The Tokyo Metropolitan Government considers aging buildings and the risk of fire more threatening than parts of Tokyo built on newly reclaimed land (such as Odaiba).

Based on before-and-after cost estimates for Olympic cities since 2002 it appears that none of them came in on budget. Thus we see no reason to think that the Japanese will be any more competent in managing costs.

Coffee shops are particularly interesting because their role has changed from that of smoky dens for salesmen out of the office and killing time, to that of fashionable internet-connected meeting places.

All Nippon Airlines announced a net loss of JPY6.6bn for the first quarter of the year amidst the 787 Dreamliner groundings, rising fuel costs on the weaker yen, and losses booked from its failed joint venture with AirAsia.