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☆ Japan has become a gold mine for value investors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Edward Chancellor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Having experienced a multi-decade decline after 1990, Japanese stocks have escaped the doldrums. Reuters GraphicsAnother shadow that has long lingered over corporate Japan is management teams which tended to neglect shareholders and prioritise the interests of other stakeholders. METI is also redefining the aim of Japanese companies, says Stephen Codrington, founder of the independent research firm Codrington Japan. Japan, whose regime was formerly unfriendly to equity investors, is moving in the opposite direction, says Drew Edwards, head of GMO Usonian Japan. Japan, as Codrington says, has become a gold mine for value investors.

Persons: Jeremy Siegel, “ Stocks, It's, Alex Kinmont, James Montier, METI, Stephen Codrington, Codrington, Toby Rodes, Edward McQuarrie, McQuarrie, Drew Edwards, there’s, Warren Buffett, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Investors, Credit Suisse Global Investment, Nikkei, U.S ., Local, Credit Suisse, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Electronics, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Investment, Toyota, Investment Fund, Tokyo Stock Exchange, Kaname, Takisawa Machine Tool, managements, Toyota Industries, Santa Clara University, U.S, Thomson Locations: Japan, U.S, Europe, Codrington Japan, United States

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's (TSMC) logo is seen while people attend the opening of the TSMC global R&D center in Hsinchu, Taiwan July 28, 2023. In the past five months the improvement has been tremendous," TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said of the Arizona project last week. The $40 billion investment in Arizona allows TSMC to add capacity outside Taiwan, where it faces constraints on land, power, water and labour. "A lot of machines cannot be shut down because it costs TSMC to recalibrate on rebooting," said a chip industry executive. While many equipment and materials makers already have global operations, to meet its exacting standards TSMC has also brought suppliers to Japan from Taiwan, the sources said.

Persons: Ann Wang, TSMC, Mark Liu, Lucy Chen, Brady Wang, Sam Nussey, Fanny Potkin, Sarah Wu, Miho Uranaka, Jamie Freed Organizations: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, REUTERS, TSMC, Reuters, Isaiah Research, Sony, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Thomson Locations: Hsinchu, Taiwan, Japan, TOKYO, SINGAPORE, TAIPEI, Arizona, Kyushu, U.S, Germany, TSMC

☆ Japan's July factory output slumps, raises pressure on manufacturers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Japan's factory output fell more than expected in July, signalling a rocky start to the second half of the year for manufacturers as worries mount over growth in China and the global economy. Industrial output fell 2.0% in July from the previous month, data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) showed on Thursday. Output of electronic parts and devices fell 5.1%, while that of production machinery decreased 4.8%, driving the overall decline. Among production machinery, output for semiconductor manufacturing equipment fell by 16.4%. Other data showed Japanese retail sales expanded 6.8% in July from a year earlier.

Persons: Issei Kato, Masato Koike, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kantaro Komiya, Chang, Ran Kim, Shri Navaratnam, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Toyota, Honda, Manufacturers, Sompo, Thomson Locations: Kawasaki, Japan, China

☆ Japan factory output rises 2% in June as demand buoys manufacturers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, July 31 (Reuters) - Japanese factory output improved in June for the first time in two months, government data showed on Monday, highlighting growing confidence among manufacturers buoyed by strong demand. Output rose 2.0% in June from a month prior on a seasonally adjusted basis, missing the 2.4% median market forecast. Electronic components and devices output rose 6.8% as shipments of capacitors used in smartphones increased, the METI official said. Manufacturers surveyed by METI expected output to fall 0.2% in July and increase 1.1% in August, the data also showed. Separate data showed retail sales rose 5.9% in June from a year earlier, in line with economist forecasts.

Persons: Taro Saito, METI, We'll, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing Organizations: NLI Research, Bank of, Reuters, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Manufacturers, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

☆ The world's top alien hunters explain why a Harvard physicist's discovery of 'alien' tech is likely a false alarm
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Adam Barnes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Harvard physicist Avi Loeb announced the discovery of tiny "spherules" at the bottom of the Pacific. But three of the world's top experts on the search for aliens are skeptical the tech is from aliens. The fragments "could be a spacecraft from another civilization, or some technological gadget," Loeb told CBS News. This will constitute independent evidence for the interstellar origin of IM1 in addition to its measured speed," Loeb wrote. Loeb told Insider that, when ready, the team will publish their findings in a scientific paper that will be "shared openly and submitted for a peer-reviewed journal."

