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Yellowtail is unloaded in Himi, Toyama Prefecture. Japan is looking to expand yellowtail exports to the United States, with China's blanket ban on Japanese fishery products still in place.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 9, 2025

JETRO to support yellowtail exports to U.S.

JETRO hopes to help expand sales channels for the fish in the United States, where Japanese cuisine has become popular amid an increase in health conscious consumers.
Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, speaks at a White House event with President Donald Trump, left; Softbank chief executive Masayoshi Son, third from left; and Larry Ellison, chairman of Oracle, at the White House on Jan. 21.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 9, 2025

How Sam Altman sidestepped Elon Musk to win over Donald Trump

After helping President Trump get elected, Elon Musk was poised to dominate the nation’s AI policies. But someone got there before him.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin attend a meeting on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka in June 2019.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 9, 2025

Trump says he has spoken to Putin about ending the Ukraine war

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS state news agency that "many different communications are emerging."
A worker welds at a steel manufacturing facility in Mexico City on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 10, 2025

Trump to announce 25% steel and aluminum tariffs in latest escalation

Trump, speaking to reporters on Air Force One on his way to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, said he will announce the new metals tariffs on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One, en route to New Orleans to attend the Super Bowl, on Sunday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 10, 2025

Trump says Nippon Steel cannot have a majority stake in U.S. Steel

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also appeared to have discussed a revised plan with Nippon Steel before presenting it to Trump at their recent summit.
Investors believe the amicable atmosphere of the first summit between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday has the potential to help support Japanese stocks in the medium term.
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 10, 2025

Japan markets wobble as Trump talks of new steel tariffs for 'everyone'

The U.S. president's talk of reciprocal tariffs for "everyone” has provided a reminder of the risks that face America’s trading partners.
Israeli military vehicles drive past destruction in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel on Jan. 26.
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2025

Investors return to new-look Middle East, but Trump causes some concern

President Donald Trump's proposal that the U.S. take over Gaza may have thrown a curveball into the mix, but recent events in the Middle East have fed hopes of a reset.
French President Emmanuel Macron attends an interview for national television ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris on Sunday.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 10, 2025

Macron beats French investment drum ahead of AI summit

The two-day event in Paris has stated aims that include "mapping" AI governance around the world, and promoting the idea of more ethical, accessible and frugal AI.
Japan's current account surplus grew 29.5% year on year in 2024, the Finance Ministry said.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 10, 2025

Japan's current account surplus hits record high in 2024

The surplus grew 29.5% from 2023 to ¥29.26 trillion ($193 billion) last year, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.
The Marquis de Sade’s original rolled manuscript called Le Rouleau de la Bastille of “Les 120 jours de Sodome ou l’ecole du libertinage” (“The 120 Days of Sodom, or the School of Libertinage”) is displayed before being auctioned in Paris in November 2017. 
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 10, 2025

The Marquis de Sade’s guide to cancel culture

The Marquis de Sade’s legacy proves that even the most reviled figures can outlast cancellation.
Fuji Media's headquarters in Tokyo's Minato Ward
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 10, 2025

Fuji Media shares rise to 17-year high on Rheos’ 5% stake

Rheos, which manages a popular fund called Hifumi, holds 5.12% of Fuji Media shares after building its stake from Jan. 20 to Thursday.
Debt servicing costs are estimated to increase, reflecting the Bank of Japan's interest rate hikes.
BUSINESS
Feb 10, 2025

Japan's government debt climbs to record ¥1.32 quadrillion

The combined balance of Japanese government bonds, borrowings and financing bills swelled by ¥7.2 trillion from the end of September 2024.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order on tariffs on aluminum imports in Washington on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 11, 2025

Trump sets 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum, heightening trade war

The move would fulfill what the most extreme trade protectionists have sought for years.
SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son announces  the Stargate Project, an artificial intelligence venture with OpenAI, during a news conference in Tokyo on Feb. 3.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 11, 2025

SoftBank eyes debt-heavy financing for $500 billion AI push

SoftBank and OpenAI’s push to build out tens of gigawatts of datacenter capacity has the potential to be the biggest rollout of computing power ever.
Shiseido's disappointing outlook, which came alongside a surprise fourth-quarter loss, shows the challenges facing consumer brands as Chinese shoppers rein in their spending.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 11, 2025

Shiseido says China’s cautious shoppers hurt profit outlook

The Japanese cosmetics firm does not expect to meet analyst forecasts for the 2025 fiscal year following a surprise fourth-quarter loss.
Billionaire Elon Musk's bid is likely to ratchet up longstanding tensions with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the future of the ChatGPT maker at the heart of a boom in generative AI technology.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 11, 2025

