Page 5 - Japan

New startups in Japan seek to challenge dominance of biggest chip maker

As Artificial Intelligence is replacing humans in the workplace, a Japanese startup is seeking to challenge the dominance of the world's biggest chip maker, NVIDIA, according to NHK World

Japan's chain HMI plans to develop 30 new hotels in Uttar Pradesh

Japanese hotel chain Hotel Management International (HMI) Company Limited plans to develop 30 new hotels in Uttar Pradesh. On Saturday, the second day of the three-day Global Investors Summit in Lucknow, the Japanese company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of Rs 7,200 crore with the government of Uttar Pradesh in this regard, an official release issued here said. "Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's efforts to realise and develop the state's tourism potential have created immense possibilities for the hotel industry. Varanasi has seen a significant increase in tourism after the development of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham Corridor. For us, this is a great chance," said Takamoto Yokoyama, Director, Public Relations, HMI Group which operates more than 60 hotels in major cities of Japan. UP's industrial policies are encouraging. In such a situation, HMI Group will expand its hotel chain in 30 major cities, including Agra, Varanasi and Ayodhya. Over 10,000 people

India 4th most powerful nation in Asia but an 'underachiever': Lowy report

The USA holds the most power in Asia, followed by China and Japan

Japan's Nissan reports 55% jump in profits as chip shortages decline

Nissan reported a 55% jump in October-December profit Thursday, as the Japanese automaker seeks to embark on a less bumpy journey with its French alliance partner Renault. Profit for the quarter at Yokohama-based Nissan Motor Co. totaled 50.6 billion yen ($386 million), up from 32.7 billion yen the previous year. Quarterly sales surged 29% to 2.8 trillion yen ($21 billion), as a shortage of computer chips that has slammed the world's automakers gradually eased, according to Nissan. The crunch was caused by COVID-19-related lockdowns and other restrictions, which hindered Nissan's ability to deliver vehicles to customers. Some buyers were waiting for a year for their Z sportscar or Ariya sport utility vehicle, said Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta. We really don't want our customers to wait this long, he told reporters. The rising cost of raw materials, inflation pressures and volatile currency exchange rates have added to the risks for the auto industry, including Nissan. N

Japan's current account surplus drops 50% to lowest in 8 years in 2022

Japan's current account surplus logged in 2022 was almost 50 per cent lower than the previous year, marking its lowest level in eight years, owing to a record trade deficit.

SoftBank Group reports massive $5.9 bn net loss amid global tech meltdown

There is no respite for SoftBank Group in the ongoing global tech meltdown as the Japanese investment giant on Tuesday reported a massive around $5.9 billion net loss

Japan, Netherlands join US in cutting China's access semiconductor tech

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has invested billions to develop its own chip industry although its vendors still need foreign manufacturing equipment, raw materials and other technology

Bank of Japan's unrealized loss on govt bonds widens to $68bn

BOJ unrealised losses on its holdings of government bonds amounted to about 8.8 trillion yen ($68 billion) at the end of December last year, the central bank's governor Haruhiko Kuroda has said.

Japan PM Fumio Kishida sacks top aide over discriminatory remarks on LGBT

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday announced that he has dismissed his secretary Masayoshi Arai over discriminatory remarks against the LGBT community.

Scientists in Japan use new device to detect brain tumor via urine test

Scientists have used a new device to identify a key membrane protein in urine that indicates whether the patient has a brain tumour. According to their study, the protein used to detect brain cancer could avoid the need for invasive tests, and increase the likelihood of tumours being detected early enough for surgery. This research from Nagoya University, Japan, could also have potential implications for detecting other types of cancer, the study said. The research was published in the journal ACS Nano. Although early detection of many types of cancer has contributed to the recent increases in cancer survival rates, the survival rate for brain tumours has remained almost unchanged for over 20 years. This is partly due to their late detection. Physicians often discover brain tumours only after the onset of neurological symptoms, such as loss of movement or speech, by which time the tumour has reached a considerable size. Detecting the tumour when it is still small, and starting ..

Japan's crime rate increases for 1st time in 20 years due to Covid-19

Japan's crime rate increased for the first time in 20 years in 2022, as relaxed Covid-19 regulations may have led to a rise in instances of street crime, a police said on Thursday

Instagram expands short-post feature 'Notes' for users in Europe, Japan

Social media platform Instagram has expanded its 'Notes' feature, a way for users to share their thoughts, to Europe and Japan