Persons: Avi Loeb, Loeb, Dan Werthimer, IM1, aren't, Douglas Vakoch, Vakoch, Monica Grady, Werthimier Organizations: Service, CBS, SETI Research, University of California, Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence, SETI, Center, Object, Sun, Space Command, NASA, DOD, The Open University, HMS Locations: Wall, Silicon, Berkeley, Papua New Guinea

Tokyo CNN —Japan’s Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision on Tuesday, ruling against a government agency that had barred a transgender employee from using the women’s bathroom, according to public broadcaster NHK. The decision was the top court’s first ruling involving the rights of sexual minorities in the workplace, NHK reported. The plaintiff is an employee in her 50s, working at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). In an email to CNN on Tuesday, METI said it was aware that there was a Supreme Court ruling Tuesday regarding the use of women’s bathrooms by a transgender METI employee. And under Japan’s Gender Identity Disorder Special Cases Act, enacted 20 years ago, transgender individuals must undergo invasive surgeries – including sterilization – to be legally recognized according to their gender identity.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, METI, “ Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Tokyo CNN — Japan’s, Court, NHK, Japan’s Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, National Personnel Authority, CNN, Japan’s Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Japan to give Sumco $530 mln to boost wafer capacity -Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, July 11 (Reuters) - Japan will give Sumco Corp (3436.T), a major producer of silicon wafers, a subsidy of up to 75 billion yen ($530 million) to fund additional capacity as part of efforts to bolster the country's semiconductor industry, the Nikkei newspaper reported. Sumco plans to invest 225 billion yen in factory buildings and equipment, with the subsidy from Japan's METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) covering a third of the cost, Nikkei said. Japan has been subsidising chipmakers and suppliers, including Taiwan's TSMC (2330.TW), to reinvigorate the industry domestically and as countries extend control over a supply chain vital to key sectors. ($1 = 141.3300 yen)Reporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Sumco, Taiwan's TSMC, Sam Nussey, Richard Chang Organizations: Sumco Corp, Nikkei, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan

☆ Japan increases support for domestic EV battery output
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The move shows Tokyo is confident about ramping up battery production support after the United States and Japan struck a deal on electric vehicle (EV) battery minerals in March that is key to giving Japanese automakers wider access to a new $7,500 U.S. EV tax credit. The government will support Toyota for up to 117.8 billion yen ($841 million) in subsidies for its investment in EV battery production, Nishimura said, adding he hoped it would strengthen Japan's storage battery supply chain. Japan has designated batteries for energy storage, including car batteries, as important under an economic security law. It had announced 184.6 billion yen in support for storage battery-related proposals at that time. Friday's announcement of 127.6 billion yen in subsidies brought the total so far to 312.2 billion yen.

Persons: Aly, Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura, Nishimura, METI, Japan's, David Dolan, Daniel Leussink, Hugh Lawson, Sonali Paul, David Evans Organizations: Auto Shanghai, REUTERS, Toyota, EV, Economy, Trade, Industry, Union, Toyota Industries, Honda, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, TOKYO, Japan, Tokyo, United States, U.S

☆ Column: Emissions watchers wary of Japan's power saving pleas
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

LITTLETON, Colorado, June 11 (Reuters) - The Japanese government has called for homes and businesses to curb power use this summer, but emissions trackers are still bracing for a sharp uptick in Japan's power pollution as higher temperatures trigger increased air conditioner use. Recent weather forecasts call for Japan's temperatures to average nearly 4% above normal in July and 3% higher than normal in August, according to Refinitiv. Japan seasonal coal use and coal emissionsThose same months are when Japan's use of coal for electricity generation also typically peaks, along with power sector emissions, data from think tank Ember shows. COAL IMPORTS LEAD POWER EMISSIONSThis year, those usage and pollution patterns look set to be repeated, regardless of the government's recent pleas to curb power use. Power production trends show Japan's energy usage tends to have two distinct periods of strength when the country's weather is at its most severe - during winter and summer.

Persons: Japan's, Gavin Maguire, Tom Hogue Organizations: Japan's Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LITTLETON , Colorado, Japan, Kpler, Ukraine

☆ Japan April factory output unexpectedly falls on weaker machinery orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Issei KatoTOKYO, May 31 (Reuters) - Japan's factory output unexpectedly fell in April, government data showed on Wednesday, as production machinery orders slowed amid weakening global demand, casting doubts about recovery in the world's third-largest economy. Factory output fell 0.4% in April from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis. Output of semiconductor-manufacturing equipment fell 24.6% while flat panel manufacturing equipment dropped 66.6%. A METI official said U.S. export controls to China were not a factor in the decline in chip-making equipment shipments. Still, the METI official said there is a risk of downward adjustment in production plans due to overseas weakness.

