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An illegal money changer checks old U.S. dollars at a marketplace in Harare, Zimbabwe.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 24, 2023

As Argentina eyes dollarization, Zimbabwe and Ecuador offer clues

Adopting the greenback in place of the local currency might bring stability, but it is not without its pains.
A worker inside the Envision battery manufacturing plant at Nissan's Sunderland factory in Britain in July 2021.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 24, 2023

Nissan to invest $1.4 billion to build two new EV models in Britain

Plans for electric versions of crossover models will require an investment of up to £2 billion in a third battery plant and infrastructure projects.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping in Riyadh on Dec. 8, 2022.
BUSINESS
Nov 25, 2023

Mideast wealth funds draw greater U.S. scrutiny over China ties

A U.S. committee is reviewing several multibillion dollar deals this year on concerns they could pose national security risks.
A rendering of the new Junglia theme park scheduled to open in Okinawa in 2025
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 27, 2023

Nature-focused theme park to open in Okinawa in 2025

The park aims to take advantage of the outstanding forests of northern Okinawa Prefecture, which have been designated a World Heritage site.
Yoshitaka Kitao, chief executive officer of SBI Holdings, says Japan is preparing the groundwork for the full-scale introduction of stablecoins.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2023

Circle enters pact with Japan’s SBI to spur USDC stablecoin usage

They will also establish a banking relationship and promote the use of Circle’s Web3 services in Japan.
Chinese tourists buy gold bars and gold accessories at LukFook, a jewelry store, in Hong Kong.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 28, 2023

Gold bars and Tokyo apartments: How money is flowing out of China

The outbound shift of money in part indicates unease inside China about the sputtering recovery after the pandemic as well as deeper problems.
The buzz surrounding MediaTek casts a spotlight on growing competition between semiconductor firms that are exploiting the use of AI to grab a larger share of the smartphone business.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 28, 2023

AI chip boom fuels Taiwan firm’s 40% rally, beating Qualcomm

A five-month rally in MediaTek looks set to extend as booming demand for smartphones and a promising new AI chip brighten the company’s outlook.
Toyota Motor, Toyota Industries and Aisin are planning to sell Denso shares worth a total of about ¥700 billion, sources said, which would be the second-biggest such share offering in Japan this year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 29, 2023

Toyota plans $4.7 billion sale of Denso stake as EV pivot looms

The sale of shares in Denso would mark the latest step by the automaker to cash in on stakes in affiliates as it ramps up production of electric vehicles.
Fox Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 29, 2023

Rupert Murdoch being deposed in Fox defamation case: source

Establishing that Murdoch was involved in decisions about coverage would help voting technology company Smartmatic prove liability.
The Bank of Japan board member Toyoaki Nakamura says more time is needed before the bank phases out its massive stimulus.
BUSINESS / Economy
Nov 30, 2023

BOJ policymaker says more time needed before easing can be curbed

While a continued economic recovery and tight labor market hold promise for wage growth, inflation continues to suppress down real wages.
A view of a plaza within Shibuya Sakura Stage, what Tokyu Land Corporation is calling the final puzzle piece in its redevelopment of the area around Shibuya Station.
BUSINESS
Nov 30, 2023

Shibuya Sakura Stage to cap once-in-a-century redevelopment around station

The new complex is part of an ambitious urban renewal endeavor by Tokyu Land Corporation in the area around Shibuya Station.
Capital spending on goods excluding software rose 0.3% in the three months through September compared with the previous quarter, possibly serving as an encouraging sign for the Bank of Japan.
BUSINESS
Dec 1, 2023

Japan’s capital spending nudges higher in sign of resilience

Some analysts still warn that GDP could contract again in the current quarter
There is a sense of caution in the credit market that the Bank of Japan will finally tighten its ultraeasy policy.
BUSINESS / Markets
Dec 4, 2023

Turmoil from BOJ policy bets shakes up Japan credit market

Companies rush to raise money to take advantage of low rates while they still can but investor demand for corporate bonds is weakening.
Alaska Airlines has announced that it will buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion, consolidating its position as the nation's fifth-largest carrier if it can attain regulatory approval.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 5, 2023

How Alaska Airlines’ CEO landed deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines

Ben Minicucci spent six months negotiating the purchase of Hawaiian Airlines in a bid to grow his company.
Japanese hotels have been among the most popular real estate investments in the Asia-Pacific region this year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 5, 2023

