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Min Jeong Lee
As Kura has grown, so has the hype, with diners sometimes enduring seven-hour waits to try its automated sushi-serving machines and dishes under plastic domes brought to the table on a revolving belt.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 13, 2024
Kura Sushi must live up to high hopes after wowing Wall Street
Kura shares have surged more than sixfold since their 2019 debut, climbing from an initial public offering price of $14 to $88.55.
Takahito Tokita, chief executive officer at Fujitsu, speaks during an interview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 22, 2023
Fujitsu speeds aircon deal as it aims for ¥700 billion boost from AI
The urgency to close the deal rises amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
Christian Sinding, chief executive officer of EQT, in Tokyo in September
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 28, 2023
Private equity giant EQT buys stake in Japanese startup HRBrain
The purchase marks a rare attempt by a global private equity giant to boost returns through young enterprises in the Asian country.
SoftBank Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son. Son's trust in his own intuition may have made him unwilling to heed red flags and opposition from his advisers regarding investments in WeWork.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 8, 2023
WeWork saga cost Masayoshi Son $11.5 billion and his credibility
WeWork's bankruptcy filing caps a yearslong saga that revealed breathtaking flaws in the Japanese billionaire's investment style.
Kioxia Holdings has approached Japan Investment Corp. about making a capital infusion to support its merger with Western Digital and strengthen the combined company’s financial base, according to people familiar with the matter.
BUSINESS
Oct 20, 2023
Kioxia has approached JIC to back Western Digital deal: sources
Kioxia’s lenders are working toward submitting a commitment letter as soon as possible to help facilitate the agreement.
The PayPay app now seeks to keep its pace of double-digit growth with help from other SoftBank portfolio companies.
BUSINESS / Tech
Oct 5, 2023
SoftBank’s PayPay app showcases Masayoshi Son’s clout in Japan
Seen to be next in SoftBank’s initial public offering pipeline, the startup now holds two-thirds’ share in QR-code payments in Japan.
Masayoshi Son, chairman and chief executive officer of SoftBank Group, speaks during the SoftBank World event in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 4, 2023
SoftBank’s Son tells Japan: Adopt AI or get left behind again
Japan, which largely missed the initial wave of growth from the internet, can’t afford to lose another three decades, SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said.
A year of restraint in investments has helped SoftBank regain its financial footing, accumulating a cash pile of almost ¥6 trillion.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 9, 2023
SoftBank begins making investments again but ‘timidly with fear’
A year of restraint in investments has helped SoftBank regain its financial footing, accumulating a cash pile of almost ¥6 trillion.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 22, 2023
Elevator-maker showcases growing shareholder activism in Japan
Fujitec shareholders rejected a raft of proposals from ousted chairman Takakazu Uchiyama to overhaul the board during Wednesday's annual shareholders meeting, a Fujitec spokesperson said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 21, 2023
SoftBank’s Son goes back on offense to cement his tech legacy
The billionaire is ending years of relative dormancy after his Vision Fund, the world’s largest pool of tech capital, racked up billions of dollars of losses.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 24, 2023
S&P 'unreasonable,' says SoftBank, after tech giant's rating downgraded
SoftBank criticized the decision and argued that selling off assets like Alibaba in exchange for cash was clearly better for its balance sheet stability.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 1, 2023
Alibaba founder Jack Ma joins University of Tokyo as professor
As a visiting professor, he will provide advice on research topics and conduct research, especially in sustainable agriculture, as well as give seminars about entrepreneurship.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 25, 2023
Cybersecurity nightmare in Japan is everyone else’s problem, too
Within some Japanese companies, there is resistance to disclosing attacks and upgrading systems, which stems from societal norms around assigning blame, some analysts say.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 12, 2023
Moon lander-maker Ispace goes untraded on glut of buy orders
Shares were quoted at ¥585, or more than twice the offering price of ¥254 at market close on Wednesday, according to the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / FOCUS
Mar 26, 2023
Rocky road to Toshiba deal raises doubts about a future comeback
The questions now are whether activist investors will accept the terms — and whether the firm can restore its former glory.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 18, 2022
Masayoshi Son now owes SoftBank $4.7 billion on side deals
Over the years, Son's controversial personal stakes in SoftBank's investments drew fire from investors, who saw the mix of personal and company interests as a corporate governance concern.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 11, 2022
Bain goes on Japan buying spree with $40 billion in investments
The U.S. firm is on a buying spree, sealing a multi-billion dollar deal last month to acquire Hitachi's metals unit, while it is involved in a bidding war for Toshiba.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 11, 2022
SoftBank’s quiet finance chief Yoshimitsu Goto to take Son’s place in spotlight
Goto will likely lead earnings briefings in the future to give Son more time to focus on chip design unit Arm's planned initial public offering and other priorities, the firm said.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 30, 2022
SoftBank plans Vision Fund staff cuts of at least 30%, sources say
Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder of SoftBank Group, had said in August he would implement cost cuts after a record $23 billion loss.
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.

Longform

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