Tag - digital

 
 

DIGITAL

In September, world leaders will meet in New York for the United Nation's Summit of the Future to strengthen international cooperation on digital technology and innovation, as well as development financing, security, employment and gender equality.
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 20, 2024
The U.N. is charting a new course for our technology future
By closing digital and data divides through international cooperation, we can foster a technology culture that addresses global challenges.
Taro Kono, Japan's digital transformation minister, speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS
Jul 17, 2024
Taro Kono says central bank needs to raise rates to lift yen
Kono’s remarks could add to pressure on the Bank of Japan’s policy board to raise interest rates when it meets at the end of this month.
Junior high school students taking entrance exams for public high schools enter a venue in Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, in March.
JAPAN / Society
Jul 12, 2024
Japan to test digital high school admissions
The Digital Agency estimates digital procedures will cut administrative work by 30-90 hours in junior high schools and 20-80 hours in high schools.
Japan has finally scrapped every regulation requiring the use of floppy disks for administrative purposes.
JAPAN
Jul 6, 2024
Japan finally phases out floppy disks
One of the world’s most technologically advanced nations has held on to some of the most outmoded devices.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and digital minister Taro Kono attend a digitalization panel in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 11, 2024
Japan's parliament faces a long road to digitalization
Concerns over decorum and the possibility of the use of electronic devices being obtrusive to proceedings are among reasons cited for maintaining restrictions.
Kioxia Holdings plans to go public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as early as October.
BUSINESS
Apr 16, 2024
Kioxia plans to list as early as October as merger talks stall
Kioxia faces a June deadline to refinance as much as ¥900 billion worth of loans, and a public listing will help its negotiations with banks.
The government will extend subsidies worth as much as ¥242.9 billion for Kioxia and Western Digital to expand memory chip production in Mie and Iwate prefectures.
BUSINESS / Tech
Feb 6, 2024
Japan extends subsidies to downturn-hit Kioxia and Western Digital
The funding provides underpinning for the two companies, which have been hammered by a slump in the market for NAND flash chips.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a meeting to discuss the results of comprehensive inspection of My Number information held at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 13, 2023
15,907 mistakes found over My Number info linkages
The government said it has completed personal identification checks for 82.06 million of the 82.08 million My Numbers subject to inspection.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (third from right) and Digital Minister Taro Kono (second from right) attend a meeting with experts to discuss measures to implement administrative reforms through digitalization, held on Oct. 3 at the Digital Agency in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Dec 1, 2023
Japan falls out of top 10 in digital government rankings
The result reflects a series of problems with the country's My Number social security and tax identification cards.
Japan’s first trading of digital securities will begin next month in the form of security tokens issued by real estate firms.
BUSINESS
Nov 21, 2023
Japan to start digital securities trading from December
The trading of security tokens issued by real estate firms Ichigo and Kenedix will begin on the Osaka Digital Exchange.
Kioxia and Western Digital have held merger talks since 2021 but the negotiations have often stalled over a series of issues.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 27, 2023
Western Digital and Kioxia call off merger talks, source says
South Korea's SK Hynix — a major Kioxia investor — has said it does not back the deal due to its impact on its investment asset value.
Kioxia Holdings has approached Japan Investment Corp. about making a capital infusion to support its merger with Western Digital and strengthen the combined company’s financial base, according to people familiar with the matter.
BUSINESS
Oct 20, 2023
Kioxia has approached JIC to back Western Digital deal: sources
Kioxia’s lenders are working toward submitting a commitment letter as soon as possible to help facilitate the agreement.
Hidemi Kataoka, a counselor in charge of policy planning at the Personal Information Protection Commission, speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN
Sep 20, 2023
Digital Agency given guidance over My Number issues
The agency submitted a report on the problems with the system in June, but the government commission judged the report insufficient.
Kioxia's Kitakami plant in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture. Western Digital and Kioxia initially aimed to reach a decision on a merger in August, but discussions have dragged on as the companies tried to iron out details.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 20, 2023
Banks prepare ¥2 trillion funds for Kioxia-Western Digital merger
The moves towards a refinancing commitment would mark a step forward in the merger, which has faced months of delays.
Digital transformation minister Taro Kono (right) speaks during a news conference at the Digital Agency in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Sep 6, 2023
Japan to test use of My Number cards for alcohol and ticket sales
The agency will work with private business operators to examining whether use of My Number cards will help improve the efficiency of identity checks.
Digital minister Taro Kono (right) tries out a device that allows the use of My Number cards as health insurance cards at Chigasaki City Hall in Kanagawa Prefecture on Aug. 9.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Aug 21, 2023
My Number and beyond: What's holding back Japan’s digitalization?
The transition from analog to digital in the public sector has been a long-standing challenge for the country, spanning at least the past two decades.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (right) sits next to digital minister Taro Kono while speaking at a government review meeting on the My Number national identification cards.
PODCAST / deep dive
Aug 10, 2023
Why is modernizing Japan so darn tough?
Reporter Gabriele Ninivaggi joins us to break down how Japan’s digitalization hiccups risk exposing how backward things are.
Digital Minister Taro Kono discusses the My Number system inspection at a government meeting in Tokyo on June 30.
JAPAN / Politics
Jul 26, 2023
My Number woes put digital minister Taro Kono under pressure
Another misstep could deal a further blow to the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and jeopardize the political standing of Kono.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 19, 2023
Japan's personal data commission inspects Digital Agency over My Number woes
The government's Personal Information Protection Commission has conducted an on-site inspection of the Digital Agency over problems involving My Number personal identification numbers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 15, 2023
Western Digital and Japan’s Kioxia seek to reach merger deal by August
The deal would be structured as a tax-free spinoff of Western Digital’s flash business, which would merge with Kioxia.

Longform

Wozme, founded by dancer and choreographer Wakaba Kohei, is composed of Kana Kitty, Ami Ishii, Akane Watanabe and Natsuki. Its aim is to inject elegance and beauty, traits traditionally associated with femininity, into the sometimes grotesque art form of butoh dance.
Wozme, an all-women dance troupe, wants to move the needle in butoh