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BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 22, 2023

Toyota eyes lunar rover powered by regenerative fuel-cell tech

Toyota has teamed up with JAXA since 2019 to develop the manned lunar rover — which it dubbed the Lunar Cruiser — that they hope can be put on the moon in 2029.
Icons of Google's Artificial Intelligence app BardAI (or ChatBot), OpenAI's app ChatGPT and other AI apps are displayed on a smartphone screen.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 20, 2023

Google tests AI tool that is able to write news articles

Some executives who saw Google’s pitch described it as unsettling, and two people said it seemed to take for granted the effort that went into producing accurate and artful news stories.
Nikko Asset Management is ditching its bearish view on the yen, and now has a ¥135 target against the dollar by year-end.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 20, 2023

Nikko Asset shifts to bullish yen slant as Ueda bides his time

The shift in his view highlights potential upside for the yen, where inflation-adjusted interest rates have exacerbated its decline to multidecade lows.
A friendly between England and the United States drew a crowd of 78,000 at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 7, 2022.
SPORTS
Jul 20, 2023

Women's sports experiencing steady growth in popularity and value

Women's sports are growing in popularity and value. Better yet, that growth is no longer dependent upon quadrennial events like the Olympics or World Cups.
An accommodation center for refugees from Ukraine in Berlin in May
WORLD / Society
Jul 21, 2023

Europe struggles to convert Ukraine migration into labor boon

Obstacles ranging from lack of child care facilities to reluctance to recognize non-European academic and vocational qualifications has left vacancies unfilled.
The hack of a U.S. IT management company shows how North Korean cyber spies are now tackling companies that can give them broader access to multiple victims downstream — a tactic known as a "supply chain attack."
WORLD
Jul 21, 2023

North Korean hackers breached U.S. IT company in bid to steal cryptocurrency

The hack shows how North Korean cyber spies are now tackling companies that can give them broader access to multiple victims downstream.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 20, 2023

Japan cuts growth forecast and projects inflation over 2% BOJ target

The estimates come ahead of a Bank of Japan policy meeting next week, set to be closely watched amid market expectations the bank will soon phase out its massive stimulus program.
The Cards series of aluminum statement earrings, designed by Kanako Matsuo and manufactured by Marushin Industrial Co. Ltd’s in-house brand Alart, each comprise five pieces that can be hung on loops in any combination.
LIFE / Style & Design
Jul 22, 2023

Summer is the season of playful design debuts

June's Interior Lifestyle Tokyo international trade fair was filled with objects designed to spark a little joy in life.
On July 17, Jiyugaoka in western Tokyo held its summer Bon Odori Festival for the first time in four years. While the pandemic spelled the end of the road for some longstanding local events, others weathered the storm.
CULTURE / Longform
Jul 24, 2023

Fate of the fete: Japan’s matsuri fight to survive

While COVID-19 was the final nail in the coffin for many of the country's smaller festivals, others have clung on and are making a determined comeback this year.
A farmer works in an irrigated field near the village of Botor, Somaliland in April 2016. This year’s El Nino is set to be particularly severe as it coincides with record global temperatures.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 24, 2023

El Nino threat looks underpriced as emerging-market bonds rally

The weather pattern typically results in hotter, drier conditions and therefore higher food prices in affected nations, giving policymakers more reason to keep pushing up borrowing costs.
TikTok is in a race to dominate e-commerce in Southeast Asia.
BUSINESS
Jul 24, 2023

TikTok steps up Southeast Asia presence amid e-commerce push

As the company intermingles social media and e-commerce, it is betting that this vision of shopping will knock aside rivals in the region.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jul 24, 2023

Takahiro Arai helps Carp surge back into pennant race in first season in dugout

The return of former star player Takahiro Arai as manager as energized the Carp.
Professor Mutsuko Tendo (right) teaches a class in career development theory at Miyagi Gakuin Women’s University.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 24, 2023

Women’s universities in Tohoku seeking to survive with distinctive education

Women's colleges had long been regarded as schools with a focus on home economics and liberal arts, but some are now reorganizing their programs in a bid to attract students.
Japanese retail investors have increased bets on volatile currencies.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 24, 2023

Japan’s mom-and-pop traders boost emerging-market currency bets

Japanese retail investors have increased bets on volatile currencies.
The engine of a Toyota Motor's Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 25, 2023

Taxi firm’s hydrogen cell experience highlights fuel’s pitfalls

It’s not that there’s anything wrong specifically with the cars, good looking midsized sedans with Lexus-level luxury. Rather, it’s the high cost of hydrogen.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda has repeatedly pushed back against the idea that a major pivot on policy is looming by emphasizing his doubts about the sustainability of price rises.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 25, 2023

