With the online shopping boom companies and individuals in Japan are moving on to the Internet in a big way, and where they are headed, crooks are sure to follow.

With Toronto-based Kobo, Rakuten would be able to "do an Amazon" and bypass Japan's consumption tax laws by selling Japanese-language ebooks from abroad.

"showrooming" -- web-savvy consumers check out products in physical show rooms, only to turn to their favorite shopping and price comparison websites to see if they can buy the same product cheaper elsewhere.

Already Amazon.com, iherb.com, and other foreign exporters are enjoying consumption tax-free exports to Japan, so it is only natural for Japanese firms to want to do the same.

Noritsu Koki announced that it would buy Tochigi-based telemedicine company called Doctor NET.

Given that a lot of Web content revolves around bloggers, we think the Nikkei's stance in banning blogger links is short-sighted.

Ambitious Web marketing and export logistics firms help small and medium-sized Japanese manufacturers.

Japan's Personal Import system allows for the simple import of private consumption mail order goods.

According to Symantec, the spam-busting software company, 87 percent of all unsolicited email was spam...

The Wall Street Journal's new Japanese online edition launches on December 15th here in Tokyo.