author

 
 

Meta

Takahiko Hyuga
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 23, 2022
ANA to increase international flights as Japan's borders fully reopen
COVID-19 hit Japan's tourism industry hard — there were only about 246,000 foreign visitors last year, compared with a record 31.9 million in 2019.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 16, 2022
Banker who brought Goldman clout to SoftBank starts venture bets
Before his abrupt departure from SoftBank Group last year, Katsunori Sago was seen as a potential successor to Masayoshi Son. He's now charting his own course in startup investments.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Markets
Aug 23, 2022
Popular manga app seeks 2023 IPO in Tokyo at $6 billion value
Piccoma raised u00a560 billion last year from investors, and the startup hopes its profitability will attract more investors at its IPO.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 8, 2022
SoftBank CEO pledges sweeping cost cuts after $23.4 billion loss
Low tech valuations have been draining SoftBank's ability to turn public listings of its portfolio companies into liquidity to fuel further big bets.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 15, 2022
SoftBank-backed cancer detection startup may go public as soon as 2023
AI Medical Service Inc. develops software to scan endoscopy images and identify potential cancers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 23, 2022
SoftBank’s Son faces shareholders shaken by ¥4.6 trillion loss
With SoftBank's own financial health on the line, shareholder confidence is near a breaking point, some analysts have said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2022
SoftBank Group International CEO to leave after five months on job
The exit of Michel Combes, who will close a five-year career at SoftBank, adds to a string of key departures in recent months.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 21, 2022
Thai market helps mobile payments firm join list of unicorns in Japan
Mobile payment gateway provider Opn Co. owes much of its success to its early entry into the Thai market in 2013.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 17, 2022
NTT Data and Toyota to tap overseas startups for joint effort on connected cars
Japanese carmakers have been ramping up efforts to develop electric vehicles and connected cars, which can communicate with each other and outside networks to improve features.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 11, 2022
SoftBank faces record loss as Masayoshi Son’s bets tumble again
The world's largest tech fund is estimated to have lost about $18.6 billion on its public portfolio alone during the quarter that ended March 31.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 28, 2022
As sinking yen causes pain for many, SoftBank and game-makers are rare beneficiaries
Game publishers such as Nintendo and Capcom create software in Japan, meaning the bulk of their costs are in yen, while a large portion of their sales come from overseas.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 28, 2022
SoftBank’s Vision Fund devotes more of its cash to Japan for first time
The newfound interest comes after years of criticism in Japan of an unprecedented investment spree that's bankrolled high-profile startups elsewhere.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 10, 2022
Maker of ¥77.7 million flying motorbike prepares for Japan IPO
The single-person flying transporter can hit a max speed of 80 kilometers per hour and travel up to 40 minutes per charge.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 10, 2022
SoftBank unit plans NFT mall to grow global presence
Z Holdings, which makes the bulk of its revenue through mobile ads and spending, plans to expand by tapping a five-year budget of roughly u00a5500 billion for growth initiatives.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 24, 2022
SoftBank to expand Vision Fund team for more Japan investment
To date only two of Masayoshi Son's investments have been in domestic startups.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 6, 2021
SoftBank slumps 9% after week of bad portfolio news
Shares fell to u00a55,057 — the biggest intraday drop since March 2020 and part of its worst annual decline since 2006.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 25, 2021
SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son bets on narcolepsy drug for sleep-deprived Japan
The proportion of people sleeping less than the recommended eight hours is rising globally, and costs Japan as much as $138 billion in economic losses each year, according to Rand Corp.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 31, 2021
A $2 billion Japanese startup aims to fix polarized news via an algorithm
SmartNews, which uses an algorithm to provide what it says is an unbiased, nonpartisan mix of information, is one of Japan's most valuable startups.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 30, 2021
NASA taps Kyoto startup to make maps of the wind for drones
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration is turning to a Japanese startup for help in creating maps of the wind.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 19, 2021
SoftBank’s Vision Fund creates post to focus on Japan startups
Masayoshi Son's Vision Fund has poured billions into startups around the world, but so far it has made zero investments in his home country of Japan.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?