Transportation
Itochu, KDDI to tackle Japan driver shortage with truck matching
New online reservation system to fill unused shipping space
Business deals
Nippon Life to take 20% stake in Corebridge in U.S. market push
Japanese insurer to buy shares from AIG in $3.8bn deal to conclude next year
Automobiles
Honda to double 10-year EV and software investment to $65bn
EV models get priority as Japanese automakers struggle in Chinese market
Finance
Japan's megabanks upbeat after doubling profits in five years
MUFG, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho exploit scale to chalk up record earnings
Currencies
Yen rises to 153 during Tokyo hours as U.S. consumer inflation eases
Economists increasingly concerned over weak yen weighing on Japanese consumers
Economy
Japan's Q1 GDP shrinks annualized 2% on sluggish consumption
Consumption drops for fourth quarter as inflation hits households
Finance
Nomura Holdings embraces private assets to beat bubble-era profits
Japan brokerage seeks to grow assets under management by $260bn
Health Care
Eisai to offer Alzheimer's drug in China from July
Online service with JD.com will provide support for receiving treatment
Business trends
Japan Inc. projects 4% profit fall on China and Europe slowdown
Manufacturers see little boost from weak yen that drove record earnings in fiscal 2023
International relations
Japan's foreign aid to focus more on tech, less on infrastructure
AI and quantum computing to be deployed to resolve sustainability issues
Insurance
Nippon Life, Dai-ichi Life wary of foreign bonds on risk of yen upswing
Japan insurers eye domestic bonds or alternative assets, executives say
Myanmar Crisis
Myanmar resistance leaders present united front in Tokyo
NUG and ethnic groups demand that military withdraw entirely from politics
Automobiles
Honda and IBM team up on next-gen chips for software-defined vehicles
Joint R&D seeks to improve processing capacities and power consumption
Politics
Line-Naver spat presents dilemma for Yoon's Japan policy push
South Korean president caught between backing local company, balancing Tokyo ties
Finance
Japan's MUFG sets $10bn profit target in fresh 3-year plan
Key banking group switches to offensive on growth investments
Companies
Toilet maker Toto sets sights on U.S. amid China slump
American sales seen topping China as early as fiscal 2026
Automobiles
Honda scales down production workforce in China as sales slump
About 1,700 workers, or 14% of total, have applied for voluntary redundancy
Opinion
Taiwan is moving too slowly to prepare for war. Japan can help
Lai administration must be persuaded to accelerate push into asymmetrical defense
International relations
Japan, South Korea, China seek to ease friction at trilateral summit
Leaders to juggle economic and security interests at first meeting in 4 years
Economy
Half of companies see China economy worsening this year: Japan chamber
While overall sentiment is down, a few companies plan to boost investments
International relations
U.S. State Department to send diplomatic advisers to American cities
Biden seeks 'foreign policy for the middle class,' envoy for subnational diplomacy says
Technology
Foxconn's Sharp pivots to AI after decision to exit TV display production
Japanese company also looking to sell camera, chip device units
Electronics
Sony annual profit drops 3.5% amid faltering results in finance, sensor units
Japanese group forecasts further decline in profit for current year
Defense
Japan to take on servicing of F-15 and F-16 U.S. fighter jets
Greater domestic maintenance capacity will save time and money
Japan immigration
Foreign workers in Japan climb the ladder at smaller firms
Factories, startups start to rely on non-native talent for leadership as well as labor