SoftBank launches used car subscriptions as telecom growth slows

Sep 21 (Kyodo) - SoftBank Corp. said Tuesday it has launched a subscription service that lets customers drive a used car at a fixed monthly rate, as it tries to diversify its business portfolio amid a slow growth in the flagship mobile phone business.

The Japanese telecom company has set up Carro Japan Corp. in Tokyo, a joint venture with Singapore-based online used car retailer Trusty Cars Pte. Ltd., for the new service.

Carro Japan started the service for corporate customers Tuesday, with an eye to expanding it to individual customers through partnership with SoftBank's group companies such as Yahoo Japan Corp. ...continue reading

Japan Struggles to Find New Uses for Abandoned Schools

In recent years, approximately 450 schools close annually in Japan, with around 20% left unused. These unused schools face potential demolition as maintenance becomes unsustainable, prompting a response from the Ministry of Education, which has launched matching sites and events to promote new uses.

H3 Rocket Launch Succeeds, Defense Satellite 'Kirameki-3' Deployed in Orbit

The next-generation flagship rocket, the H3, was launched from Tanegashima on October 4th, successfully deploying a satellite into orbit as planned. This marks the third consecutive successful launch.

Destructive Shrimp Bloom Following Noto Peninsula Earthquake

In Toyama Bay, known as a 'natural fish preserve,' a small shrimp called the 'yokoebi' has seen an explosive surge since the Noto Peninsula earthquake, causing significant damage to brand fish species.

Tokyo Projection Mapping to Add Ads

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has revealed plans to project advertisements on the walls of its building through projection mapping, following criticism over the initiative’s high costs.

Osaka Expo Station with Origami-Inspired Ceiling Unveiled

Yumeshima Station, the 'nearest station' to the Osaka-Kansai Expo, is set to open next spring, with a public reveal this week for the first time ahead of its scheduled January opening.

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Tokyo Stock Exchange Extends Trading Hours by 30 Minutes

The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) will extend its trading hours by 30 minutes starting on November 5th. This marks the first extension of trading hours in 70 years, with the last change occurring in 1954.

Tokyo Retailer Faces Penalties for Exaggerated Teeth Whitening Claims

The Consumer Affairs Agency announced it has ordered a mail-order business based in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward, which sells medicinal toothpaste and similar products, to halt certain business operations for three months due to exaggerated advertising.

Part-Timers Face Tax Hurdles as Earnings Approach 1.03 Million Yen

The '1.03 million yen income cap' raised by Democratic Party for the People leader Tamaki has become a pressing issue for many students and part-time workers. How are they managing the realities of this policy?

Higher-priced New Year's greeting cards go on sale in Japan

Post offices around Japan have begun selling New Year's greeting cards that are priced higher this year due to a postal rate hike in October. (NHK)

Calls for Minimum Wage of 1,500 Yen as Key to Japan’s Economic Revival

The Japan Association of Corporate Executives has expressed support for Prime Minister Ishiba's goal of raising the minimum wage to ¥1,500 by the 2020s, calling for it to be achieved within three years.

Japan's Major Insurers Fined Over 2 Billion Yen

Japan's Fair Trade Commission has ordered four major insurance companies — Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, Sompo Japan, Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance — to pay fines totaling over 2 billion yen for collaborating to discuss estimates and bid amounts, leading to premium increases.

Honda Recalls 650,000 Motorcycles Over Risk of Rear Wheel Lock

Honda Motor Co. has filed a recall with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism for over 650,000 motorcycles due to the risk of rear wheels locking from oil leaks, potentially leading to accidents.

BOJ to keep interest rates unchanged

The Bank of Japan decided to keep short-term interest rates unchanged in its two-day policy meeting that ended on Thursday. (NHK)

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