A credit card payment processor with liabilities of about 125.9 billion yen has become Japan’s largest bankruptcy so far in 2026, disrupting card payments at restaurants and shops across the country and forcing many businesses to accept cash only.
Japan's planned rollout of mobile phone numbers beginning with 060 has been postponed after telecom carriers said they need more time to complete system preparations.
Tokyo stocks fell for a third straight session on July 8 as selling in semiconductor and AI-related shares continued, while rising Japanese government bond yields, Middle East tensions and concern over the Bank of Japan’s policy independence added pressure to the broader market.
Tokyo stocks fell sharply on July 7 as a selloff in South Korean chip shares triggered fresh concern over the sustainability of the AI boom, dragging the Nikkei 225 lower while banks and other value shares resisted the decline.
Japan’s long-term interest rate briefly rose to 2.83% on July 6, its highest level in nearly 30 years, as investors grew more cautious over inflation, the pace of Bank of Japan rate hikes and the government’s fiscal stance.
Tesla has begun full-scale landings of its electric vehicles at Mikawa Port in Aichi Prefecture, choosing a major auto import hub in Toyota’s home region as a new base for shipments to western Japan.
Tokyo stocks ended mixed on July 6 as profit-taking in AI and semiconductor-related shares kept the Nikkei 225 nearly flat, while broader buying in banks, value stocks and domestic demand names lifted the TOPIX to a fresh record high.
Internet communication through smartphones and computers has become indispensable to daily life, and the facilities known as data centers that support ordinary actions such as watching videos online and sending messages are now expanding rapidly as demand for artificial intelligence grows.