Musk-led group makes $97.4 billion bid for control of OpenAI

The move was another salvo in billionaire Elon Musk's fight to block the AI startup from transitioning to a for-profit firm.
Travel officials from the Middle East experience test cutting for Japanese swords in Setouchi, Okayama Prefecture, in January.
JAPAN
Feb 11, 2025

Government touts exchanges with nations participating in Osaka Expo

Local governments expect their plans to boost youth exchanges, accelerate overseas expansion and promote tourism.
In digital trade, Japan's imports have been rising faster than its exports, amid the dominance of global information technology giants such as Microsoft and Google.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 11, 2025

Japan's trade deficit for digital services rose to record ¥6.6 trillion in 2024

Japan's digital trade deficit is expected to reach ¥10 trillion in 2030, roughly equivalent to its crude oil imports in 2024.
YouTube has evolved from a dinner party lark 20 years ago into a modern lifestyle staple poised to overtake U.S. cable television in paid viewership.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 11, 2025

YouTube, the online video powerhouse, turns 20

The video hosting site has gone from hosting a 19-second clip titled "Me at the Zoo" to becoming the world's largest in terms of time spent and ad revenue.
Palestinians leave their homes for safety during a raid by the Israeli army in the Nur Shams refugee camp near Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Monday.
WORLD
Feb 11, 2025

In West Bank, Israeli army operation batters war-depleted economy

Economic contraction is estimated to have more than doubled the short-term poverty rate from 12% in 2023 to 28% by mid-2024.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping hold a bilateral meeting during the Group of 20 leaders summit in Osaka in June 2019.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 11, 2025

Trump’s initial moves will benefit China

And while Trump has claimed that his policies will strengthen America, in reality, thus far, the biggest winner of many of his actions has actually been China.
Bain Capital had announced a plan to commence its tender offer for Fuji Soft shares by early February at ¥9,600 apiece
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 11, 2025

Bain may not launch tender offer for Fuji Soft

In a statement, Bain said that it is "carefully considering" its future policy, including "the option of withdrawing" its tender offer plan.
Donald Trump has halted most U.S. government-funded aid globally for 90 days, while moving to dismantle USAID, which he accused of being run "by a bunch of radical lunatics."
WORLD / Politics / ANALYSIS
Feb 11, 2025

U.S aid freeze risks handing influence to China in Beijing's backyard

Trump has halted most U.S. government-funded aid globally for 90 days, while moving to dismantle USAID, which he accused of being run "by a bunch of radical lunatics."
A worker walks in front of rolls of steel at a steel company in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 12, 2025

Canada, Mexico and EU slam 'unjustified' Trump steel tariffs

The European Union and Canada vowed to firmly retaliate against the tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump signs executive orders, including two official proclamations that will impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from all countries globally, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Monday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 12, 2025

Japan asks for exemption from Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs

Officials in Tokyo said the government will closely examine the impact of U.S. measures on Japanese companies and will take necessary actions.
Labor unions at major Japanese automakers submitted their wage hike requests on Wednesday, but it is uncertain whether the strong pay hike momentum seen in last year's labor-management talks can be maintained.
BUSINESS
Feb 12, 2025

Japanese auto unions submit wage hike demands

Negotiations are expected to intensify toward March 12, when many major companies will give their answers to their labor unions.
A monitor in Tokyo shows the yen at the ¥153 level against the dollar on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Feb 12, 2025

Yen underperforms major currencies on Trump tariff uncertainties

Japan’s currency has dropped to ¥153.73 against the dollar, its weakest level in a week and lagging all major peers.
The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson conducts routine operations in the South China Sea last August. The vessel, along with survey ship USNS Bowditch, carried out a “routine” transit through the Taiwan Strait from Monday to Wednesday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Feb 12, 2025

U.S. warship sails through Taiwan Strait for first time since Trump inauguration

China's military said the move had "sent the wrong signals" and "increased security risks” in the strategic waterway.
Meta headquarters in Menlo Park, California
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 12, 2025

Meta rally makes history as it goes on offensive with AI

Even in a market where artificial intelligence winners are rewarded, Meta shares stand out.
Volatility in the Vision Fund’s quarterly performance consistently dogs SoftBank, which has embarked on a project with OpenAI to invest $500 billion on artificial intelligence infrastructure.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 12, 2025

SoftBank swings to a loss ahead of big Stargate AI bet

The Tokyo-based company reported a net loss of ¥369.2 billion ($2.4 billion) for the fiscal third quarter amid volatility in its Vision Fund unit.

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.
Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.