Okinawa Builders Turn to 3D Printing to Tackle Labor Shortage

Japan's logistics sector is struggling with a severe driver shortage, driving efforts to develop autonomous trucks as a potential solution to a growing freight transport crisis.

The fleet of 190 EV buses introduced for the Osaka-Kansai Expo has been withdrawn from plans for reuse on regular routes, with Osaka Metro abandoning efforts to redeploy the vehicles after the event.

Chinese smartphone maker OPPO announced it will release its foldable smartphone “OPPO Find N6” in Japan on April 15th, marking the company’s first entry into the country’s foldable device segment.

An event aimed at bringing the mysteries of the deep sea closer to the public was held in Nago City, where a researcher who has explored oceans around the world delivered a talk.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will withdraw from Antarctic research vessel operations after nearly six decades, with private-sector entities expected to take over following the retirement of the icebreaker Shirase in fiscal 2034.

As temperatures rise, concerns about body odor return, drawing attention to a lesser-known scientific field that examines the invisible gases emitted from human skin, with Tokai University professor Yoshika Sekine leading research that could even help detect disease and stress levels.

Five years have passed since Japan’s flagship supercomputer Fugaku, based in Kobe, began full-scale operations, achieving a series of breakthroughs by simulating complex phenomena on a massive and highly precise scale, ranging from the formation of galaxies to the behavior of nerve cells.

Rising tensions in the Middle East are raising concerns over potential disruptions to medical supplies in Japan, particularly due to uncertainty surrounding naphtha used in products such as gloves and gowns, with hospitals warning that a halt in supply could significantly impact medical care while authorities move to reassure that stockpiles are sufficient for the time being.