Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
National Oct 2, 2013
See the future: DoCoMo unveils glasses that translate menus as you read
Augmented reality glasses that can translate a menu in real time were unveiled at the CEATEC Japan gadget fair Monday, with promises they could be ready for visitors to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. NTT DoCoMo was showing off its latest development where cameras, computers ...
Corporate Sep 20, 2013
Handset makers brace for turbulence
by Kazuaki Nagata
With all three of Japan's top telecoms firms selling the iPhone, industry observers say handset makers are in for tough times.
Corporate Sep 20, 2013
DoCoMo's entry ups iPhone frenzy
by Kazuaki Nagata
The latest iPhone models hit store shelves Friday in Japan, drawing hordes of fans to retailers nationwide, while mobile giant NTT DoCoMo Inc. started selling the iconic handsets for the first time. Since Apple Inc. unveiled two new handsets, the iPhone 5S and 5C, ...
Corporate Sep 20, 2013
Apple's two latest iPhone models hit shelves in Japan
Apple Inc.'s newest iPhone models goes on sale Friday in Japan ahead of their debut in the United States and other countries later in the day, with NTT Docomo Inc. offering the popular handsets for the first time.
Corporate Sep 11, 2013
DoCoMo to market iPhone to win back Softbank clients
NTT DoCoMo Inc. has agreed to start selling Apple Inc.’s latest iPhones in an effort to halt the erosion of its market share by its smaller rivals. The two new models for DoCoMo’s network — a cheaper version in bright colors and an updated ...
Corporate Sep 6, 2013
DoCoMo said near deal to sell iPhones
by Kazuaki Nagata
NTT DoCoMo Inc. appears set to finally join its domestic archrivals and start providing Apple Inc.'s iPhone, beginning with the latest version.
Corporate Aug 16, 2013
NTT DoCoMo to use fuel cells at base stations in event of disaster
NTT DoCoMo Inc. will introduce environment-friendly fuel cells at cellphone base stations across the country as emergency power sources in the event of a disaster, company officials said Friday. Among its base stations, just one in Tokyo currently has fuel cells. Japan’s largest mobile ...
Corporate Jul 31, 2013
Softbank new leader in industry operating profit
Mobile phone carrier Softbank Corp. overtook longtime industry leader NTT DoCoMo Inc. for the first time in terms of first-quarter group operating profit, their April-June earnings reports show. For the first quarter of fiscal 2013, Softbank reported operating profit of ¥391 billion, up 92.3 ...
Corporate Jul 4, 2013
DoCoMo to be more choosy with smartphone campaigns this winter
NTT DoCoMo Inc. President Kaoru Kato says the top mobile phone carrier intends to focus on marketing select smartphone models this winter. The recommendations will be limited just as they are this summer, Kato said in a recent interview. This strategy, however, might prompt ...
Business May 25, 2013
DoCoMo counting on R&D to stay ahead
by Kazuaki Nagata
NTT DoCoMo Inc., despite being Japan’s biggest mobile phone carrier, has been struggling against tough smartphone competition from KDDI Corp. and Softbank Corp., which is leading in that area. But one edge that the cellphone behemoth — it has more than 60 million subscribers ...
Tech May 22, 2013
Japan's cellphone lineups for summer 2013 — fit and focused
by Kazuaki Nagata
Lean and focused would be a good way to characterize the recently launched lineups from Japan’s three top cellphone carriers.
Corporate May 17, 2013
Softbank tops DoCoMo's market cap, making it most valuable mobile carrier
Softbank Corp. has eclipsed industry leader NTT DoCoMo Inc. in market capitalization, making it the most valuable mobile phone firm on the stock market. Shares of Softbank, the parent of Softbank Mobile Corp., surged 4.56 percent to close at ¥5,960 on Wednesday, lifting its ...