National / Science & Health Sep 5, 2020

Japan looks to AI as coronavirus challenges quality control mantra

A rethink of the factory floor has been prompted by COVID-19, leading to an increased use of robots in manufacturing.

Business / Corporate Dec 12, 2019

With Honda mired in crisis over quality lapses, CEO Takahiro Hachigo seizes the wheel

At a two-day gathering for Honda's suppliers in March, Chief Executive Takahiro Hachigo sounded the alarm. At the Hotel Higashinihon in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Hachigo told them the automaker was facing a crisis after a string of costly recalls and other quality blunders and needed ...

Business Oct 12, 2018

Honda's N-Box and other minicars prove to be a hit with Japan's elderly drivers

When Honda Motor Co. launched the latest version of its N-Box a year ago, it promoted features on the pint-sized minicar such as error-detecting pedals, automatic emergency braking and moveable seats, part of a push to market the vehicle to young families. But a drastically ...

Business Aug 5, 2018

Job perks on rise in Japan as labor crunch reshapes how companies attract workers

Misaki Harada wants to quit her job as a receptionist at a restaurant management company in Tokyo and move into marketing for an apparel-maker. But the 24-year-old said she wanted more than just a bigger paycheck. Her next employer would need to improve her quality ...

Business Aug 15, 2017

Japanese researchers use wood to make cellulose nanofiber auto parts stronger and lighter than metal

The global push among carmakers to make ever lighter vehicles is leading some auto suppliers in Japan to turn to what seems like an unlikely substitute for steel — wood. Japanese researchers and auto component makers say a material made from wood pulp weighs just ...