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Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is transforming the small Japanese farm town of Kikuyo into a key node in Asia’s chip supply chain. TSMC, as the company is known, dominates the global semiconductor business. At its home base in Taiwan, TSMC sits at the center of a web of factories, suppliers and engineering firms. In February, TSMC opened a factory, known as a chip “fab,” for fabricator, on a ridge overlooking Kikuyo. The Japanese electronics giants Sony, Denso and Toyota, major buyers of TSMC semiconductors, are investing huge sums in TSMC’s Japan subsidiary.

Persons: TSMC Organizations: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Sony, Toyota, TSMC’s Locations: Kikuyo, Taiwan, Japan, TSMC’s Japan

☆ Japan's Space One Kairos rocket explodes on inaugural flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Smoke rises after Japan's Space One's small, solid-fueled Kairos rocket exploded shortly after its inaugural launch at Space One's launching pad on the tip of Kii peninsula in Kushimoto town, Wakayama prefecture, Japan on March 13, 2024. Japan's Space One's small, solid-fueled Kairos rocket exploded shortly after launch on its inaugural trip on Wednesday as the firm tried to become the first Japanese company to put a satellite in orbit. Space One said the flight was "interrupted" after the launch and was investigating the situation. Space One has said the launch is highly automated and requires roughly a dozen staff at the ground control center. Space One had planned the launch for Saturday but postponed it after a ship entered the nearby restricted sea area.

Persons: Kairos Locations: Kushimoto, Wakayama prefecture, Japan, Kii

☆ Mount Fuji introducing visitor cap and entry fee to prevent overcrowding
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Mount Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site and an icon of Japan, is putting new regulations in place for climbers amid concerns about overcrowding. “By strongly promoting comprehensive safety measures for climbing Mount Fuji, we will ensure that Mount Fuji, a treasure of the world, is passed on to future generations,” said Koutaro Nagasaki, governor of Yamanashi Prefecture. “In order to revive traditional mountain climbing from the foot of Mount Fuji, we will gain a detailed understanding of the Fuji-ko and Oshi culture that supported Mount Fuji worship. This 2023 photo shows a crowd of visitors beginning their Mount Fuji ascents. Mathiad Cena/AFP/Getty ImagesAccording to prefectural data, five million people hiked Mount Fuji in 2019, a rise of three million from 2012.

Persons: ”, Koutaro Nagasaki, Mathiad Cena, “ Overtourism, Masatake Izumi, Tomoyo Takahashi, Takahashi, Hanako Montgomery Organizations: CNN, Mount, UNESCO, Fuji, Mount Fuji, Heritage Fuji Division, CNN Travel Locations: Japan, Yamanashi, Yamanashi Prefecture, Kasai, Kyoto, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima

TOKYO (AP) — A new Japanese flagship H3 rocket lifted off from a space station in southwestern Japan on Saturday in a key second test flight a year after its failed debut launch. The H3 rocket blasted off from a launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center two days after its originally scheduled liftoff which was delayed due to bad weather. The rocket's initial flight has been smooth as planned, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said in its livestreaming. The launch is closely watched as a test for Japan’s space development after H3 failed in its debut flight last March. JAXA and its main contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been developing H3 as a successor to its current mainstay, H-2A, which is set to retire after two more flights.

Organizations: TOKYO, Space, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Associated Press Locations: Japan

