Shanghai Turns to Japan as Tariff Pressure Mounts

May 09, 2025 | News On Japan

OSAKA - As the U.S.-China trade tensions escalate, 151 companies from Shanghai gathered in Osaka for a business fair, with some shifting their focus to Japan by planning store openings and relocating their families.

Among them, one company president said he has already moved with his family to Osaka and plans to open a store in Nipponbashi. Others are exploring indirect export routes through Singapore to avoid U.S. tariffs.

The Shanghai Fair, which began today at Intex Osaka, brought together companies spanning sectors such as fashion, science, and technology. While the fair has been held nearly 20 times overseas, this year’s event marked the highest participation yet, according to organizers.

Amid the current trade conflict, the United States has imposed additional tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports, while China has retaliated with tariffs of up to 125% on U.S. goods. A Shanghai-based earphone manufacturer that exports 80% of its products said it is reducing its export share to the U.S. from 50% to 30% in response to the trade tensions, and is now actively targeting the Japanese market.

"We’ve already begun selling globally, but previously we focused mainly on online sales. Now, we’ve set up a local company in Japan, and I’ve moved here with my family," said the company president. "I personally love Osaka. The people are cheerful, and my family is happy here—especially the kids. That’s why we chose Osaka for our first physical store."

A robotics component manufacturer also revealed plans to establish a base in Singapore to circumvent U.S. tariffs, indicating that export routes are being reconfigured across Asia. Still, the company expressed skepticism that the U.S. could entirely decouple its supply chains from China, noting the complexity of the global economy shaped by American policy shifts.

Source: Television OSAKA NEWS

Typhoon No. 15 Expected to Make Landfall in Eastern Japan on August 11

Typhoon No. 15 (Chan-hom) is increasingly likely to make landfall between Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures on the Pacific coast of eastern Japan from the evening through the night of August 11, after moving northwest over waters east of Japan at about 15 kilometers per hour as of 9 a.m. on August 10.

Raccoon Damage Surges Across Japan

Raccoons are increasingly invading homes across Japan, damaging roofs and wiring, contaminating buildings with large amounts of urine and feces, and raising concerns over agriculture, native wildlife and the spread of disease as their population continues to expand.

Nagasaki Marks 81st Anniversary With Call to Uphold Non-Nuclear Principles

Nagasaki marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing on August 9 with a memorial ceremony near the hypocenter, where Mayor Shiro Suzuki declared nuclear weapons an "absolute evil" and called on the Japanese government to uphold its Three Non-Nuclear Principles.

Flights Still Disrupted After Typhoon No. 13 Hits Okinawa

Transport services were gradually returning to normal on August 9 after Typhoon No. 13 caused widespread cancellations and shutdowns across Okinawa, although air travel remained disrupted as airlines worked to restore schedules and accommodate passengers stranded during the opening days of Japan's busy Obon holiday period.

Typhoon No. 13 Moves West but Severe Weather Lingers in Okinawa

Typhoon No. 13 was moving slowly west on the night of August 8 and was expected to approach the Chinese mainland by the night of August 9, but Okinawa, Amami and parts of southern Kyushu remained at risk from strong winds, intermittent heavy rain and dangerous seas even as the storm's center moved farther away.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Nikkei Rises as AI Buying Returns and BOJ Rate-Hike Bets Build

Tokyo stocks rose on August 10, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,376.25, up 1.2%, as investors bought electronics, metals and artificial intelligence-related shares, while fresh signs of a more hawkish Bank of Japan debate kept attention on the yen, bond yields and the timing of the next rate increase.

Japan Posts 92.3 Billion Yen Current Account Deficit in June

Japan recorded a current account deficit of 92.3 billion yen in June, its first shortfall in 17 months, as a sharp increase in import costs outpaced growth in exports.

BOJ Debate Shifts Toward Quicker Rate Hikes

Several Bank of Japan policymakers have signaled support for accelerating interest rate increases, with one member warning that the pace of hikes could become faster than financial markets currently expect as the central bank pays greater attention to upside inflation risks.

Yen Unlikely to Repeat 2024 Summer Surge as U.S. Rates Stay High

A repeat of the sharp yen appreciation seen in the summer of 2024 is unlikely under current conditions, with persistently high U.S. interest rates and continued structural pressure on Japan's currency making another rapid surge difficult, according to UBS wealth management chief investment officer Daiju Aoki.

Japanese Companies Report Strong Profits as AI, Energy and Consumer Demand Drive Earnings

Japanese companies delivered a wave of strong earnings on August 7, with Fujikura, Recruit Holdings, INPEX and several other major groups raising forecasts as artificial intelligence investment, higher resource prices and resilient consumer demand lifted profits.

Nikkei Slips as Chip Selling Offsets Broader Market Strength

Tokyo stocks ended slightly lower on August 7, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,606.71, down 76.55 points, or 0.12%, as selling in chip-related and artificial intelligence-linked shares outweighed solid buying in the broader market and a late recovery led by Fujikura.

Nippon Steel Targets High-Performance Steel

Nippon Steel has completed a new production line at its Nagoya Works after investing about 300 billion yen, as Japan's largest steelmaker seeks to expand production of high-performance steel products primarily for automakers.

Hokkaido Minimum Wage Sets New High

Hokkaido's minimum wage is expected to rise by 56 yen to a record 1,131 yen per hour in October, entering the 1,100-yen range for the first time, but workers and business owners are concerned that tax and social insurance thresholds could lead employees to limit their hours.

< 2 3 4 5 >