China Executive Insights
Mentaiko producer plans to increase tempura shops and other eateries by 60% Yamaya Sohonten Zen in Fukuoka has begun offering Japanese-style breakfast to customers. (Photos by Fumika Nakashima) FUKUOKA, Japan -- Food company Yamaya Communications plans to boost its restaurant business both in Japan and abroad, eying an aggressive 60% expansion in the number of eateries to 100 by 2030.
American lenders help secure funding for second round of power projects Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase will extend initial loans, along with JBIC, for power stations, with project costs potentially reaching $74 billion. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Reuters and AP) TOKYO -- Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase will participate in financing the $550 billion investment package agreed upon by the Japanese and U.S. governments, helping to secure the capital needed for the program agreed by the two governments, Nikkei learned Saturday.
Manufacturers focus on unique abilities like climbing stairs over price Roborock's Saros Rover is in development to become the world's first cleaning robot that climbs stairs. (Photo by Kohei Fujimura) DALIAN, China -- Chinese manufacturers of household cleaning robots are gaining dominance, with the country's major five players now holding 70% of the global market as the companies compete on unique features rather than price alone.
Program's leader stresses need for exports to recoup project costs A mockup of the next-generation fighter jet being developed by Japan, the U.K. and Italy is exhibited at the Farnborough International Airshow. © Kyodo FARNBOROUGH, U.K. -- The next-generation fighter jet project by Japan, the U.K. and Italy has attracted attention from several more countries, according to the head of the organization overseeing the project, indicating more potential export markets.
Hitachi soon will use AI in all steps of systems development, from requirement definition to programming, maintenance and operation. (Photo by Shintaro Ino) TOKYO -- Hitachi will adopt artificial intelligence agents for the entire process of creating systems for client businesses, the Japanese technology group said Friday, seeking to improve its productivity sharply.
Annual report highlights need for clear public and private investment strategies Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has laid out an investment strategy that calls for more than 370 trillion yen in spending by fiscal 2040. (Nikkei montage) TOKYO -- Rising prices and greater ability to pass on costs are lifting business capital investment in Japan, according to a Cabinet Office white paper for fiscal 2026 released Friday.
Creating close copies of legitimate websites made easier with AI, Trend Micro says Fraudulent World Cup websites often claim to provide free streaming services. (Photo by Kyonosuke Kikuchi) TOKYO -- Online scammers looked to cash in on the popularity of the World Cup soccer tournament with tens of thousands of websites impersonating official outlets for the event.
Government hopes to nudge risk-shy investors toward inflation-beating products The number of individual defined contribution pension accounts in Japan swelled 15-fold over a decade to 4 million at the end of March. (Photo by Yuji Murakami) TOKYO -- Japan plans to start allowing financial institutions to recommend investment products to participants in individual defined-contribution (iDeCo) pension plans, in an effort to spur a shift away from assets that, while safe, offer returns too low to outpace inflation.
Members move among web of shell companies while cutting loose expendable players U.S. authorities shut down Hubei Amarvel Biotech's website, but that doesn't mean the end of the game. (NIKKEI montage) NEW YORK/TOKYO -- With the full picture of a Chinese fentanyl smuggling organization coming into view, it is clear that any country, company and individual can be affected as the drug trade encroaches into everyday life.
A microdrama production staffer works on AI post production and overseas translation and distribution on July 21 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, China. As demand for microdramas surges, producers say a well-made AI series can cost as little as 50,000 yuan ($7,380) to make, with outlay on actors, locations and film crews absent. © Getty Images Ultrashort episodic video business seen worth $18bn, with tech subbing for some live shoots HONG KONG/HANGZHOU, China -- Founded in 2024 on the site of a former shopping mall on the outskirts of tech hub Hangzhou, moviemaking complex Linying Studio once had as many as 10 film crews shooting simultaneously on any given day. They were there to make "microdramas" -- soap opera-style video serials comprising one- to two-minute cliffhanger episodes designed for viewing on smartphones.
Mud proves rich in yttrium, but process may be too costly to reduce reliance on China Mud retrieved from the Pacific seabed near Minamitorishima was found to be rich in rare earths. (SIP/JAMSTEC) TOKYO -- Japan's successful recovery of rare earths including yttrium and dysprosium from deep-sea mud off the coast of a remote Pacific island has heightened expectations for the deposits there, but hurdles still remain to commercialization.
Abundance of renewable energy and digital users draws investment TikTok's planned data center in Brazil reflects its view of the South American country as an important market. © AP SAO PAULO -- TikTok's decision to build a massive data center in Brazil demonstrates how the Latin American country has become a strategic and geopolitical focal point for digital infrastructure.