BOJ set to stick with easing as markets see clock ticking on yield control

Since taking the helm in April, Gov. Kazuo Ueda has repeatedly pushed back against the idea that a major pivot on policy is looming.
The company formerly known as Twitter could face myriad legal issues defending its X brand in the future.
BUSINESS
Jul 25, 2023

The problem with X? Meta, Microsoft, hundreds more own trademarks to new Twitter name

Billionaire Elon Musk renamed the social media platform as X on Monday, unveiling a new logo: a stylized black-and-white version of the letter.
The Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto. Tourists are flocking to Kyoto and other popular spots in Japan, highlighting the country's severe shortage of hotel staff.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 25, 2023

As tourism booms, Japan struggles with labor shortages and weary locals

The return of tourists has given the country a boost, but it has also highlighted several issues, including a severe lack of hotel staff.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a news conference during a NATO leaders summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 12.
COMMENTARY / Geoeconomic Briefing
Jul 27, 2023

Volodymyr Zelenskyy: From a weak anti-war leader to a symbol of the fight for liberation

Shifting away from direct negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine's leader has called for weapons and galvanized national unity in the face of war.
The expansionist era is over for Taiwan's life insurance industry.
BUSINESS
Jul 27, 2023

U.S. interest rate hikes haunt Taiwan’s $1 trillion life insurance industry

Over the past year, local regulators have repeatedly loosened operating rules after a cocktail of unrealized investment losses.
Veteran Japanese investors are split over whether to put their money into Chinese bonds.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 27, 2023

Friends who help manage $640 billion clash on China bonds

While they’ve been friends for at least a decade, their take on trading China bonds couldn’t be more diametrically opposed.
Honda Motor and other major carmakers will establish a joint venture to build an electric vehicle charging network in North America.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 27, 2023

Honda joins new EV charging network in U.S.

The firm, along with six other automakers, aims to counter U.S. EV giant Tesla, which holds 60% of the country's EV market.
Yoshiko Hara (left) plays basketball with members of her Fukushima Club basketball team.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Fukushima
Jul 31, 2023

Pioneer in basketball for disabled people looks to inclusiveness

Through basketball, Yoshiko Hara aims to have players in her club acquire physical strength and stamina, as well as learn about group rules and manners.
Danish ambassador Peter Taksoe-Jensen hopes for a "ketchup effect" in the development of Japan's offshore wind potential.
ENVIRONMENT
Jul 27, 2023

Unlocking Japan's offshore wind potential requires change in mindset

While Japan has made progress in expanding its offshore wind power, Denmark’s ambassador to Japan says that the pace of change is still too slow.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 27, 2023

Japan unveils new measures to stop sexual assault against minors

As a part of the measures, the government plans to set up a hotline for male victims of sexual assault so that they can seek psychological support if needed.
Director Christopher Nolan (right) poses with "Oppenheimer" cast members (from left) Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt at the film's premiere in Paris earlier this month.
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Jul 27, 2023

Summer film releases in Japan and the 'Oppenheimer' problem

Moviegoers may not get their "Barbenheimer" moment, as Japan likes to keep things family friendly in summer.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 27, 2023

Repair fraud scandal spotlights cozy ties between Bigmotor and insurers

Japanese used car dealer Bigmotor's scandal over fraudulent auto insurance claims has spotlighted its cozy relations with major insurers.
Staff at Youits by My Gakuya, a shop selling gender-free cosmetics that opened in Nagoya’s Sakae shopping district in April
JAPAN / Regional voices: Chubu
Jul 31, 2023

Cosmetics stores in Nagoya expand sales of gender-free makeup

Move reflects the recent trend of men becoming more conscious about grooming and the popularity of male K-pop idols wearing makeup.
Core inflation in Japan's capital slowed in July but remained well above the Bank of Japan's 2% target.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 28, 2023

Tokyo CPI growth tops consensus, focusing attention on BOJ

Consumer prices excluding fresh food rose 3% in the capital, beating analysts’ forecast of a 2.9% increase, underscoring the stickiness of underlying inflation.
A truck transports new Tesla cars at its factory in Shanghai in May 2021.
BUSINESS / ANALYSIS
Jul 28, 2023

Global automakers scramble to reset China strategies as sales slow

Some German brands and General Motors are betting on new electric vehicles, while Toyota and others have shifted to cost-cutting mode.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji