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July 06, 2025
 

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KUMAMOTO

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s new factory in Kumamoto Prefecture. New chipmaking plants in Japan are raising questions about securing workers and adequate water supplies.
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 19, 2023
Kumamoto and Hokkaido face common tasks of securing water and talent
With ambitious projects advancing, the two prefectural governments forged an agreement in August, aiming to facilitate exchanges of information.
The construction of TSMC’s new plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture, has seen companies anticipating expanded collaborations with the semiconductor firm grow keen to establish footholds in the area.
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 19, 2023
Semiconductor projects in Japan whip up local optimism
Companies anticipating expanded collaborations with TSMC are keen to establish footholds in the area around its new plant in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s factory currently under construction in Kikuyo, Kumamoto Prefecture
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 21, 2023
TSMC eyes third Japan chip plant with cutting-edge 3 nanometer tech
Another plant in Japan, this one making advanced 3-nanometer (3nm) chips, would potentially turn Japan into a major global chipmaking hub.
Former firefighter Yoshifumi Usui now guides tourists in search of active pursuits in and around the Aso caldera.
LIFE / Travel
Oct 21, 2023
In volcanic Aso, the land gives much more than it takes
Locals in Aso have a saying: “The land takes away, but it gives us something, too.”
JAPAN / Society
Oct 4, 2023
Probe launched over 'serious' Kumamoto soccer team bullying
A member of the renowned school team was allegedly forced to kneel on the ground in apology while naked as he was filmed by senior members of the team.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Sep 27, 2023
Court recognizes 128 plaintiffs as Minamata disease sufferers
Presiding Judge Yuki Tatsuno ordered that ¥2.75 million in damages be paid to each of the 128 people who sued the central government.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 9, 2023
Japan prefectures drift away from posting disaster warnings on X
A growing number of prefectures have stopped posting disaster warnings on the platform due to limits on the number of free posts allowed.
Akira Amari, Japan's chip czar, has said that funding around one-third of the cost of a chip plant is the norm, and the 50% funding for Japan's first TSMC chip plant was unusually high.
BUSINESS
Aug 3, 2023
Chip minister hints Japan to fund one-third of second TSMC plant
The subsidies will be part of Japan’s efforts to revive its domestic chipmaking industry, a sector viewed as crucial for growth and economic security.
JAPAN
Jul 2, 2023
Memorial services held three years after deadly Kumamoto floods
Ceremonies are being held in Kumamoto Prefecture, one of the hardest hit areas by flooding and mudslides in Kyushu three years ago, where participants are praying for the souls of the victims.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 20, 2023
TSMC's first factory in Japan has to contend with horrible traffic
While construction on the facility in Kumamoto Prefecture proceeds at breakneck speed, little has been done to improve conditions on the area’s roads.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Regional Voices: Kyushu
May 29, 2023
As fertilizer import prices soar, Kyushu farmers look to domestic resources
While agricultural cooperatives are aiming for a stable supply of raw materials and a reduction in environmental impact, cost-cutting remains a challenge.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 25, 2023
Sony eyes factory expansion in Kumamoto, aiming to grow image-sensor business
The Tokyo-based company has said it’s in talks to acquire 27 hectares of land for expansion in the city of Koshi in Kumamoto Prefecture, to the northwest of an existing factory.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 12, 2023
Hong Kong’s Gaw eyes more property deals in Japan on TSMC push
Gaw, which already manages $3.8 billion of property assets in Japan, has just begun its search in Kyushu.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 7, 2023
Disasters can be deadly, but the aftermaths can be deadlier
Largely forgotten, more people died in the days, weeks and months after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes due to illness and depression than in the quakes themselves.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / Regional Voices: Kyushu
Mar 27, 2023
TSMC’s Kumamoto plant tests Kyushu’s readiness to meet surging investment
The world's leading chip manufacturer has invested around ¥1 trillion in the construction of the sprawling industrial complex, which is expected to employ some 1,700 workers.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 23, 2022
Flu epidemic declared in Tokyo and five other prefectures
Japan did not experience a flu season over the past two years and the number of people with immunity is believed to have fallen significantly.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Smart Countryside
Dec 1, 2022
Is it a bus or a taxi? For some small Japanese towns, the answer is both
Hybrid mobility services are helping cater to Japan's older citizens, many of whom live in areas where traditional forms of public transport are lacking.
JAPAN
Sep 30, 2022
Japan publishes guidelines on ‘confidential births’ amid growing attention
The guidelines were compiled after Jikei Hospital in Kumamoto started accepting women who wish to give birth anonymously.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 6, 2022
Kumamoto turns to trusty mascot Kumamon for post-COVID tourism boost
Authorities are developing bear-themed attractions across the region, betting they will spur an influx of overseas visitors when some of the world's strictest border restrictions ease.
JAPAN / Politics
Aug 24, 2022
Kishida denies ties as magazine links backer to Unification Church
In a politically awkward development for Kishida, a magazine has reported a chairman of a branch of a Kishida support group is under scrutiny for his ties with the church.
Japan braces for more quakes as authorities dismiss doomsday hype
Evacuees from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecuture, arrive at Kagoshima Port on Friday.
Hidden AI prompts in academic papers spark concern about research integrity
Waseda University is one of 14 institutions in eight countries found to have used hidden prompts in research papers.
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault case
Col. Neil Owens (right), chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, bows in apology at the Okinawa Prefectural Government office in Naha on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

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