Though doctors are revered in Japan, a stream of scandals, including a recent one in which three inexperienced physicians were charged with killing a patient by performing complex surgery with the help of an instruction manual, have created public distrust.

ECONOMIST: Now for the bad news

It most recently copycatted Honda's march of new models in Japan: Honda's Stream minivan was matched by Toyota's Wish, its Step Wagon by Toyota's Voxy and Noah small minivans, and its Fit compact by Toyota's Vitz.

FORBES: The "Oof" Company

It sits in the middle of the Japan current, a nutrient-rich stream that feeds a stunning variety of crustaceans, tropical fish and other sealife.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Travel Watch | Detour

Solar stocks made a nice move Monday, propelled higher by a steady stream of alarming news about radiation leaks and explosions at various quake-damaged nuclear facilities in Japan.

FORBES: Japan's Nuclear Woes Won't Help The Solar Sector, Analyst Says