Japan's Trade Ministry to Support Rakuten's Next-Generation AI Model

Jul 15, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided to support Rakuten Group’s development of a next-generation generative AI base model, according to reporting by TV Tokyo. Rakuten is expected to begin developing a large language model in August with 700 billion parameters—one of the largest in Japan.

The model will reportedly be trained using data from the so-called Rakuten ecosystem, which has over 2 billion users worldwide, with the aim of creating a proprietary AI agent capable of offering personalized recommendations. The ministry plans to support the AI development efforts of 24 companies in total, including Rakuten.

Source: テレ東BIZ

Newly Formed Typhoon No. 17 Could Near Kanto by Weekend

A large new typhoon formed near the Ogasawara Islands on August 12 and could approach Honshu around the end of the Obon holiday period, while the remnants of Typhoon No. 15 continue to bring unstable weather and a risk of heavy rain across a wide area of Japan.

Japanese Woman Trapped in North Korea for 40 Years

Hiroko Saito was 19 years old when she left Japan for North Korea in June 1961 with her Korean husband and their one-year-old daughter, persuaded by assurances that they were heading to a "paradise on earth" and that she could return to Japan after three years. Instead, she would spend four decades in North Korea, enduring chronic hunger, the deaths of her husband and children and a desperate struggle to survive before finally escaping and returning home in 2001.

Typhoon No. 15 Travel Disruption Eases as Most Major Services Resume

Transport disruption caused by Typhoon No. 15 was easing across eastern Japan on the morning of August 12, with most major railway and airline services returning to normal after dozens of flight cancellations and widespread rail disruption during the storm's landfall in Ibaraki Prefecture the previous evening.

H3 Rocket No. 9 Successfully Launches Japan GPS Satellite

Japan's H3 Rocket No. 9 successfully placed the Michibiki No. 7 navigation satellite into its planned orbit after lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:23 a.m. on August 11, marking the country's second consecutive successful H3 launch.

Tokaido Shinkansen Runs First Overnight Service

The Tokaido Shinkansen operated its first overnight service ahead of the Obon holiday period, offering travelers a 15,000 yen trip from the Tokyo area to Kyoto and Shin-Osaka while allowing them to save on hotel costs and arrive earlier than the first regular morning trains.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Web3 NEWS

AI Surge Drives Strong Earnings Across Japan Inc.

Japanese companies delivered stronger-than-expected earnings for the April-June quarter, with artificial intelligence-related demand lifting a broad range of businesses while instability in the Middle East and higher resource prices emerged as key headwinds.

4 Ways Japan's Economy Is Adapting To Yen Volatility

Japan's currency has spent much of 2026 trading near its weakest levels against the dollar in nearly four decades, a stretch driven largely by the persistent interest-rate gap between the Bank of Japan and the U.S. Federal Reserve.

暗号資産で進化するiGaming：仮想通貨利用者が次世代オンラインカジノを選ぶ3つの理由

近年、デジタル決済技術の急速な発展に伴い、エンターテインメント業界におけるブロックチェーン技術の導入が進んでいる。

Here's A Clear Breakdown Of How Altcoins Stack Up Against Stablecoins

It’s common in the crypto market for investors to focus on Bitcoin and ignore the presence of other assets, but we know better. The market offers access to countless coins and tokens, and some of the most interesting ones are altcoins and stablecoins that play a significant role in the sector.

Japan Defense White Paper Highlights AI and Drone Warfare

Japan's 2026 defense white paper has added a section on new forms of warfare involving artificial intelligence and drones, drawing lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine while describing China's military activities as the greatest strategic challenge Japan has ever faced.

Man Arrested for Allegedly Posting AI-Generated Obscene Images

Tokyo police have arrested an office worker on suspicion of using generative artificial intelligence to turn photographs of junior high school girls and others into obscene images and posting them on social media.

What Is Happening With AI and Data Center Investment Now?

Investment by major US technology companies in artificial intelligence and data centers continues to support strong earnings expectations for semiconductor suppliers, but shrinking free cash flow and Oracle's exceptionally rapid expansion are raising questions about whether the spending boom can be sustained.

Sharp to Launch Generative AI-Enabled Hot Cook Appliance

Sharp will launch a new Healsio Hot Cook automatic cooking pot on September 17 that uses generative artificial intelligence to suggest menus and explain food preparation steps through a smartphone app.

< 2 3 4 5 >