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July 04, 2025
 

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TECH

A screenshot of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Ghibli-style profile picture on X
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 28, 2025
Copyright questions loom as ChatGPT's Ghibli-style images go viral
The images raised questions about copyright infringement by OpenAI, which already faces lawsuits regarding the use of source material without permission.
OpenAI is close to finalizing a $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank Group, sources say.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 27, 2025
OpenAI close to finalizing $40 billion SoftBank-led funding
The artificial intelligence developer’s funding round would be the largest of all time, according to data compiled by research firm PitchBook.
An illustration shows avatars that will be created at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of the Osaka Expo.
JAPAN
Mar 26, 2025
Errors found in Osaka Expo pavilion's privacy policy
The operator of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion and a sponsor company are considering whether to correct a discrepancy relating to the handling of visitors' personal information.
Ispace's Resilience lunar lander at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Tsukuba Space Center in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, in September
JAPAN / FOCUS
Mar 26, 2025
Japanese startups driving space development
Not only large companies but also emerging businesses are hurrying to conduct lunar exploration and commercialize transportation services using rockets.
William Lu, president and partner of Xiaomi, presents the new Xiaomi 15 series ahead of the 2025 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on March 2.
BUSINESS
Mar 25, 2025
Xiaomi raises $5.5 billion in upsized Hong Kong share sale
Xiaomi has been investing aggressively in its nascent EV business to drive growth and recently increased its 2025 delivery target.
Increased reliance on AI and digital technology is weakening cognitive skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, as people depend more on machines for tasks that once required mental effort.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 25, 2025
‘Use it or lose it’ — a grim mantra for the AI age
In sum, “excessive dependence on AI without concurrent cultivation of fundamental cognitive skills may lead to underutilization and subsequent loss of cognitive abilities.”
Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura experiences an evolved version of the "human washing machine" during a media preview of the Osaka Expo's Healthcare Pavilion on Sunday.
JAPAN
Mar 25, 2025
Expo Healthcare Pavilion displays iPS tech and 'human washing machine'
A preview ceremony was held Sunday for the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion to be run by the prefecture and city of Osaka at the 2025 World Exposition, which begins next month in the city.
After falling behind despite helping pioneer the technology, Japan has the foundation to lead in artificial intelligence — if it seizes the moment.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 25, 2025
Japan urgently needs an AI vibe shift
Citizens’ embrace of AI also remains surprisingly low. Just 9% of consumers say they have used generative AI.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding global trade, there are some bright spots — namely, the booming trade in services, where the United States is leading the way.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 23, 2025
America’s big trade win
American workers are reaping the rewards. Services exports directly generated 4.1 million jobs in America in 2022, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.
JNTO Delhi office head Ryo Bunno (fourth from left), exchanges views with major local travel agencies at a travel trade show held in Mumbai on Jan. 30.
JAPAN
Mar 21, 2025
India to showcase space prowess at Osaka Expo
Some Indian officials say Japan isn’t doing enough to drum up excitement for the expo.
The ignition button of a Hon Hai Precision Industry Foxtron Model N electric vehicle
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 21, 2025
Hon Hai gets first major EV-making client in Mitsubishi Motors
It is unclear when production will actually start, but the first cars to roll off the assembly line would target Australia and New Zealand.
Climate change mitigation demands collective action from all levels of society, not just billionaires with private jets, as systemic change is necessary for meaningful progress.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 21, 2025
Billionaire’s private jet angst won’t save the world
Data center emissions in the U.S. already rival those of the domestic airline industry and are growing far quicker.
The AI management shift has been months in the making and predates Apple announcing the Siri delays.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 21, 2025
Apple shuffles AI executive ranks in bid to turn around Siri
The company is undergoing a rare shake-up of its executive ranks, aiming to get its artificial intelligence efforts back on track.
SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire semiconductor designer Ampere Computing.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 20, 2025
SoftBank seals $6.5 billion deal for chip designer Ampere
The move further broadens the Japanese investment firm’s push into artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The evolving national security landscape demands a shift in focus from traditional military power to economic resilience, technological leadership and the growing risks posed by both adversaries and allies.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 19, 2025
Trump's actions and the ‘new national security economy’
Soft power is poorly understood and it is no substitute for situations when brute force is required, but it has genuine influence in subtle ways.
Megan Garcia
WORLD / Crime & Legal
Mar 18, 2025
Teen’s suicide turns mother against Google and AI chatbot startup
Megan Garcia says her son would still be alive today if it weren’t for a chatbot urging the 14-year-old to take his own life.
The Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, California
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 18, 2025
Intel's new CEO plots overhaul of manufacturing and AI operations
Intel reported an annual loss of $19 billion in 2024, its first since 1986.
A conceptual image of a jacket that can automatically adjust the temperature inside it to a level that is the most comfortable for the wearer, to be showcased by Tohan Denshi Kiki and others at the Osaka Expo
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 17, 2025
Local manufacturers to show futuristic products at Osaka Expo
Products to be showcased at the Expo include a jacket that can automatically adjust the temperature inside it.
Bleached and dead coral around Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, located 270 kilometers north of the city of Cairns, Australia, on April 5, 2024
ENVIRONMENT / Earth science
Mar 17, 2025
From oil spills to new species: How tech reveals the ocean
New technologies are helping to reveal hidden oil spills, speed up the discovery of new species and uncover the impact of light pollution.
The Intel headquarters in Santa Clara, California. The struggling tech giant announced Lip-Bu Tan as its new chief executive, boosting shares of the U.S. computer chipmaker.
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 13, 2025
Struggling Intel names industry veteran Lip-Bu Tan as CEO
Shares rose more than 10% in after-market trade after the announcement.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Onosato's yokozuna promotion causes rare quirk in new sumo rankings
Newly promoted yokozuna Onosato holds a copy of the latest banzuke ranking in Anjo, Aichi Prefecture, on Monday.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Over 900 earthquakes strike Tokara islands in space of two weeks
A screenshot shows many quakes occurring in the Tokara islands over the past 30 days, in this image taken from the U.S. Geological Survey website.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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Looking ahead to Yokohama’s Green × Expo 2027

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