The Bank of Japan held its policy rate at 0.75% on April 28, 2026 by a 6-3 vote, with three dissenters proposing a hike to 1.0%, a first under Governor Ueda. We unpack Ueda's press conference, allegations of pressure from the Takaichi administration, the sharp upward revision in inflation forecasts, the immediate market reaction, and the divergence between domestic and international assessments.
Nissan revised its FY2026 operating outlook from a 60-billion-yen loss to a 50-billion-yen profit. The 110-billion-yen swing reflects cost cuts, yen weakness, and a one-off provision reversal tied to the US repealing its greenhouse-gas vehicle rule. Net loss still expected at 550 billion yen for a second straight year of red ink.
Tokyo Gas raises its monthly base fee by ¥150 ($0.94) starting October, the first hike since 1980. But in Japan, many are reacting with 'isn't 46 years of NO change the weird part?' A look at how Japan compares to US, UK, and Sweden gas bills, what yen weakness and LNG imports mean, and why this signals the end of Japan's deflation era.
Submarine cables carry 99% of international data traffic, and roughly 90% of new construction is controlled by just three companies: SubCom (US), Alcatel Submarine Networks (France), and NEC (Japan). Japan now wants 35% of that market by 2030, and NEC's CEO is targeting 40%. We unpack the AI-era infrastructure race, the Taiwan Strait cable cuts, the exclusion of China's HMN, and why undersea cables have become the new front line of geopolitics.
Kumamoto Prefecture, Koshi City and Mitsui Fudosan signed a partnership agreement on April 27 to launch a 31-hectare 'Kumamoto Science Park' core hub — modeled on Taiwan's Hsinchu — to anchor Japan's semiconductor revival around TSMC's 3nm Kumamoto fab by 2030. We compare it with the US CHIPS Act and EU Chips Act, and unpack the land-price spikes and labor crunch already reshaping the region.
Mitsubishi Electric is in talks to transfer 50% of its $4.3B auto parts subsidiary to Taiwan's Foxconn, with a deal expected by May. As BYD captures 19% of the global EV market, how is Japan's auto supply chain being reshaped?
Blaze Entertainment has confirmed that Evercade's NEOGEO support will continue into 2027, sharpening the contrast with PLAION's faithful-recreation NEOGEO AES+. With six games per cartridge at roughly $5 per title versus AES+ cartridges at $89.99 each, the two officially-licensed approaches to SNK's legendary console couldn't be more different — and Japanese media is calling it the 'Reiwa NEOGEO War.'
Mazda will end domestic production of its signature compact car Mazda2 (formerly Demio) at the end of August 2026. We explore the 30-year legacy of the car that saved Mazda from bankruptcy in the 1990s, and what this means for Japan's shrinking compact car market.
Toshiba Energy Systems, Airbus, and Toyota are racing to commercialize superconducting motors that promise 10x the power density of conventional motors. Dubbed the 'ultimate motor,' the technology enables hydrogen aircraft and hydrogen-engine cars while leveraging Japan's decades of niche superconductor expertise. As eVTOL startups falter, why is Japan's aviation motor technology suddenly central to the global decarbonization race?
On April 25, 2026, Denso announced plans to withdraw its $8.2 billion acquisition proposal for Rohm. Rohm chose the three-way alliance with Toshiba and Mitsubishi Electric, while Denso pivots to actively explore partnerships with third parties. We analyze the conclusion of Japan's 50-day power semiconductor reshuffle and what's next for Toyota Group's chip in-house strategy.
Takemitsu Takizaki, the 80-year-old founder of Keyence, will retire from the board after the June 2026 AGM. Why is the founder of Japan's most profitable company stepping aside now? A look at Keyence's astonishing 52% operating margin, the contrast with Nidec's recent governance crisis, and the model of a quiet, successful succession at one of Japan's most enigmatic corporate giants.
