Japanese and worldwide popular trends according to the Gospel of Google: Google's year end 'Zeitgeist' tracks the interests of web users according to search queries submitted to the world's most popular Web search engine. This year there is a special section on Japan, but the report reveals that Internet users are still mainly interested in popular Western culture such as pop singers, celebrities and Hollywood films. The Web obviously has a fair way to go to become mainstream.

Japanese grey demographic expands: Japan has the highest proportion of 'greys', the popular market segmentation nomenclature for the elderly population, worldwide.

Japanese business and consumer sentiment up - tentatively: Advertising and market research industry growth in Japan is stagnant to slightly positive, while business awaits further evidence of a rise in consumer sentiment.

Japan way ahead of USA in wireless: Curiously enough, an economy that has been in the doldrums for over a decade is leading the way to the Dick Tracey world that we always assumed would start in the US

Japanese economy out of recession: The first quarter of 2002 saw Japan's economy growing by 1.4%. Spread throughout the year this translates to 5.7%, a better performance than the US.

Japan consumer spending still down but economy bottoming: Consumer spending in Japan remains lacklustre, and will do so until unemployment improves and salaries do a U turn. In the meantime, Japanese authorities are suggesting that their economy has bottomed out.

Cable TV industry in Japan: Better times ahead for the Japanese cable TV industry say industry leaders...