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Takashi Mochizuki
Japan Times
BUSINESS / FOCUS
Apr 6, 2021
Why shortages of a $1 chip sparked crisis in the global economy
The trouble for the chip industry — and increasingly companies beyond tech, like automakers — is that there aren't enough display drivers to go around.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 1, 2021
Kioxia is said to focus on IPO in next few months
Kioxia could be valued at u00a53.32 trillion in the current market, said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 24, 2021
Nintendo to use faster Nvidia chips in new 2021 Switch model
The new version will support Deep Learning Super Sampling, a novel rendering technology that uses AI to deliver higher-fidelity graphics more efficiently.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 23, 2021
Nintendo teams up with Pokemon Go studio Niantic on AR apps
They will start by releasing a Pikmin app in 2021, based on the puzzle-solving series created by Nintendo's creative fellow Shigeru Miyamoto in 2001.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 15, 2021
Nintendo targets a record year in Switch and game sales
A series of marquee game releases is expected to drive software sales next fiscal year to 250 million units.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 3, 2021
Twin sisters score Japan’s hottest IPO by making mobile games for women
To the growing list of things that make gaming startup Coly Inc. unusual, it can add one of the best market debuts in recent Japanese history.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 1, 2021
Nintendo raises outlook after surpassing high expectations
Nintendo shares outperformed console rivals Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. in 2020 and the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have faced production and logistics setbacks.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 17, 2020
How scalper bots are undercutting Sony's PlayStation 5
The problem is particularly acute this year because the coronavirus has squeezed production and pushed more console sales online.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2020
Universal Studios Japan to open Nintendo theme park in February
Set to open Feb. 4, the attraction is part of a long-delayed, u00a560 billion effort to introduce Mario and other beloved characters to real-world theme park visitors.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 26, 2020
Nintendo adds Sharp as assembler of popular Switch game console
Nintendo is expected to raise its fiscal-year sales target from the current 24 million when it next reports quarterly results.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 19, 2020
Sony and Microsoft consoles struggle in launch week as stock runs thin
Factory and logistical disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic have hurt manufacturers' ability to keep up.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 12, 2020
With the PlayStation 5, Sony sees a long-term cash cow amid gaming boom
The new PlayStation is Sony's most important gadget since the Walkman, and it goes head-to-head with Microsoft Corp.'s next-generation Xbox over the holidays.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 10, 2020
Microsoft sets sights on Sony’s home turf in console clash
As the Xbox has virtually zero presence in Japan, there is plenty of room for it to increase its share of the market.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 29, 2020
Sony shares surge after boosting forecast on game demand
The hike in the firm's outlook underscores how the entertainment giant is benefiting from a global pandemic-era consumer shift.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 25, 2020
Xbox targets mobile gamers with new cloud service in Japan
Microsoft is also engaging creators in the country, distributing development kits to more than 100 of them.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 16, 2020
Sony cuts PlayStation 5 forecast by 4 million due to chip woes
Sony is widely expected to reveal its own launch and pricing plans for the PlayStation 5 during an official video presentation scheduled for Wednesday.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 10, 2020
Nintendo boosts Switch production by another 20%
The games maker has been struggling to keep up with demand for the console for most of this year, boosted by the runaway success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 4, 2020
Apple App Store draws fresh scrutiny in Japan, the epicenter of gaming
Epic Games Inc.'s decision to sue Apple over its mobile store practices sparks new scrutiny and prompts questions about how to counter the tech giant's dominance.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 25, 2020
Nintendo plans upgraded Switch console and major games for 2021
The specifications have yet to be finalized, though the company has apparently looked into including more computing power and 4K high-definition graphics.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 27, 2020
Pandemic forces digital change on Japanese companies
The coronavirus pandemic may be a drag on economies across the globe, but in Japan it’s bringing long-overdue changes in work habits and tools.

Longform

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