Kirin and Suntory merge

Kirin and Suntory, two of Japan's biggest beverage players are going to merge giving the companies a whopping 50 per cent share in the Japanese drinks market. Read more here.

Mad cycling skills

The Japanese are tops when it comes to multi-tasking be it sleeping and standing on trains or texting and walking. Nowhere is this facility more advanced than when riding a bicycle, I have seen girls holding umbrellas and talking on their mobile phones while nonchalantly pedalling down the street. But nothing beats the casual insouciance of this gent who cruised down a busy road near my house completely engrossed in a book with a contented smile on his face.

'Manner' madness

Train manner posters have reached newer even more dizzying heights of weird on board etiquette. This one instructs passengers not to show off their shopping while on a train. I've never been bothered by people doing this, quite the opposite, I'm nosey to find out what they bought.