Toyota Motor Corp said Thursday its global output in October rose 3.8 percent from a year earlier to 926,987 units, hitting a record high for a single month for the first time in nearly two years, driven by robust hybrid sales in North America.

While the world's largest automaker by volume was adversely affected by higher U.S. tariffs, its global sales climbed 2.1 percent to 922,087 units, the highest for October and surpassing the year-earlier level for the 10th consecutive month.

Toyota's overseas production grew 2.2 percent to 600,155 vehicles. Global output exceeded the previous year's level for the fifth straight month, with production in the United States surging 26.4 percent to 137,262 units.

Production in the major auto market was boosted by a recovery from an output suspension due to recalls of some models last year in addition to strong demand for hybrid vehicles, according to Toyota.

In contrast, output in China slumped 6.4 percent to 132,834 vehicles, as government subsidies ended in more parts of the major Asian market.

Domestic production grew 6.8 percent to 326,832 vehicles, reflecting a rebound following a certification scandal in 2024.

Toyota's overseas sales increased 3.3 percent to 784,581 units, marking a record high for October.

In the United States, sales rose 11.8 percent to 207,910 vehicles, while those in India jumped 37.1 percent to 41,664 units, boosted by the effects of tax breaks for car purchases.

However, sales in China declined 6.6 percent to 160,886 vehicles and those in Japan dropped 4.2 percent to 137,506 units.

Total global production by the eight major Japanese automakers slipped 1.5 percent to 2,227,509 units, with five companies seeing a fall due to high tariffs imposed by the United States.

The country's second-biggest automaker, Honda Motor Co., said production shrank by 10.9 percent to 302,671 units, hit by a semiconductor shortage.

The Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based Nexperia BV halted chip shipments on the back of a trade row between China and the Netherlands, which led to the brief closure of its factory in Mexico at the end of October.

Struggling Nissan Motor Co. saw global output sink by 5.0 percent to 276,323 units, dragged down by a 19.3 percent plunge in domestic production.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Motor Corp. saw production grow 6.0 percent to 304,917 units, up for the second straight month, due to strong demand in India.
 

 

The Japanese government adopted on Friday a fiscal 2025 draft supplementary budget with 18,303.4 billion yen in general-account spending to finance an economic package centered on aid for household finances and growth investments.

It is the first draft budget that has been drawn up under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who advocates "responsible and proactive" fiscal policy.

The total outlay is the largest ever for a supplementary budget, excluding the three years through fiscal 2022, when government spending ballooned due to COVID-19 measures.

The government plans to finance more than 60 pct of the extra budget through new issuances of government bonds.

The draft budget is expected to be submitted to parliament early next month, with the aim of enactment by the end of the year.
 
 

Japan’s industry ministry decided Friday to invest ¥100 billion in Rapidus Corp., which aims to mass-produce cutting-edge chips domestically.

In addition to becoming the chipmaker’s largest stockholder, the government will also hold a so-called golden share that gives it veto rights over key management decisions such as director appointments.

Rapidus showed in a business strategy a plan to go public in fiscal 2031.
The ¥100 billion investment will be made through the government-affiliated Information-Technology Promotion Agency.

“It’s a national project that must succeed for the national interest,” industry minister Ryosei Akazawa told a press conference the same day. The minister emphasized the significance of supporting Rapidus as the company needs to strengthen its financial base in order to attract private-sector investment.

The government decided on the investment based on a report from an expert panel that concluded the company’s business strategy is reasonable.

The state plans to spend more than ¥1 trillion on Rapidus through investment and consignment expenses in fiscal 2026 to fiscal 2027, and help the company secure over ¥2 trillion in private-sector loans with debt guarantees.

The private sector is expected to invest about ¥130 billion in Rapidus in fiscal 2025, and the firm aims to secure more investments to increase the total to about ¥1 trillion .

Rapidus plans to start mass-producing semiconductors with a circuit line width of 2 nanometers in fiscal 2027. It plans to advance miniaturization every two to three years to achieve mass production of 1.4- and 1-nanometer chips.
 
 

Japanese beer giant Asahi said Thursday it has delayed the release of full-year financial results due to a major ongoing cyberattack that began in late September.

"While the Company is making every effort to restore the system as quickly as possible, it has decided to postpone the announcement of financial results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025," Asahi said in a statement.

"Regarding product supply, shipments are resuming in stages as system recovery progresses. We apologize for the continued inconvenience and appreciate your understanding," said CEO Atsushi Katsuki.

The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan's most popular beers, said on September 29 that it was hit by a ransomware attack, becoming the latest high-profile global company to be targeted.

A ransomware attack is when online actors use malicious software to lock or encrypt a victim's systems and then demands payment for restoring their functions.

The company has not disclosed the identity or the demands of the attacker.
But hacker group Qilin, believed to be based in Russia, issued a statement that Japanese media interpreted as a claim of responsibility.

Other global brands have also recently experienced similar attacks.
Indian-owned Jaguar Land Rover was forced to seek emergency funding after a damaging cyberattack halted operations at its UK factories.

Japanese retailer Muji said in October that it had stopped its domestic online shopping service after a ransomware attack on delivery partner Askul.
A survey released in June has found that a third of Japanese businesses have experienced cyberattacks of some sort.
 
 

A survey of new condominium transactions in major metropolitan areas showed a rise in buyers with overseas addresses, with Tokyo seeing the share double to 3.0 percent in the January-June period of 2025, the land ministry said.

Speculative purchases that drive up prices without actual demand are believed to exist, analysts said, prompting the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to consider countermeasures regardless of whether buyer addresses are in Japan or abroad.

When limited to the six central Tokyo wards, including Chiyoda hosting the Imperial Palace as well as many government offices and leading businesses, the share rose from 3.2 percent to 7.5 percent, underscoring a surge in purchases linked to overseas addresses.

Land minister Yasushi Kaneko acknowledged that the Japanese government does not have data on the nationalities of buyers, but said at a press conference on Tuesday, "Speculative transactions not based on actual demand are undesirable."

He said the ministry will work with the real estate industry to curb such activity, with a source close to the matter saying Japan is considering a system that would require property transfer registration applicants to disclose their nationality.

Outside Tokyo, Sapporo in northernmost Hokkaido recorded a near-tripling of its share, climbing from 0.7 percent to 2.0 percent. The figure in Kanagawa Prefecture, which borders Japan's capital, also grew from 0.3 percent to 1.0 percent.

The survey was conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for the first time amid concerns that speculative purchases by foreign buyers are driving up condominium prices.

As nationality is not recorded in property registry data, the ministry identified buyers by the addresses listed in those records.

Takaichi, who took office on Oct. 21, has pledged to introduce stricter rules on land acquisition by nonresident foreigners, as she has pursued policies shaped by her conservative and hawkish views on defense and economic security.
 
 

Just days after China issued an advisory against traveling to Japan, the cancellations began.

About 3,000 Chinese tourists visit Rie Takeda’s tearoom in a Tokyo alley each year. But some 200 have already canceled bookings for her tea ceremony classes, stretching as far ahead as January.

“I just hope the Chinese tourists return by Chinese New Year,” she said, referring to the major holiday in February. Past experience suggests the wait could be much longer.

China is again turning to a familiar playbook to signal its displeasure with Japan for refusing to retract a statement by its new prime minister on the highly sensitive issue of Taiwan.
 
 

Japanese brewing giant Asahi aims to restore its systems after a major cyberattack that disrupted its operations by February, media reports said on Friday.

The maker of Asahi Super Dry, one of Japan's most popular beers, started experiencing system troubles on September 29, stopping its ability to receive orders and to ship products. It has blamed a ransomware attack.

The brewer has informed its business partners of plans to return to normal product orders and shipments as early as February, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing unnamed sources.

A source familiar with the issue, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that "the company is explaining to its business partners it aims to restore the system in February."

Asahi plans to hold a press conference next week to explain the cyberattack's impact on business and to what extent personal information was leaked, and to share information about restoring its systems, NHK said.

The business daily Nikkei reported similar details.

Output at Asahi's 30 domestic factories was not directly affected by the system shutdown but production had to stop due to the company-wide problem.

The brewer said early last month production at six beer factories resumed, while it was processing orders by hand in an effort to swerve potential drinks shortages.
 
 

Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, on Tuesday passed legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of 25.1 yen per liter, effective Dec. 31.

The legislation, adopted at a Lower House plenary meeting, also states that the provisional gas oil delivery tax surcharge of 17.1 yen per liter will be abolished April 1 next year.

The legislation, which will be sent to the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, is expected to be enacted as early as this month.

In August, opposition parties jointly submitted the legislation to the Lower House, proposing the abolition of the surcharges in November.

After the Nov. 1 deadline, the legislation was revised by six major parties--the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, Komeito and the Japanese Communist Party.
 
 

 

Once upon a time, vendors would periodically wheel carts down the aisles of the shinkansen, offering food and drinks for travelers to enjoy during their ride on Japan’s famed bullet trains.

Sadly that came to an end in the fall of 2023, with operator Japan Railways citing decreased demand as the reason for discontinuing the service on all but first-class carriages.

The reason demand was dropping, JR said, was that more and more travelers were instead opting to grab something to drink or eat within the station itself, prior to boarding.

However, if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage or on a tight schedule, you probably don’t want to have to spend time and effort wandering through the building, especially if the shops and restaurants are far away from the spot where you need to get on your train, which is why Starbucks Japan is opening its first-ever branch right on a shinkansen platform.

Rather than Tokyo, it’s Yokohama that’s getting this pioneering shop, which is located inside Shin Yokohama Station, the first stop on the Tokkaido Shinkansen Line heading westward after leaving Tokyo’s Shinagawa Station.

The takeout-only branch, opening November 21, stands on Platform 11, from where westbound shinkansen trains depart, and is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

With speedy service being especially important, the shinkansen platform Starbucks has a condensed menu, but still offers coffee made from freshly ground beans, with three hot (Pike Place Roast, Decaf House Blend, and Sumatra) and two iced (Decaf House Blend, Kenya) varieties to choose from, as well as cookies and other light fare. Ordering is done through a touch panel and payment is by cashless methods only.

▼ The bilingual order panel’s start screen
 

 

While this is the first shinkansen platform Starbucks, the concept render at the top of this article implies that it probably won’t be the last.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for refreshments for eastbound shinkansen journeys, we recently discovered a delicious ice cream hack in Kyoto Station.
 

The island of Hokkaido has long been an agricultural powerhouse – now Japan is investing billions to turn it into a global hub for advanced semiconductors.

More than half of Japan's dairy produce comes from Hokkaido, the northernmost of its main islands. In winter, it's a wonderland of ski resorts and ice-sculpture festivals; in summer, fields bloom with bands of lavender, poppies and sunflowers.

These days, cranes are popping up across the island – building factories, research centres and universities focused on technology. It's part of Japan's boldest industrial push in a generation: an attempt to reboot the country's chip-making capabilities and reshape its economic future.

Locals say that beyond the cattle and tourism, Hokkaido has long lacked other industries. There's even a saying that those who go there do so only to leave.

But if the government succeeds in turning Hokkaido into Japan's answer to Silicon Valley - or "Hokkaido Valley", as some have begun to call it - the country could become a new contender in the $600bn (£458bn) race to supply the world's computer chips.


An unlikely player

At the heart of the plan is Rapidus, a little-known company backed by the government and some of Japan's biggest corporations including Toyota, Softbank and Sony.

Born out of a partnership with IBM, it has raised billions of dollars to build Japan's first cutting-edge chip foundry in decades.

The government has invested $12bn in the company, so that it can build a massive semiconductor factory or "fab" in the small city of Chitose.

In selecting the Hokkaido location, Rapidus CEO Atsuyoshi Koike points to Chitose's water, electricity infrastructure and its natural beauty.

Mr Koike oversaw the fab design, which will be completely covered in grass to harmonise with Hokkaido's landscape, he told the BBC.

Local authorities have also flagged the region as being at lower risk of earthquakes compared to other potential sites in Japan.

A key milestone for Rapidus came with the delivery of an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) system from the Dutch company ASML.

The high-tech machinery helped bring about Rapidus' biggest accomplishment yet earlier this year – the successful production of prototype two nanometre (2nm) transistors.

These ultra-thin chips are at the cutting edge of semiconductor technology and allow devices to run faster and more efficiently.

It's a feat only rival chip makers TSMC and Samsung have accomplished. Intel is not pursuing 2nm, it is leapfrogging from 7nm straight to 1.8nm.

"We succeeded in manufacturing the 2nm prototype for the first time in Japan, and at an unprecedented speed in Japan and globally," Mr Koike said.

He credits the IBM partnership for helping achieve the breakthrough.
Tie-ups with global companies are essential to acquiring the technology needed for this level of chips, he added.


The sceptics

Rapidus is confident that it is on track to mass produce 2nm chips by 2027. The challenge will be achieving the yield and quality that is needed to survive in an incredibly competitive market – the very areas where Taiwan and South Korea have pulled ahead.

TSMC for example has achieved incredible success in mass production, but making high-end chips is costly and technically demanding.

In a 2024 report, the Asean+3 Macroeconomic Research Office highlighted that although Rapidus is receiving government subsidies and consortium members are contributing funds: "The financing falls short of the expected 5 trillion yen ($31.8bn; £24.4bn) needed to start mass production."

The Center for Security and International Studies (CSIS) has previously said: "Rapidus has no experience in manufacturing advanced chips, and to date there is no indication that it will be able to access actual know-how for such an endeavour from companies with the requisite experience (ie TSMC and Samsung)."

Finding customers may also be a challenge – Samsung and TSMC have established relationships with global companies that have been buying their chips for years.


The lost decades

Nevertheless, Japan's government is pouring money into the chip industry - $27bn between 2020 and early 2024 - a larger commitment relative to its gross domestic product (GDP) than the US made through the Biden-era CHIPS Act.

In late 2024, Tokyo unveiled a $65bn package for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors that could further support Rapidus's expansion plans.

This comes after decades of decline. Forty years ago Japan made more than half of the world's semiconductors. Today, it produces just over 10%.

Many point to US-Japan trade tensions in the 1980s as a turning point.
Naoyuki Yoshino, professor emeritus at Keio University, said Japan lost out in the technology stakes to Taiwan and South Korea in the 1980s, leaving domestic companies weaker.

Unlike its rivals, Japan failed to sustain subsidies to keep its chipmakers competitive.

But Mr Koike says that mentality has changed.
"The [national] government and local government are united in supporting our industry to revive once again."

Japan's broader economic challenges also loom large. Its population is shrinking while the number of elderly citizens continues to surge. That has determined the national budget for years and has contributed to slowing growth.

More than a third of its budget now goes to social welfare for the elderly, and that squeezes the money available for research, education and technology, Prof Yoshino says.

Japan also faces a severe shortage of semiconductor engineers – an estimated 40,000 people in the coming years.

Rapidus is partnering with Hokkaido University and others to train new workers, but agrees it will have to rely heavily on foreigners, at a time when public support for workers coming into the country for employment is low.



Growing an ecosystem

The government's push is already attracting major global players.
TSMC is producing 12–28nm chips in Kumamoto, on the south-western island of Kyushu - a significant step for Japan, even if it lags behind the company's cutting-edge production in Taiwan.

The expansion has transformed the local economy, attracting suppliers, raising wages, and leading to infrastructure and service developments.
Japan's broader chip revival strategy appears to be following a playbook: establish a "fab", and an entire ecosystem will tend to follow.

TSMC started building a second plant on Kyushu in October this year, which is due to begin production by the end of 2027.

Beyond Rapidus and TSMC, local players like Kioxia and Toshiba are also getting government backing.

Kioxia has expanded fabs in Yokkaichi and Kitakami with state funds and Toshiba has built one in Ishikawa. Meanwhile, ROHM has been officially designated as a company that provides critical products under Tokyo's economic security framework.

American memory chipmaker Micron will also receive $3.63bn in subsidies from the Japanese government to grow facilities in Hiroshima, while Samsung is building a research and development facility in Yokohama.

Hokkaido is seeing similar momentum. Chipmaking equipment companies ASML and Tokyo Electron have both opened offices in Chitose, off the back of Rapidus building a production facility there.

"This will make a form of 'global ecosystem'," Mr Koike says, "where we work together to be able to produce semiconductors that contribute to the world."

Mr Koike said Rapidus's key selling point would be - as its name suggests - an ability to produce custom chips faster than competitors, rather than competing directly with other players.

"TSMC leads the world, with Intel and Samsung close behind. Our edge is speed - we can produce and deliver chips three to four times faster than anyone else. That speed is what gives us an edge in the global semiconductor race," Mr Koike said.


Big bet

Global demand for chips is surging with the rise of AI, while Japan's automakers - still recovering from pandemic-era supply shocks - are pressing for more reliable, domestically or regionally sourced production across the entire supply chain, from raw materials to finished chips.

Securing control over chip manufacturing is being seen as a national security priority, both in Japan and elsewhere, as recent trade frictions and geopolitical tensions between China and Taiwan raise concerns around the risks of relying on foreign suppliers.

"We'd like to provide products from Japan once again – products that are powerful and with great new value," Mr Koike said.

For Japan's government, investing in Rapidus is a high-stakes gamble to revive its semiconductor industry and more broadly its tech power.

And some analysts say it may be the country's best chance to build a domestic ecosystem to supply advanced chips to its many manufacturers, and one day become a formidable challenger in the global market.
 
 

Major electronics retailer Bic Camera Inc. has completed renovations on three of its stores in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, including its flagship location.

As competition among electronics retailers intensifies in the district, where Bic Camera’s was founded, the company is putting its efforts into drawing more customers.

The three stores — Ikebukuro Main Store, Ikebukuro Cameras PC Building and Ikebukuro West Store — had been undergoing renovations on their sales floors since June while operations continued.

At the main store, new features, such as a character goods corner in the game and toy section, were introduced to attract more young female shoppers.

The company has also temporarily increased the sales staff, who have extensive product knowledge, and expanded areas where customers can try out gaming PCs, beauty appliances and other products.

Meanwhile, Yamada Denki Co. opened its flagship LABI Ikebukuro in the district in September, and Yodobashi Camera Co. has plans to follow suit.

Signs displaying the name of Ikebukuro Station on the platform of the JR Yamanote Line have been changed to Ikebukuro (BicCamera Mae), meaning “in front of BicCamera,” to coincide with the three stores’ renovations.

The trains’ departure melody has been Bic Camera’s theme song since March last year.
 
 

Three of japan's four major life insurance companies enjoyed insurance premium income growth in april-september, their earnings reports have shown.

All the four — nippon life insurance, meiji yasuda life insurance, sumitomo life insurance and dai-ichi life holdings — saw their single-premium whole life insurance policies and savings-type products attract stronger domestic demand amid rising interest rates.

Insurance premium revenues rose 30.4% from a year earlier at meiji yasuda, 13.4% at nippon life and 4.0% at sumitomo.

Higher interest rates are "very beneficial," sumitomo managing executive officer nobuji takao said.

But dai-ichi life suffered a premium revenues drop of 7.4% due to weaker sales of foreign currency-denominated products at a group insurance firm.

Meanwhile, nippon life's core operating profit expanded 27.4% to rewrite a record high as investment profit went up on higher interest and dividend income.

Still, its executive vice president naoki akahori called for vigilance against volatile markets. "neither political nor economic conditions warrant optimism," he said.
 
 

 

Exports of Japanese marine products to China have hit another snag, just days after they resumed this month for the first time in about two years.

Apparently, this is a response to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Diet remark about a Taiwan contingency and looks to deal a blow to the Japanese government’s efforts to expand exports.

The Chinese government banned all imports of Japanese marine products in 2023 following the release of treated water from the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

In May, the Japanese and Chinese governments agreed on procedures for resuming exports, and in June, China announced it would resume imports of marine products from 37 prefectures, including Hokkaido and Aomori.

