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Takashi Amano
For Takashi Amano's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 18, 2015
Toshiba to use crisis for profit-building overhaul
The biggest crisis in Toshiba Corp.'s 140-year history gives President Masashi Muromachi an opportunity to push through painful reforms from layoffs to business closures, accelerating the industrial conglomerate's move away from consumer electronics.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Dec 8, 2015
The $8.6 billion Yahoo dilemma facing Japan's second-richest man
Masayoshi Son has a $8.6 billion dilemma on his hands.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 29, 2015
No-sweat risk-taker Arora lets ¥60 billion ride on SoftBank's future
It's a fall evening in Tokyo, and Nikesh Arora is supposed to be in two places at once.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 26, 2015
Sony CEO aims to build on recovery with Toshiba sensor deal
Sony Corp. is looking to expand on its dominant position in making the chips used to capture smartphone pictures, as President Kazuo Hirai makes progress in his turnaround effort at the struggling consumer electronics maker.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 16, 2015
Japan fund on $10 billion quest to discover the next Elon Musk
Toshiyuki Shiga is on a $10 billion quest to discover Japan’s top entrepreneurs, people who can found companies as globally competitive as Tesla Motors Co. and Apple Inc.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Sep 14, 2015
SoftBank's slide gives Son $13 billion reason to consider buyout
Months after Masayoshi Son is said to have shelved a plan for a management buyout of SoftBank Group Corp., there are still 13 billion reasons to take the company private.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 11, 2015
Telecoms tycoon Son considered trying to take SoftBank private this year
Billionaire Masayoshi Son considered conducting a management buyout of SoftBank Group Corp. earlier this year and entered talks with an overseas partner, according to people with direct knowledge of the plan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 17, 2015
Secret strategies of world's most lucrative apps
A few months ago, Yoshiki Watabe, a producer at Japan's DeNA Co., was looking to draw attention to the company's hit mobile game. He introduced a spiky-haired hero armed with an outsized sword — then gave players a mere four days to bring down an evil mega-corporation.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 22, 2015
How Toshiba's inability to acknowledge 'embarrassing' figures led to massive misrepresentation
"Get it done like your life depends on it."
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 1, 2015
Robots at work: SoftBank plans to take Pepper to stores, offices
SoftBank Group is promising new services for its Pepper robot that will appeal to business users and help bring the humanoid to storefronts and reception areas.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 11, 2015
'Puzzle & Dragons' maker plans expansion into game publishing
GungHo Online Entertainment Inc. plans to strike partnerships with third-party game developers and share its recipe for success as the maker of the world's highest-grossing smartphone title begins to expand into publishing.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 10, 2015
Line CEO bets on selfies and macho stamps to expand overseas
To go global, Line Corp. is getting local.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 8, 2014
Nintendo heads for a happy Christmas with Wii U revival
Nintendo Co. looks like it is finally going to be able to celebrate this Christmas.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 28, 2014
NTT Docomo seeks to lure users with new content amid iPhone push
NTT Docomo Inc., Japan's largest mobile-phone carrier by subscribers, plans to move further into the content business to differentiate itself from rivals that offer similar pricing plans and phone models.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 1, 2014
Square Enix seeks China game partners beyond Tencent, Shanda
Square Enix Holdings Co., maker of the "Final Fantasy" and "Dragon Quest" video game series, is seeking partners in China to win sales in Asia's biggest economy. The shares rose the most since February.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 18, 2014
SoftBank unveils Android-like OS for robots
Billionaire Masayoshi Son wants to create Android for robots.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 8, 2014
Nintendo to target emerging markets in '15
Nintendo, which has been struggling to win over consumers with its latest generation of game consoles, plans to expand in emerging markets with new devices starting next year.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jan 21, 2014
Nintendo chief under fire over Wii washout
Nintendo Co. President Satoru Iwata, who tripled revenue by introducing hits like the Wii console, is coming under fire from investors and analysts after the company's latest game machine flopped.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 17, 2014
Smaller is getting bigger in the satellite business
As emerging space pioneers in China and India race to the moon and Mars, private-sector startups are quietly launching satellites the size of microwave ovens that aim to satisfy much more terrestrial desires.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 4, 2013
Nintendo seen missing target as Sony, Microsoft dwarf Wii U
Nintendo Co.'s prospects for meeting its profit and sales forecasts for the year are diminishing after Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. each sold more game consoles in 24 hours than the Wii U maker did in nine months.

Longform

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