Economy — 231 insights
Japan medical startups need more than tech to break into US: VC executive
Economy

Japan medical startups need more than tech to break into US: VC executive

'Commitment to success is crucial,' Kicker Ventures managing partner says SoftBank's Pepper robot greets patients at a hospital in Tokyo. © Reuters TOKYO -- Japanese medical startups are well regarded in the U.S. for their technology, but they need to understand the differences between the countries' healthcare systems to succeed, said Masashi Kiyomine, managing partner at U.S. venture capital firm Kicker Ventures.

May 7, 2026
Japan to buy another 20m barrels of UAE oil to bypass Hormuz blockade
Economy

Japan to buy another 20m barrels of UAE oil to bypass Hormuz blockade

Port on Gulf of Oman provides alternative, but Iran strike shows stability still needed The United Arab Emirates supplies roughly 40% of Japan's crude oil. © Reuters TOKYO -- Japan has agreed to buy an additional 20 million barrels of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, Nikkei learned Wednesday, as Tokyo continues pursuing alternative supply channels amid the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

May 7, 2026
TikTok gets nod from Thailand for $26bn data center plan
Economy

TikTok gets nod from Thailand for $26bn data center plan

Country looks to become digital technology hub for Southeast Asia TikTok Shop is one of the top three players in Thailand's surging e-commerce market. © Reuters BANGKOK -- The Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) has approved a plan by a local TikTok unit to invest 842 billion baht ($26.2 billion) to expand data center operations in the country, the government agency said Wednesday.

May 7, 2026
Kyoto University to seek 5-year extension of iPS cell patent
Economy

Kyoto University to seek 5-year extension of iPS cell patent

Japan's top school for patent revenue aims to cash in on Nobel-winning breakthrough Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be grown into tissue for regenerative treatments. (Kyoto University professor Shinya Yamanaka) OSAKA/TOKYO -- Kyoto University will apply to extend a patent on stem cell technology for five years in an effort to maintain research funding 20 years after a Japanese advance in the field raised hopes for new regenerative treatments, Nikkei has learned.

May 7, 2026
China corporate earnings down for 3rd straight year
Economy

China corporate earnings down for 3rd straight year

1 in 4 listed companies bleed red ink in 2025 amid weak domestic demand Retailers in China, including supermarkets, have taken a hit amid weakening domestic consumer spending. (Photo by Kentaro Shiozaki) HONG KONG -- Chinese companies are reporting lackluster earnings, with overall net profit declining in 2025 for the third consecutive year as the property slump dragged on and more retailers posted losses, hurting employment and the economy as a whole.

May 7, 2026
Japan’s IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy race to train nuclear plant workers
Economy

Japan’s IHI, Mitsubishi Heavy race to train nuclear plant workers

AI-linked demand for nuclear energy highlights lack of workers IHI's video training materials, on the screen on the right, allow learners to view footage of both the welder's hand movements and their posture during the welding process. (IHI) TOKYO -- Japanese nuclear power plant makers are rushing to train manufacturing and maintenance workers, turning to virtual reality and other digital technologies, as the country considers a new facility after a long hiatus following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

May 7, 2026
High-speed plastic fiber cables for AI centers headed for production by Japan company
Economy

High-speed plastic fiber cables for AI centers headed for production by Japan company

Tosoh aims to bring lower-cost, energy-saving links on the market as soon as 2029 Keio University's plastic optical fiber cables can be mass-produced at a lower cost than their glass counterparts, seen here in this photo. (Photo obtained by Nikkei) TOKYO -- Plastic optical cables that can double data transmission speeds will be mass-produced as early as 2029, under plans by Japanese chemical maker Tosoh, which eyes demand for high-performance components in data centers spurred by the rise of generative artificial intelligence.

May 7, 2026
Casio’s $600 lacquerware calculator pushes the right buttons with consumers
Economy

Casio’s $600 lacquerware calculator pushes the right buttons with consumers

Device sells out in little over a week despite a high price tag The lacquer for the special edition is applied by hand at a traditional maker of lacquerware. (Casio Computer) TOKYO -- When Japan's Casio Computer released a special premium edition of its flagship calculator last month, many major electronics retailers sold out online in just over a week, despite the luxury price tag.

May 7, 2026
New coronavirus found in Thailand may be able to infect people: study
Economy

New coronavirus found in Thailand may be able to infect people: study

Team led by University of Tokyo virologist has found virus in bats A passenger shown wearing a full protective suit to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. © Reuters TOKYO -- A new coronavirus related to the one that causes COVID-19 has been discovered in Thailand, and it may be able to infect humans, according to Japanese and Thai scientists.

May 7, 2026
Mitsubishi Heavy wants bigger bang for its buck to match GE Vernova, Siemens
Economy

Mitsubishi Heavy wants bigger bang for its buck to match GE Vernova, Siemens

Japanese group aims to raise gas turbine production with less investment A gas turbine contains roughly 30,000 parts. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is betting it can increase production of gas turbines for power plants while spending far less than global competitors by rethinking every step of the process.

May 7, 2026
China’s role in enabling Iran’s Shahed drone supply lines
Economy

China’s role in enabling Iran’s Shahed drone supply lines

Beijing's intermediaries, tech transfers and networks sustain Tehran's effective low-cost weapon Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski speaks beside a Shahed-136 drone during an event organized by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) in the Houses of Parliament in London on Oct. 14, 2025. © Reuters Anushka Saxena is a staff research analyst in the Geostrategy program of the Takshashila Institution, a policy think tank based in Bengaluru.

May 7, 2026
US treasury secretary to discuss weak yen in Japan next week
Economy

US treasury secretary to discuss weak yen in Japan next week

Bessent to meet with PM Takaichi, other top officials on eve of China trip with Trump U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, center, will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, left, and Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda on May 12. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Nikkei and Reuters) WASHINGTON -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will visit Japan for three days starting Monday to meet with top officials including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, discussing topics including curbing speculative yen-selling, Japan-U.S. diplomatic sources told Nikkei.

May 7, 2026