Media
April 2011
Kawaii Trend Dismissed
Reports saying the kawaii (cute) pop culture style is having an impact on UK youth and society were widely ridiculed on forums and by bloggers in early March.
Media
March 2011
Tongue-tied Takeaways
As “exotic” takeaways become favorite foods-to-go after a few beers on Friday nights, a survey of mispronounced dishes in the UK put a Japanese dish top, the New York Times reported on 22 February.
Media
March 2011
Glasgow Accent Comes Top
Japanese speakers of English believe that Glaswegians have the most attractive accent, ELT News reported on 9 February. The Glasgow accent came top for social attractiveness, a survey by Northumbria University found.
Media
March 2011
Tokyo Wins Green Award
Tokyo was named the greenest city in the Asia-Pacific, The Independent reported on 17 February. Consulting firm Solidance evaluated CO2 emissions, energy usage, transport facilities, air quality, water, waste treatment, green space and environmental governance.
Media
Solar Batteries for Homes
Panasonic Group will supply solar batteries to British Gas, the Nikkei business daily reported on 15 February. In 2010, the UK developed a “roof lease” scheme whereby British Gas installs solar panels at no or low cost to householders, who then get free electricity. British Gas claims the Feed In Tariff pays owners of solar panels for the “renewable” electricity generated.
Media
March 2011
Four Firms in Tech Deal
Softbank Mobile Corporation announced it would tie up with the Vodafone Group, China Mobile Limited and Bharti Airtel Limited to exploit next-generation communication technology, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on 15 February. The partners believe cooperation across the four countries will boost sales.
Media
March 2011
Pharma Announces Buyout
Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co. said it will buy Scottish pharmaceutical product maker ProStrakan Group plc for £292 million, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on 22 February.
Media
Olympic Camp Claim Mystery
Media
March 2011
Museum Manga
An English-language release of Professor Munakata’s British Museum Adventure, a manga created by the celebrated Yukinobu Hoshino, will be published, the animenewsnetwork website announced on 9 February.
Media
March 2011
NHK Airs Techno Experiment on Family
The Sullivan-Barnes family from Reading took part in an experiment to see how they could live without the technology of the past 30 years, NHK reported on 17 February.
Media
Training Mitsui Executives
Media
March 2011
Schools Blamed for Low Ranking
Cardiff University ranked Japan low and Britain high in the biggest global survey on knowledge of pregnancy and sterility, the Mainichi Shimbun reported on 14 February.
Media
February 2011
Devon Club Wants Kagami Cash
A director who owns a controlling stake in English League One strugglers Plymouth Argyle is under fire from fans after a dismal campaign, financial woes and for rarely visiting the club or speaking to the media, the BBC reported on 15 January.
Media
February 2011
Death Penalty Debate
Today is International Human Rights Day, wrote Ambassador David Warren in his British Embassy Tokyo blog on 10 December.
Media
February 2011
Health Service Changed
The national health system has been fundamentally changed for the first time in 60 years to save £10bn, the Nikkei reported on 24 January.
Media
February 2011
Banks Invest in Africa
Barclays Capital and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation will help finance a $127 million seven-year deal with South Africa’s biggest telecommunications firm, Telkom SA, Engineering News reported on 21 January.
Media
February 2011
N-plant Deal for Wales
A Toshiba Corporation consortium has won an order to build a nuclear-power plant in the UK, Sankei Biz reported on 20 January.
Media
February 2011
Firm Recalls 19,000 Cars
Toyota Motor Corporation is recalling nearly 19,000 cars in the UK due to potential problems with their fuel systems, The Sun reported on 27 January.
Media
February 2011
New Urban Car
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited announced a price of about £31,000 for its Cygnet urban car that is based on the Toyota IQ compact, Goo-net reported on 24 January.
