Mobility & Automotive

JR Central has delayed three tunnel sections of the Chuo Shinkansen maglev line by five years to 2031 due to unexpectedly fragile geology. With construction costs ballooning to $72 billion, explore the mounting challenges facing the world's first superconducting maglev railway and what it reveals about Japan's mega-infrastructure ambitions.

Trump's auto tariffs have shaken Japan's major automakers to the core. Mazda posts its first loss in 5 years, Honda's car division sees record losses. A deep dive into their earnings, the tariff damage in dollars, and early signs of recovery.

A joint research team from the University of Yamanashi, Waseda University, and Shinshu University has developed a completely fluorine-free electrolyte membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Achieving over 100,000 durability cycles—1.3 times that of conventional fluorine-based membranes—this PFAS-free breakthrough could accelerate the global hydrogen economy while addressing environmental regulations.

Kyocera, Toyota, Denso and three other major Japanese firms have formed a consortium to promote the deployment of 760MHz ITS roadside communication units. By accelerating V2X technology — enabling vehicles and roads to "talk" to each other wirelessly — the initiative aims to support Japan's 2030 goals of reducing traffic fatalities and scaling Level 4 autonomous driving to 10,000 vehicles.

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has significantly strengthened pedal misapplication prevention standards, now mandating pedestrian detection, creep-speed protection, and expanding coverage to light trucks. Based on UN Regulation No. 175 — a standard Japan helped create — these new rules roll out from 2030 for new vehicles. A deep dive into how the world's most aged society is leading global automotive safety innovation.

Honda invests in U.S. startup Mythic to co-develop a neuromorphic SoC inspired by the human brain. By combining analog compute-in-memory technology with Honda's AI expertise, this brain-like chip achieves both massive power savings and high AI performance—potentially transforming autonomous driving for next-generation software-defined vehicles.

JR East launches Japan's first cargo-only Shinkansen in March 2026. A former Yamagata Shinkansen E3 Series train has been stripped of all 394 seats and rebuilt to carry up to 17.4 tons of freight at 186 mph. Learn how the "Hako-Byun" service tackles Japan's driver shortage, cuts CO2 emissions, and creates a high-speed logistics link between rural producers and Tokyo.

Japanese startup AirX has signed a binding order with Brazil's Eve Air Mobility for two eVTOL "flying car" aircraft, with options to expand to 50 units in a deal potentially worth $150 million. Targeting 2029 for sightseeing and last-mile transport services in Tokyo and Osaka, this agreement marks a major milestone in Japan's push toward urban air mobility — following successful demo flights at Expo 2025 Osaka.

Why has Honda's Super Cub become the most produced motor vehicle in history with over 110 million units? From its origins as "a bike a soba delivery boy can ride one-handed" to its legendary durability and global cultural impact — discover the philosophy that made this humble motorcycle an icon in 160+ countries.