Nato chief calls for stronger ties with Japan to defend democracy

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, in Japan as part of his East Asia tour, said our security is closely interconnected and called for stronger ties with Japan as Russia's war on Ukraine raises global dangers and shows that democracies need stronger partnerships. Japan has been quick to join the US-led economic sanctions against Russia's war on Ukraine and provided humanitarian aid and non-combative defence equipment for the Ukrainians. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has sounded alarm that Russia's aggression in Europe could happen in Asia, where concerns are growing over already assertive China and its escalating tension near Taiwan. Japan also has significantly stepped up ties with NATO recently. The war in Ukraine also demonstrates that our security is closely interconnected, Stoltenberg said during his visit at the Iruma Air Base north of Tokyo, where he started his Japan visit Tuesday after arriving late Monday from South Korea. If President (Vladimir) Putin wins i

iPhone 14 'crash detection' false alarms increase emergency calls in Japan

False alarms by Apple's iPhone 14 series' Crash Detection feature are causing problems in Japan, with fire departments near skiing areas getting more emergency call-outs than usual

Netherlands, Japan join US limits on chip tech to counter China: Report

Japan and the Netherlands have agreed to a deal with the US to restrict China's access to materials used to make advanced computer chips, a person familiar with the agreement has said. The person, who spoke with the Associated Press on Sunday, declined to be identified because the deal hasn't yet been formally announced. It's unclear when all three sides will unveil the agreement. The White House declined to comment. The Biden administration in October imposed export controls to limit China's ability to access advanced chips, which it says can be used to make weapons, commit human rights abuses and improve the speed and accuracy of its military logistics. It urged allies like Japan and the Netherlands to follow suit. China has responded angrily, saying trade curbs will disrupt supply chains and the global economic recovery. We hope the relevant countries will do the right thing and work together to uphold the multilateral trade regime and safeguard the stability of the global ...

India holds key to world peace and prosperity: Japanese ambassador

India holds the key to securing peace and prosperity for the entire world, Ambassador of Japan to India Hiroshi Suzuki said here on Saturday. He also said the "close synergy" between the two countries is more important than ever" in view of India holding the presidency of G20 and Japan being the chair of G7 for this year. "India holds the key to securing peace and prosperity for the entire world. India this year holds the presidency of G20. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the G20 summit in September. (Japanese) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is the chair of G7. So, the close synergy between India and Japan is more important than ever," Suzuki said. Speaking after inaugurating the 11th Japan Festival at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA), Suzuki stressed the need for a people-to-people exchange to strengthen ties between the two countries. India assumed the presidency of the G20 - a premier forum for international economic cooperation - on December 1, 2022. The G20

IND vs JPN Highlights, Hockey WC: India thrash Japan 8-0 in classification

India vs Japan, Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 Highlights: The Indian team, after being 0-0 at half time, scored four each in third and fourth quarter to beat Japan 8-0 in the 9-16th place classification

Japan launches intel satellite to watch North Korea, improve response

Japan successfully launched a rocket on Thursday carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite on a mission to watch movements at military sites in North Korea and improve natural disaster response. The H2A rocket, launched by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., successfully lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, carrying the IGS-Radar 7 reconnaissance satellite as part of Tokyo's effort to build up its military capability, citing growing threats in the East Asia. The satellite later successfully entered its planned orbit, Mitsubishi Heavy said. The Intelligence Gathering Satellite can capture images on the ground 24 hours a day and even in severe weather conditions. Japan launched the IGS program after a North Korean missile flyover of Japan in 1988 and aims to set up a network of 10 satellites to spot and provide early warning for possible missile launches. The satellites can be also used for disaster monitoring and response. The government wil

South Korea, Japan grapple with heavy snow; Chaos, delay at airports

Thousands of travelers swarmed a small airport in South Korea's Jeju island on Wednesday in a scramble to get on flights following delays by snowstorms as frigid winter weather gripped East Asia for the second straight day. Officials at South Korea's Ministry of the Interior and Safety didn't immediately report any major damage or injuries from subzero temperatures and icy conditions that have affected most of the country since Tuesday. But at least eight roads and 10 sea routes remained closed as of Wednesday afternoon. About 140 homes in capital Seoul and nearby regions reported busted water pressure pumps or pipes as temperatures dipped to around minus 15 to minus 20 degrees Celsius (5 degrees to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) across the mainland. In Japan, heavy snow and record cold temperatures also brought widespread disruptions. At least one person has died and two more deaths were being investigated in connection with the cold weather, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno

Ship sinks between South Korea and Japan; 12 of 22 crewmembers found

Ships searching in wind-whipped waters between South Korea and Japan have picked up at least 12 of the 22 crewmembers from a cargo ship that sank early Wednesday. Officials said only one of them remained conscious, but they did not immediately confirm any deaths. South Korean and Japanese coast guard vessels and aircraft as well as two commercial cargo ships were continuing to search for the 10 missing crewmembers but the efforts were being slowed by strong winds and waves, South Korean officials said. The 6,551-ton Jin Tan sank about three and a half hours after it sent a distress call at around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday in Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japanese coast guard spokesperson Shinya Kitahara said. The vessel, which was Hong Kong registered and carrying lumber, sank about 160 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of Nagasaki, Japan, and about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of South Korea's Jeju island. The captain last communicated with the coast guard through a satellite phone