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Hino Unveils Upgraded Selega Coach with Next Generation Safety Technologies

Hino Motors has introduced an upgraded version of its flagship touring coach, the Hino Selega, featuring a suite of advanced safety technologies to enhance passenger protection, reduce collision risk, and support drivers in emergency situations.

Japan’s Disappearing Shade: Urban Trees Decline as Cities Heat Up

As climate change intensifies summer heat worldwide, many global cities are expanding urban greenery to create cooler, more livable environments. Japan, however, appears to be moving in the opposite direction.

Anime Alone Will Not Make Japan a Soft Power Powerhouse

Japanese anime has become one of the country’s most powerful global cultural assets. From Europe and North America to Southeast Asia and Latin America, audiences enthusiastically consume Japanese stories, characters, and visual culture.

Murata Manufacturing Strengthens IP Strategy for the AI Era

Japan’s Murata Manufacturing is strengthening its intellectual property strategy as competition intensifies with rivals from South Korea and China.

Japan’s Domestic Coffee Boom, A New Agricultural Frontier

Coffee cultivation is beginning to take root across Japan in ways few would have imagined a decade ago.

Maruti Suzuki India Posts Record Profit on Strong Exports and Robust SUV Demand

Maruti Suzuki India, the Indian subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation and the country’s largest passenger car manufacturer, announced consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended March 2026, reporting a record net profit of 146.7 billion rupees (approximately ¥248 billion), up 1 percent from the previous year.

Daiwa House Expands U.S. Presence with Acquisition of United Homes

Daiwa House Industry announced on May 7 that it has acquired United Homes, a U.S. company specializing in single-family homes, in a deal estimated at several tens of billions of yen.

Microsoft to Invest $10 Billion in Japan to Strengthen AI and Data Sovereignty

Microsoft announced on April 3 that it will invest US$10 billion, approximately ¥1.6 trillion, in Japan over the next four years to expand its data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Lawson Targets India’s Rising Middle Class with Major Expansion Plan

Japanese convenience store giant Lawson is entering the Indian market, aiming to open its first stores in Mumbai in 2027 and expand to 100 locations by 2030.

Nojima Offers ¥400,000 Starting Salary to Top-Performing Student Workers

Japanese electronics retailer Nojima Corporation is introducing a new hiring program that offers a monthly starting salary of ¥400,000 to high-performing part-time staff transitioning into full-time employment.

Tully’s, Kohikan, and Veloce Accelerate FC Growth Strategy

Japan’s major café chains are rapidly shifting their expansion strategies from directly operated stores to franchise-based models as rising construction costs, labor shortages, and intensifying competition reshape the food service industry.

Egg Prices Hit Record Highs: Retail Prices Up 20% Amid Weak Yen and Bird Flu Outbreaks

The surge in egg prices in Japan shows no sign of slowing down. Retail prices are now about 20 percent higher than a year ago, surpassing even the levels seen during the so-called “egg shock” of 2023 and reaching record highs.

When AI Reads the Shelf: Rethinking Food Loss and Missed Sales in Japan’s Convenience Stores

In Japan’s convenience stores, perfection has long been judged by what is visible on the shelf, not by what is missing.

From Factory Sensors to Drones and EVs, A New Era of Wireless Energy Transfer

Panasonic’s first commercial target is sensors attached to robotic arms in factories. Today, these sensors rely on wiring or batteries, both of which create operational challenges.

From Hype to Hardware: 2026 Marks the Dawn of the Post-Smartphone AI Era

In 2026, the global technology industry will pivot from the race to build ever-larger generative AI models toward a more practical question: how artificial intelligence will actually be embedded in devices and daily life.

SoftBank to Begin Building High-Speed AI Communications Network This Year

Starting in 2026, SoftBank will build a new high-speed communications network integrating mobile base stations with artificial intelligence platforms. The system will handle both communications control and AI data processing simultaneously, enabling local AI operations without relying on large-scale centralized data centers.

Haneda Airport to Expand International Capacity with New Terminal 1 Flight Zone

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) plans to build a new international flight zone at Haneda Airport’s Terminal 1. The project will begin with the construction of additional parking stands for international aircraft in the 2030s, followed by the conversion of part of the domestic flight area at Terminal 1 for international use.

Seven-Eleven Japan Expands Regenerative Agriculture Initiatives in Brazil

In 2026, Seven-Eleven Japan will partner with Mitsui to improve the soil and regenerate coffee bean farmland in Brazil, expanding the area by approximately 10 times compared to the previous year.

AI Takes on Piracy as Japan Moves to Triple Overseas Manga Sales

The Agency for Cultural Affairs is stepping up efforts to boost exports of Japanese manga by harnessing artificial intelligence.