On Nov. 5, six tons of frozen scallops from Hokkaido were shipped to China.

Japanese fishery businesses that were approved for exports prior to the treated water release can resume shipments once they reregister as exporters with Chinese authorities, according to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry.

While 697 businesses have applied for registration to restart exports, only three in Hokkaido and Aomori have succeeded so far.

China was once Japan’s largest export destination for marine products. Of the ¥387.3 billion in seafood that Japan exported in 2022 before the treated water release, exports to China stood at ¥87.1 billion, or 20% of the total. Major exports included scallops, accounting for ¥48.9 billion, and sea cucumbers, at ¥9.8 billion.

After China’s ban, Japan diversified its buyers abroad, selling to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and Thailand.

“Scallop exports to the United States and Southeast Asia are going well, so there is little impact at present,” said an Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry official.

However, Japan aims to increase exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and food to ¥5 trillion by 2030, and the Chinese market, with its population of about 1.4 billion people, holds immense appeal.

“The Chinese market is indispensable for achieving this target,” a source close to the government said.
 
 

Japan’s global exports rose 3.7% in October from a year earlier while imports from the world edged up 0.6%, according to government data released Friday.
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Exports to the U.S. dipped 3.1%, marking the seventh straight month of year-on-year declines mainly due to higher U.S. tariffs, Finance Ministry data showed.

President Donald Trump announced a trade framework with Japan in July, placing a 15% tax on goods imported from that nation. That’s lower than the 25% rate Trump initially said would kick in starting in August. Previously, tariffs on most goods stood at 2.5%.

It's a heavy burden for an export dependent nation that is a major U.S. ally, but shipments to the rest of Asia are helping to offset those lost sales.

Japan's soybean imports from around the world surged 37.3% from a year earlier, while imporyts of iron and steel products dipped 17.1%.
Imports from the U.S. jumped 20.9% in October from a year earlier, mainly petroleum and food such as grains.

Exports of computer parts and other machinery and buses and trucks to the U.S. declined.

Japan’s exports to China climbed 2.1% last month from a year earlier. Exports to Hong Kong surged 19.2%, while those to Taiwan were up 17.7%.
As a result, Japan narrowed its overall trade deficit to 231.77 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in October, down from 499.95 billion yen a year earlier.

New worries have emerged recently over trade with China after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the nation’s first female leader, made comments about Taiwan that have angered China,. That prompted Beijing to issue an advisory against travel to Japan.
 
 

You don’t have to be a financial genius to realize that you could buy a lot of hamburgers with 70 billion yen. But did you know that dropping that much cash would allow you to buy all the hamburgers?

Well, all the hamburgers from Burger King Japan, to be more precise. The above sum is the amount that will reportedly be paid by Goldman Sachs to purchase Burger King’s Japanese operations.

The U.S.-based investment bank hasn’t switched its priorities from making money to making meals, though, as it’s Burger King Japan’s potential profit growth that attracted Goldman Sachs’ attention. 

Burger King has been aggressively expanding in Japan over the past few years, going from just 77 branches nationwide in May of 2019 to 308 as of last month. It’s intending to keep that pace of doubling in size every three years going for at least one more cycle, as the chain’s current plan is to have 600 branches in Japan by the end of 2028.

There’s often a sense of unease among consumers in Japan when a foreign company is looking to acquire a restaurant chain or other type of food provider, given Japan’s high standards for flavor and freshness, even at price points where expectations would be low in other countries.

However, Goldman Sachs purchasing Burger King Japan wouldn’t necessarily make the chain any less Japanese than it is right now, as its Japanese operations are currently owned by Hong Kong’s Affinity Equity Partners, who purchased them in 2017.

Moreover, this isn’t a case of an outside organization having to come in and save a tottering company by making sweeping changes to how it does business, but rather one of Goldman Sachs thinking that Burger King Japan is on the path to a bright future, and so we can probably expect the chain’s kitchens to keep on grilling up things like sumo burgers and Kyoto Whoppers even under its new ownership.
 
 

Toyota Motor Corp said Tuesday it would invest a total $912 million in five factories in the United States to meet the growing demand for hybrid vehicles.

The move is part of the company's plan, announced last week, to invest up to an additional $10 billion in the United States over the next five years, with factories in Mississippi, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri subject to the investment.

Toyota, the world's largest automaker by volume, said it would produce its first hybrid version of the mainstay Corolla in Mississippi and aim to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities for engines and parts for hybrid vehicles.

It plans to start operating the new lines in stages from 2027 and is expected to newly employ about 250 people.

According to the automaker, around half of the vehicles sold in the United States are assembled within the country, while 76 percent of those manufactured across North America, including Canada and Mexico, are produced for sale in the United States.

Toyota last week opened its first overseas plant in North Carolina dedicated to the production of lithium-ion batteries for hybrids, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

Washington imposed a 15 percent tariff on Japanese car imports in September, down from the 27.5 percent initially set by U.S. President Donald Trump. The figure, however, remains six times higher than the 2.5 percent rate that applied before April.
 
 

A projection estimates that if shortages persist in essential services such as caregiving, transportation, and logistics, Japan’s real GDP, adjusted for price fluctuations, could decline by up to ¥76 trillion by 2040.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry compiled the projection, and its findings will be disclosed at an expert meeting on Tuesday to discuss measures for maintaining essential services.

The breakdown of the ¥76 trillion loss is approximately ¥16 trillion in direct negative impact and approximately ¥60 trillion in negative impact on other industries, stemming from factors like population outflow from regions experiencing shortages in such services.

The expert meeting will consider financial support measures to encourage necessary capital investment and business diversification, aiming to improve the profitability needed to sustain essential services. The outcome of this discussion is expected to be finalized within the year.

The ministry estimates that Japan’s real GDP will reach ¥750 trillion by 2040, based on the premise of strengthening future economic and industrial policies.
 
 

The number of foreign visitors to Japan in October rose 17.6 percent from a year earlier to around 3.9 million, the second highest monthly total on record, government estimates showed Tuesday.

By country and region, South Korea topped the list with 867,200 visitors, up 18.4 percent, followed by China with 715,700, a 22.8 percent increase, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Visitors from China accounted for 18.4 percent of the total, boosted by national holidays.

But it is unclear whether the trend can be sustained after a sharp deterioration in bilateral ties over remarks earlier this month by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, which prompted the Chinese government to urge its citizens to refrain from visiting Japan.

The cumulative number of international visitors from January to October 2025 stands at some 35.5 million. This year's total is expected to surpass the previous annual record of about 36.87 million arrivals set in 2024.
 
 

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her strong intention to closely watch economic indicators to eventually declare that Japan has exited deflation, at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Takaichi defined an exit from deflation as a situation in which price levels are no longer falling and they seem unlikely to resume falling.

Regarding the current economic situation, Takaichi said: “Prices have continued to rise. However, I cannot say that the country has exited deflation.”

Before she can say that Japan is no longer in a state of deflation, Takaichi said, “I need to carefully determine the situation after comprehensively considering such factors as price levels and the sustainability of wage hikes.”

Regarding the reduction of Diet seats in the lower house, Takaichi said one option is to listen to the recommendations of a panel of ruling and opposition parties under the lower house speaker that is considering reforming the electoral system of the lower house.

She emphasized a stance to form a consensus about the issue between ruling and opposition parties.

“I will have good-faith discussions with all parties and parliamentary groups,” Takaichi said.

When asked about her stance on strengthening restrictions on paying for sex workers she said, “I will instruct [relevant officials] to determine the necessity of punishing those who pay for sex workers.”

Takaichi urged Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi to begin discussions for that purpose.
 
 

apan’s economy contracted at a 1.8% annual pace in July-September as President Donald Trump’s tariffs hit exports and private residential investment plunged.

Data released by the government Monday showed that on a quarter-by-quarter basis, Japan’s gross domestic product, the sum value of its goods and services, slipped 0.4%, the first contraction in six quarters.

The annualized rate shows what the economy would have done if the same rate were to continue for a year. The contraction was a slight improvement from the 0.6% quarterly drop in March-June.

Exports fell 4.5% in annual terms in the three months through September.
As Trump implemented higher tariffs on imports from many countries earlier this year, businesses ramped up their exports to try to beat higher costs. That inflated some of the earlier data for exports.

Imports for the third quarter slipped 0.1%. Private consumption edged up 0.1% during the quarter.

Analysts said a 32.5% year-on-year drop in private residential investment, or 9.4% in quarterly terms, was mainly due to revisions of Japan's building code that caused housing starts to plunge after they took effect in April, the start of Japan's fiscal year.

Tariffs are a major blow to Japan’s export-reliant economy, led by powerful automakers like Toyota Motor Corp., although many manufacturers have moved production abroad to avert the impact from tariffs and other trade controls.

The U.S. imposes a 15% tariff surcharge on nearly all Japanese imports. That's down from Trump's earlier plan for a 25% tariff.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October, has vowed to revive the economy and is expected to boost government spending, among other policies. That could complicate the central bank's efforts to rein in inflation by raising interest rates from their longstanding level near zero.

The lackluster level of activity in the last quarter means a possible rate hike in December is unlikely, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a report.

However, he said, initial data for this quarter and surveys of business sentiment suggest the economy will improve in coming months and the Bank of Japan may resume raising interest rates early in 2026.
 
 

Niigata Gov. Hideyo Hanazumi inspected Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station on Friday, ahead of taking a decision on whether to approve the restart of a reactor at the plant in Niigata Prefecture.

During his first inspection of the plant in seven years, Hanazumi mainly checked safety measures for the plant’s No. 6 reactor, which TEPCO aims to put back to operation.

Hanazumi is expected to decide by the end of this month whether to greenlight the reactor’s restart, based on the effectiveness of the safety measures and the results of a recent survey on local residents’ attitudes toward the restart.

The No. 6 and No. 7 reactors at the nuclear power plant, which straddles the city of Kashiwazaki and the village of Kariwa, have cleared the Nuclear Regulation Authority screening required for the restart, and technical preparations to put the No. 6 reactor back online were completed at the end of last month.

