WALL-E falls in love with, was just as expressive, but I was distracted by its ability to float. I didn't understand it at all as a machine, so that rather ruined the plausibility. WALL-E, on the other hand, was very plausible. Don't forget this is a story set 800 years in the future; a robot that can collect and compact garbage doesn't seem all that unlikely. But why give it a personality, goals and desires? The implication was that WALL-E had developed its character over time, but how? Even if it was programmed as a learning robot, it had no one to learn from. It was abandoned for 700 years, the last inhabitant of a deserted earth. If you left a human alone for that long, they would go completely crazy. There is nothing remotely like WALL-E in robotics, not yet, but the expressive robot is the direction we are heading towards. There's a whole field called HRI - Human Robotic Interaction. The film takes us several steps further and suggests a terminally lazy society completely controlled by service robots. Unfortunately, this really is the direction we are taking. There are robots caring for the elderly in Japan now. I don't want that sort of life. I don't want to be lifted and carried by robots. I wouldn't mind having one in the kitchen, though. · Noel Sharkey is a professor of robotics and artificial intelligence at Sheffield University. WALL-E is on general release.Related StoriesEmily Bell: If Google should falter, how many others will follow?Solve IT: How can I chat to people with different Instant Messenger applications?Paul Lewis on why Bluetooth technology is raising fears about privacyNetbytes: Girl Power blogger takes Singapore by stormMedia: Das Wikipedia - online resource goes into print
The Guardian – Jul 21, 2008 11:06 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Technology
Thief makes off with 160 live eels
KANI, Japan, July 21 (UPI) -- The owner of an eel restaurant in Japan said he thinks 160 live eels were stolen from a water tank behind his business.
United Press International – Jul 21, 2008 4:07 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Offbeat
KANI, Japan, July 21 (UPI) -- The owner of an eel restaurant in Japan said he thinks 160 live eels were stolen from a water tank behind his business.
United Press International – Jul 21, 2008 4:07 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Offbeat
Over 15,000 Star Wars fans gather
It's been 30 years since the first film opened in Japan in 1978.
WWLP.com – Jul 21, 2008 4:03 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Massachusetts: Springfield
It's been 30 years since the first film opened in Japan in 1978.
WWLP.com – Jul 21, 2008 4:03 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Massachusetts: Springfield
Japanese Peace Cruise To Dock In Tampa For Repairs
A cruise ship chartered by a Japan-based organization that promotes peace will arrive in Tampa today and disgorge about 900 passengers as the ship undergoes repairs to its hull.
The Tampa Tribune – Jul 21, 2008 4:03 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Florida: Tampa
A cruise ship chartered by a Japan-based organization that promotes peace will arrive in Tampa today and disgorge about 900 passengers as the ship undergoes repairs to its hull.
The Tampa Tribune – Jul 21, 2008 4:03 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Local: Florida: Tampa
Ikaria's INOflo (Nitric Oxide) for Inhalation Approved in Japan
Read full story for latest details.
PR Newswire – Jul 21, 2008 12:36 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories: Press Releases
Read full story for latest details.
PR Newswire – Jul 21, 2008 12:36 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories: Press Releases
Magnitude 6.1 quake jolts northern Japan
TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted northern Japan on Monday at 1130 GMT (7:30 a.m. EDT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Reuters – Jul 21, 2008 12:13 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in World
TOKYO (Reuters) - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted northern Japan on Monday at 1130 GMT (7:30 a.m. EDT), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Reuters – Jul 21, 2008 12:13 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in World
Strong quake hits northern Japan, no tsunami
AP - Japan's weather agency says a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 struck off the northern Japanese coast. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Yahoo! – Jul 21, 2008 12:02 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories: Weather
AP - Japan's weather agency says a strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 struck off the northern Japanese coast. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Yahoo! – Jul 21, 2008 12:02 PM [GMT] ¦ comment?
found in Top Stories: Weather