“What we’ve seen with the Taylor Swift tour is something that we’ve not really seen before,” said Richard Clarke, an analyst at investment firm Bernstein. Taylor Swift performs at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2015. From Taylor Swift On her birthday in 2019, Swift shared this photo of herself as a child. From Taylor Swift A 13-year-old Swift sings the National Anthem before an NBA game in Philadelphia in 2002. John Mabangalo/Pool/Getty Images Swift performs during a sold-out show at New York's Madison Square Garden in 2009.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, Taylor, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift, we’ve, ”, Richard Clarke, Bernstein, “ It’s, TikTok she’d, curating, Kane Ishiyone, Swift, –, Ishiyone, Richard A, Brooks, Clarke, “, that’s, Christopher Polk, Scott, Andrea Swift, Jesse D, Tim McGraw, Kevin Winter, John Mabangalo, Chad Batka, Bryan Bedder, Larry Busacca, Miley Cyrus, Lucas Till, Hannah Montana, Sam Emerson, Everett, Jonas, Frank Masi, I'm, West, Beyoncé, Jeff Kravitz, Lucy Nicholson, Christopher Morris, Josh Haner, Kevin Mazur, James Taylor, Charles Sykes, Matt Sayles, Mark J, Terrill, Invision, Jimmy Fallon, Douglas Gorenstein, Nicholas Harvey, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Laraine Newman, Bill Hader, Taran Killam, Kristen Wiig, Keenan Thompson, Fred Armisen, Kerry Washington, Betty White, Bradley Cooper, Dana Edelson, Andrea, Ethan Miller, Tim Boyles, Selena Gomez, Jordan Strauss, Mike Coppola, John Shearer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Brandon Urie, Katy Perry, Republic Records Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner, Will Heath, Seth Wenig, Terence Rushin, David Eulitt, Mitsumasa Etou, Akazawa, haven’t, It’s, Michele Bullock Organizations: Tokyo CNN, People, Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor, Getty, Super Bowl, Chicago Bears, dateline, Vegas, Staples Center, NBA, of Country, Garden, New York Times, New York's Rockefeller Center, Walt Disney Co, Kanye, Madison, MTV, NBC, ACM, Academy of Country, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, Universal Pictures, Coachella, Republic Records, New York University, Arrowhead, Chiefs, NET, Tokyo City University, Fuji, Tokyo, Reserve Bank of Australia, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Las Vegas, Philippines, Fukuoka, Japan, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Shibuya, AFP, Asia, Washington, Las Vagas, Los Angeles, West Reading , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, New York, Auburn Hills , Michigan, Newark , New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Frankfurt, London, Arlington , Texas, Tampa, Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City , Missouri, Asia Pacific, Singapore, Australia, East Coast

☆ These Japanese beef croquettes are so popular there’s a 43-year waitlist
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Founded in 1926, Asahiya sold meat products from Hyogo prefecture – Kobe beef included – for decades before adding beef croquettes to the shelf in the years following WWII. An unprofitable business ideaThe highly coveted “Extreme Croquettes” are one of four types of Kobe beef croquettes available at Asahiya. The shop’s Premier Kobe Beef Croquettes currently have a more palatable four-year waitlist. Our shop only sells meat that was produced in Hyogo Prefecture, whether it’s Kobe beef, Kobe pork or Tajima chicken. Production boosted but popularity growsThe cheap price tag of the Extreme Croquettes flies in the face of the quality of the ingredients.

Persons: Asahiya, Shigeru Nitta, “, ” Nitta, Nitta, ”, Sanda –, Asahiya’s croquettes, Nitta chuckled, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, Premier Kobe Beef, ”, “, Asahiya Locations: Kobe, Asahiya, Takasago City, Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, it’ll, Hyogo, Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe city

☆ Remains of five crew found after US Osprey aircraft crashes off Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A floating object believed to belong to the U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey that crashed into the sea is seen off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, western Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON/TOKYO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. and Japanese dive teams found the remains of five more crew members from a V-22 Osprey aircraft that crashed off western Japan last week, the Pentagon said on Monday. Two crew members remain unaccounted for. "There is an ongoing combined effort to recover the remaining crew members from the wreckage," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. Following the crash, the U.S. military unit that the V-22 Osprey aircraft belonged to suspended flight operations.

Persons: Sabrina Singh, Phil Stewart, Satoshi Sugiyama, Bernadette Baum, Alison Williams Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, WASHINGTON, Osprey, Pentagon, U.S ., ., U.S, Pacifist Japan, U.S . Marine Corps, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, Yakushima, Tokyo, U.S, Washington

TOKYO (AP) — U.S. and Japanese divers have discovered wreckage and remains of five crew members from a U.S. Air Force Osprey aircraft that crashed last week off southwestern Japan, the Air Force announced Monday. The Air Force Special Operations Command said two of the five newly located remains have been recovered but their identities have yet to be determined. Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesThe U.S. military identified the one confirmed victim as Air Force Staff Sgt. Ospreys have had a number of crashes, including in Japan, where they are used at U.S. and Japanese military bases, and the latest accident rekindled safety concerns. Japanese officials say they have asked the U.S. military to resume Osprey flights only after ensuring their safety.