Accompanied by people including TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa, the governor observed a drill for setting up power cables in the event of a loss of power at the building for the No. 6 reactor.

“I was able to feel at firsthand that the safety awareness [of TEPCO staff] is high,” Hanazumi told reporters after the visit. He did not make specific comments on whether he would approve the restart.

In making his decision, Hanazumi is seen also taking into account opinions from a Friday meeting with leaders of seven Niigata municipalities within a 30-kilometer radius of the nuclear power plant, including the cities of Nagaoka and Ojiya. Municipalities in areas within 30 kilometers of a nuclear plant are required to draw up evacuation plans for a possible accident.

After the meeting, Nagaoka Mayor Tatsunobu Isoda said, “I said [to the governor] that it might take a little more time for public understanding to grow, and that we should take time for this.”

Ojiya Mayor Etsuo Miyazaki said, “[The governor] listened very earnestly to each municipality chief’s words. He stated that he would take them seriously.”

Junichi Kosuge, mayor of the city of Joetsu, said, “I stated that I would respect the judgment the governor makes after careful consideration.”
 
 

Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida has been hospitalised for leukemia treatment and will work remotely for a few weeks, the central bank said on Friday.

The 63-year-old career central banker has been in hospital since November 7, but is expected to attend the BOJ's next rate review meeting on December 18 and 19, the central bank's media relations division said.

Uchida is a member of the BOJ's nine-member policy board along with Governor Kazuo Ueda and the other deputy governor, Ryozo Himino.

Having spent most of his career drafting monetary policy, Uchida became deputy governor in March 2023 for a five-year stint. During his public appearances, Uchida has frequently dropped crucial signs about future policy moves and is seen as a key figure in setting the course of monetary policy.

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood, characterised by the rapid growth of abnormal blood cells. Common treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy and stem-cell transplant.

After the December policy meeting, the BOJ will hold another rate review on January 22-23.
 
 

Combined beer sales at three major brewers in Japan excluding Asahi Breweries Ltd. jumped 18 pct year on year in October, an industry estimate has shown.

Asahi's failure to smoothly ship products in the wake of a ransomware attack against its parent, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., in late September helped boost demand for rival beer brands, people familiar with the matter said.

The overall sales volume of beer, "happoshu" quasi-beer and "third-segment" beer-like products made by Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Suntory Spirits Ltd. and Kirin Brewery Co. posted a slower growth of 8 pct, with happoshu sales retreating 5 pct in the fallout from recent liquor tax revisions, according to the estimate.

By maker, sales of beer, quasi-beer and beer-like products rose 13 pct at Sapporo thanks chiefly to a smooth brand switch from Asahi at restaurants and bars using compatible beer tap systems. Suntory's sales, also in volume, remained unchanged due to a lack of limited-edition merchandise, despite its similar tap system advantage.

Kirin's sales went up 19 pct in value, pushed up by the release of the new Good Ale beer in October in addition to extra demand in place of Asahi beers.
 
 

The Japanese government raised its gasoline subsidy by 5 yen to 15 yen per liter on Thursday as a temporary measure to curb prices and ease the burden on households ahead of its planned scrapping of the existing provisional fuel tax at the end of the year.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government is set to increase its subsidy every two weeks, reaching about 25 yen on Dec. 11, when it will effectively cancel out the provisional tax, the energy agency said.

With the help of the bridging subsidy, the national average gasoline price of 173.50 yen per liter as of Monday is expected to fall to a four-year low of around 160 yen by late December, if market conditions remain stable.

In late October, Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party agreed with opposition parties to remove the provisional tax rate of 25.10 yen per liter on Dec 31. The temporary tax was imposed in 1974 on top of the base tax rate, which currently sits at 28.70 yen, and was used for funding public works.

The end of the temporary gasoline tax is projected to reduce Japan's nationwide core consumer price index, excluding volatile fresh food, by 0.2 percentage point, according to Yoshiki Shinke, senior executive economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute.

In an effort to alleviate pressure on household budgets caused in part by rising crude oil prices and the yen's weakness, the government introduced the gasoline subsidy program in January 2022, with it currently offsetting 10 yen per liter from the price.

In total, the subsidy cost more than 8 trillion yen over the four-year period.
The government also began expanding the diesel subsidy in steps on Thursday, ahead of a plan to end the provisional diesel tax of around 17 yen per liter on April 1.

Although the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to abolish the energy taxes, they have yet to reach a consensus on how to make up the estimated 1.5 trillion yen revenue reduction it will cause for the central and local governments.
 
 

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will make an additional investment of up to $10 billion in the United States over the next five years, as the Japanese automaker ramps up battery production for hybrid and electric vehicles.

The announcement was made as Toyota, the world's largest automaker by volume, opened its first overseas plant dedicated to battery production in North Carolina. It aims to bring its cumulative investment total in the United States, a key market, to $60 billion.

Tetsuo Ogawa, president and chief executive officer of a Toyota unit in charge of North America, said the new factory and investment mark a new historical milestone for the company and show its unwavering commitment to local communities, dealers and suppliers.

Toyota invested around $13.9 billion in the new North Carolina factory, which will produce lithium-ion batteries for hybrids, EVs, and plug-in hybrids. The automaker plans to employ up to 5,100 people there.

The move comes after Washington imposed a 15 percent tariff on Japanese car imports in September, down from the 27.5 percent initially set by President Donald Trump. The figure, however, remains six times higher than the 2.5 percent rate that applied before April.

As Trump seeks to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Japan, an idea has emerged for Japanese automakers like Toyota to import vehicles manufactured in the United States to Japan.
 
 

Japan’s Nikkei share average inched higher on Thursday, as the U.S. Congress voted to end the historic federal shutdown, while the broader Topix index rose to a fresh peak on value-buying.

The Nikkei .N225 rose 0.3% to 51,189.21 by 0154 GMT. The Topix .TOPX was up 0.63% at 3,380.53 after rising to a record high of 3,389.12 earlier in the day, extending gains to a fourth session.

A deal to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history cleared Congress on Wednesday, after the House of Representatives voted to restart disrupted food assistance, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers and revive a hobbled air-traffic control system.

In Japan, chip-related Advantest 6857.T rose 2.95% to become the biggest source for the Nikkei’s gain.

Fiber optic maker Fujikura 5803.T advanced 4.36%, while peers Furukawa Electric 5801.T and Sumitomo Electric 5802.T jumped 13% and 7%, respectively.

SoftBank Group 9984.T fell 4.54% to weigh the most on the Nikkei.
Bank shares rose, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group 8306.T climbing 1.83%. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group 8316.T and Mizuho Financial Group 8411.T gained 1.19% and 2%, respectively.

“Investors started buying value stocks. This move is similar to what is going on in the U.S.,” said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at IwaiCosmo Securities.

Wall Street’s main indexes closed mixed on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI notching a record-high close and the Nasdaq .IXIC losing ground as investors rotated out of pricey technology stocks.

“Money has started flowing to broader stocks and sectors in Japan,” Shimada said.

The utility sector .IEPNG.T jumped 2.33% and the brokerage sector .ISECU.T rose 2.15%.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s prime market, 64% rose, 30% fell and 4% traded flat.
 
 

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) announced Tuesday that the penguin mascot beloved for 25 years as the face of its Suica transit IC card will retire at the end of next fiscal year. The baton will be passed to a new character.

Voices expressing regret over parting with the character—whose adorable appearance on card surfaces and smartphone app screens garnered popularity—are likely to spread.

Suica began service in 2001. The penguin character has been used since the start, serving as the “face of advertising” on posters and other materials, and also appearing on Suica card designs.

Based on the Adelie penguin inhabiting Antarctica, related goods such as stationery, accessories, and plush toys are also sold. JR East plans to implement various campaigns targeting penguin fans and others until the end of fiscal 2026.

According to JR East, the selection of the new character will involve participation from railway passengers and other users. Specific details regarding the application process and content will be announced once finalized.

Suica enables “touch and go” passage through automatic ticket gates with just a light touch, even while stored in a wallet or pass case, helping alleviate congestion at gates during rush hour. As of March this year, over 110 million cards have been issued.
 

 

Shares in Japanese giant Sony jumped more than five percent Tuesday after it hiked full-year profit forecasts thanks to the latest "Demon Slayer" anime blockbuster.

The company also put the improved forecasts down to higher expected sales of its PlayStation games console and a smaller-than-expected impact from U.S. tariffs.

For the 2025-26 financial year, Sony sees net profit of 1.05 trillion yen ($6.8 billion), up eight percent from its last forecast, little changed from last year's record profit.

It also increased its operating profit projection by eight percent and its sales forecast by three percent.

The new guidance was the second hike this year, with Sony in August having raised its net profit projection to 970 billion yen.

In the first half of the current financial year, net profit rose 13.7 percent year-on-year to 570 billion yen, Sony said.

"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba -- Infinity Castle: Part 1," the first title in a new trilogy based on the popular manga series, has been a huge hit.
The animated movie has become the second-highest grossing film of all time in Japan, second only to the previous "Demon Slayer" movie, a COVID pandemic hit.

The dark fantasy about sword-swishing Tanjiro Kamado's final showdown to slay demons also topped the box office when it opened on U.S. and Canadian screens in September.

Sony lowered its forecast for the impact of U.S. tariffs to around 50 billion yen, a reduction of 20 billion yen from the previous estimate in August.

Trade officials in July reached a deal that saw the United States lower tariffs on Japanese goods to 15 percent from a threatened 25 percent.

Japanese auto giant Toyota last week also hiked its operating income and net profit forecasts for the current fiscal year.

Sony in August bumped up the price of PlayStation 5 video game consoles by $50 in the United States citing a "challenging economic environment".

The PlayStation 5, which launched in 2020, is "in the down cycle of its lifespan", analyst David Cole of DFC Intelligence told AFP.

The hotly anticipated upcoming release of the "Grand Theft Auto VI" game is also important for Sony.

Its creators Rockstar Games last week again delayed the launch, this time until November 2026.

