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Economy

Japan plans AI-powered satellites to speed counterstrike decisions

System will analyze data in space before sending it to command posts on Earth The AI system will be able to predict targets' movements, helping to enhance missile accuracy. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Nikkei and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) TOKYO -- Japan's Ministry of Defense will develop satellites equipped with artificial intelligence capable of analyzing surveillance data in space, Nikkei has learned, aiming to strengthen the country's capacity to disrupt attacks by using long-range missiles through speeding up decision-making.

September 5, 2026

Economy

Japan’s MS&AD looks to enter Europe’s reinsurance broker market

Demand from insurance agents rising as regional market grows, CEO of US unit says MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings is seeking growth drivers outside Japan. (Photo by Nikkei) TOKYO -- MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings is considering expanding into the European reinsurance brokerage business, John Fitzgerald, CEO of U.S. unit MS Transverse, told Nikkei, as the Japanese insurer eyes overseas markets as a growth driver.

September 5, 2026

Economy

Japan provides $1.4bn in subsidies to Imabari, other shipbuilders

Government takes first step in industry revival plan to double capacity by 2035 New cranes and hull block facilities are part of Imabari Shipbuilding's capital spending plans. (Imabari Shipbuilding) TOKYO --The Japanese government has announced 213.1 billion yen ($1.37 billion) in aid over a decade to Imabari Shipbuilding and others in a first round of support for capital spending in the shipbuilding industry.

September 5, 2026

Economy

Breaking bread: Onigiri vies to be West’s workaday lunch alternative

The onigiri counter in Katagiri grocery in New York City: Rice balls made for Americans are typically bigger than those found in Japan. (Photo by Hiroki Endo) Companies pitch Americans and Europeans on Japanese rice balls as a go-to snack TOKYO -- Koji Kanematsu came to San Francisco to sell Japanese video games to Americans. But his stomach kept distracting him.

September 5, 2026

Economy

Japan AI data centers set to quadruple by 2033 with $60bn investment

Projects in Nikkei survey would put country in global upper ranks with US, China NTT targets 2 gigawatts of data center capacity by fiscal 2033. (Photo by Kosuke Shimizu) TOKYO -- Plans for artificial intelligence data centers in Japan would more than quadruple the country's capacity in eight years, a Nikkei survey shows, putting it among the top players behind the U.S. and China and bringing it closer to AI sovereignty.

September 5, 2026

Economy

SoftBank Group sets 4.75% coupon for 1 trillion yen retail bond

Massive offering is largest by a Japanese company, tied with NTT Finance' issuance SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks in Tokyo on Aug. 14. (Photo by Hikaru Yagi) TOKYO -- SoftBank Group's 1 trillion yen ($6.4 billion) bonds targeting retail investors will carry a coupon rate of 4.75%, the highest level for the investment group's straight bonds in 17 years.

September 5, 2026

Economy

BOJ’s hawks step up calls for rate hikes as they eye end of terms next year

With PM seen favoring doves, Takata, Tamura push for action in their remaining months The terms of Hajime Takata, left, and Naoki Tamura, both considered to be hawks, will end in July 2027. (Source photos by Nikkei) TOKYO -- Two hawks on the Bank of Japan's monetary policy board are calling more strongly for the central bank to accelerate its interest rate increases, pushing it to do more to rein in inflation before their terms end next July.

September 5, 2026

Economy

Trump’s Canada tariffs likely to hit Toyota and Honda profits, analysts say

Country's role as export hub to US makes immediate supply chain shift difficult U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of a 50% tariff on all vehicles produced in Canada is likely to affect the operations of Japanese automakers Honda and Toyota. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kazuhiro Noguchi, Shintaro Ino, Kei Higuchi and Reuters) TOKYO -- Manufacturing operations in Canada by Japanese automakers Toyota Motor and Honda Motor, are under threat after U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week the imposition of a 50% tariff on all cars, trucks and automotive parts produced in the neighboring country from January next year.

September 4, 2026

Economy

China-US yield disparity hits record amid global bond rout

Slow growth and weak consumer demand stokes Chinese government bond rally As investors worry about U.S. Treasurys, some are moving into low-yielding Chinese government bonds, which are looking more attractive partly due to the strengthening of China's currency. © Reuters HONG KONG -- The yield difference between Chinese government bonds and U.S. Treasurys has widened to historic levels, cementing a divergence between two of the world's largest bond markets.

September 4, 2026

Economy

Pakistan’s 5G rollout faces user criticism, power constraints

Customers take aim at 'slow' process, but government says is on track Six months in, Pakistan's much-touted 5G launch has disappointed many mobile users. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters) ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's much-touted 5G rollout six months ago is yet to deliver visible improvements for mobile phone users across the nation, with telecom operators, including those owned by companies in Dubai and China, citing high electricity costs as a key hurdle to faster network expansion.

September 4, 2026

Economy

Chinese appliance makers bolster Europe push, eye vertical integration

Haier, Hisense see market share soar for washing machines, refrigerators Haier's booth at IFA 2026 features appliances equipped with artificial intelligence. (Photo by Kosuke Toshi) BERLIN -- Chinese appliance makers like Haier Group are taking Europe by storm, leveraging local acquisitions to grab a 20% share of the washing machine and refrigerator markets as European regulators rush to tap the brakes on their expansion.

September 4, 2026

Economy

Early foldable iPhone production limited to a few hundred per day: sources

Apple and suppliers working to ramp up output while meeting strict quality standards Apple is preparing to release its first-ever foldable iPhone. © Reuters TAIPEI -- Initial production of Apple's long-awaited foldable iPhone is currently limited to only a "few hundred" units a day, mainly due to the company's extremely high quality control standards, sources have told Nikkei Asia.

September 4, 2026