Persons: Jacob Galliher, Denny Tamaki Organizations: TOKYO, —, U.S . Air Force Osprey, Air Force, Air Force Special, Command, Air Force Staff, Japan's NHK, U.S, The, Ospreys, Pentagon, Forces Agreement, Okinawa Gov Locations: Japan, U.S, Pittsfield , Massachusetts, The U.S, Okinawa

☆ Earthquake of 7.5 strikes Philippines, tsunami expected in Philippines and Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 2 (Reuters) - An earthquake of at least magnitude 7.5 struck Mindanao in the southern Philippines late on Saturday, triggering evacuation orders for some areas and southwestern Japanese coasts because of warnings of tsunami waves of a metre (3 feet) or more. The Philippine Seismology Agency Phivolcs said the waves could hit the Philippines by midnight (1600 GMT) and continue for hours. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said there could be waves of up to 3 metres above the tide level along some Philippine coasts. The Japanese broadcaster NHK said tsunami waves of up to a metre were expected to reach Japan's southwestern coast around 30 minutes later - by 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (1630 GMT on Saturday). The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said a quake of magnitude 7.5 had struck at a depth of 63 km (39 miles).

Persons: Agency Phivolcs, Phivolcs, Mrinmay Dey, Mikhail Flores, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Kevin Liffey, Diane Craft, Alison Williams Organizations: Agency, U.S ., NHK, Seismological, U.S . Geographic Survey, Thomson Locations: Mindanao, Philippines, Philippine, U.S, Surigao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Japanese, Hinatuan, Earthquakes, Bengaluru, Manila, Tokyo

Japan, a key U.S. ally, had sought the suspension of all non-emergency V-22 Osprey flights over its territory after one fell into the sea on Wednesday in western Japan. Japan's Coast Guard has said one person was found and confirmed dead, and the search for the remaining seven aboard continues. The Pentagon said on Thursday that it was still flying Ospreys for now, and that it was not aware of any official request for their grounding. "We are concerned that despite our repeated requests, and in the absence of sufficient explanation (from the U.S. military), the Osprey continues to fly," he told a news conference. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which also operates Ospreys, has said it would suspend flights of the transport aircraft.

Persons: Hirokazu Matsuno, Yoko Kamikawa, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Dujarric, Dujarric, Mariko Katsumura, John Geddie, Chang, Ran Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Japan's Coast Guard, Pentagon, Ospreys, U.S ., Japan Self - Defense Forces, U.S, Pacifist Japan, U.S . Marine Corps, Tokyo's Temple University, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, U.S, Tokyo

Search operations widened Friday with additional U.S. military personnel joining the effort, while Japanese coast guard and military ships focused on an undersea search using sonar. Japanese officials say they asked the U.S. military to halt Osprey flights in Japan except for those involved in the search operations. A total of 44 Ospreys have been deployed at U.S. and Japanese military bases in Japan. Denny Tamaki called on Japan’s defense and foreign ministries to request the U.S. military to suspend all Osprey flights in Japan, including in search operations. “I have serious doubts about Osprey safety even for their search and rescue operations.”

Persons: —, Sabrina Singh, Hirokazu Matsuno, Minoru Kihara, Ricky Rupp, ” Kihara, Rupp, Yoko Kamikawa, Japan Rahm Emanuel, United States “, Denny Tamaki, Tamaki, “, ” Organizations: TOKYO, Pentagon, U.S, Ospreys, U.S ., Defense, U.S . Forces Japan, Osprey, United, U.S . Air Force Special, Command, Yokota Air Base, Fifth Air Force, 353rd, Operations, U.S . Marine Corps Air, Iwakuni, Kadena Air Base, Gov Locations: Japan, U.S, Okinawa, United States, Yamaguchi prefecture

☆ Japan asks US military to ground Osprey aircraft after fatal crash
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | Thomson Reuters | Kantaro Writes About Everything Japan'S Economic Indicators To North Korea'S Missiles To Global Regulation On Ai Companies. His Previous Stories Have Been Published In The Associated Press | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A Japan Coast Guard vessel and a helicopter conduct a search and rescue operation at the site where a U.S. military aircraft V-22 Osprey crashed into the sea off Yakushima Island, Kagoshima prefecture, Japan November 30, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. The Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF), which also operates Ospreys, will suspend flights of the transport aircraft until the circumstances of the incident are clarified, another senior defence ministry official said in parliament. A spokesperson for U.S. military forces in Japan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The deployment of the aircraft in Japan has been controversial, with critics of the U.S. military presence in the southwest islands saying it is prone to accidents. The last fatal U.S. military aircraft crash in Japan was 2018, when a mid-air collision during a training exercise killed six people, according to the defence ministry.