"Overall this is one of the biggest concerns for PlayStation sales as GTA6 is expected to be a major driver for Sony," said Cole. "However, the PlayStation business model is such that it is not dependent on one or two big hits."

Sony Group shares were up 5.7 percent in afternoon trade.
 
 

Major Japanese department stores will sell fukubukuro lucky bags for their New Year’s sales next year that offer a wide variety of experiences and items themed on horses as 2026 is the Year of the Horse in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle.

Next year’s bags include those providing customers an opportunity to interact with horses as consumers are increasingly putting priority on experience value over goods.

Tobu Department Store will sell ¥5,000 bags that feature 30-minute horseback riding. Customers will be offered a calendar using photos of their riding horses.

Takashimaya will sell ¥20,260 bags through a lottery that allow customers to experience as if they are a horse owner throughout the year. Customers can choose their favorite from horses that are about to make their race debut, tour a ranch in Hokkaido, and watch horse races from the owner’s seats.
Since uma means horses in Japanese, stores will also sell bags containing umai (delicious) food or umaku-iku (good luck) products.

Using vending machines for capsule toys, Matsuya’s store in Tokyo’s Ginza district will sell random lucky bags where customers can win 100 pieces of sushi, king crabs, 30 kilograms of the Yumepirika brand of unpolished rice harvested in Hokkaido or other items for ¥8,000.

Sogo & Seibu will offer bags in which customers can enjoy comparing various taste of basashi horse-meat sashimi.

Tobu Department Store’s Ikebukuro main store in Tokyo will sell bags that include a golden horse figurine for ¥1.2 million.

Takashimaya plans to offer a lucky bag featuring a pure gold figure of the main character from the popular Japanese soccer comic series “Captain Tsubasa,” as well as a pure gold soccer ball, for ¥120 million.
 
 

From the launch of new products and services in Japan to facilitating leveraged trading bets, crypto exchanges and some financial firms are rushing to cash in on rising investor enthusiasm for digital assets amid hopes of easing regulations.

The recent surge underscores a higher appetite for riskier investments in Japan as inflation outpaces wage growth and overrides a wariness around crypto investments that followed serious security breaches at exchanges in 2014 and 2018.

Japanese investors' crypto assets surpassed a record 5 trillion yen ($33.16 billion) at the end of July, jumping 25% from just a month earlier. The price of bitcoin - the dominant holding - rose only 15% in yen terms over the same period.

Holdings have since dropped marginally to 4.9 trillion yen as of end-September.

Industry players are now positioning for growth to pick up pace. Regulatory changes under discussion could bring in yet more retail investors by potentially cutting tax paid on crypto gains and easing curbs on trading using borrowed money and asset securitization. 


'CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITY'

"There are around three times as many people with securities accounts as crypto accounts, so there's still a considerable opportunity," said Satoshi Hasuo, representative director and executive officer of exchange Coincheck .
"Next, we have to think about how we'll win these people over," Hasuo said. 

CJ Fong, Asia Pacific general manager at crypto market maker GSR, said the firm has also been engaged in more talks this year with Japanese exchanges and financial firms, mainly to provide greater liquidity across a spectrum of digital assets.

The burst of activity shows how Japan is re-establishing itself as a major crypto market as industry players capitalise on the boost the industry has had globally under U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The Trump administration has spurred the Japanese government and regulators into adopting a friendlier approach to crypto, so Japan doesn't fall behind," said Noriyuki Hirosue, CEO of exchange Bitbank.

According to a report by crypto data platform Chainalysis, Japan ranked 19th out of the top 20 nations in crypto adoption globally this year. 



NEW PRODUCTS AND ENTRANTS

Established exchanges are developing products and services in anticipation of regulatory changes that would tax digital-asset gains like those of securities and allow crypto investment through products such as ETFs and tax-free investment vehicles.

The Japan Financial Services Agency is refining rule changes, which will then be debated by parliament and, if passed, would come into effect in 2026 or 2027.

A similar overhaul of tax rules around foreign exchange trading in 2012 triggered a boom that saw trading volumes swell about tenfold in the space of 10 years, Bitbank's Hirosue said.

"I think this could hugely expand the market," he added.
In August, Coincheck announced a partnership with the crypto assets arm of online marketplace Mercari to offer a wider range of assets to Mercari's more casual customer base.

Mercari introduced simple crypto trading functions to its marketplace buyers and sellers in March 2023 and grew to 3.4 million crypto accounts by July 2025, making up over a quarter of Japan's total of 13.2 million accounts.
Its rapid growth has helped introduce crypto trading to a much larger audience, industry players say.

SBI VC Trade is considering "enhancing leveraged trading services" on the prospect of leverage trading ratios being relaxed from the current two times to about 5-10 times, representative director and president Tomohiko Kondo said.

The firm, the crypto trading arm of conglomerate SBI Holdings, also plans to offer lending services in USDC stablecoin and is exploring the launch of crypto ETF products, Kondo said.

Japan's financial regulator is considering allowing members of banking groups to launch cryptocurrency trading services, in a move to expand market access and foster competition, the Nikkei reported in October.



CHASING THE HIGHS

The crypto trading boom in Japan comes as retail investors seek higher returns and diversify away from low-yielding assets like government bonds and bank loans.

"Over 90% of my assets are in cryptocurrency. A diversified portfolio is only worthwhile when you have a big sum of money already," said Umi Soyama, a 27-year-old worker at a Tokyo-based advertising agency and a crypto investor for around two years.

"I want to take on risk now and then. If I build up enough assets I'll diversify into stocks, bonds and gold," Soyama said. 

Other investors have responded to Trump's crypto boosterism. In the month he was elected, SBI VC Trade said it saw account openings grow five times more than usual.

However, crypto assets' wild volatility poses risks to new investors.
"It can go up, go down. People have to understand this kind of movement and if they are to invest it's an alternative investment, not the main play," said Motonobu Matsuo, senior managing director of the Japan Securities Dealers Association.

And with asset prices near all-time highs, some investors are now looking to reduce their holdings.

Kou Okamoto, CFO at a Tokyo-based financial firm, has invested a small proportion of his assets in crypto since 2019. He now primarily owns bitcoin but is considering reducing his exposure to "altcoins" - those other than bitcoin.

"You can't make 100 or 200 times returns on other types of investments and easing regulations would make crypto more attractive, but altcoins are like gambling with slightly better odds than horse racing," Okamoto said. "I'm considering moving those into more medium-risk, medium-return investments."
 
 

Canon Inc. plans to release a new high-end mirrorless camera, the EOS R6 Mark III, on Nov. 21, according to the company.

Designed for a broad range of users, from novices to serious enthusiasts, the camera delivers upgraded performance in high-speed burst shooting and autofocus accuracy, Canon announced Thursday.

The resolution has increased from 24.2 million pixels in the previous model to 32.5 million pixels. It also supports high-speed continuous shooting at up to about 40 frames per second, making it ideal for capturing wildlife and sports action.

The camera is also equipped with a function that allows it to prioritize the detection of people who have been registered in advance. The camera body is priced at ¥429,000 on Canon’s online store.
 
 

Japan has resumed shipping marine products to China for the first time since Beijing banned imports in 2023 due to the disposal of processed radioactive waste water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the sea, the government said on Friday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minuru Kihara said at a press conference the government responded to a "positive" delivery of six tons of frozen shells from Japan's northern main island, Hokkaido, to China on Wednesday, according to Kyodo News November 7.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Norikazu Suzuki said in a separate press conference that 600 kilograms of salted sea cucumbers would follow on Monday.

China imposed a comprehensive ban in August 2023 as a form of strong resistance to the disposal of waste into the sea, which began that month.

However, the two countries agreed that in June this year, Japanese seafood imports from China would be continued in stages.

Japanese exporters are required to register their facilities with Chinese authorities and submit radioactivity inspection certificates for their fishery products before sending them.

So far, only three facilities have been allowed to export, while registration for hundreds of other facilities is still pending.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said Friday at a regular press conference in Beijing, "If any risks are found, the necessary import restriction measures will soon be taken in accordance with the law."

He expressed his hope for continued international monitoring and independent water sampling by the Bamboo Curtain Country, adding Beijing would maintain strict scrutiny of Japanese seafood imports to ensure food safety for its people.

Separate bans remain in place for imports of marine products and other products from 10 out of 47 prefectures in Japan, including Fukushima, Miyagi, and Tokyo, which were imposed after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that triggered the nuclear disaster.

China's resumption of Japanese seafood imports comes amid efforts by its two neighboring countries to stabilize bilateral relations that are often strained due to issues related to the territory and history of war, amid rising competition and tensions over China-US trade under US President Donald Trump.

China has also completed an important step towards restarting imports of Japanese beef, which was stalled following an outbreak of mad cow disease in Japan in 2001, with Beijing completing its domestic quarantine procedures in July, according to the Japanese Government.

Kihara, the government's main spokesman, said Tokyo would continue to urge Beijing "firmly" to lift remaining restrictions on Japan's 10 prefectures and continue importing beef.
 

A robot is selling merchandise as part of a trial run at an unstaffed souvenir store at Narita Airport in Narita, Chiba Prefecture.

The trial, the first of its kind at domestic airports and commercial facilities, is being jointly conducted by Narita International Airport Corp. (NAA) with Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), which developed the store. They are evaluating the approach as a possible solution for labor shortages in the future.

With an adorable, animal-like face, the robot is 1.2 meters tall with a length of 1.8 meters and a width of 60 centimeters. It moves on a rail to fulfill customer orders. The store, which is a glass booth measuring 7 meters wide and 2.7 meters deep, has stacks of 12 different kinds of boxed souvenirs.

The robot uses its tail, which serves as an arm with a sucker at its end, to pick up a box, place it down and bring it to the delivery window.

Pickru Store was installed on Oct. 10 near domestic boarding gates at the airport’s Terminal 3, which is used by many passengers for budget airlines.

To buy souvenirs, shoppers browse via a panel showing the contents of the boxes and their prices. Payment is accepted via credit card or by QR code. A purchase can be made in a minute and without a shop assistant. According to NAA, the store is used by an average of 20 people every day.

