Japan's Defense Ministry is investigating Kawasaki Heavy Industries over a slush fund scandal. (Photo by Arata Shigeno)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Kawasaki Heavy created 1.7bn yen slush fund in scandal involving SDF

Japan's Defense Ministry to demand company repay overcharged amount

Currency dealers stand in front of electronic boards showing the Korean Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and South Korean won at a dealing room of a bank, in Seoul, South Korea, December 9, 2024.
Opinion

2025 promises to test Japan's and South Korea's economies

The return of Trump and low growth rates hang over the shaky democracies

26 December 2024
Japan will introduce a new long-term visa to attract affluent Chinese nationals. (Photo by Arisa Moriyama)
International relations

Japan targets affluent Chinese with new tourist visa

Top envoys Takeshi Iwaya and Wang Yi also verify deal on Japanese marine exports

25 December 2024
A Toyota executive said that reaching a return on equity of 20% is necessary for the carmaker to compete globally. (Photo by Koji Uema)
Automobiles

Toyota aims to double return on equity to 20%, says executive

Move by automaker likely to push Japan Inc. to focus on capital efficiency

25 December 2024
A Japan Airlines jet burns after crashing into a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Jan. 2. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Japan plane crash

Japan Haneda Airport collision report cites human errors

Investigation uncovers miscommunication and lapses in aircraft monitoring

25 December 2024
Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick speaks to Nikkei in an interview in New York. (Photo by Yuta Saito) 
Interview

Morgan Stanley CEO 'optimistic' on U.S. economy ahead of Trump return

Ted Pick sees tariff threats driving high-level dialogue already as part of 'economic arsenal'

25 December 2024
A construction crew works on the Toyomi Tower Marine & Sky condominium complex in Tokyo. (Photo by Naoyuki Toyama)
Property

Tokyo condo market to remain tight in 2025 despite supply bump

New units to increase for the first time in four years

25 December 2024
Japanese-style eel dishes with a local twist can now be found in areas of Indonesia where very few Japanese people have ever lived.
Tea Leaves

An Indonesian eel farm shows how food is outpacing people

For the first time, eating habits no longer reflect migration patterns

25 December 2024
Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick says the Wall Street bank is "in this for the very long term" with Japanese partner MUFG. (Photo by Daichi Mishima)
Interview

Morgan Stanley CEO seeks closer MUFG ties in asset management

Ted Pick sees tech as avenue for cooperation with Japanese partner

25 December 2024
Mitsubishi Motors unveils the DST concept car at the Philippine International Motor Show in late October. (Photo by Nikkei)
Automobiles

How the Philippines became Mitsubishi Motors' third-biggest market

Country emerges as bright spot for automaker compared with Indonesia, Thailand

25 December 2024
Losses from scams via social media have been growing in Japan. (Photo by Toshiki Sasazu)
Finance

Japan cracks down on fraud tied to foreigner-owned bank accounts

Scam profits funneled into accounts sold after owners leave country

25 December 2024
Toyota has joined Ford and GM in pledging money to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration.
Trump administration

Toyota is donating $1m to Trump's inauguration

Japanese automaker matches amount pledged by Ford and GM

25 December 2024
Takeo Mori, a former Japanese deputy foreign minister, played a central role in diplomacy with the U.S. during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration. (Photo by Nanami Sato)
Interview

Japan must learn to accept Trump, says ex-vice foreign minister

Takeo Mori shares insight from dealing with 1st Trump administration

24 December 2024
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is debating whether it is best to try and meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before or after his inauguration in January.  (Photo by Satoko Kawsaki)
International relations

Japan PM Ishiba 'seeking appropriate time' to meet Trump

Leader says dialogue with the U.S. on NE Asia is 'extremely important'

24 December 2024
DMM Bitcoin has struggled since hackers breached its wallet management system in May. (Photo by Takanobu Aimatsu)
Crime

