Yomiuri highlighted a growing schism within the ruling LDP over the extent of government funds to allocate for the planned economic stimulus measures, saying that fiscal conservatives are alarmed by a growing chorus calling for massive spending of up to 15 to 20 trillion yen ($100 to 134 billion) led by Acting Secretary General Kihara, Prime Minister Kishida’s protégé, and….Read more

Yomiuri and Asahi reported online on a virtual press briefing on Wednesday by Deputy Secretary of Commerce Graves regarding his recent weeklong tour of South Korea and Japan on which he was accompanied by some 15 U.S. corporate executives. He noted that “implementing safeguards to protect national security, building resilient cross-border semiconductor supply chains, and promoting knowledge exchange and collaboration in….Read more

Nikkei speculated that the GOJ is considering designating Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka as hosts of “special zones for asset management” where administrative procedures for offering such services can be completed in English. As the four local governments had already made efforts to woo foreign bankers and securities strategists by hiring relevant experts as advisors even before Prime Minister Kishida revealed….Read more

Nikkei reported that Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance, and Kanematsu Corp. have invested $290 million in Sierra Space, a U.S. space startup, to help it accelerate its initiative to use Oita Airport as a platform for accommodating spacecraft. According to the article, the U.S. company previously forged a separate partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industry and JAL….Read more

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned “tax breaks” in outlining his stimulus package on Tuesday, triggering speculation that he is laying the groundwork for calling a snap election before the end of the year.   Kishida directed his cabinet to draw up a package of economy-boosting measures next month, stressing the need to “return to the public the….Read more

Tokyo, Sept. 26 (Jiji Press)–Government ministers and other participants at an international conference in Tokyo agreed to create global demand for 150 million tons of hydrogen by 2030.   Participants of the Japan-led Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting on Monday adopted the chair’s summary, which called for reaching the target by boosting countries’ cooperation over the utilization of hydrogen as an….Read more

As Japan’s declining population further exacerbates its labor crunch, some have looked to immigration from India as a potential solution. But Japan remains an unpopular destination for the country’s workers and students, even as Indian officials seek to promote the flow of people between the two nations.

By Imanaka Nobuhiro   Japanese companies are accelerating their efforts to commercialize hydrogen, which is attracting attention as a promising next-generation energy source that does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) when used.   On Sept. 20, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced that it has brought fully online its Takasago Hydrogen Park, a facility it has been developing in Takasago City, Hyogo….Read more

Japan continues to drop in the ranking of the world’s top 40 markets on the attractiveness of renewable energy investment and deployment opportunities, according to a biannual ranking released by major accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY). Japan was ranked 10th in the March–May 2023 index. This is down one place from the previous ranking issued six months ago, and….Read more