NRI is studying the potential of robots in providing an answer to serious labor shortages due to the decline in Japan’s working-age population. Narita Airport faces the issue of how to secure enough staff to handle the increase of arrivals and departures at its facility in the future.

The airport’s operator decided to take part in the trial run as a possible solution that makes up for labor shortages.

NRI lists the advantages of the Pickru Store compared to regular unstaffed shops and vending machines as follows: The initial investment is small; there is no risk of shoplifting; the store can accommodate souvenir boxes in various sizes; and the robot’s physicality is eye-catching to passersby.

“In this country, it is presumed that there will be a shortage of about 7 million people in the working-age population in the near future,” said Kenichiro Hiroto of NRI.

“Labor shortages will pose a serious problem to the retail industry as well. We are exploring various styles of retailing by using robots. In this trial run, we’d like to examine customers’ reactions, too.”

Pickru Store will be open at the airport until Dec. 15. NAA is planning to review the data from the trial run at the end of this year or early next year.
 
 

A Japanese Fisheries Agency panel has approved an expansion of the fiscal 2025 fishing quota for the Japanese common squid by 1,800 tons following bigger-than-expected catches.

At its meeting Wednesday, a subcommittee of the Fisheries Policy Council gave the green light to the plan to increase the quota for the year through March 2026 to 27,600 tons from 25,800 tons at present, mainly by reallocating the portion reserved for adjustment.

The increase will also cover small fishing boats, which were ordered last week to suspend operations, but they will not be allowed to resume fishing as their catches already exceed the newly approved level.

The total quota for the squid for the current year was initially set at 19,200 tons, down 60,000 tons from a year before, following poor catches in recent years.

Once the squid fishing season began, however, catches turned out unexpectedly good, and the quota was boosted by 6,600 tons in September.

Ahead of the high season, there have been calls for increasing the quota again, mainly from the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido.
 

 

Wasteful and ineffective use of taxpayer money by the Japanese government in fiscal 2024 totaled about ¥54.081 billion in 319 projects, according to a report the Board of Audit of Japan submitted to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday.

Both figures were lower than those of the preceding year.
Of the total cases for fiscal 2024, which ended in March this year, 271, involving over ¥8.6 billion, were related to law violations or improper budget execution.

While the fiscal 2023 audit of the government focused on projects linked to COVID-19, the board mainly inspected a wide range of projects, including those aimed at ensuring people's safety and related to the defense and digital fields, for fiscal 2024.

Yuhei Harada, chief of the board, said during a news conference, "With restoring fiscal soundness being a major challenge for the government, we'll continue strict and fair audits of various administrative and fiscal projects funded by taxpayer money."

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry had the worst single case of taxpayer money being wasted or used ineffectively, with the amount totaling about ¥20.365 billion.

The funds for subsidies provided by the affiliated Small and Medium Enterprise Agency to the Japan Federation of Credit Guarantee Corporations to aid fundraising at small firms impacted by the March 2011 powerful earthquake and tsunami have not been utilized effectively, the board said.

The ministry was also the biggest taxpayer money waster within the government, misspending some ¥22.058 billion in total. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry came second, with around ¥3.752 billion, followed by the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry, with about ¥1.963 billion.

The board also said that there were 290 locations with landslide risks along expressways, calling on three expressway operators to take countermeasures.

Amid heightened cybersecurity risks, the board called for improvements to be made for 58 information systems of 12 administrative agencies that were found to lack measures against vulnerabilities.
 
 

A subcommittee of a finance ministry advisory panel Wednesday started discussions to formulate the Japanese government's budget for fiscal 2026, which starts in April next year.

It will be the first budget compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration. She has pledged to pursue an aggressive yet responsible fiscal policy.

Budget requests from government ministries and agencies under former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reached a record high of over 122 trillion yen, reflecting increased spending aimed at boosting wages and addressing inflation.

With expectations for even greater fiscal spending, balancing fiscal soundness with expansion will be a key challenge.

In her policy speech to parliament on Oct. 24, Takaichi said she would "strategically deploy fiscal measures" to build a "strong economy."

She pledged to achieve economic growth through public and private investment in strategic sectors while ensuring fiscal sustainability by increasing tax revenues.
 
 

 
The press got a first look at a train car to be used for the Linear Chuo Shinkansen maglev line when it was unveiled on Friday on a test line in Yamanashi Prefecture.

The M10, Central Japan Railway Co.’s (JR Tokai) new train car, is still being tested and is expected to be used when the Linear Chuo Shinkansen begins running.

One feature of the M10 is that its seats do not recline, as it is meant for passengers traveling for only a short amount of time.

Since construction for one section of the Linear Chuo Shinkansen’s track has not started, the timeline for when the M10 will be used is still unclear. However, the cars are still being built.

It is the first maglev train car to be unveiled in five years.
The maglev train will have a top speed of 500 kph and is expected to travel between Shinagawa and Nagoya stations in as fast as 40 minutes.

To achieve such speeds, the seats’ reclining function and other features were removed to make them more lightweight. The space in front of each seat has been increased, so passengers can place their luggage and other items at their feet.

The Linear Chuo Shinkansen’s speed and images such as a blue sky and various locations will be projected on the car’s ceiling as the train track goes through many tunnels and there will not be much of a view from the windows.

“The technology necessary for the maglev’s operation is mostly developed,” said the director of the maglev train’s testing center in Yamanashi Prefecture.
However, with concerns being raised about the construction of a tunnel having various environmental impacts, construction on a section of the track in Shizuoka Prefecture has not started, and there is no timeline for when it is expected to begin.

In addition, JR Tokai said Wednesday that the total cost of construction for the maglev line between Shinagawa and Nagoya stations is expected to increase by about ¥4 trillion to ¥11 trillion. Securing a large amount of funds will pose a significant challenge.
 


 

Asian shares retreated Tuesday despite the big lift in overseas markets from optimism over AI technology, as traders sold shares to lock in recent profits.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 dipped 1.7% to 51,497.20 following a national holiday on Monday.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.9% to 8,813.70.
South Korea's Kospi dipped 2.4% to 4,121.74, reversing after a rally took it to record highs in recent days.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng erased earlier gains to fall 0.6% to 25,983.29, while the Shanghai Composite lost 0.4% to 3,960.19.

On Monday, gains for Nvidia, Amazon and other AI superstars propped up share prices. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% and pulled closer to its all-time high set last week, even though the majority of stocks in the index sank. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 226 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%.

Nvidia was the strongest force lifting the S&P 500, as it has been for much of the year so far. The chip company rose 2.2% to bring its gain for the year to date to 54.1%.

Amazon was the No. 2 force pushing the market higher. It rallied 4% after announcing a $38 billion agreement with OpenAI, which will use Amazon’s cloud computing services to run its AI workloads.

IREN, an AI cloud service provider, jumped 11.5% after Microsoft announced a $9.7 billion contract with it that will give the tech giant access to some of Nvidia’s chips.

Palantir Technologies, which came into the day with a stunning 165% gain for the year so far, rose another 3.3%. Traders pushed the AI darling higher in the final hours before the data platform company reported its latest quarterly results after trading closed for the day.

Companies across the U.S. stock market will need to hit expectations for growth in profit to justify the big gains for their stock prices since April. Criticism has been rising that the broad U.S. market, and AI stocks in particular, have become too expensive and could be inflating into a dangerous bubble similar to the 2000 dot-com bust.

For the most part, companies have been meeting the high expectations for profits. Four out of every five companies in the S&P 500 have topped analysts’ forecasts so far this reporting season, according to FactSet.

With roughly two-thirds of all S&P 500 reports in, companies in the index are on track to deliver healthy growth of nearly 11% versus a year earlier.

On the losing end of Wall Street on Monday was Kimberly-Clark, which dropped 14.6% after it said it would buy Kenvue in a deal valuing it at $48.7 billion. Kenvue, which sells Tylenol, Band-Aids and Listerine, jumped 12.3%.

A discouraging report on U.S. manufacturing said that activity shrank by more last month than economists expected. Several manufacturers told surveyors for the Institute for Supply Management that President Donald Trump’s tariffs are creating financial pain.

In other dealings early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude fell 21 cents to $60.84 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, declined 22 cents to $64.67 a barrel.

The U.S. dollar slipped to 153.64 Japanese yen from 154.21 yen. The euro cost $1.1524, inching down from $1.1519.
 
 

 
Japan has expressed strong interest in investing in the development of Indonesia’s new capital city, Ibu Kota Nusantar (IKN), particularly in its green and sustainable infrastructure. 

The project, located across parts of Penajam Paser Utara and Kutai Kartanegara regencies in East Kalimantan, continues to attract international attention as it moves into its next phases of development.

“IKN continues to offer investment opportunities focused on green and sustainable development,” said Head of the IKN Authority, Basuki Hadimuljono, during a visit to Sepaku, Penajam Paser Utara, on Monday, November 3, 2025, as quoted by antaranews.com.

The first and second phases of IKN’s construction are centered on building government offices and housing. Future development will expand into nine designated zones covering a range of economic and industrial sectors.

Basuki emphasized that industrial development within IKN will prioritize clean and green industries, in line with the sustainable development principles upheld by the IKN Authority. “The envisioned industries include agro-industry and fisheries, sectors that align with our clean and green approach,” he explained.

Among the interested investors is the Saga office of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), which is exploring various opportunities for collaboration and investment in Indonesia, particularly in infrastructure and industrial zones within IKN.

Basuki welcomed JETRO’s interest, describing it as a potential starting point for concrete cooperation between Indonesia and Japan in realizing a modern, sustainable capital city. “JETRO has already reviewed the direction of IKN’s development,” he noted.

Tsuru Katsuya, CEO and Chairman of JETRO Kanzaki Industry Corp, echoed this sentiment, stating that Japan’s experience with urban density challenges makes IKN’s development particularly compelling. He added that the long-term vision behind IKN aligns well with the interests of Japanese investors.

