Japan Post launched "Digital Address" in May 2025, a revolutionary service that converts complex Japanese addresses into 7-character alphanumeric codes. Discover how Rakuten and GMO are adopting this new address infrastructure, and what Japanese people think about it.
SoftBank accelerates its net-zero journey with AI-powered base station sleep control saving 5 million kWh annually and hybrid solar-wind self-powered stations. Learn how Japan's telecom giant is revolutionizing green infrastructure.
Yamaguchi University researchers discovered four new rare earth-containing minerals at Gunma Prefecture's Mokurasawa Mine. Amid Japan's push to reduce China dependence, this discovery holds both scientific significance and strategic implications for resource security.
Sam Altman's World ID accelerates Japan expansion. MEDIROM partners with Tools for Humanity to deploy Orb verification terminals across 3,000 locations nationwide. Explore how iris-based "Proof of Human" technology aims to build trust infrastructure for the AI era while protecting user privacy.
Japan unveils groundbreaking automated rare metal recovery system developed over 30 years by AIST's Dr. Tatsuya Oki. Combining AI detection with air-based sorting technology, this world-first facility in Osaka began testing in September 2025. The system automatically extracts up to 10 types of rare metals from six categories of small electronics including smartphones and tablets, targeting commercial operation by 2028. Learn how this innovation could transform Japan's resource security and reduce dependence on Chinese imports.
Sumitomo Bakelite acquires Kyocera's semiconductor chemical business for ¥30 billion, filling a gap in materials for AI data center memory. The world's leading encapsulant maker adds epoxy molding compounds and bonding pastes in its largest deal to date.
Toray's all-carbon CO2 separation membrane successfully demonstrated at an Osaka sewage treatment plant. The technology reduces dehumidification costs by approximately 70% compared to conventional methods, dramatically improving biogas power generation economics and potentially transforming sewage plants nationwide into small-scale power stations.
Japan's 4-day work week adoption is accelerating in 2025, with Tokyo Metropolitan Government and major corporations like ZOZO, Fast Retailing, and Panasonic leading the charge. Explore the three implementation models, benefits, challenges, and what this means for Japan's notoriously long work culture.
Micro-LED displays are entering mass production. Explore Japanese manufacturers' strategies including Sony and Sharp, and the latest developments in AR glasses and smartwatch technology competition. The next-gen technology surpassing OLED is becoming reality.
Japanese automakers are moving beyond the era when ashtrays were the only standardized parts. Facing EV competition and European rivals, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and others are now pursuing cross-company standardization of steel, semiconductors, and plastics.
Japan's 2025 trade deficit halved to ¥2.65 trillion, down 52.9% year-on-year. Record exports of ¥110.4 trillion were driven by electronic components and semiconductors shipped to Asia and the EU. Trump tariffs caused US-bound exports to fall for the first time in five years.