Fukuoka startup to tap RNA tech for inhalable COVID-19 treatment
A biotechnology startup in Fukuoka Prefecture is partnering with local authorities to develop a drug to treat COVID-19 using its RNA technology. Bonac Corp., based in Kurume, says only two other companies in the world are trying to develop a nucleic acid medicine for the ...
'Telecubes' pop up as Japan's workers seek spaces to concentrate
For some, home is not always an ideal place to concentrate with other family members present.
Japanese-led online learning startup Manabie expands in Vietnam
Online learning startup Manabie International Pte. Ltd., headed by a Japanese entrepreneur, is stepping up its business in Vietnam, raising ¥520 million ($4.8 million) in its initial year with an eye on future expansion in Southeast Asia. Manabie, established in Singapore a year ago by ...
To meat, or not to meat: The future of Japanese cellular agriculture
Would you notice if the cubed meat in your cup noodle wasn’t “real” meat? If you did, would you care? What if the future of our meat supply counted on it? “Veganism is not for everyone,” says Yuki Hanyu, founder of IntegriCulture Inc. a Tokyo-based ...
Augmented reality startup Magic Leap to explore a sale
Magic Leap Inc., the startup that raised more than $2 billion to build an augmented reality device, is exploring options including a sale, according to people familiar with the matter. The Plantation, Florida-based company is working with an adviser to consider strategic options that could ...
In Fukushima, a 'village' aims to lure young people back to disaster-hit town
In a deserted part of Fukushima Prefecture dotted with vacant lots, a sleek modern building stands out. In a workshop inside, a woman with a ponytail wearing purple protective eyeglasses carefully melts a tiny glass tube into the shape of a plum blossom. Behind the ...
Masayoshi Son's big real estate venture with Oyo runs into real problems in Japan
Last March, months before the meltdown at WeWork, Masayoshi Son worked through the prospects for another one of his favorite portfolio companies — a startup from India called Oyo. In a spacious conference hall at his Tokyo headquarters, the billionaire huddled with lieutenants from the ...
SoftBank's Masayoshi Son considers new type of fund for startup investing
SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son said he is considering a new type of fund for startup investing, showing his determination to keep cutting deals after missteps with WeWork and several other companies. The Japanese billionaire unveiled his $100 billion Vision Fund three years ago ...
AI startup digs up business opportunity in aging water pipes in Japan and elsewhere
When a fifth of the people living in the city of Wakayama faced a three-day water stoppage last month to fix a 60-year-old pipe network, they rushed to get ready, only to learn that the repairs could be made without a shutdown. Some 3,000 complaints ...
The Cabinet approved bills on a tax reform package for fiscal 2020 on Friday in an effort to encourage business investment in advanced communications infrastructure and startups with innovative technologies. The government will submit the bills to the Diet soon, with the aim of having ...
Tokyo manga hotel makes virtue of sleepless nights
Few hotels in the world actively encourage guests to have sleepless nights, but a manga-themed establishment does just that — and it is proving very popular with Japanese and non-Japanese alike. The Manga Art Hotel in central Tokyo has developed a unique offering, with capsule-like ...
Robot-maker ZMP targets tractors, taxis and carts for elderly
Robot-maker ZMP Inc. is aiming to launch the first commercial level 3 automated bus operation in Japan at an airport in 2020. The Tokyo-based startup, which bills itself as the "robot of everything," has built a variety of contraptions ranging from delivery robots to autonomous ...
