Japan's March 2026 startup funding ranking saw Startale Japan ($530M) and AI & AND ($500M) lead. With Pharos Network's $44M raise backed by Sumitomo and only ~9 unicorns vs. a 100-company target, we examine where Japan's ecosystem stands globally.
Japan's two biggest music labels, Universal Music and Sony Music, have formed NINE BY NINE, a joint venture to produce Japanese music festivals across Asia starting 2027. Here's what this means for J-pop's global push.
Hong Kong activist fund Oasis Management has raised its KADOKAWA stake to 13.76%, surpassing Sony as the largest shareholder. We break down what this means for Elden Ring maker FromSoftware, the failed 2024 Sony acquisition, and the future of KADOKAWA's gaming empire.
FF7 Remake Part 3 director Naoki Hamaguchi explains in detail why launching on PS5, PC, Xbox, and Switch 2 simultaneously won't compromise visual quality — with PC as the lead development platform and a top-down optimization approach for each console.
Japan's Startale Group secures $50M from SBI Holdings, completing a $63M Series A round. The funding accelerates development of JPYSC, Japan's first trust bank-backed yen stablecoin, and Strium blockchain for tokenized securities. We compare Japan's stablecoin regulations with the US GENIUS Act and EU MiCA.
Sony Honda Mobility has cancelled its AFEELA EV just months before its planned launch. With Honda posting a record $4.6 billion loss and abandoning its 2040 zero-engine goal, we analyze what went wrong—from Trump's EV policy rollback to BYD's rise—and what it means for Japan's auto industry.
Hong Kong hedge fund Oasis Management has raised its KADOKAWA stake to 10%, matching Sony as a top shareholder. With Oasis also targeting Nidec over accounting fraud and ValueAct boosting its MoneyForward stake to 14.39%, activist investing in Japan is surging. We analyze the forces driving this wave and what it means for investors.
Sony has removed approximately 700 game listings from NOSTRA GAMES on the PlayStation Store, targeting low-quality titles that relied heavily on AI-generated assets and mimicked popular games. This latest purge follows similar actions earlier in 2026, signaling Sony's intensifying crackdown on shovelware flooding its digital storefront.
Hong Kong hedge fund Oasis Management has acquired an 8.86% stake in KADOKAWA, parent company of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, for approximately $265 million. We break down what this activist investor's entry means for the gaming industry, the Sony partnership, and Japanese entertainment M&A trends.
At GDC 2026, Sucker Punch Productions revealed a unique development ritual behind Ghost of Yotei: a weekly 'Cut Ceremony' where every scrapped idea was met with applause from the entire team. Learn how this roughly 160-person studio used positive reinforcement to stay lean while building one of 2025's biggest open-world games.
To celebrate the PC launch of DEATH STRANDING 2: ON THE BEACH, director Hideo Kojima and Dollman voice actor Tomokazu Sugita sat down for their first-ever joint interview. From their 18-year partnership to the 2,000 lines recorded over 27 days, discover the behind-the-scenes story of Dollman and what 'just be Sugita' really means — plus PC-exclusive features and the new 'to the wilder' mode.
The Sony MSF-1, the earliest known development unit for the SNES CD-ROM add-on once called 'PlayStation,' has been acquired by the National Videogame Museum in Texas. As the only known surviving unit, this historic artifact sheds new light on the Nintendo-Sony partnership that reshaped gaming history.
Japan's government has set an ambitious target of ¥40 trillion ($260B) in domestic semiconductor sales by 2040, announcing plans for cutting-edge AI research hubs. From Rapidus's 2nm chips in Hokkaido to TSMC's $17B 3nm fab in Kumamoto and JDI's $13B US display plant, we break down Japan's full semiconductor strategy—and compare it with the US CHIPS Act, EU Chips Act, and South Korea's and Taiwan's chip policies.
NTT's next-generation communication infrastructure "IOWN" has entered a comprehensive partnership with Europe's ETSI to advance global standardization. With photonics-electronics convergence technology promising 1/100th the power consumption and 1/200th the latency, this Japan-born innovation takes a major step toward becoming the world standard at MWC Barcelona 2026. Can Japan lead the way in the US-China 6G race?
Japan reveals the full picture of its Rapidus investment scheme: becoming top shareholder with just 10% voting rights, holding golden shares with veto power, and a mechanism to seize majority control if finances deteriorate. We compare Japan's $19B commitment with the US CHIPS Act and EU Chips Act, and examine whether Rapidus can realistically mass-produce 2nm chips by 2027.
Japan's anime market has reached a record $25 billion globally. While aggressive M&A deals by Sony, KADOKAWA, and others have fueled explosive overseas growth, questions remain about low animator wages, creative risk-taking, and whether the industry's real creators are seeing any of the profits. A deep dive into the boom's winners and losers.
Hideki Matsuyama showcased his resilience at the 2025 Sony Open in Hawaii, making two stunning eagles on the final day to finish T16. While the Japanese star couldn't secure back-to-back wins following his record-breaking 35-under victory at The Sentry, his performance on the par-5s demonstrated why he remains one of golf's elite players.
Sony Honda Mobility announces PS Remote Play integration for its AFEELA EV, making it the world's first vehicle to stream PS5/PS4 games to in-car displays. Set for 2026 delivery, this groundbreaking feature transforms travel time into gaming time. Discover the specs, pricing, and what Japanese people think about this innovation.
Sony Group raised its stake in Peanuts Holdings to 80%, buying WildBrain's 41% share for $457 million. Explore the future of Snoopy and Charlie Brown across movies, music, and gaming, plus global reactions to this major deal.