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Yuki Hagiwara
For Yuki Hagiwara's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 21, 2017
Shell to build California fueling stations to remain in step with Toyota's hydrogen program
Royal Dutch Shell will build seven fueling stations for hydrogen cars in California through a partnership with Toyota Motor, as the state eyes 100 retail sites by 2024.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 5, 2017
Chinese-owned Key Safety emerges as preferred bidder for air bag maker Takata
Key Safety Systems Inc. leads the bidding for Takata Corp., the embattled air bag maker searching for a buyer following the biggest safety recall in automotive history.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Jan 26, 2017
Abe's Trump dilemma: Getting Japan to buy U.S. cars
As Japan races to preserve U.S. trade ties after President Donald Trump withdrew from a Pacific trade pact, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces a dilemma that has plagued Japanese leaders since the 1980s: How to convince his citizens to buy American cars?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Dec 21, 2016
Honda keeps twin SUVs coming as China rewards 'badge engineering'
In China's auto market, carmakers are employing a strategy that's long been eschewed by the rest of the world: If a new model is helping you win, introduce a twin.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 31, 2016
Honda opts for Tokyo over Silicon Valley as home for AI research center
Honda Motor Co. will spearhead its artificial intelligence efforts out of a new lab in Tokyo so researchers can work closely with its engineers to commercialize the technology.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 26, 2016
Deserted Yubari tries creating new population nucleus in test case for Japan
A former coal-mining town in Hokkaido is taking unprecedented measures to combat its biggest challenge: a devastating shrinking of its population. Its success could decide the future for hundreds of other local governments waging the same battle for survival.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 5, 2016
Automakers urge Abe to act after taking ¥500 billion hit from strong yen
The automaker association asks the new Cabinet to take action in response to seesawing foreign exchange markets and the Brexit.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 4, 2016
Nissan's 'Le Cost Killer' stirs fear in Okayama factory town
Investors cheered when Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn announced in May that his company would acquire a 34 percent stake of scandal-tainted Mitsubishi Motors Corp. as part of an expanded strategic partnership.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 28, 2016
CEO taps monk training to shine way for driverless taxis
Hisashi Taniguchi used a sabbatical from developing software for driverless taxis and drones to take a pilgrimage to a Buddhist temple in western Japan. He shaved his head, donned black robes and studied to become its leader.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 13, 2016
Bridgestone CEO sees father of bride role for top team in deals
Late last year, Bridgestone Corp. CEO Masaaki Tsuya did something rare in Japanese business circles. He put corporate pride aside, and walked away from an escalating bidding war with Carl Icahn for the U.S. auto parts chain Pep Boys.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 21, 2016
Subaru CEO says carmaker will maintain Japan production focus despite stronger yen
Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the carmaker most reliant on exports from Japan, said it will stick to a strategy of producing the bulk of the company's Subaru vehicles at home as the yen strengthens.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
May 19, 2016
Mitsubishi Motors scandal was an accident waiting to happen
It's a familiar Japanese corporate ritual: a deep bow before the cameras to atone for wrongdoing. And when it comes to the art of public mea culpa, few companies can top scandal-prone Mitsubishi Motors Corp.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
May 13, 2016
How a confession turned into ¥237.4 billion bargain for Nissan
Two days before Mitsubishi Motors Corp. went public with news it had overstated the fuel economy of its cars, Chairman Osamu Masuko visited Nissan Motor Co. President Carlos Ghosn for a mea culpa. It did not take long for talk to turn from an apology to a deal.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 1, 2016
Scandal-plagued Mitsubishi Motors reliant on ASEAN as redress claims brew
Mitsubishi Motors Corp., embroiled in a car-rigging scandal in Japan, may find that its future increasingly hinges on its performance in Thailand — the automaker's biggest overseas production base.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Apr 21, 2016
Mitsubishi scandal could push firm to brink again, requiring rescue by group
Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s disclosure that it manipulated fuel economy tests risks putting it in the position of needing help from group companies to stay in business.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Apr 8, 2016
Law on women in the workforce lays bare the task ahead
As an ambitious graduate from an elite university, Kyoko Fukushima was aiming for the top when she got a job at one of Japan's big trading houses — often working late into the night alongside her male colleagues. Ten years and two kids later, she found her responsibilities downgraded to paper shuffling, so she resigned.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 16, 2016
Abenomics seen stalling with Toyota pushback against raise
To understand what Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is up against in trying to spring Japan from the deflationary trap stunting its economy, consider the pushback by its most prominent industrialist Akio Toyoda at the wage negotiating table this month.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 17, 2015
Yamaha CEO sees room to exceed targets on emerging markets
Yamaha Motor Co. may beat its profit forecasts if emerging markets hold up better than expected, according to Chief Executive Officer Hiroyuki Yanagi, speaking ahead of Wednesday's interest rate hike in the United States.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 7, 2015
Outspoken Takata investor sold all stock after losing trust in management
Takata Corp. has lost the confidence of one of its biggest former shareholders, which said the company cut off access to management and downplayed risks as its air bags spurred a record auto-safety recall.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2015
Japan's plans to fuel world's cleanest cars hitting road block
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has big plans for Japan to lead the way in clean cars. His bureaucrats are getting in the way.

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