Business & Economy

The shutdown of Qatar's LNG facilities due to Middle East conflict has wiped out 30% of global helium supply. Without helium, dry etching, essential for all advanced chips, physically cannot function. South Korea's memory makers face a 5-month countdown, and the U.S. no longer has a strategic reserve to cushion the blow.

Sensor Tower's 2026 global IP game market report reveals Gundam IP mobile game revenue surged approximately 10x year-over-year, driven by the explosive hit SD Gundam G Generation Eternal and Bandai Namco's expanding brand strategy.

TOPPAN Holdings, Japan's NICT, and Canada's ISARA have demonstrated a seamless migration path from current cryptography to post-quantum cryptography in certificate authority systems, without service disruption. The breakthrough addresses the looming quantum computing threat to existing encryption, targeting real-world deployment in healthcare, finance, and government by 2030.

DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki called for accelerated crypto tax reform at TEAMZ SUMMIT 2026, urging a flat 20% tax by 2027, ETF approval, and 10x leverage. He cited Hyperliquid's $844M revenue as proof of on-chain finance's potential and framed Web3 policy as key to boosting take-home pay for working-age Japanese.

IMARC Group's latest report projects Japan's anime market will nearly double from $2.1B to $4.1B by 2034. We break down the 7.28% CAGR, streaming expansion, merchandising power, and what global demand means for the industry.

Seven & i Holdings postpones its North American 7-Eleven IPO to fiscal 2027 or later, citing market instability from Middle East tensions and sluggish US consumer spending. A look at the strategic calculus behind the delay and what it means for global convenience store competition.

Japan's iCELL BANK launched in April 2026, offering individuals the ability to create and cryopreserve their own iPS cells for future regenerative medicine. Using ID Pharma's Sendai virus vector technology, the service marks a new phase in commercializing the Nobel Prize-winning iPS cell technology for everyday consumers.

Japan's FSA is considering allowing foreign banks to join syndicated loans without establishing local branches. The reform aims to channel overseas capital into AI and semiconductor sectors, boosting Tokyo's competitiveness as a global financial hub.

SoftBank Group is betting big on Physical AI, merging telecom infrastructure with robotics. From its $5.4B ABB acquisition to AI-RAN partnerships with NVIDIA, Arm, and Yaskawa, here's how Japan's tech giant plans to make robots think and move in real time.