In March 2026, Japan and the US signed an MOC on deep-sea mineral development. But overseas coverage missed the real story: Japan's successful 6,000m rare-earth mud retrieval, China's dual-use export ban, and 14 years of research that made this moment possible.
Three years into Governor Ueda's tenure, the BOJ has raised rates four times from negative territory to 0.75%, while long-term yields hit a 27-year high of 2.43%. We examine the IMF's call for continued hikes, April rate hike expectations, impacts on mortgages and corporate investment, and Japan's unique position as the only G7 nation still tightening.
The shutdown of Qatar's LNG facilities due to Middle East conflict has wiped out 30% of global helium supply. Without helium, dry etching, essential for all advanced chips, physically cannot function. South Korea's memory makers face a 5-month countdown, and the U.S. no longer has a strategic reserve to cushion the blow.
DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki called for accelerated crypto tax reform at TEAMZ SUMMIT 2026, urging a flat 20% tax by 2027, ETF approval, and 10x leverage. He cited Hyperliquid's $844M revenue as proof of on-chain finance's potential and framed Web3 policy as key to boosting take-home pay for working-age Japanese.
Japan's FSA is considering allowing foreign banks to join syndicated loans without establishing local branches. The reform aims to channel overseas capital into AI and semiconductor sectors, boosting Tokyo's competitiveness as a global financial hub.
Japan's FY2026 budget of ¥122.3 trillion ($766B) passed on April 7, the largest ever. With defense spending at $56B, social security at $245B, and debt servicing costs exceeding $196B for the first time, can Japan sustain its finances with a 230% debt-to-GDP ratio as interest rates rise? We compare with G7 peers.
The Bank of Japan's April 2026 Sakura Report kept economic assessments unchanged across all 9 regions. With the Hormuz Strait effectively blocked, energy prices soaring, and 10-year bond yields hitting 2.425% — a 27-year high — all eyes turn to the April 27-28 policy meeting.
Astroscale and France's Exotrail sign a deal for satellite deorbiting missions, with President Macron and PM Takaichi visiting Astroscale's Tokyo HQ. The partnership targets space debris removal technology by 2030 amid a booming orbital servicing market.
Former BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has proposed a 'coalition of the willing' among Japan, the EU, and Southeast Asian nations to preserve free trade amid WTO dysfunction and Trump-era tariffs. His proposal calls for expanding frameworks like the CPTPP and strengthening economic security cooperation.
As drone warfare extends to the seas, Japan leads the world in autonomous ship technology. From the MEGURI 2040 project to combat-support USV development and lessons from Ukraine, explore the future of maritime security.
Japan's METI raises the subsidy cap for quantum technology business demonstrations to ¥2 billion ($13M) per project, a tenfold increase. With ¥15 billion earmarked for business applications out of a quantum budget exceeding ¥100 billion, Japan pushes to industrialize quantum computing in logistics, drug discovery, and beyond.