North Korea hacker group identified in theft of DMM Bitcoin assets

Police track the flow of stolen bitcoin to an account managed by TraderTraitor

24 December 2024
Before services were suspended in August over a water leak issue, the Queen Beetle high-speed ferry operated daily return services from Japan to the South Korean city of Busan.    
Transportation

Japanese ferry operator to end service to South Korea due to leaking ship

JR Kyushu unable to solve seepage that its subsidiary was found to have concealed

24 December 2024
The Great Lakes Works U.S. Steel plant in River Rouge, Michigan.  
Business deals

Decision on Nippon Steel-U.S. Steel deal in Biden's hands

Japanese company urges president to approve $14.9bn transaction

24 December 2024
Honda President Toshihiro Mibe says Honda's financial foundation will remain strong even after its 1.1 trillion yen ($7 billion) buyback. (Photo by Mizuho Miyazaki)
Equities

Honda shares surge 17% on $7bn buyback amid Nissan merger talks

Auto giant is working to eliminate financial concerns, says fund manager

24 December 2024
Employees work on a production line at a Dongfeng Honda factory in Wuhan, China, in 2020.
Automobiles

Honda's and Nissan's Chinese state-owned partners also feel the pinch

GAC and Dongfeng haunted by reliance on Japanese allies now in merger talks

24 December 2024
Renault says it will continue to roll out projects already launched under its alliance with Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors. (Source photos by Reuters and Suzu Takahashi)
Automobiles

Renault says considering 'all options' amid Nissan-Honda merger talks

French carmaker vows to continue existing projects under its Nissan alliance

24 December 2024
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Podcast: Tech Latest

Rounding up 2024's top tech news

Tech Latest: Tune in to Nikkei Asia's podcast for the freshest updates on the tech sector

24 December 2024
Nippon Life Insurance President Hiroshi Shimizu said it is important for his company to show policyholders how acquisitions benefit them. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi)
Insurance

Nippon Life U.S. M&A spree not hampered by mutual company status: president

Japan insurer has spent $12bn in North American market, looking to boost returns

24 December 2024
A total of 269,000 foreign workers had entered Japan through the specified skilled worker program as of September 2024. (Photo by Rie Ishii)
Japan immigration

Most of Japan's skilled foreign workers who quit do so within a year

Survey shows Vietnamese frustrated by pay, Indonesians by poor work relationships

24 December 2024
Japanese advanced chipmaker Rapidus is benefitting from generous government aid. (Photo by Yuki Nakao)
Semiconductors

Japan chipmaker Rapidus's state aid draws flak over funding

Opposition says tapping COVID-era money is misappropriation

24 December 2024
The weak yen is weighing on Japan's GDP in dollar terms.(Photo by Satoko Kawasaki) 
Economy

South Korea surpasses Japan's per capita GDP in 2022 and 2023

Japan retreats to record-low 22nd place among OECD economies

24 December 2024
Lexus vehicles sold in China primarily have been exported from Japan. (Photo by Tomoko Wakasugi)
Electric vehicles

Toyota to make Lexus EVs at first independent China plant

Japanese automaker looks to follow Tesla by opening factory without local partner

24 December 2024
Nissan President Makoto Uchida, left, and Honda President Toshihiro Mibe pose for photo during a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 23. (Photo by Mizuho Miyazaki)
Business deals

Honda and Nissan eye merger by mid-2026 under holding company

Carmakers aim to wrap up talks by June but on premise of Nissan's turnaround

23 December 2024
Haruhiko Kuroda stepped down as Bank of Japan governor in August 2023 after ten years in the post.  (Kyodo/via Reuters)
Bank of Japan

Former BOJ governor Kuroda to become adviser at JCER

Veteran central banker join Japan Center for Economic Research think tank

23 December 2024
Carlos Ghosn, the fugitive former chairman of Nissan Motor, spoke from Lebanon during an online news conference hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on Dec. 23. 
Business deals

Fugitive ex-Nissan head Carlos Ghosn sees problems in Honda merger

Companies lack 'complementarity,' face competitive obstacles, he says

23 December 2024