JETRO is currently assessing key economic infrastructure, including industrial zones, transportation facilities, and other strategic assets, as part of its preparations to explore future investment opportunities in Indonesia, especially within the IKN project, Tsuru said.
 
 

The ratio of job openings to job seekers for auto mechanics and technicians in Japan eclipsed 5.00 in fiscal 2024, far greater than the overall 1.14, as the country's birthrate continues to fall.

The ratio rose by 0.10 point to 5.09 compared to the previous year, recent government data showed. It means there were 509 job openings for every 100 job seekers.

The labor shortage in the industry has raised concerns over its potential adverse impact on automobile safety, with its tough working environment and low pay also believed to be contributing factors.

According to the data from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the ratio has been on the rise since hitting 4.50 in fiscal 2020, when it began taking records.

The number of automotive service businesses that closed, were disbanded or went bankrupt climbed to a record high of 455 in fiscal 2024 due to a chronic labor shortage, with some companies forced to delay deliveries or limit the number of units on order, according to Teikoku Databank Ltd.

To combat the shortage, dealership NTP Nagoya Toyopet Corp. has implemented a system that pays up to 100,000 yen ($650) to employees who successfully introduce peers who are recruited. It has employed nine technicians since the practice was set up in fiscal 2022.

Meanwhile, Nal Net Communications, which undertakes maintenance outsourcing for corporate leased vehicles, is supporting digitalization efforts at its partner repair shops to help them operate efficiently with less staff.

The data comes after some Toyota dealerships in 2021 were found to have conducted fraudulent vehicle inspections due to understaffing, with the auto giant vowing to reduce the workload.

But the number of people who applied for a license as a mechanic fell to a record low 35,504 in fiscal 2024, plunging 51.1 percent since its peak in fiscal 2004, according to the Japan Automobile Service Promotion Association.
 
 

Kansai Electric Power will start a survey early this month to assess whether it can build a new nuclear reactor in or near its Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, sources said Monday.

The survey will mark the first concrete move toward nuclear reactor construction in Japan since the March 2011 meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings' Fukushima No. 1 plant.

Kansai Electric will announce soon when the survey will begin.
In July this year, the company announced plans to conduct a survey needed to build what the industry calls an innovative light-water reactor, seen as safer than conventional reactors.

The town of Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, which hosts the Kansai Electric plant, accepted the start of such a survey in August.

The survey will be conducted in two stages. The company will collect rock samples through drilling and examine geological conditions in the first stage. In the second stage, the company will excavate tunnels to check the properties of rocks constituting the ground. The survey is expected to continue until around 2030.

Japan needs to secure stable power sources as electricity demand is expected to increase mainly due to the spreading use of artificial intelligence systems.

Kansai Electric, which has already restarted all of its seven operable nuclear reactors, will move toward the construction of a new reactor given that it will take about 20 years from the survey to the start of operations.

The company will not make a decision on the construction based on the results of the survey alone, President Nozomu Mori has said, adding that it will take into account profitability and the Nuclear Regulation Authority's regulatory policy.

It would also be essential for the central government and the nuclear plant operator to provide careful explanations to foster understanding of local residents and resolve difficult problems in the country's nuclear power policy, such as the selection of a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste.
 
 

Struggling Japanese carmaker Nissan said it expected to suffer an operating loss of 275 billion in its fiscal year that ends in March as it faces further economic headwinds.

It also said it expected an operating loss of 30 billion yen for the first six months of the fiscal year, which runs through September.

Nissan reported a net loss of 671 billion yen for the financial year to March 2025, and launched an effort cut 20,000 jobs, some 15 percent of its workforce.

The first-half operating loss of 30 billion yen is better than the automaker had been forecasting. Nissan attributed it to one-time benefits including lower costs to emission regulations. It said it had also deferred some project costs to the second half of the year.

"While our first-half results reflect temporary benefits and payback from cost-saving initiatives, we anticipate ongoing challenging competitive environment in the second half, supply chain risks and the seasonality of business," said Chief Financial Officer Jeremie Papin.

The expected worsening of its performance in the second half of its fiscal year reflected "anticipated challenges in the second half due to supply chain risks, foreign exchange volatility, tariffs, and other external factors," the automaker said in a statement.

It said it now expected sales of 11.7 trillion yen in 2025-2026, down from its initial estimate in May of 12.5 trillion yen.

Nissan has faced numerous speed bumps in recent years -- including the 2018 arrest of former boss Carlos Ghosn, who later fled Japan concealed in an audio equipment box.

A merger with Japanese rival Honda had been seen as a potential lifeline but talks collapsed in February when the latter proposed making Nissan a subsidiary.

Of Japan's major automakers, Nissan was seen by analysts as likely to be the most severely hit by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported vehicles.
 
 

Income declared by companies in Japan that closed their books in fiscal 2024, which ended in March, grew 4.1 pct from the previous year to 102,338.1 billion yen, hitting a record high for the fourth year in a row, the National Tax Agency said Thursday.

Construction companies’ income showed a large increase, while manufacturers and transportation firms saw their income decline.

Total declared tax rose 7.6 pct to a record 18,713.9 billion yen.
Of the overall 3.22 million declarations, 36.5 pct came from profitable companies, up 0.5 percentage point from the previous year.

Tax withheld mainly from salaries and dividend income in the year that ended last June dropped 4.6 pct from the previous year to 20,344.5 billion yen.
 
 

Practicality took center stage at the Tokyo auto show, where many Japanese automakers showcased their latest electric vehicles set for release in the coming years as they race to catch up with overseas rivals and make environmentally friendly options more accessible to domestic consumers.

A record-high 500-plus companies and organizations are participating in this year's Japan Mobility Show, which opened to the media on Wednesday for a two-day preview, encouraging visitors to envision the future of transportation. The event will be open to the public through Nov 9.

Toyota Motor Corp unveiled an orange coupe concept version of its ultra-luxury Century at the event, positioning the model as a standalone brand alongside Lexus and its GR sports cars.

"I believe the Century brand was born out of Japanese pride," Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda said. "The phoenix, the Century emblem, only appears in times of peace. I believe the brand is built on our hope for world peace and the challenge of forging the next 100 years."

The world's largest automaker by volume also showcased the next generation Corolla Concept, set to be available in multiple versions from EVs to hybrids, while the Lexus brand unveiled its new six-wheel vehicle.

"Everyone has a love for the earth and wants to ride a cool car. Be it a battery EV, hybrid, or engine, we want to create cars that people will want to ride," said Toyota President and CEO Koji Sato.

Toyota recently announced it will jointly develop cathode materials for all-solid-state batteries with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., aiming to launch electric vehicles powered by the next-generation batteries between 2027 and 2028.

 

It also reported on Monday a record high in global sales for the first half of the year, driven by robust demand for hybrids in North America and China, despite fierce competition in China, where the electric SUV bZ3X was introduced.

Honda Motor Co. showcased its Super-One Prototype, a mini EV set to launch first in Japan in 2026 before expanding to Britain and other Asian markets.

The vehicle comes with a "Boost Mode," which enables the driver to accelerate rapidly and smoothly, alongside a built-in sound system that simulates an engine's sound.

"We are working on developing EV and hybrid vehicles to realize a carbon neutral world by 2050," said Honda President Toshihiro Mibe.

The automaker also displayed a "sustainable rocket" used in a test launch in Hokkaido in June. Measuring 6.3 meters long and weighing 900 kilograms when empty, the reusable rocket uses renewable fuel.

"Honda is now challenging itself in space... The test was concluded successfully and according to plan from launch to landing, with stance and speed perfectly controlled," Mibe said. "It was thanks to the technology we have garnered from our development of autonomous driving and our aircraft."

 

At Nissan Motor Co's booth, visitors can see the new Elgrand minivan, a staple in Japan for nearly 30 years, which will feature the company's third-generation e-Power technology and go on sale in fiscal 2026.

"It offers the highest levels of hospitality, warmth, serenity, and refinement, embodying the spirit of omotenashi," said Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa, referring to the Japanese concept of wholehearted hospitality.

Nissan also showcased the new Leaf B7 released in Japan on Oct 17. The third-generation model of its flagship EV can travel 702 kilometers on a single charge.

The struggling automaker, which logged a 115.76 billion yen net loss in the April-June quarter, has been undergoing a restructuring overhaul to restore profitability.

"Everyone at Nissan is committed to embracing change and taking bold, innovative approaches, united by a determination to redefine what's possible, reshape our legacy and transform mobility," Espinosa said. "Together, we are forging a path to a more sustainable and inclusive world."

Chinese EV giant BYD Co will exhibit a prototype of its electric vehicle featuring its newest blade batteries, a type of lithium-iron-phosphate battery known for being safer and longer lasting, while South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co is taking part in the mobility show for the first time.

Japanese automakers are pushing toward EVs even though EVs made up just around 1.6 percent of new car sales in Japan in 2024, according to data from the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association, with around 40 percent of those being imported vehicles.

Although the global adoption of EVs has slowed down overall, some domestic automakers have targeted customers looking to replace their current vehicles, especially minicars, which account for around 40 percent of all domestic car purchases in Japan.

Alongside major companies unveiling world premiere vehicles, the Tokyo auto show will feature the "Tokyo Future Tour 2035," an area divided into five zones where visitors can experience what the world may look like 10 years from now, across land, sky and sea, including flying cars.
 
 

Long associated with American ruggedness, pickup trucks such as Ford's top-selling F-150 have now become a symbol of international trade talks, showing how far countries such as Japan will go to win over U.S. President Donald Trump.

When Trump met Japan's new prime minister and first female premier, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo on Tuesday, an F-150 was parked prominently outside the Akasaka Palace venue.

Burly U.S. pickup trucks are a rare sight in the Japanese capital, where the streets are narrow and turns can be painfully tight.

But the placement of the F-150,  which is not typically available for sale in Japan, sent a clear message about Tokyo's willingness to buy more cars from its ally, an issue that has been a sore point for Trump for decades.

Last week Reuters reported that Takaichi's government was working on a package to buy F-150 trucks, an idea originally floated by Trump, as well as soybeans and gas.

