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Tech & Science

6G Dead Zones Killed by Window Stickers: NTT's 3.5μm Liquid-Crystal Metasurface Taps LCD Factories for Mass Production

6G's high-frequency waves can't penetrate walls, so NTT invented a 3.5-micrometer liquid-crystal sheet you stick on windows that electrically bends radio waves to kill indoor dead zones. At one-tenth the thickness of conventional designs, it can be mass-produced on existing LCD factory lines. Japan just pulled ahead in the global RIS race where Nokia and Samsung are also sprinting.

Business & Finance

Nissan's Three Arrows Evaluated: Can Rare Earth Cuts, E2E Autonomy and Robotaxis Save the Automaker Amid the EV Slowdown?

A rigorous evaluation of Nissan's triple strategy against a global EV slowdown. With Trump's tax credit repeal, China's sales slump, Honda canceling its 0 series, and BloombergNEF cutting EV forecasts by 14 million units, is this Nissan's genuine breakthrough or just the fifth failed long-term plan in six years? Surprisingly, the EV slowdown might actually be a tailwind for Nissan. Here is why.

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News, Society & Economy

Minami-Torishima Rare Earths: Why Japan's Top Expert Says 'Don't Mine It'

Japan pulled rare earth mud from 6,000m down in February 2026, but the 'Rare Metal King' Shigeo Nakamura says don't commercialize it. His counterintuitive argument: Minami-Torishima's 16 million tons is worth more as a silent deterrent co-held with the US than as a commercial mine. We unpack Nakamura's career, his 'don't mine, but keep the capacity' thesis, and how it compares to the US SPR, Project Vault, and Chinese stockpile strategy.

Business & Finance

Japan's Power Semiconductor Shakeup: What Changed in 3 Weeks: Denso, Rohm, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric Update

Three weeks after the March 27 three-way merger announcement, Japan's power semiconductor reshuffle has accelerated. Denso declared its semiconductor-maker ambitions in CORE 2030, Rohm's CEO asserted leadership, Toshiba eyes re-listing, and Mitsubishi Electric opened a new Fukuoka plant. A timeline update.

Business & Finance

Why Ultra-Rich Foreigners Skip Rural Japan: The Marriott-Over-Ryokan Paradox in a Record Tourism Year

Japan welcomed a record 42.68 million visitors in 2025 with tourism spending hitting 9.5 trillion yen. Yet many ultra-wealthy foreigners bypass Japan's celebrated ryokan and pick global brands like Aman, Bulgari, and Marriott. Here's why the gap between Japanese hospitality and global luxury standards matters — and why the rest of us travel differently.

News, Society & Economy

Japan's Food Tech Hidden Gems: 5 Under-the-Radar Companies Poised to Win Big from National Strategy Support

Food tech is one of 17 pillars in Japan's new national growth strategy under the Takaichi administration, with a 30% global market share target by 2040. Beyond the obvious giants like Maruha Nichiro, Nissin, and Kikkoman, this deep dive spotlights 5 lesser-known but high-potential players: Regional Fish (gene-edited seafood), FRD Japan (closed-loop salmon), Chitose Bio Evolution (algae unicorn), UMITRON (aquaculture AI), and Oishii Farm (NY strawberry factory).

Business & Finance

BlackRock Bets on Japan's Coffee Chain Komeda: Why the World's Largest Asset Manager Sees Food as AI-Proof

BlackRock, managing $14 trillion in assets, has taken a 5.28% stake in Komeda Holdings, the Nagoya-born coffee chain. Even in the AI era, people don't stop drinking coffee. We unpack why the world's largest asset manager is betting on Japan's food industry, looking at Komeda's unique franchise model and its global expansion story.

Tech & Science

Alpaca Becomes First Japanese-Founded US Unicorn: Brokerage API Startup Aims to Be the 'AWS of Finance' at $1.15B Valuation

Alpaca, founded by two Japanese entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley, hit a $1.15 billion valuation in its Series D round, becoming the first Japanese-founded US unicorn. Serving SBI Securities, Kraken, and 300+ institutions across 40 countries, it aims to be the 'AWS of finance', alongside Plaid and Stripe. Why did they build this in America, not Japan?