UTokyo Matsuo Lab spinoff Akari raises ¥5 billion ($33M) from Mitsubishi Electric, reaching ¥100 billion+ valuation. Learn how this 5-year-old AI startup achieved profitability from day one, partnered with 1,000+ companies, and is building the "next-generation industrial OS" for Japan's manufacturing sector.
Japan's perovskite solar cell market is projected to surge to nearly $26 billion globally by 2040, with key materials exceeding $9.5 billion. This flexible, lightweight technology invented in Japan could revolutionize renewable energy by enabling installation on walls, windows, and curved surfaces previously impossible for traditional solar panels.
An estimated 5 billion tons of gold are dissolved in Earth's oceans—20,000 times what humanity has ever mined. IHI's biosorption technology using algae has successfully extracted gold from hot springs and deep-sea vents. Could this breakthrough eventually set a ceiling on gold prices? We examine the science, economics, and challenges.
In January 2026, the yen surged to the 155 level after reports that Japanese and US authorities conducted coordinated "rate checks," signaling potential currency intervention. We explain what this means for the Japanese economy amid election-driven fiscal policy debates.
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.
Even TSMC's record 9 trillion yen investment can't meet AI chip demand. Amid supply shortages, Japan's Rapidus challenges 2nm mass production. We analyze Japan's semiconductor comeback potential through short TAT strategy and economic security perspectives.
Sharp's iconic Sakai LCD factory, once the symbol of "LCD Sharp," is being transformed into one of Asia's largest AI data centers by KDDI and SoftBank. By repurposing the massive power and cooling infrastructure from the ¥430 billion facility, they brought a cutting-edge AI hub online in under a year, a powerful symbol of Japan's industrial transformation in the AI era.
As economic security rises up the agenda, Japan is moving to strengthen its semiconductor supply chain through cross-company information sharing and standardized specifications. The MUFG-NTT Data platform, the government's ¥10 trillion support framework, and the designation of semiconductors as a national strategic technology.
Japan has committed more than ¥10 trillion (about $65 billion) in semiconductor support through fiscal 2030, aiming to draw ¥50 trillion in combined public and private investment. A look at the "crisis management investment" doctrine, Rapidus and 2nm, the equipment and materials sector, and the race with the US, China and Europe. An additional ¥631.5 billion for Rapidus was approved in April 2026.
Six banks including SMBC and MUFG Bank lent $1.5 billion to Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Finance, with NEXI insurance giving it a quasi-government guarantee. Earmarked for water desalination and power, the loan is designed to open Vision 2030 megaprojects to Japanese companies.
Dentsu Soken and UK's Quant Network announce partnership to pioneer Japan's stablecoin market. Learn how programmable payments and orchestration technology are transforming Japanese finance, alongside megabank pilots and JPYC developments shaping 2026's digital currency landscape.