Society

Toyota, NTT in capital tie-up for 'smart-city'

Mar 25 (NHK) - Toyota Motor and Japanese telecom giant NTT are forming a capital tie-up to advance developments toward a so-called "smart city." The project is expected to incorporate the latest artificial intelligence and environmental technologies.

Sources tell NHK that the two companies will take nearly 2 billion dollars of each other's shares. The two companies will hold a news conference later today.

The tie-up would combine Toyota's next-generation auto technologies, like self-driving, with NTT's expertise in communications infrastructure.

The two firms will team up on a wide range of mobile services. The project is expected to move beyond 5G network connectivity, into the world of 6G.

Automakers have been in an intense global race for advanced technologies, known as "CASE." This refers to "connected, autonomous, shared, and electric."

In the telecom field, competition has also been fierce over services that can instantly deliver massive amounts of data.

With this tie-up, the two industry leaders appear to be aiming for a leading global role in developing eco-friendly cities.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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