Is Japan's lagging EV market ready for takeoff?

Feb 03, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Despite boasting an early start with electric vehicles (EVs), Japan has been seen as a laggard in the EV market over the past decade when the rest of the world is actively riding on the transformative shift.

Since Japanese automaker Nissan unveiled the world’s first mass-produced all-electric model LEAF in 2010, the traditional auto powerhouse, for all its established advantages in gasoline cars, has been reluctant to embrace EVs, opting instead to focus on gasoline-electric hybrids. Electric passenger cars have long accounted for less than one percent of new car sales in Japan.

But with the sweeping global EV trend, things are beginning to change as more automakers start to put EV models on the market.

Toyota launched its first mass-produced EV model bZ4X in May last year, and the Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance rolled out electric minivehicle models Sakura and the eK X EV in the summer, which reported strong sales and won the 2022-2023 Japan Car of the Year award.

More EV models are expected to hit the market over the coming years. ...continue reading

28 Typhoons Expected to Hit Japan in 2026

Japan could face a more active typhoon season than usual in 2026, with private weather forecaster Weathernews predicting around 28 typhoons to form during the year—above the long-term average of 25.1—and warning that approximately 14 could approach Japan, increasing the risk of weather-related disruptions across the country.

Mad Bear On The Loose Despite Hit With Tranquilizer

A bear that injured four people in Fukushima City escaped despite efforts to capture it using tranquilizer darts and box traps, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain on high alert.

Typhoon Jangmi Leaves Trail of Destruction Across Japan

Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) swept across Japan on June 3rd, bringing record-breaking rainfall, widespread flooding, landslides, transport disruptions, and powerful winds, while prompting Tokyo's first-ever issuance of a Level 4 danger alert under the country's new weather warning system.

Body Found in River Identified as Suspect in Mother-Daughter Murder Case

A body discovered in a river in Tatsuno, Hyogo Prefecture, has been identified as 42-year-old Kenji Oyama, the suspect wanted nationwide in connection with the murder of a mother and daughter last month, police announced on June 4th.

Local Residents Struggle to Respond as New Disaster Warning

As Typhoon Jangmi (Typhoon No. 6) struck Wakayama Prefecture on June 3rd, the storm became the first major test of Japan's newly introduced disaster weather warning system, revealing both the benefits of earlier evacuation calls and the challenges local authorities faced in helping residents understand and respond to the new alerts.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Nissan Begins Taking Orders for U.S.-Built Murano SUV in Japan

Nissan Motor has begun accepting orders in Japan for the Murano sport utility vehicle, which is produced in the United States, marking one of the first uses of a new vehicle certification framework established following a tariff agreement between Japan and the United States.

Uber Targets New Users With Ride-Hailing Discounts

Uber Japan unveiled its latest strategy for its mobility business, including its taxi-hailing app operations, as the company seeks to expand its presence in a market where ride-hailing app usage remains lower than in many other countries.

U.S. Proposes 12.5% Additional Tariff on Japan

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced on June 2nd that it is considering imposing an additional 12.5% tariff on Japan, arguing that the country's measures to prevent the import of products made with forced labor are insufficient.

Foreign Workers Become Vital to Okinawa's Economy

As labor shortages deepen across Japan, more companies in Okinawa are turning to foreign workers not only to fill vacancies but also to build long-term careers, creating support systems that help employees settle into local communities and remain in the workforce.

Investors Shift Focus to Quantum Computing Stocks

Quantum computing is attracting growing attention from investors as governments around the world increase support for the technology, raising expectations that it could become the next major investment theme after artificial intelligence.

Toyota to Halt Production at 13 Domestic Plants as Typhoon No. 6 Approaches

Toyota Motor will suspend production at 13 domestic factories on June 3rd as Typhoon No. 6 approaches Japan, with the company prioritizing the safety of employees and contractors as severe weather is expected to affect a wide area from western to eastern Japan.

Japan's Flat 35 Mortgage Rate Tops 3% for First Time

The Japan Housing Finance Agency announced on June 1st the interest rates that will apply in June for Flat 35, Japan’s long-term fixed-rate housing loan program.

Inside ENEOS’s Global Expansion Strategy

ENEOS Holdings, Japan's largest oil refiner, is accelerating its push overseas as it seeks to raise the share of revenue generated outside Japan from roughly 20% today to 50% in the future, according to President Tomohide Miyata, who outlined the company's growth strategy in an extended interview that was not fully aired on TV Tokyo's World Business Satellite (WBS).

< 2 3 4 5 >