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Nicholas Takahashi
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 17, 2023
Ispace to launch second moon mission following crash
The mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as early as the northern hemisphere winter of 2024.
Toshihiro Mibe, president and chief executive officer of Honda at the Japan Mobility Show, in Tokyo in October
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 12, 2023
Booming profits bolster Japan automakers’ cautious EV shift
The Japanese auto sector is on track this year to exceed its peak operating profit of around ¥5.4 trillion in fiscal 2015.
Toyota President Koji Sato speaks  next to an FT-3e electric vehicle at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo on Oct. 25.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 1, 2023
Toyota raises profit forecast 50% on weak yen, record sales
With an unprecedented 5.6 million vehicles sold in April-September, Toyota is on track for its 11.4 million-unit goal.
Toyota’s gigacast rear component. The company plans to employ the gigacasting technology in making electric vehicles.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 30, 2023
Tesla’s latest disruption in carmaking draws followers in Japan
Carmakers in Japan are starting to embrace gigacasting as they seek to make up for lost ground in the shift to EVs.
Toyota has suspended operations at six domestic plants following a blast at a factory run by one of its component suppliers.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 17, 2023
Toyota halts six auto plants after explosion at parts supplier
The explosion occurred Monday at Chuo Spring’s factory in Aichi Prefecture, where vehicle suspension coils are made.
Toyota's global sales and production for August hit record highs.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 29, 2023
Toyota's global sales and output hit record high in August
Global production rose 4% to a record 924,509 vehicles, including subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, the Japanese carmaker said Thursday.
BYD's Dolphin electric car during a test drive in Yokohama
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 20, 2023
BYD takes aim at Japan's EV market with new Dolphin hatchback
The base model Dolphin starts from ¥3.63 million and is equipped with a 70 kilowatt hour battery that offers 400 kilometers of range.
Self-propelled electric vehicles move through the factory floor during a demonstration of its new assembly line technology at Toyota's Motomachi plant in the city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, on Sept. 13.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 20, 2023
Toyota keeps up the push to prove it can embrace new technology
The carmaker was eager to show that it wasn’t about to sit idle as the global auto industry shifts toward electrification and automation.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Aug 25, 2023
Japan set to shoot for the moon after Russia and India missions
Success could provide the thrust JAXA badly needs to begin rebuilding its battered reputation after a series of costly setbacks over the past year.
Simon Humphries, head of design at Toyota, speaks during the world premier of the new Land Cruiser in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Aug 2, 2023
Toyota’s iconic Land Cruiser returns to North America
The world’s biggest carmaker has unveiled three variations of one of its most enduring models, starting at around $50,000.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 30, 2023
Top auto executives in Japan are paid a lot, but not as much as their U.S. counterparts
Japan boasts some of the world’s biggest carmakers, but pay packages for their executives pale in comparison to industry leaders in the United States.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Jun 16, 2023
Shareholder ire takes shine off stock rally for Toyota chairman
Akio Toyoda’s reappointment to the board this week with 85% of voted shares marked a decline from 96% last year and the lowest on record for him since 2013.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 14, 2023
Toyota shares surge most since 2020 after investors reappoint chairman
A resolution calling for greater disclosure on climate lobbying was put forward by a trio of European asset managers, but failed to find support among shareholders.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2023
Dismal sales undercut Toyota and Hyundai as they push hydrogen fuel-cell cars
Such vehicles accounted for only 0.02% of global passenger vehicle sales last year, according to a report, with sales dropping in Toyota's home market.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 30, 2023
Alternative fuels take the spotlight at Japanese endurance race
Toyota's Corolla H2 Concept, running on liquid hydrogen, crossed the finish line at Fuji International Speedway 24 hours after Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda climbed into the driver's seat.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 10, 2023
Mitsubishi Motors to stick with China despite poor sales
The automaker’s retail sales in China dropped to 32,000 units in the third quarter, and those numbers are expected to decline again for the quarter that ended in March.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 1, 2023
Toyota’s shift to electric future rests on Koji Sato’s shoulders
When announcing his leadership team in February, Sato said he intends to take a bolder and faster 'EV first” approach, promising to overhaul battery production and manufacturing platforms.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 21, 2023
China’s EV revolution shows grim future for Japan’s car titans
Although chip shortages and supply chain snarls have played a part in Japanese automakers' falling sales in China, a growing issue is the lack of attractive EV offerings.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 15, 2023
New Toyota CEO joins merit-based pay argument as inflation rises
Koji Sato, who will take over at the helm of the world’s largest carmaker next month, said the company’s goal is to become more innovative with its labor force, rather than just efficient.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Mar 10, 2023
Mitsubishi Motors plays catchup with plans for all-electric fleet by 2035
The company also said it’s aiming for sales of 1.1 million units a year and an operating profit of ¥220 billion by fiscal 2025.

Longform

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