Blackstone buys Kyoto hotel from Goldman in $54 million deal

Japanese hotels have been among the most popular real estate investments in the Asia-Pacific region this year.
A container ship is seen near the Panama Canal, in Panama City on Saturday.
BUSINESS
Dec 5, 2023

Panama canal jam sends ships sailing continents out of way

The canal is being squeezed shut by drought, and the bottleneck will only worsen in the coming months as Panama enters its annual dry season.
A representative for Morgan Stanley, which in August said it was 70% of the way toward reaching the $1 trillion in sustainable financing it’s told investors it will achieve by 2030, declined to comment beyond referring to the bank’s latest ESG report.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 5, 2023

What banks really mean when they put trillions into ESG

With each bank announcing a different target, investors are left with little insight into the ways in which banks are defining what’s sustainable.
A Chinese national flag flutters at the headquarters of a commercial bank on a financial street near the People's Bank of China in Beijing.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 6, 2023

Officials hit back after Moody’s downgrades China's credit outlook

The ratings agency downgraded its outlook from stable to negative, saying a need for bailouts could weigh on the country’s economic strength.
Deputy Gov. Ryozo Himino's comments are the clearest sign so far from the BOJ’s leadership that authorities are considering what the impact would be if they ended negative rates.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 6, 2023

BOJ’s deputy chief hints that end of negative rate may be closer

Ryozo Himino has set out a hypothesis for what might happen if rates do indeed go positive.
As a customer for Renault's combustion-engine venture, Nissan will receive gearboxes and engines for 12 of its plants.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 6, 2023

Nissan to buy engines and gearboxes from Renault-Geely venture

The step is part of a major revamp of the firms working together following years of growing tensions.
Rakuten Bank executives hold a placard showing the company logo during a ceremony to mark the company's debut on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on April 21.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 6, 2023

Rakuten to raise up to $433 million with further sale of bank unit

The planned sale of 25.5 million shares is equivalent to just under 15% of the online bank, according to LSEG data.
Few could have predicted what artificial-intelligence proponents are dreaming up these days.
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 7, 2023

Wall Street quants see mixed results from chatbots amid AI boom

As AI tools get more sophisticated, companies are updating their presentations to incorporate a positive vocal tone and upbeat sentences, research shows.
FACTEV shows that a Nissan Leaf electric car driven in Hokkaido will get between 106 kilometers and 212 kilometers per charge in its first year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 12, 2023

Using big data to speed up Japan’s slow electric car transition

Gaming company DeNA has developed an EV simulation tool that can assess the lifespan and cruising range per charge of battery cars over time.
Japan’s producer price index rose 0.3% in November from a year earlier.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 12, 2023

Japan’s input inflation eases further to slowest pace since 2021

The persistent slowdown in the index this year is in line with the BOJ’s view that price pressures are cooling.
A Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicle charges at Chaevi Stay Charging Station in Seoul on Oct. 18
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 12, 2023

South Korean auto-battery firms cautious on challenging China rivals

Feeding their worries is slowing growth in electric vehicle sales, price competition and the potential for changes in United States subsidies.
Japanese civil engineering group Infroneer said it would buy Japan Wind Development from Bain Capital for about $1.4 billion.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 12, 2023

Japan's Infroneer to buy Japan Wind Development from Bain Capital

The $1.4 billion acquisition will expand the Japanese civil engineering group's renewable energy business.
Mena Kato, Microsoft's new director of Japan partnerships for Xbox, during an interview in Tokyo on Nov. 29
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 13, 2023

Microsoft taps PlayStation veteran to champion Xbox in Japan

Mena Kato is counting on her dealmaking skills, Microsoft’s global reach and local connections to make the Xbox a relevant player.
Since starting out as a venue for short, silly lip-syncing videos, TikTok has emerged as an incubator for consumer trends, with millions of people trying on clothes and reviewing products.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 13, 2023

TikTok Shop sees early success, taking aim at giant Amazon

In a sign of how seriously Amazon is taking TikTok, the company cut deals with Pinterest, Meta and Snapchat to let users shop without leaving those apps.
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 14, 2023

Japan's ruling coalition OKs tax reforms amid public skepticism

The schedule for planned tax hikes to boost defense spending was once again not made clear.
Toyota dealer Hiroshima Toyopet has installed air conditioners at all 30 of its maintenance facilities in Hiroshima Prefecture to ensure mechanics can work comfortably during the summer.
BUSINESS / Companies / Regional Voices: Hiroshima
Dec 25, 2023

Hiroshima car dealers seek ways to attract mechanics

Since many people use their cars as a daily means of transportation, it is essential to secure a stable pool of mechanics.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years