Persons: Minoru Kihara, Witnesses, Chang, Ran Kim, Kantaro Komiya, Tim Kelly, John Geddie, Kim Coghill, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Japan Coast Guard, Kyodo, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S . Air Force, U.S, Ospreys, Japan Self - Defense Forces, Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Marines, Navy, U.S . Marine Corps, Osprey, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, U.S, Australia, Okinawa

Adachi said Japan has yet to see a positive wage-inflation cycle, in which wages and inflation rise together, kick off. The BOJ can start debating an exit strategy only when the chance of such a cycle emerging heightens, he added. But Adachi said the BOJ did not necessarily need to wait until inflation-adjusted wage growth turns positive for it to normalise monetary policy. Hawkish member Naoki Tamura in August signalled a chance of ending negative rates early next year, saying Japan's inflation was already "clearly in sight" of the BOJ's target. With inflation exceeding its 2% target for more than a year, many market players expect the BOJ to end negative rates and YCC next year, with some betting on a move as early as January.

Persons: Issei Kato, Seiji Adachi, Adachi, we're, Naoki Tamura, YCC, Leika Kihara, Takahiko Wada, Chang, Ran Kim, Jamie Freed Organizations: Bank of Japan, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO, MATSUYAMA, Matsuyama

The U.S. military said the mishap occurred during a routine training mission off the shores of Yakushima Island, about 1,040 km (650 miles) southwest of the capital Tokyo. Another Osprey thought to have been travelling with the crashed aircraft landed safely at the island's airport on Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the local government said. Japan, which also operates Osprey aircraft, said on Wednesday it had asked the U.S. military to investigate the crash. The deployment of the hybrid aircraft in Japan has been controversial, with critics saying it is prone to accidents. In August, a U.S. Osprey crashed off the coast of northern Australia while transporting troops during a routine military exercise, killing three U.S. Marines.

Persons: Kiyoshi Takenaka, Tim Kelly, Kantaro, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, John Geddie, David Dolan, Gerry Doyle, Nick Macfie, Deepa Babington Organizations: Japan Coast Guard, Yakushima Fisheries Cooperative, . Air Force Special, Command, United, ., Boeing, Bell Helicopter, U.S . Air Force, Marines, Navy, Japan Self - Defense Forces, Osprey, U.S, Thomson Locations: Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, TOKYO, U.S, Yakushima, Tokyo, Japan's, United States, Taiwan, Okinawa, Australia

TOKYO, Nov 29 (Reuters) - A U.S. military V-22 Osprey aircraft crashed near an island in western Japan on Wednesday with eight people onboard, Japan's coast guard said. The aircraft disappeared from radar at 2:40 p.m. local time, Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. Another crash-landed in the ocean off Japan's southern island of Okinawa in December 2016, prompting a temporary U.S. military grounding of the aircraft. The deployment of the Osprey in Japan has been controversial, with critics saying the hybrid aircraft is prone to accidents. The U.S. military and Japan say it is safe.

Persons: Hirokazu Matsuno, Kiyoshi Takenaka, Tim Kelly, Satoshi Sugiyama, John Geddie, David Dolan, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Osprey, U.S, Marines, U.S . Marines, U.S . Navy, Japan Self Defense Forces, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S, Japan, Australia, Okinawa

☆ Japanese troops drill on island seen as vulnerable to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Tim Kelly | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKUNOSHIMA, Japan, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Japanese marines in amphibious assault vehicles stormed an island beach at the edge of the East China Sea on Sunday in a simulated attack to dislodge invaders from territory that Tokyo worries is vulnerable to attack from China. Other troops arrived in semi-inflatable rubber boats, with heavy equipment carried to shore on military hovercraft. [1/5]A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB) soldier takes part in a marine landing drill as a part of the country's nationwide 05JX military exercises at Tokunoshima island, Kagoshima prefecture, southwestern Japan, November 19, 2023. Kishida has warned that East Asia could be the next Ukraine, if China, emboldened by Russia's assault on its neighbour, attacks Taiwan. But the yen's sharp decline this year has forced Japan to cut back on some planned purchases, including new models of the U.S.-made Chinook helicopters that Japan's military used in the Tokunoshima drill.