Persons: Issei Kato TOKYO, Kota Suzuki, Satoshi Sugiyama, Chang, Ran Kim, Christian Schmollinger, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Ministry, Economy, Trade, Industry Official, Manufacturers, Daiwa Securities, Thomson Locations: Kawasaki, Japan, China

☆ Washington and Tokyo vow closer chip cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Nishimura Yasutoshi, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), talks during an interview with Reuters in Tokyo, Japan, April 5, 2023. In a joint statement, the two countries agreed to increase cooperation between their research and development hubs, as they map out future technology collaboration. The statement came after Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura met in Detroit with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. The two countries agreed to work together "to identify and resolve geographic concentrations of production undermining semiconductor supply chain resilience". Raimondo on Thursday met China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao in Washington where the pair exchanged views on trade, investment and export policies.

TOKYO, March 31 (Reuters) - Japan, the world's fifth-biggest carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter, will begin a carbon pricing scheme in stages from April to encourage companies to curb emissions and achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The country is the latest among Asian nations to formulate plans to create a carbon pricing mechanism and emissions trading system. The scheme, based on METI proposals and approved by the cabinet this year, consists of emissions trading and a carbon levy. The carbon levy will be introduced from around 2028/29 on fossil fuel importers such as refiners, trading houses and electricity utilities. The introduction of emissions trading and carbon surcharges mark "a significant shift in Japan's climate change policy", said Tohru Shimizu, senior researcher at the Japan's Institute of Energy Economics.

☆ Japan, Canada in talks over collaboration in battery metals supply chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, March 14 (Reuters) - Japan and Canada are discussing collaboration on building strong supply chains for battery metals, Japan's industry minister, Yasutoshi Nishimura, said on Tuesday. A public-private mission led by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and including 16 companies that work with batteries visited Canada last week for talks on building sustainable and resilient supply chains, he said. "Canada has an abundance of battery metals and good market access to the United States," Nishimura told a news conference. "Canada is one of the most important countries for Japan when it comes to strengthening our supply chains of storage battery metals," he said. He declined to give details of the talks but said he would take various opportunities, including an upcoming G7 ministerial meeting, to reinforce cooperation with Canada.

☆ Japan's factory output posts biggest fall in 8 months on weak autos, chips sectors
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

In contrast, retail sales posted their fastest growth in nearly two years, separate data showed, highlighting the divergent paths between soft manufacturing and robust service-sector activity. Factory output fell 4.6% in January from a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, government data showed on Tuesday. Separate data showed Japanese retail sales rose 6.3% in January from a year earlier, beating a median market forecast for a 4.0% gain and posting an eleventh consecutive month of expansion. Despite the production cuts, retail sales of autos rose 19.3% year-on-year, suggesting strong pent-up demand among domestic consumers caused by delivery delays. Compared with the previous month, retail sales expanded 1.9% in January, following a 1.1% rise in December, the data showed.

☆ Japan's factory output suffer biggest fall in 8 months
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Summary Jan output -4.6% m/m vs forecast -2.6%Manufacturers see Feb output +8.0%, Mar +0.7%Jan retail sales +6.3% y/y vs f'cast +4.0%Retail sales +1.9% m/mTOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan's factory output shrank at the fastest pace in eight months in January as shrinking overseas demand amid a global economic slowdown took a heavy toll on business activity. Factory output fell 4.6% in January from a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, government data showed on Tuesday. The contraction was much larger than economists' median forecast of a 2.6% decline and followed an upwardly-revised 0.3% increase in December. Separate data showed Japanese retail sales rose 6.3% in January from a year earlier, beating a median market forecast for a 4.0% gain and posting an eleventh consecutive month of expansion. Compared from the previous month, retail sales expanded 1.9%, the data showed.

☆ Japan to promote gas, LNG, hydrogen investments during G7 presidency - METI
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Japan plans to emphasise the importance of investments in natural gas, liquefied natural gas as well as cleaner fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia during the country's presidency at the G7 summit later this year, a senior energy official said. Takeshi Soda, director, petroleum and natural gas division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), told a conference on Tuesday that such investments would be central to solving potential future energy shocks. Reporting by Katya Golubkova and Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan Dec factory output inches down, retail sales beat forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Although retail sales, a barometer of service-sector activity and consumer spending, rose more than expected, the faltering factory activity is ill-timed as companies face calls to hike wages to sustain Japan's post-pandemic recovery. read moreIndustrial output fell 0.1% in December from the previous month, government data showed on Tuesday. The drop was less than the median market forecast for a 1.2% decrease and followed upwardly-revised 0.2% growth in November. Output of auto products was up 0.6%, posting first growth in two months. Compared with the previous quarter, factory output fell 3.1% in October-December, the first drop in two quarters.

