Business / Corporate | ANALYSIS May 27, 2019
Nissan, tied to a Renault-Fiat merger, would face a much less independent future
The carmaker may find itself tied to an even bigger gorilla.
Maiko Takahashi
For Maiko Takahashi's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Business / Corporate | ANALYSIS May 12, 2019
Carlos Ghosn's successor, Hiroto Saikawa, under siege from within as Nissan profit sinks
Nissan chief Hiroto Saikawa finds himself under pressure from several angles, including a drop in company profits and slumping U.S. sales.
National Sep 2, 2018
Elderly women to bear the brunt of Japan's spending cuts
As Japanese society ages and the government cuts social welfare spending, older women are bracing for the impact. "The only people who can enjoy living until 100 are those who have enough money and family," said Setsuko Betsui, a 78-year-old woman living in Saitama, who ...
Business Sep 2, 2018
In aging Japan, Nestle begins pivots from candy bars to personalized nutrition, taking beverage capsules to next level
The company that brought you milk chocolate, Maggi instant noodles and Rocky Road ice cream is worried about your health. Nestle SA, the world's largest food company, has joined the trend for personalized nutrition with a blend of artificial intelligence, DNA testing and the modern ...
Business Aug 23, 2018
What would a 40% cut to phone bills mean for Japan's mobile carriers?
Japan's mobile carriers have come under government scrutiny for high phone bills that have helped bring years of enviable profit margins and given them a combined market value of more than $250 billion. One of the most senior figures in government raised the possibility of ...
Business / Corporate Aug 2, 2018
146-year-old cosmetics firm Shiseido gets makeover to woo millennial buyers
Shiseido Co., the beauty company that's 146 years old, is giving itself one big makeover. To attract more coveted consumers in their 20s and 30s, the company is overhauling its entire Shiseido makeup line and discontinuing almost 100 products. It's being replaced with a new ...
Business Jul 22, 2018
Green light for casinos offers jackpot to Japanese companies
Let the competition begin. Now that Japan has enacted a law outlining a road map for casino resorts, foreign operators from Las Vegas Sands Corp. to MGM Resorts International can start to seek out partners in their bid to tap a gaming market that may ...
Business Jul 13, 2018
Uniqlo finds success abroad, downplays trade war risk
Fast Retailing Co. shares climbed the most since January on signs that the retailer's steady expansion in overseas markets, now headlined by the face of Roger Federer, is bearing fruit even in the face of risks from an escalating trade dispute. The Uniqlo operator drew ...
Business / Corporate Jun 13, 2018
Takeda CEO talks about Shire acquisition and the future integration of the firms after Japan's biggest outbound takeover
Christophe Weber says growth and innovation are the metrics for success in Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s $62 billion purchase of Shire PLC. The first order of business is bringing global shareholders around to Japan's biggest-ever outbound takeover. The Takeda CEO is facing a 21 percent drop ...
Business / Corporate Jun 11, 2018
Kirin Holdings wants its aging customers to eat more healthily
Seeking growth beyond a shrinking beer market, Kirin Holdings Co. is turning its attention to making people healthier. The second-largest beer-maker in the country aims to reach ¥100 billion in sales of food and beverages aimed at appealing to wellness concerns in the next two ...