JPX CEO Hiromi Yamaji says listing crypto ETFs on the Tokyo Stock Exchange is something the exchange can do anytime once the law and tax treatment are settled, with 2027 the earliest window. How Japan compares with the US, Hong Kong and the EU, the shift from a 55% top rate to a flat 20.315%, and the TOPIX rule that shows how cautiously Tokyo is still moving.
On May 1, 2026, Epic Games Store and Fortnite finally returned to iPhone in Japan, ending nearly six years of exile. The launch follows Japan's Mobile Software Competition Act, but Epic accuses Apple of leaving 'barriers everywhere'—a 9-step install flow, a 5% Core Technology Commission, and transaction-monitoring rules that scared off third-party developers. Here's what it means for one of the world's largest mobile gaming markets, the global Epic vs Apple battle, and the future of iOS sideloading.
SoftBank Group plans to spin off and list 'Roze,' an AI and robotics company, on US markets at a target valuation of $100 billion. We unpack Masayoshi Son's strategy in the context of Stargate, his OpenAI commitments, how Japanese tech compares to US and Chinese giants, and the Middle East risk hanging over the timing.
Osaka Ohsho, the 56-year-old Japanese gyoza chain, opens its first North American flagship in Sawtelle (Little Osaka), Los Angeles, on May 8, 2026. We unpack the Mitsubishi Shokuhin joint venture, the SNS-driven distribution strategy, the tableside cooking spectacle, and how the brand plans to flip gyoza from a ramen side dish into a main attraction.
Japan's MAFF and U.S. Wheat Associates held the first meeting under their Memorandum of Cooperation on April 22 to stabilize wheat supply. With only 15% self-sufficiency and 40% of imports from the US, this article unpacks the food diplomacy at stake amid climate and logistics risks.
Sony Pictures has set Resident Evil for September 18, 2026, with WEAPONS director Zach Cregger helming a 90-minute original story starring Austin Abrams as a medical courier. Test screening reactions hail it as a 'horror version of Fury Road', a lean, brutal reboot streaming-skipping fans have waited a decade for.
Japan's Financial Services Agency has, for the first time, formally identified JPYC as a registered Funds Transfer Business in an official document. We unpack the architecture of Japan's stablecoin regulation, contrast it with the US GENIUS Act and EU MiCA, clarify the legal distinction from PayPay-style e-money, and examine what it means for global payment infrastructure.
Japan's Digital Agency open-sourced 'Gennai', its in-house government generative AI environment, under commercial-use licenses. With a 180,000-employee rollout planned for FY2026, we compare Japan's build-then-open approach with the US GSA's USAi platform, the UK's Humphrey suite, and the EU AI Act framework.
Tokyo-based Minyo Crusaders' third album 'From Japan with Love' arrives June 26, and remarkably, North American release comes via the legendary Blue Note Records. Featuring guest vocalists Chitose Hajime, Saya Asakura, and Colombia's Frente Cumbiero, the album reimagines Japanese folk songs through cumbia, Afrobeat, and salsa. Here's why the world is finally discovering Japan's roots music.
On April 14, 2026, the headline from Nissan's long-term vision wasn't rare earths or robotaxis, it was the return of the Skyline, the continuation of the GT-R, the revival of the Xterra, and the debut of the all-new X-Trail/Rogue e-POWER and Juke EV. Here's Espinosa's 56-to-45 model cull, the new 'Heartbeat' classification, and how Japan, the US, and China each get distinct lineups as Nissan walks a standalone path after the Honda merger collapse.
Japan's gasoline has hit record highs, dialysis tubing is running out, and bathtubs can't be shipped. With 95% of crude oil coming from the Middle East, pivoting to the world's largest oil producer, America, seems like a perfect Win-Win. But refinery design, tanker size, the Panama Canal bottleneck, and an ironic naphtha yield problem all stand in the way. Here's why the obvious solution isn't simple.
The first-ever live-action Gundam film in the franchise's 47-year history has begun filming in Australia. Netflix handles global distribution with Sydney Sweeney, Noah Centineo, and Shioli Kutsuna leading the cast. We break down how it differs from past attempts, where international fans can watch, and the Legendary x Bandai Namco production.
Fujii Kaze's official Coachella 2026 Week 2 performance of 'Prema' is now on YouTube. On the same day, he announced Asian dates for his 'Prema World Tour' (Kaohsiung, Bangkok, Seoul), plus a 2027 summer run through Germany, UK, France, and six North American cities. After calling Week 1 'messy' and bouncing back in Week 2, here's where he goes next.
FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki's action RPG Elden Ring is getting a live-action movie on March 3, 2028. Alex Garland (Civil War, Ex Machina) directs for A24 (Midsommar, Everything Everywhere All at Once), with Kit Connor, Ben Whishaw, and Cailee Spaeny headlining a star-studded cast. Reportedly A24's most expensive production at $100M+, filmed for IMAX.
Waymo and Toyota have agreed to explore bringing L4 robotaxi technology to personally owned vehicles. We unpack how Waymo's sensor-heavy approach differs from Tesla's camera-only FSD and China's Baidu Apollo, and what this means for Toyota's strategic direction.
Waseda University, JAXA, the University of Tokyo, and Keio University have completed Japan's first Mach 5 combustion test using a hypersonic experimental aircraft. How does Japan's passenger-focused strategy compare with the US (Hermeus, Lockheed) and a militarily advanced China?
Japan's Ministry of the Environment reports total waste of 38.11 million tons for FY2024 (down 2.2% YoY) with a recycling rate of just 19.3%. Why is Japan, famous for its cleanliness, so far behind Germany (67%) and South Korea (60%)? A look inside the world's most incineration-dependent waste system.
At the G7 finance ministers' expanded meeting on April 17, 2026 in Washington, members aligned on strengthening critical mineral supply chains. Japan committed $20M each to the Asian and Inter-American Development Banks, marking a pivot to the resource-country funding phase. From the Japan-EU BRT proposal to the Kananaskis CMAP, C$6.4B (~US$4.6B) in unlocked projects, and now MDB funding, progress is real. But China still processes 90% of rare earths. A sober assessment of whether 'slow but steady' is actually fast enough.
Japan's Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi publicly criticized the White House at an April 17 Diet session over its use of Nintendo's Wii Sports footage in an Iran strike propaganda video. As Nintendo already sues the US over tariffs, here's how Japanese IP ended up at the center of a diplomatic spat, and how Reddit is reacting.
Japan welcomed a record 42.68 million visitors in 2025 with tourism spending hitting 9.5 trillion yen. Yet many ultra-wealthy foreigners bypass Japan's celebrated ryokan and pick global brands like Aman, Bulgari, and Marriott. Here's why the gap between Japanese hospitality and global luxury standards matters — and why the rest of us travel differently.