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Natsuko Katsuki
Hiroyuki Okuzawa, chief operating officer of Daiichi Sankyo, during an interview in Tokyo on Friday
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 11, 2024
Daiichi Sankyo eyes newer cancer drugs to stave off rivals
The Japanese drugmaker has emerged as a leader in ADC, a type of cancer therapy that targets cancerous cells while sparing the healthy ones.
The government made it mandatory for companies to disclose their gender pay gap in 2022, but disclosure alone isn’t enough to improve the situation, data suggests.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 29, 2024
Disclosure rules fail to narrow Japan’s yawning gender pay gap
There has been little progress toward equality, with the highest-paying firms showing some of the biggest disparities.
An employee pulls a trolley containing boxes of LD Ultra-Slim cigarettes ready for shipping at the Japan Tobacco cigarette plant in the town of Senta in Serbia. JT Group is buying U.S. discount cigarette-maker Vector Group.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 22, 2024
JT Group plans to buy U.S. cigarette-maker Vector for ¥348.6 billion
The move will address a loss of anticipated growth due to Russia's war in Ukraine, and will boost Japan Tobacco's U.S. market share from 2.3% to about 8%.
Even small and indirect sums from the Government Pension Investment Fund would help startups to get their businesses going.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 29, 2024
Japanese pension funds tiptoe into moonshot tech investments
More sources of funding would help the country’s on-again-off-again quest to monetize pioneering research.
Toyota's plan to buy back shares from major banks and insurers is part of a broader push to unwind strategic shareholdings with financial partners.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 23, 2024
Toyota to buy back stock worth $5.2 billion from banks and insurers
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Tokio Marine Holdings and MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings are tendering shares at an 11% discount.
Sumitomo Corp. President Shingo Ueno speaks during an interview at the company's head office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 1, 2024
Sumitomo looks to tap U.S. shale boom despite exiting production
The company will seek to boost sales of pipelines used in U.S. shale fields.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group will sell their Toyota shareholdings over an extended period of time lasting a few years, sources said.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 7, 2024
Two of Japan's top banks to divest ¥1.3 trillion in Toyota shareholdings
Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui will sell in stages and take advantage of Toyota’s plan to buy back its own shares.
Tourists and locals stroll along Tokyo's Ginza shopping district where some roads are closed off for pedestrians due to the national holiday on April 29.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 15, 2024
Fortress’s Japan hotel unit doubles pay to fight labor shortage
MyStays Hotel Management is offering monthly salaries of ¥500,000 ($3,210) for new hires into its fast-track program.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a meeting on AI strategy held at the Prime Minister's Office in December. Japan is beginning to draw global attention for its potential as an AI market.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 12, 2024
Google alums go big in Japan with months-old startup Sakana AI
Sakana is setting out to train low-cost generative AI models using small datasets, unveiling three AI models for Japanese speakers last month.
Shiseido is aiming to cut about 1,500 jobs in Japan through early retirement program.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 4, 2024
Outliers in Japanese stocks’ bull run under pressure to downsize
A rising number of blue-chip Japanese companies are cutting staff — a move that used to be seen as a last resort.
Keisuke Honda is joining an inflow of investment in Japan’s long-neglected startup scene.
BUSINESS
Jan 20, 2024
Retired soccer star Honda sets up $100 million Japan startup fund
In a country where celebrities shy away from speaking about their money or investments, the former AC Milan midfielder faces little competition from other sports stars.
BUSINESS
Dec 20, 2023
Japan’s post-pandemic tourists shift spending to crafts and jewelry
Average spending on traditional handicrafts per visitor was ¥13,338 ($92) in the July-September quarter, up 80% from the same period in 2019.

Longform

Visitors to Kyoto walk along a street near Kiyomizu Temple in April. A popular tourist spot, Kyoto has seen what locals feel to be an overwhelming amount of tourists in 2024.
Is Japan ready for 60 million tourists?