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Japanese firms' inflation expectations drop amid lower oil prices

​Japanese firms expect inflation to rise at a rate less than predicted three months ago, in a sign that faith in the central bank's reflationary efforts is waning, statistics from the Bank of Japan (BOJ) showed Tuesday.

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SCO stresses regional economic growth, backs Chinese proposals

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) concluded its prime ministers' meeting in central Chinese city of Zhengzhou by promising to boost regional economic cooperation.

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JSC begins talks on new 2020 Olympics stadium design bids, logo selection process restarts

​The Japan Sport Council (JSC) on Tuesday began three days of deliberations with experts including the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) and athletes who will provide their input on two designs proposals that have been shortlisted to be the main stadium for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo.

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China embraces "blossoming season" of its proactive major-country diplomacy

With roughly two weeks left before year's end, China is embracing a "blossoming season" of its proactive foreign diplomacy.

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Sex, love and robots: is this the end of intimacy?

Except Futurama’s 2001 episode “I Dated a Robot”, with its post-apocalyptic world of silvers and blues, wildly overes​timated how long it would take before this fear became flesh.

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China's local gov'ts eye "Belt and Road" construction in 2016-2020

Nearly 20 provincial governments in China have rolled out their local development plans for the 13th Five Year Plan period from 2016 to 2020, with their focus on the "Belt and Road" construction, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Friday. Under their development plans, they attach great importance to infrastructure construction in transportation industry and construction of industrial parks.

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China specifies major economic tasks for 2016

​The Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday unveiled its major economic tasks for 2016, the first year of the country's 13th Five-year Plan.

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Belt & Road initiative drives economic rejuvenation of SCO countries

Loaded with 200 tonnes of cargo, a freight train leaving south China's Guangzhou today will arrive in Moscow 18 days later, having traveled more than 7,000 miles through Eurasia.

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Alibaba announces acquisition of HK's SCMP Group media assets

China's e-commerce giant Alibaba Group on Friday announced its acquisition of the South China Morning Post (SCMP), a major English newspaper in China's Hong Kong.

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New Zealand's new trade minister to make WTO debut in Kenya

​Incoming New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay will be seeking to secure market access, particularly for agriculture, at next week's World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks in Nairobi.

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Japan to launch X-ray astronomy satellite after 2 months

​Japan will launch an X-ray astronomy satellite atop an H-2A carrier rocket in February next year, as an effort to elucidate the structure of space and its evolution.

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S.Korea, Japan to hold director-general meeting on wartime sex slavery

South Korea and Japan will hold a director general-level meeting next week in Tokyo to discuss issues on Japan's sex enslavement of Korean women during World War II, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

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Russian FM calls on U.S. to stop sanctions to mend ties: newspaper

Russia would like to renew its relationship with the United States provided that the latter stops backing economic sanctions against Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published by La Repubblica newspaper on Thursday.

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Beijing mulls relaxing residency rules for migrants

Beijing has issued a draft regulation to allow migrants to claim permanent resident permits or "hukou" based on a points system, local authorities said Thursday.

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China's cabinet wants stock listing reform

​An executive meeting of the State Council, or China's cabinet, passed a draft document for registration-based stock listing reforms on Wednesday.

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Finland to tighten policies on asylum seekers

​The Finnish government published its action plan on asylum policies on Tuesday, sending a clear message of tightening up amid the ongoing refugee crisis.

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Myanmar, Japan to cooperate in construction industry

Myanmar Constructors Association and Japan-Myanmar Association for Industry of Housing and Urban Development will cooperate in housing development, production of building, materials and construction sector, according to the association Tuesday.