News On Japan

Mitsubishi Electric to Acquire U.S. Software Firm for Record 220 Billion Yen

TOKYO - Mitsubishi Electric said on August 20 that it will acquire U.S.-based PCI Energy Solutions, a developer of software used to manage electricity trading and other energy operations, in a deal worth about 220 billion yen, the largest acquisition in the Japanese company's history.

Mitsubishi Electric has been expanding services designed to reduce electricity consumption by optimizing energy use.

The company plans to strengthen its competitiveness by incorporating PCI's expertise in electricity demand forecasting and data analysis.

Mitsubishi Electric also aims to use the acquisition to accelerate the global expansion of its energy-related services.

Source: テレ東BIZ

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan's total population, including foreign residents, stood at 122.97 million as of October 1, 2025, down 3.17 million from the previous census in 2020, marking only the third decline since the national census began in 1920.

Typhoon No. 26 is forecast to move through the southern Izu Islands near Hachijojima through the morning of October 1, bringing the risk of torrential rain, strong winds and severe weather before heading east of Japan. Up to 150 millimeters of rain is forecast in the southern Izu Islands during the 24 hours through the morning of October 1, raising the possibility of rainfall reaching warning levels.

A woman in her 50s with severe heart failure underwent what was described as the world's first surgery using commercially available iPS cell-derived heart muscle sheets at an Osaka hospital on September 29, marking the first practical use of the regenerative treatment.

Tokyo recorded rain for a 34th consecutive day on September 29, setting a new all-time record for the capital, but the prolonged wet spell could finally end after Typhoon No. 26 passes the Izu Islands between the night of September 30 and the morning of October 1.

The University of Tokyo has selected professor Yuko Fujigaki, 64, as its next president, making her the first woman to lead Japan's most prestigious university.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Business NEWS

Osaka Prefecture's minimum wage will rise to 1,231 yen per hour in October, providing welcome relief to part-time workers struggling with higher living costs while placing growing financial pressure on businesses, some of which are responding by reducing employee hours and introducing robots that can perform certain tasks for the equivalent of just 94 yen an hour.

The average annual salary for employees at private-sector companies in Japan rose 1.9% to a record 4.87 million yen last year, marking the fifth consecutive annual increase, according to the National Tax Agency.

Toyota Motor's global vehicle sales fell 6.4% from a year earlier to 790,743 units in August, marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year declines as high gasoline prices linked to the Middle East crisis continued to weigh on demand for gasoline-powered vehicles in China.

Tokyo stocks fell on September 29, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,481, down 396 points, as the market adjusted for September interim dividends and investors remained cautious over high Japanese bond yields, a weak yen, oil prices and profit-taking after the recent rebound.

Japan will unify liquor tax rates on beer, happoshu and other beer-like beverages from October 1, lowering the tax on regular beer while raising it on cheaper alternatives in a reform expected to reshape prices and competition across the domestic beer market.

Beaujolais Nouveau, France's newly produced wine traditionally associated with autumn, arrived in Japan on September 28 about a month earlier than usual after a record-breaking heatwave accelerated this year's grape harvest.

Tokyo stocks fell on September 28, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,878, down 486.58 points, as an early rally above 67,000 faded into profit-taking despite dividend-related buying and continued support for banks and insurers.

Pawn shops in Japan are seeing growing demand as rising living costs push more people to borrow against their valuables, with customers pledging everything from family jewelry to luxury watches and gold coins to cover everyday expenses, medical bills and business costs.