"Well, that's great. She has good taste," Trump told reporters on Air Force One, when asked about the report. "That’s a hot truck."

In August, Trump said Japan was ready to purchase the "very beautiful" F-150.

It was not clear how many F-150s Japan planned to buy.
Japanese government sources have told Reuters the trucks would probably end up being used as snow plows, given their size.

Japan and Europe, Trump has often complained, refuse to accept U.S. cars even as Japanese and European automakers sell millions of their vehicles each year in the United States.

But the reluctance to buy American has little to do with trade barriers. Both in Tokyo and London, many drivers see Detroit cars as simply too big and too costly to run.

The F-150 won't be the first American car brought in to Japan to help ease trade friction. Three decades ago, Toyota responded to U.S. pressure by selling a mid-sized General Motors car under its own brand in Japan.

The Toyota Cavalier was introduced with much fanfare, sold poorly and quietly faded after a few years, said John Shook, a former Toyota manager and an auto industry veteran in both Japan and the United States.

Any attempt to sell the F-150 would likely go the same way, he said.
"Don't expect to see the F-150s roaming the streets of Tokyo or hauling crops from the countryside. They are too big, too expensive, too gas-guzzling and simply a bad fit all around. Not to mention the steering wheel is on the wrong side."

A third of the 3.7 million new cars sold in Japan last year were mini or kei cars, tiny vehicles that are not produced by American automakers.

Foreign cars accounted for 6% of new car sales overall, with European brands among some of the top sellers, industry data showed, while Ford itself pulled out of Japan almost a decade ago.

Separately Trump said Toyota would open auto plants in the United States to the tune of $10 billion.

A Toyota spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on Trump's remarks.
 
 

Japan's leisure-related market expanded 5.6 pct from the previous year to 75,203 billion yen in 2024, the Japan Productivity Center, a private think tank, said Tuesday.

The latest figure surpassed the pre-pandemic level of 72,307 billion yen recorded in 2019 thanks to the economy's reopening and higher admission fees at some tourist facilities.

Games and other entertainment services rose 5.3 pct to 50,531 billion yen, while the sightseeing and outdoor amusement sector climbed 9.9 pct to 12,416 billion yen. The sports sector grew 1.6 pct, while hobbies and creation services increased 3.8 pct.

"Since the pandemic, leisure activities have been going digital," an official at the Japan Productivity Center said, citing the spread of video-streaming services and online games.

"Experience-based activities, such as going to concerts and sports events, add value to leisure," the official said.
 
 

 
Food prices continue to rise, driven primarily by high raw material costs, as well as increasing logistics and labor costs, leading to predictions of repeated further price hikes going forward.

Food prices, initially pushed up due to changing international conditions, are continuing to rise because of growing domestic operational costs.



Red ink dilemma

“It’s a rush of price hikes. Everything is going up in price. There’s nothing I can do but lament it,” said a 79-year-old housewife as she finished her shopping at a Sanyo supermarket in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, on Thursday. She let out a sigh while holding her receipt.

Since September, the store has been continuously raising the prices of bottled beverages, chocolate snacks and other items.

The supermarket has implemented measures to prevent customer attrition, such as bringing in low-priced brand products. Many items, however, are continuing to get more expensive.

“If we don’t raise prices, we will end up in the red,” admitted Yoshikuni Abe, a director of the company that operates the store.

According to the nationwide consumer price index for September released by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry on Friday, the core index, excluding volatile food prices, rose 2.9% from the same month a year earlier.

Food, excluding perishable items, saw a particularly high increase of 7.6%.
Rice prices rose 49.2%, falling 2.5% from their peak in June but remaining roughly double the 2020 level. Significant price increases were also seen for eggs, up 15.2%; coffee beans, up 64.1%; and chocolate, up 50.9%.



Shifting reasons

According to Teikoku Databank Ltd., the number of food and beverage items undergoing price revisions in 2025 is projected to reach 20,381 items, 60% increase from last year.

However, the causes of the price increases are changing.

A food manufacturer said that international factors were the main reasons for the price increase until the first half of 2024. These factors included the surge in crude oil and wheat prices triggered by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the rapid depreciation of the yen.

Since the beginning of this year, however, the majority of companies have cited domestic factors such as rising logistics costs and labor expenses, in addition to higher raw material costs, as their reasons for raising prices.

Households are strengthening their penny-pinching mindset. According to the August household survey, households with two or more members spent an average of ¥102,443 on food per month.

Looking at nominal values for food expenditures, based on unadjusted amounts, the figure rose 5.9% year-on-year. However, when adjusted for price fluctuations, the figure, on a real basis, decreased by 1.2%.

This indicates that consumers are responding to the price hikes by reducing the amounts of food they purchase or switching to cheaper products.

Yoshiki Shinke of the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute Inc. suggested that price increases will likely continue, saying, “With food manufacturers successively raising prices, adjusting prices now will not draw much attention and won’t significantly impact market share.”
 
 

 

The world's first stablecoin pegged to the yen launched in Japan on Monday, a small but significant move in a country where many consumers still prefer to use traditional payment means like cash and credit cards.

JPYC, a Japanese startup, began issuing the stablecoins - also called JPYC - which are fully convertible to the yen and backed by domestic savings and Japanese government bonds (JGBs).

The company aims to issue 10 trillion yen ($66 billion) worth of JPYC over three years and have the digital assets used widely overseas. It does not initially plan to charge transaction fees to encourage its usage, and instead aims to earn money from interest on holdings of JGBs.

"We hope to spur innovation by giving startups access to low transaction and settlement fees," CEO Noritaka Okabe told a press briefing.

"Increasing global interoperability would benefit us too, so we're open to capital tie-ups," he added.

Blockchain-based stablecoins are typically pegged to a fiat currency and offer faster and cheaper transactions.

With strong backing from U.S. President Donald Trump, stablecoins pegged to the U.S. dollar have surged and now account for over 99% of global stablecoin supply, according to the Bank for International Settlements.

Interest in stablecoins is also gaining momentum globally, and Japan's three megabanks will jointly issue stablecoins, the Nikkei daily reported this month.

Tomoyuki Shimoda, a former Bank of Japan executive who is currently an academic at Japan's Rikkyo University, said yen stablecoins are not going to have the same momentum as those backed by the U.S. dollar - the world's reserve currency used across the globe.

"There's a lot of uncertainty on whether yen stablecoins will become widespread in Japan," he said. "If megabanks join the market, the pace could accelerate. But it could still take at least two to three years."

Policymakers have expressed concern that stablecoins could facilitate the movement of funds outside regulated banking systems and potentially undermine the role of commercial banks in global payment flows.

"Stablecoins might emerge as a key player in the global payment system, partially replacing the role of bank deposits," BOJ Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino said in a speech last week, urging global regulators to adapt.

Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea has pledged to allow companies to introduce won-based stablecoins and China, too, is considering allowing usage of yuan-backed stablecoins.
 

Compact digital cameras are getting a surprise boost in popularity after having been eclipsed by smartphones for some time.

The number of compact digital cameras shipped into the domestic market in 2024 slightly increased, the first rise in seven years.

In addition to their high degree of user-friendliness, aspects of compact digital cameras, such as how easily inventive pictures can be taken for posting on social media, are being seen in a new light.


Expanding sales space

BicCamera Inc.’s Yurakucho Store in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, expanded a compact digital camera sales corner in July. Currently, about 20 compact digital camera models are on the store’s shelves with the prices of most in the ¥10,000 to ¥30,000 range.

In the corner, there is a display comparing image quality of photos taken by smartphones and compact digital cameras.

A store employee said the main purchasers of the cameras are women in their 20s and 30s. One customer, a 34-year-old female company employee, said that with a compact digital camera, “I can take charming photos that are emotionally resonant.”

Since around 2024, the store has received a remarkable number of inquiries about such cameras.

A store representative said, “Their reasonable prices and unique aspects of the photos, such as textured image quality, have earned praise for the products. Momentum [in sales of compact digital cameras] is rising and we expect the popularity will continue for the time being.”

According to the Camera & Imaging Products Association, the number of compact digital cameras shipped to the domestic market has gradually fallen from its peak of 9.92 million units in 2007. In 2023, the number was 392,000, declining to one-twenty-fifth of the peak.

Casio Computer Co. withdrew from the digital camera manufacturing business in 2018, and Olympus Corp. sold its imaging business units, including digital camera manufacturing, in 2021.

Compact digital cameras later began attracting attention mainly among young people wowed by social media posts.

In 2024, the number of domestic shipments increased to 439,000, up by 47,000. This was the first rise in seven years.

While the latest smartphone models can take high-resolution photos with automatic image-processing functions using AI, compact digital cameras allow people to enjoy taking photos similarly textured to those taken with film cameras without using photo editing.


Shooting video in 4K

Digital camera makers regard the current situation as a business opportunity.
In April, Canon Inc. released a new compact digital camera model for the first time in six years. The new model can shoot video in 4K resolution.

In late October, Canon will release an upgraded camera model equipped with a lens capable of an optical zoom up to 12X. This is their first release of such a model in nine years.

Manabu Kato, an executive officer of Canon, said, “Because of rising demand among young people and for shooting video in general, the compact digital camera market is highly active.”

He also said the products are being wait-listed, as supply has not caught up with demand. “We want to increase production volume and supply volume,” he added.

Fujifilm Corp., whose flagship business was in photographic film, released a new compact digital camera model in June. Users can take photos similar to those shot with film cameras.

A young Fujifilm employee who likes using film cameras proposed the new model’s creation. Users of the model can take vertical photos by holding the camera sideways, making them suitable for mainstream social media posts.

The company sees people new to digital cameras as their target consumers. A company official said, “This is the epitome of the joy of photography.”
Sony Corp. released a new top-of-the-line compact digital camera in August for the first time in 10 years. The model was also designed for use by professionals.

The retail price is around ¥660,000. The functions to control image quality and autofocus are improved from previous models.

Production of the previous model has already ended. A Sony official said, “There were calls from users hoping for a successor model to be released.”