Economy — 231 insights
Private equity firm EQT to buy Japan restaurant review operator for $3.7bn
Economy

Private equity firm EQT to buy Japan restaurant review operator for $3.7bn

Bain and LY have also submitted a joint offer for Kakaku.com Sweden's EQT is set to acquire the Japanese operator of the Tabelog restaurant review and booking site. (Source photos by screenshot from Tabelog's website and Ryuta Minamihata) TOKYO -- Sweden-based private equity firm EQT is set to acquire Japan's Kakaku.com, operator of the popular Tabelog restaurant review and booking site, for about 590 billion yen ($3.75 billion), Nikkei learned on Tuesday.

May 12, 2026
Australia takes aim at rising fuel prices with annual budget
Economy

Australia takes aim at rising fuel prices with annual budget

Parliament House in Canberra. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says, "We're delivering a fairer tax system for workers, first home buyers and future generations." (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) CANBERRA -- Australia will allocate additional funds to boosting its fuel and fertilizer supplies as part of a package worth 14.8 billion Australian dollars ($10.68 billion) aimed at addressing the global energy shock unleashed by the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced on Tuesday while unveiling the country's annual budget.

May 12, 2026
Japan’s Nidec suspected of over 1,000 cases of quality tampering
Economy

Japan’s Nidec suspected of over 1,000 cases of quality tampering

Fresh allegations follow acounting irregularities at the world's largest motor maker Compliance issues at Kyoto-based motor maker Nidec include unauthorized design changes and falsification of inspection data (Photo by Kosaku Mimura). TOKYO/KYOTO, Japan -- Japan's Nidec is suspected of having engaged in quality tampering involving more than 1,000 cases, extending a series of compliance issues at the world's largest motor maker that were previously centered on accounting irregularities, Nikkei has learned Tuesday.

May 12, 2026
Bessent says FX volatility ‘undesirable’ after meeting Japan’s Takaichi
Economy

Bessent says FX volatility ‘undesirable’ after meeting Japan’s Takaichi

US Treasury chief touches on JGB yields, BOJ policy; bilateral chat follows yen intervention Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, right, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pose for photos at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 12. (Photo by Ken Suzuki) TOKYO -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that both Washington and Tokyo see excessive volatility in currency markets as undesirable, following his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday.

May 12, 2026
Japan bearing makers NSK, NTN agree to merger into world’s top player
Economy

Japan bearing makers NSK, NTN agree to merger into world’s top player

Manufacturers see need for industry realignment amid mounting costs, competition NSK President Akitoshi Ichii, left, shakes hands with NTN President Eiichi Ukai at a news conference May 12. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura) TOKYO -- Japan's NSK and NTN will merge their operations in a move that would create the world's top bearing manufacturer, the companies said Tuesday, seeking economies of scale to control rising costs.

May 12, 2026
Solar firms in US allege Chinese tariff evasion through Ethiopia
Economy

Solar firms in US allege Chinese tariff evasion through Ethiopia

Solar panels in the Chinese province of Gansu. Chinese-origin parts of a solar panel and cell are subject to 50% duties when shipped into the U.S. © Reuters NEW YORK -- Eight solar power product manufacturers operating in the U.S. petitioned the Commerce Department on Tuesday to investigate whether solar panels imported from Ethiopia evade American antidumping duties placed on Chinese components.

May 12, 2026
Japan’s NYK Line eyes more oil tankers for supplies outside Mideast: CEO
Economy

Japan’s NYK Line eyes more oil tankers for supplies outside Mideast: CEO

Global economy headed for 'chaos' if Hormuz stays closed past September, Soga says NYK Line is looking at expanding its fleet of very large crude carriers to meet demand for oil shipped from outside the Middle East. (NYK Line) TOKYO -- Japanese marine shipper NYK Line will consider expanding its fleet of oil tankers, looking to meet demand for importing petroleum from regions outside of the Middle East, the company's president and CEO told Nikkei on Tuesday.

May 12, 2026
Tokio Marine gets green light for talks to buy Malaysia’s RHB Insurance
Economy

Tokio Marine gets green light for talks to buy Malaysia’s RHB Insurance

Local authorities approve Japanese insurer's efforts to pursue merger Tokio Marine collaborated previously with RHB Bank on life insurance sales. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura) TOKYO -- Japanese insurance group Tokio Marine Holdings has received approval from Malaysia's central bank to begin negotiations for acquiring RHB Insurance, a non-life insurance company under local financial major RHB Bank, Nikkei learned on Tuesday.

May 12, 2026
Honda and Toyota see sharp Chinese sales drops as competition heats up
Economy

Honda and Toyota see sharp Chinese sales drops as competition heats up

Higher gasoline prices depress sales of gas-powered vehicles The Honda Accord on display at the Beijing Auto Show in April. (Photo by Shizuka Tanabe) GUANGZHOU -- China sales for Honda Motor and Toyota Motors dropped sharply in April as local competition heats up and higher fuel prices discourage buyers.

May 12, 2026
Panama Canal oil shipments soar 70% as Asian buyers turn to US crude
Economy

Panama Canal oil shipments soar 70% as Asian buyers turn to US crude

With Hormuz unpassable due to Iran war, ships vie for limited canal transit slots Only a limited number of ships can pass through the Panama Canal each day. © Reuters TOKYO -- Crude oil and petroleum products traveling through the Panama Canal swelled more than 70% above last year's levels in April, as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent Asian buyers scrambling to secure supplies from the U.S.

May 12, 2026
Japan developers warn of risk for new condo delays due to Iran war
Economy

Japan developers warn of risk for new condo delays due to Iran war

Hormuz closure continues to shake up building material supply chains Japanese condo developers are warning customers to prepare for delays but say no projects are behind schedule yet. (Photo by Shun Kato) TOKYO -- Major Japanese real estate companies are notifying customers about possible delays in handing over new condominiums due to construction material shortages, as the supply chain turbulence caused by the Iran war continues to spread.

May 12, 2026
Rise of Anthropic’s Mythos spurs Japan to bolster cybersecurity on infrastructure
Economy

Rise of Anthropic’s Mythos spurs Japan to bolster cybersecurity on infrastructure

Prime minister to order new high-level effort to find vulnerabilities Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will call for a government-wide effort to identify risks in Japan's cyberdefenses. (Photo by Ken Suzuki) TOKYO -- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will on Tuesday call for a cabinet-level effort to find cybersecurity weaknesses in Japan's infrastructure and reinforce them against the risk of such powerful new artificial intelligence tools as Anthropic's Mythos.

May 12, 2026