Persons: Yoshihide Yoshida, Issei Kato, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Tim Kelly, William Mallard Organizations: Self - Defence Forces, Joint Staff, Defence Force, Defense Force, Defense, Rapid Deployment Brigade, REUTERS, U.S, Thomson Locations: TOKUNOSHIMA, Japan, East, Tokyo, China, Russia, North Korea, Tokunoshima, Kagoshima prefecture, Taiwan, Asia, Ukraine, U.S, Beijing

The logo of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co is pictured at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Ritsuko Shimizu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (5713.T) is considering producing cathode battery materials in the United States among other options as it looks to expand output to meet demand from electric vehicles, an executive said on Thursday. Sumitomo Metal plans to bolster its annual output capacity to 120,000 tons by March 2028 and 180,000 tons by March 2031. The consortium consists of Sumitomo Metal, Mitsubishi (8058.T) and Mitsui (8031.T). Sumitomo Metal is targeting to boost annual nickel output capacity to 150,000 tons in a long-term from 82,000 tons now.

Persons: Ritsuko Shimizu, Katsuya Tanaka, ARL.AX, Masaru Takebayashi, Yuka Obayashi, David Evans Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, REUTERS, Rights, Sumitomo Metal, Panasonic, U.S, Kalgoorlie Nickel, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Niihama, Pomalaa, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Instead, ongoing exercises in Hawaii, which conclude Friday, highlight part of a new American approach to Pacific defense and deterrence, with a focus on small groups of mobile land forces operating from islands like those off China's coast. As part of its “Operation Pathways” revamp of Pacific defense set in motion nearly a decade ago, the U.S. has been increasing its number of exercises with partners in the Indo-Pacific. “And that helps the U.S. to overcome its numerical disadvantages as China's navy is continuing to expand. The exercises provide experience in technical and procedural interoperability and also build human bonds that can be critical in times of crisis. Austin’s travels overlap with Secretary of State Antony Blinken ’s own visits to Tokyo, Seoul and New Delhi.

Persons: ”, Marcus Evans, Euan Graham, ” Graham, Evans, ” Evans, Defense Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken ’, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Graham Organizations: 25th Infantry Division, U.S . Air Force, Wheeler Army, U.S . Department of Defense, U.S . Navy, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, U.S, United States Army, Defense, ” Aircraft Locations: BANGKOK, Taiwan, U.S, Beijing, China, Israel, Iran, Hawaii, American, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Britain, Oahu, United States, Mariana Islands, Guam, Pacific, Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, Tokyo, Seoul, New Delhi, Solomon Islands, Washington

TOKYO (AP) — Trade and economy officials from the Group of Seven wealthy democracies strengthened their pledge Sunday to work together to ensure smooth supply chains for essentials like energy and food despite global uncertainties. Political Cartoons View All 1223 ImagesThe G-7 includes the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain. Trade is one sector where growing political tensions with China have been playing out, although China was not directly mentioned in the meetings. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the Japanese minister in charge of trade and the economy, said G-7 nations expressed support and understanding for Japan’s position, stressing the safety of Japanese food based on scientific evidence, including that from Fukushima. Nishimura also said the guest nations that took part in the G-7 meeting, including Australia and India, were potentially powerful allies in strengthening the supply chain in valuable materials.

Persons: Yoko Kamikawa, ”, “, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Nishimura, Kamikawa, Katherine Tai, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, —, European Union, World Trade Organization, ”, EU, U.S . Trade Locations: Osaka, Ukraine, Israel, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain, Australia, Chile, India, Indonesia, Kenya, China, Hiroshima, Fukushima

The logo of Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp's Japanese business in pictured in Tokyo, Japan July 21 2023. REUTERS/Sam Nussey/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE/TOKYO, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Taiwan chipmaker Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (6770.TW) is considering around five sites in Japan, including Mie prefecture, for setting up a potential $5.4 billion factory as talks on subsidies progress, sources said. Powerchip is looking at around five sites for the factory, the source said. One option is Mie prefecture in central Japan, two sources said, close to the industrial hub of Nagoya and fabs operated by Taiwan's UMC (2303.TW) and Japan's Kioxia. A factory from Powerchip would mark a further commitment by Taiwanese chipmakers into manufacturing in Japan, with TSMC (2330.TW) building a factory in Kyushu in western Japan and eyeing a second.

Persons: Sam Nussey, Powerchip, Taiwan's UMC, eyeing, chipmaker, Fanny Potkin, Miho Uranaka, Muralikumar Organizations: Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing, REUTERS, Rights, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, SBI Holdings, SBI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, TOKYO, Taiwan, Mie, Nagoya, Powerchip, Kyushu

The plaintiffs, in their 50s and 80s, were living in Kumamoto and nearby Kagoshima at the time of the mercury poisoning and later moved to Osaka and elsewhere in western Japan. Their symptoms, including numbness of the limbs, were typical of the mercury poisoning and cannot be explained by any other cause, the ruling said. It is one of Japan's worst environmental disasters and became an international symbol of environmental damage and corruption behind Japan’s rise to economic prominence. The central government had argued that there was no evidence to prove the plaintiffs suffered from Minamata disease. A 2004 Supreme Court ruling held the government responsible for allowing the pollution to continue for years after its discovery, prompting renewed calls for the government to expand the scope of support.

