Business | Nov 09

As yen tumbles, gadget-loving Japan goes for secondhand iPhones

Nov 09 (WION) - For years Japanese shoppers eagerly shelled out for the latest gadgets, but now a tumbling yen has put new iPhones out of reach for some and sparked a growing secondhand trade in a major market for Apple Inc.

The Japanese currency's fall to a 32-year low against the dollar has squeezed consumers and accelerated a broader spending shift in the world's no.3 economy. Industry watchers say Japan's shoppers have become more open to buying secondhand, thanks in part to the rise of online auction sites.


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After a 30-year wait, Disney enthusiasts in Gunma Prefecture finally celebrated the opening of the first Disney Store in the region, attracting a large crowd despite the brisk winds.

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Police have arrested a man in his twenties, who had previously surrendered to authorities in Tokyo, following the discovery of two burned bodies in Nasu, Tochigi, admitting to lending his car but denying involvement in the killings.

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