JAPAN

Akira Yoshizawa is considered the grandmaster of modern origami and his paper folding skills were celebrated with a Google doodle today, marking his 101 birthday.

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook northern Japan Wednesday east of Tokyo, causing a small tsunami on the northern coastline.

An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck northern Japan Wednesday evening and a tsunami warning has been issued.

Google celebrated the 101st birth anniversary of Akira Yoshizawa, the grandmaster of the ancient Japanese art of paper folding called Origami, through a doodle made of folded papers.

The Bank of Japan’s decision to extend its support for lending to growth sectors rather than add to its Asset Purchase Program (APP) on Tuesday appears to have disappointed some but was the outcome that had looked most likely according to Capital Economics.

Yahoo! Inc.'s (NASDAQ:YHOO) stock may be valued too cheaply by the market, according to Dan Loeb, a New York-based hedge fund manager.

Europe is undermining drug innovation by cutting prices, raising barriers to new medicines and freeloading off others in Asia and the United States who are more willing to pay, the boss of Pfizer, the world's largest drugmaker, said.

The U.S., the European Union and Japan will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization, which arbitrates international trade disputes, on Tuesday over Chinese export caps on rare earth minerals used in high-tech manufacturing, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Shares of Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) rose slightly after the company sued Facebook for alleged patent infringement. Facebook denied the charges in a statement but has not filed a legal response.

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues about the intensity of consumer spending and before a monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

The European Union, United States and Japan formally asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday to settle a dispute with China over Beijing's restriction on exports of raw materials, including rare earth elements critical to major industries.

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues on the level of consumer spending and before a policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

The U.S. will join Japan and the European Union for pressing the World Trade Organization to force China for loosening its restrictions on exports of rare-earth minerals.

The Obama administration is all set to file a case against China's export restrictions on rare earth at the World Trade Organization.

Japan's Nikkei average breached 10,000 for the third straight session before trimming gains to 0.9 percent Tuesday, lifted by defensive buying as investors looked for signs of further easing from the Bank of Japan.

Yahoo, the No. 2 search engine that just hired a new CEO, could threw a wrench into Facebook’s proposed $5 billion initial public offering by suing for patent infringement.

On Sunday, many world leaders addressed the anniversary of Fukushima, an event that not only brought tremendous sadness but also a debate on the safety and future of nuclear energy programs.

Japanese officials estimate that the total cost of reconstruction will total about 23 trillion yen over the next decade.

Apple had unveiled the new iPad on Wednesday March 7 and had announced that device will go public on Friday March 16. However, the latest announcement is that the pre-ordered tablets will not ship for 2-3 weeks as demand for the new tablet has been “off the charts.” So if you’re one of those who want to be among the first to get your hands on Apple’s shiny new toy, get ready to brave the legendary jam-packed crowds at Apple stores this Friday. Or buy the cheaper iPad 2 instead.

Japan's Asahi Kasei Corp will buy U.S. medical equipment maker Zoll Medical Corp for $2.21 billion as it looks to build a globally competitive healthcare business and reduce its reliance on its chemicals and fibers operations.

Asahi Kasei Corp., a Japanese chemical manufacturer, agreed to acquire Massachusetts-based medical device and software maker Zoll Medical Corp. for about $2.21 billion, as it looks to expand its global presence and develop a leading position in the critical care.