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Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 5, 2018

Japanese firms must adapt to new national security economy

Economic statecraft for political purposes is the new coin of the realm, and Japan needs to adapt.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jan 16, 2018

Japan's intellectual property generating revenue at record pace

Intellectual property is generating soaring revenue for Japan, jumping by 74 percent over the past five years to a record in 2017, according to the latest government data.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Jul 5, 2017

We need to talk about sex, robot experts say

Move over blow-up dolls, the sex robots are here.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
May 30, 2017

Robots may help defuse demographic time bomb in Japan and Germany

Japan and Germany may be sitting on a ticking demographic time bomb where aging populations begin to drag down economic growth. Good thing they're also prime candidates for robot revolutions.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 30, 2017

Old age, depopulation decimating A-bomb-spared Kitakyushu

Few places evoke the rise and fall of Japan's industrial might than the head office of the Imperial Steel Works in Kitakyushu. The red brick Meiji Era building was the heart of the nation's first big steelworks. Now it's a UNESCO World Heritage site.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 16, 2017

Trump is already losing to China in technology

U.S. President Donald Trump's policies offer a road map for how not to compete with China.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Feb 11, 2017

'Japanese Robot Culture: Performance, Imagination and Modernity': Yuji Sone examines the enduring love of robots

It is an experience many in Japan now know: a visit to a SoftBank mobile phone vendor that ends in an attempt to converse with a small, white machine called Pepper.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / DAVOS SPECIAL 2017
Jan 17, 2017

A future of promise and pitfalls as AI technology advances

On a Sunday afternoon in 2035, a man in Tokyo is consulting a robot as to what he should eat for dinner.
BUSINESS
Nov 27, 2016

Japan plans supercomputer to leap into technology future

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will spend u00a519.5 billion to build a supercomputer with a platform for research that could help them develop and improve driverless cars, robotics and medical diagnostics
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Nov 11, 2016

Japan races to become the robot capital of the world

Japan may have a long way to go before it can build a fully functional Gundam or Doraemon, but it's getting closer to bringing sci-fi-style robotic helpers and protectors into our daily lives. Japan Robot Week, which took place at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center from Oct. 19 to 21, showcased the...
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 27, 2016

Can robots save the BOJ?

Techno-optimist Shinzo Abe should be pushing reforms and a startup boom rather than more easy money.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Aug 18, 2016

Singapore seeks to turn labor crunch into a robot revolution

Sherine Toh says her best days at work are when none of the 600 or so staffers at Singapore's Tung Lok Restaurants quits, though such days are rare.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 8, 2016

Nomura-Keio fund boosts investment target for domestic startups

Keio University and Nomura Holdings Inc. increased the fundraising goal for their venture-capital partnership by 50 percent to ¥15 billion after demand from Japanese financial firms during the first phase of financing exceeded expectations.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 28, 2016

CEO taps monk training to shine way for driverless taxis

Hisashi Taniguchi used a sabbatical from developing software for driverless taxis and drones to take a pilgrimage to a Buddhist temple in western Japan. He shaved his head, donned black robes and studied to become its leader.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 21, 2016

Davos forum kicks off with dour mood amid tough global conditions

The mood was glum as the World Economic Forum's annual meeting of academics and leaders from business and politics kicked off Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland, with worries ranging from energy to geopolitics and China's slowdown causing widespread unease.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Dec 17, 2015

Why SoftBank matters a great deal to Japan Inc.

SoftBank maverick CEO Masayoshi Son stands out in a country where corporate conservatism reigns.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 2, 2015

International robot show powers up in Tokyo

The biannual International Robot Exhibition kicked off Wednesday in Tokyo, showcasing the latest advances in robotics — including technology for use in disaster scenarios and in the nursing-care field.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Nov 11, 2015

Director Koji Fukada explores nuanced human-robot divide in 'Sayonara'

Whether it's the anthropomorphic cyborg cat Doraemon, Sony's artificially intelligent canine pet Aibo or even baby harp seals created to assist dementia patients, robots have long been recognized in Japan as capable of providing therapeutic and emotional assistance for their human owners.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 6, 2015

Toyota announces artificial intelligence R&D firm in Silicon Valley

Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it will create a company specializing in research and development of artificial intelligence in California's Silicon Valley in January.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 22, 2015

'Superhuman' sports showcased at Tokyo expo

Ever wanted to play at being superhuman? Games-players can now feel what it is like to have superpowers of a sort — and tights are optional.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 9, 2015

Laundry-folding robot unveiled at Tokyo trade fair

In a move that takes advantage of image recognition and robotics technologies, a Tokyo-based company is showcasing an unusual home appliance at the CEATEC trade fair.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 6, 2015

Toyota's driverless car is put through paces in Tokyo

Touch a button on the steering wheel and put your hands up — this Toyota will take it from here.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 2, 2015

Asia urgently needs greater mobility for skilled workers

It is imperative that ASEAN lays out an ambitious road map toward freer movement for the region's high-skilled citizens.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Sep 7, 2015

Sony developing 1,000-pictures-a-second sensor

Sony Corp. built a dominant position in image sensors by helping people take high-quality photos with smartphones. Now, the company is focusing on sensors that take photos at least 10 times faster than the human eye can see.
Japan Times
WORLD / Society
Aug 10, 2015

Modi's quest to put India's poor to work stymied by rise of robots

In a sweltering factory in southern India, Royal Enfield motorcycles are being painted and lacquered by giant robotic arms that move at twice the maximum speed of a human limb, day in, day out, never making a mistake.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 9, 2015

New Honda chief discusses air bags, Asimo

Although the root cause of Takata Corp.'s deadly air bag malfunctions remains unclear, Honda's new president on Thursday tried to reassure drivers and passengers that recalled vehicles are rendered safe with replacement inflators.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 1, 2015

Robots at work: SoftBank plans to take Pepper to stores, offices

SoftBank Group is promising new services for its Pepper robot that will appeal to business users and help bring the humanoid to storefronts and reception areas.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 18, 2015

SoftBank's Pepper robot now has emotions, Son claims

After months of delay, SoftBank Corp. announced Thursday that it would make Pepper, its humanoid robot, available to the general public on Saturday, but with an extra twist.

Longform

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