Major snack manufacturer Calbee will switch the packaging of some of its products to black-and-white designs as instability in the Middle East disrupts the procurement of printing ink and other materials.
The Nikkei Stock Average reversed early gains and closed 295.77 points, or 0.4%, lower at 62,417.88 on May 11 after surging more than 1,600 points earlier in the day, as selling spread across AI-related and semiconductor shares despite record highs in the U.S. Nasdaq and Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, while concerns over Middle East tensions and U.S. interest rate policy weighed on investor sentiment.
Major sushi chain Sushiro will make its first entry into the United States this autumn, with plans to open its inaugural North American outlet near Times Square in New York.
Toyota Motor has become the first Japanese company to surpass 50 trillion yen in annual revenue, although the automaker expects profits to decline this fiscal year due to the impact of Middle East tensions and U.S. tariff policies.
Japan’s so-called “national debt,” which includes government bonds, borrowings and other liabilities, reached 1,343.8426 trillion yen as of the end of March, marking a record high for the 10th consecutive year, the Finance Ministry announced.
A discount supermarket chain known for its ultra-low prices has raised the price of kaiware radish sprouts for the first time in 34 years, as worsening tensions in the Middle East continue to drive up oil-related costs and disrupt supplies of plastic products across Japan.
Rising tensions in the Middle East are beginning to affect not only fuel and transportation costs, but also the prices of everyday foods ranging from cooking oil and fish to onions, with experts warning that the impact could continue for at least another year even if fighting comes to an end.
Japan’s real wages in March rose for the third consecutive month, supported by continued growth in base salaries and a slowdown in inflation, according to data released by the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry.