Business
Lawson opens 1st avatar-staffed convenience store in Tokyo
Kyodo - Nov 29
Lawson Inc. opened Monday its first futuristic convenience store in Tokyo staffed by "avatars" remotely controlled by employees, making it possible for even those with mobility issues to enter the workforce.
Tokyo arbitration body orders Uber Eats to negotiate with deliverers' union
NHK - Nov 26
A labor dispute arbitration body of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has ordered the operator of the food delivery service Uber Eats to negotiate with its deliverers' labor union.
Japan records highest increase in commodity prices in 4 decades
see.news - Nov 26
Official data issued by the Japanese government revealed on Friday that the prices of basic commodities of interest to consumers in the capital, Tokyo, rose by 3.6% in November compared to the same period in the previous year, recording the largest increase since 1982 amid the rise in energy and food prices, which have increasingly put pressure on household budgets.
Japan's wealthy fail to declare record-high 84 billion yen in earnings
NHK - Nov 25
Japan's National Tax Agency has found that the country's wealthy failed to declare a record-high 83.9 billion yen in earnings during the year through June.
Japan pearl jeweler Mikimoto raises prices as much as 20 percent
Nikkei - Nov 25
Japan's Mikimoto is raising the prices of its flagship pearl jewelry for the first time in six years, joining other global jewelers in bumping up tags due to the higher cost of materials and production.
Steve Aoki is Set to Join DraftKings as a Brand Ambassador for its Marketplace
newsonjapan.com - Nov 25
Steve Aoki, a producer, and a DJ, who has received two Grammy nominations, has agreed to serve as the official ambassador of DraftKings’ Marketplace brand, according to a press release released on September 9 by DraftKings Inc.
Musk calls Twitter 'Japan-centric' given high number of users
NHK - Nov 23
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has reportedly told employees they should aspire to replicate Japan's heavy use of the social media platform everywhere around the world.
Pricier catch: Frozen tuna prices jump 60% in Japan
Nikkei - Nov 23
From COVID-19 to a weak yen, a confluence of global economic forces has led the price of one of Japan's favorite sushi toppings to surge.
Sony sets sights on metaverse gold with sports animation purchase
Nikkei - Nov 23
Sony is looking to add sports to movies, music and games as a new core pillar of its entertainment business, acquiring technology companies to help it create 3D content for the metaverse.
Is there a big market for crypto spending in Japan?
newsonjapan.com - Nov 23
Japan is a country that is a major player on the international stage and is known for being a great place to live.
New banknotes put to the test
TV Asahi - Nov 22
The National Printing Bureau in Tokyo is testing whether supermarket cash registers, vending machines, ATMs, etc. can read new banknotes without problems ahead of issuance in 2024.
Berkshire boosts stakes in Japanese firms
WION - Nov 22
Berkshire has boosted stakes in Japanese firms. Berkshire earlier picked up $5 billion TSMC stakes.
World Cup merchandise flies off shelves
TV Asahi - Nov 20
Sales of World Cup-related goods are booming.
BOJ's ultraeasy policy under pressure as inflation hits 40-year high
Nikkei - Nov 19
The Bank of Japan faces mounting pressure to adjust its ultraloose monetary policy following October price data showing inflation significantly above its 2% target, with some market watchers predicting a tightening within a year.
Bain Capital to buy Japanese clothing company Mash for $1.4bn
Nikkei - Nov 16
Bain Capital of the U.S. will acquire Japanese apparel maker Mash Holdings for about 200 billion yen ($1.4 billion) in what will be one of the largest private equity deals in the country's fashion industry, Nikkei has learned.
NTT planning launch of super-fast communication network
NHK - Nov 16
NTT says it will soon launch a communications network capable of handling huge volumes of data at very high speeds while using less electricity.
