Business Aug 20, 2020
Japanese trading giant Itochu edges traditional rivals by shunning energy and metals
Itochu is shattering the old pecking order led by Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo by extending its lead as the nation's most valuable trader.
National / Social Issues Jan 7, 2020
First female on century-old Komatsu's board calls on women in Japan to lean in
Kuniko Urano is the first, yes, the very first woman board member of Komatsu Ltd., a 98-year-old company that is the world's No. 2 construction and mining equipment maker. The path that Urano, 63, took to the boardroom and the reason she's still a solo ...
Business / Corporate Oct 6, 2019
World's first self-styled space trader scopes out a $43 billion industry
The business of manufacturing and launching small satellites is projected to grow almost fourfold over the coming decade to $42.8 billion, creating an opportunity for those seeking to profit from increased commerce between companies in the industry. One of them is Masatoshi Nagasaki, the world's ...
Business / Corporate May 31, 2019
Nippon Steel's reinvention of its namesake metal could make car bodies 30% lighter
Imagine the weight of 24 elephants bearing down on a tiny spot the size of a postage stamp. That's how much pressure Nippon Steel Corp.'s strongest metal can withstand. The firm is pushing the envelope in order to stay relevant as the auto industry, its ...
Business / Corporate | ANALYSIS Dec 7, 2017
Kobe Steel scandal may open doors for rivals, spurned suitors
The worst product quality scandal in Kobe Steel Ltd.'s 112-year history has reignited speculation it could be broken up for sale or merged with a rival. The top Japanese makers of the key metal used in everything from cars to girders have all chosen to ...
Business / Corporate | ANALYSIS Oct 13, 2017
Kobe Steel cheating scandal driven by competition to improve metals, especially for automakers
Behind the scandal engulfing Kobe Steel Ltd. over the falsification of data for some of the materials it supplied is a harsh reality for Japanese steel companies: the need to provide higher and higher quality metals to compete. Kobe Steel rocked Japan's industrial economy with ...
Business / Corporate Oct 10, 2017
Kobe Steel's admission over falsified data sends shock waves through manufacturers across Japan
Revelations renew concerns about the integrity of Japanese manufacturers, and follow scandals involving rupturing Takata air bags and unauthorized inspections at Nissan.
Business / Corporate Jun 16, 2017
Squeezing paper from a stone: an entrepreneur's approach to ease deforestation
Stone tablets were one of the earliest writing tools used by man before paper. One entrepreneur now plans to take things full circle by making paper out of stone. Nobuyoshi Yamasaki's venture TBM Co. makes paper from limestone, a rock it proclaims is "almost inexhaustible." ...
Business / Corporate May 30, 2017
Steel giant trying to get with it in Shibuya to woo young Japanese talent
Convincing teenagers in Japan that working for a giant 116-year-old manufacturer is a sexy career choice seems like a tough sell. It's even more difficult if the target audience can't figure out the company's name. That's the challenge for Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. ...
Business / Corporate Nov 28, 2016
Paper made from stone tempts Japan's top printer to invest
The nation's biggest printing company is funding a startup that makes paper out of rock, in a bid to diversify into new materials and as environmental concerns push companies to seek more sustainable products. Toppan Printing Co., the nation's largest by sales, will form an ...