Society

Buy orders swamp IPO for Shogi app developer

Apr 21 (NHK) - A company that developed a smartphone application for the Japanese board game shogi has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. But the initial public offering ended without an opening price as there were too many orders to buy its shares.

HEROZ went public on the TSE's Mothers section for startups on Friday. Its Chief Executive Officer Takahiro Hayashi was among those who celebrated the IPO by ringing the bourse's bell.

The company's apps for board games -- shogi, chess and Go -- are popular with users. The shogi app uses the artificial intelligence program Ponanza, which has beaten professional players.

With hopes high for the company's further growth, buy orders far outnumbered sell orders.

HEROZ is working to use the AI technology developed for the shogi app for business purposes such as finance and construction.

It says it will spend the money raised in the floatation to hire skilled engineers.

CEO Hayashi says the spread of AI across various industries will help create a society where people will be able to focus on work that they really want to do. He says he wants to help bring about such a society.

Japan’s LDP and Ishin Seal Coalition Deal

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) leader Hirofumi Yoshimura held a joint press conference in Tokyo after signing a coalition agreement. The deal aims to strengthen parliamentary cooperation and policy alignment on economic reform and national security.

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) Strengthens Over South China Sea, Heavy Rain Forecast For Japan

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) is strengthening over the South China Sea and is expected to make landfall in Vietnam later this week, according to forecasts. Satellite images on October 201st show extensive cloud coverage over the central South China Sea. After passing over the Philippines, Fung-shen temporarily weakened but is projected to intensify again as it continues westward through Tuesday.

Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Mako Komuro Appears in Six-Page Town & Country Feature

The October issue of the long-established American lifestyle magazine Town & Country features Mako Komuro, the eldest daughter of the Akishino family, on the cover under the headline "Princess Ingognito," dedicating a six-page spread to Komuro and her husband Kei, exploring their life in the United States.