☆ Exclusive: ValueAct calls for Seven & i to spin off 7-Eleven retail chain
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

ValueAct argued a tax-free spin-off of 7-Eleven could be completed through a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in roughly a year. But it also noted the board may receive a proposal to buy the whole company during its ongoing strategic review. "We understand that Seven & i can combine 7-Eleven, Inc. and Seven-Eleven Japan and execute a tax-free spin-off to launch a global champion 7-Eleven listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange about 12 months from now," the letter said. Seven & i is currently conducting a strategic review and has pledged to announce its decisions by early March. Ever since first making its investment in Seven & i known in 2021, ValueAct has said other investors have reached out to the firm about its references to a possible spin off of 7-Eleven.

☆ Japan Nov factory output falls on weakening global demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"The impacts of overseas rate hikes, slower growth and weak capital expenditure demand are gradually reaching Japan," said Masato Koike, economist at Sompo Institute Plus. "Production inevitably remains weak for October-December and highly likely stalls furthermore as the global economy hasn't hit its worst." That marked the third monthly decrease in Japanese production and followed a revised 3.2% fall in October and 1.7% contraction in September. Output of general machinery slipped 7.9%, while that of production machinery decreased 5.7%, driving down the overall index in November. METI cut its assessment of industrial output for a second straight month, saying "production is weakening".

For October-December, (Japan's) production will likely be almost flat or slightly decrease from the previous quarter," said Shumpei Fujita, economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting, pointing to the global economic slowdown as a culprit. Factory output fell 2.6% in October from a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, government data showed on Wednesday. Production machinery output slipped 5.4%, taking a hit from soft demand for equipment to make semiconductors and flat-panel displays. While output of compact cars for the domestic market grew, production and shipment of export-oriented larger vehicles was down due to chip shortages, the METI official said. The impact of China's recent lockdown remains unclear, the METI official said, adding the spill-over effects for Japanese manufacturers may only appear in November or December statistics.

A 12.4% decline in auto-related production - the sector's steepest fall in eight months - drove down the overall index. Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expected output to fall another 0.4% in October and rise 0.8% in November. "Rather, with rising procurement costs on the weak yen, coupled with (higher) energy prices, some firms have voiced concerns for their business conditions." Separate data showed retail sales rose 4.5% year-on-year in September, extending a rebound since March when the government ended domestic COVID-19 containment measures. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, retail sales grew 1.1% in September, rising for a third month.

☆ Japan September factory output falls 1.6% in September from the previous month
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Japan's factory output fell 1.6% in September from the previous month, government data showed on Monday, slightly more than the median market forecast for a 1.0% decline. Manufacturers surveyed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) expect output to fall 0.4% in October and rise 0.8% in November, the data also showed. For the full tables, visit METI's website. Reporting by Kantaro Komiya Editing by Chang-Ran KimOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Ce mesaje a trimis omenirea până acum extratereștrilor?
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-28 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +5 min

Sursa foto: ShutterstockCe mesaje a trimis omenirea până acum extratereștrilor? Așadar, ce mesaje a trimis omenirea până acum extratereștrilor? „Un instantaneu al ființelor umane în limbajul matematicii și al științei”Următorul mesaj trimis extratereștrilor a fost mult mai ambițios. A fost ca un panou publicitar uriaș pe o autostradă, însă a ajuns undeva pe un câmp”, a precizat Shostak. Sondele Voyager 1 și 2 au fost lansate în 1977 pentru a explora marginile Sistemului Solar și a spațiului interstelar.

Persons: Joseph Johann Von Littrow, Von Littrow, ., Lenin, Frank Drake, Carl Sagan, Messier, Arecibo, Douglas Vakoch, Extratereștrii, Seth Shostak, Omenirea, Wells, Jensen, Jensen . Organizations: International Journal, Messier, Universitatea Cornell, Live, Voyager, Doritos, Universitatea Bowling Green Locations: Sahara, Sovietice, Puerto Rico, Arecibo, SUA, Klingon, klingoniană, Olanda, Ohio

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