The auto industry, EVs, batteries, hydrogen and next-generation mobility.
In May 2026 Toyota canceled the Lexus LF-ZC, its next-gen EV—but it killed the car, not the tech. Why investment in gigacasting and solid-state batteries continues, compared with Tesla's own gigacasting retreat.
On May 29, 2026, Mitsubishi unveiled a mid-to-long-term vision reviving the Pajero after seven years and turning it into a series. With a ~1 trillion yen ($6.3B) investment, a hybrid pivot, and Nissan-built US vehicles to dodge tariffs, the comeback rides a global wave of heritage-SUV revivals.
China's Chery and Japan's Autobacs are among five companies behind EMTA, a new kei-class EV brand planned for 2027. Why Japan's open market looks nothing like the US or EU.
Mazda launched the third-generation CX-5 in Japan on May 21, 2026, starting at 3.3 million yen (around $20,800). With 5 million sold globally, this redesigned SUV is Mazda's bet on hybrids and combustion as the EV boom cools, and how it stacks up against Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Tesla, and BYD.
Hokuriku Electric has broken ground on a 2,000 kW hydropower plant in Komatsu, Ishikawa, the first in Japan dedicated to a bullet train. All output will flow to JR West under an offsite PPA. How does Japan's decarbonization push compare with SNCF and Deutsche Bahn?
Why a Nissan deep in restructuring picked Red Hat for its next-generation in-vehicle OS. We unpack the trap of in-house software development that cost Volkswagen's CARIAD 14 billion euros, and the path Nissan chose to avoid it.
Honda reported a 423.9 billion yen net loss for the year to March 2026, its first since listing in 1957, alongside 1.58 trillion yen in EV-related charges, most of them non-cash. The same day it unveiled a turnaround plan: 15 new hybrids by FY2029 and a 1.4 trillion yen operating profit target. We set it against Toyota's multi-pathway bet, the Tesla and BYD lead changes of 2026, and Hyundai-Kia's quiet rise.
Subaru cut its FY2026 operating profit forecast by 900 billion yen to just 40 billion yen, a 90% year-on-year plunge announced May 11. Beyond US tariffs, a North American cold wave, Middle East shipping disruptions, and EV asset impairment from Trump's environmental rollback all hit at once. Why does Subaru—with 80% North America sales reliance—suffer most among Japanese automakers?
Honda's Zero EV brand launches its first model—the 0 Alpha compact SUV—in India by early 2027, exporting back to Japan. After cancelling three North American EVs and posting record losses, Japan's #2 automaker is betting on Rajasthan over Ohio. We unpack the gamble, the rivals waiting in India, and why this could rewrite Japanese EV strategy.
JR East launches Japan's fastest and longest Level 4 autonomous bus on May 29, 2026, on the tsunami-rebuilt Kesennuma BRT in Miyagi Prefecture: 60 km/h top speed and 15.5 km route, both national records. As China's Baidu and Waymo race ahead with city robotaxis, Japan is taking a quieter, magnet-marker path on dedicated bus corridors.
JR East has unveiled a concept render for the next-generation 'sustina' commuter train, and it looks nothing like the iconic Yamanote Line trains running today. Featuring autonomous control and 'emotional graphics,' the design reimagines what a Tokyo commuter train can be. Here's why Japan's commuter trains are a global obsession.