Persons: —, Judge Yuki Tatsuno, “, ”, Yoshie Maeda, Yoshiyuki Tokui, Hirokazu Matsuno Organizations: TOKYO, Wednesday, Court, Chisso Corp Locations: Kumamoto prefecture, Osaka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Japan, Minamata, Kyushu, Tokyo, Niigata

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen attends a ceremony for the start of construction of a new submarine fleet in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, November 24, 2020. Admiral Huang Shu-kuang, Tsai's security adviser, who is leading the program, said a fleet of 10 submarines - which includes two Dutch-made submarines commissioned in the 1980s - will make it harder for the Chinese navy to project power into the Pacific. He called the submarines a "strategic deterrent" to Chinese warships crossing the Miyako Strait near southwestern Japan or the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines. "If Taiwan is taken, Japan will definitely not be safe, South Korea will definitely not be safe." Eastern Taiwan is where planners have long envisioned the island's military regrouping and preserving its forces during a conflict.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Ann Wang, Admiral Huang Shu, Huang, Lockheed Martin, Chieh Chung, doesn't, Britain's, Yimou Lee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Corp, U.S ., Shandong, Foundation, Taiwan, Britain's Royal Navy, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Kaohsiung, Rights TAIPEI, China, Beijing, U.S, Japan, Philippines, Borneo, South Korea, Eastern Taiwan, United States, India, Britain, Gibraltar

☆ BOJ chief warns of highly uncertain wage, price outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The key to the outlook for monetary policy is whether strong wage growth and consumption, rather than cost pressures from rising import costs, become the key driver of inflation, Ueda said. Ueda said the BOJ was "not fully convinced" that wage hikes would keep accelerating, as many companies seemed undecided on their wage strategy for next year and beyond. That's why we are supporting demand and the broader economy with easy monetary policy," he added. While stressing the need to keep ultra-loose policy for now, Ueda said it was "extremely important" to weigh the benefits and costs of its policy. On the yen's recent falls, Ueda said the BOJ was keeping a close eye on their impact on economic and price developments.

Persons: Kazuo Ueda, Kim Kyung, Ueda, Shingo Torii, Leika Kihara, Chang, Ran Kim, Sam Holmes, Ed Osmond Organizations: Japan, REUTERS, Ueda, Bank of Japan, Panasonic, Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Ueda OSAKA, Osaka

☆ Taiwan Expects to Deploy Two New Submarines by 2027 -Security Adviser
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

By Yimou LeeTAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan hopes to deploy at least two new, domestically developed submarines by 2027, and possibly equip later models with missiles, to strengthen deterrence against the Chinese navy and protect key supply lines, the head of the program said. Admiral Huang Shu-kuang, Tsai's security adviser, who is leading the program, said a fleet of 10 submarines - which includes two Dutch-made submarines commissioned in the 1980s - will make it harder for the Chinese navy to project power into the Pacific. He called the submarines a "strategic deterrent" to Chinese warships crossing the Miyako Strait near southwestern Japan or the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan from the Philippines. "If Taiwan is taken, Japan will definitely not be safe, South Korea will definitely not be safe." Eastern Taiwan is where planners have long envisioned the island's military regrouping and preserving its forces during a conflict.

Persons: Yimou Lee, Tsai Ing, Admiral Huang Shu, Huang, Lockheed Martin, Chieh Chung, doesn't, Britain's, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Corp, U.S ., Shandong, Foundation, Taiwan, Britain's Royal Navy Locations: Yimou Lee TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Beijing, U.S, Japan, Philippines, Borneo, South Korea, Eastern Taiwan, United States, India, Britain, Gibraltar

☆ BOJ policymaker calls for keeping ultra-easy policy, sets high bar on exit
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Leika Kihara | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

As a result, it was hard to say when inflation could hit the bank's 2% inflation target in a sustainable manner, she said. "But we're not at a stage where we can judge that Japan has achieved our price target in a stable, sustainable fashion." The BOJ has defined sustainable inflation as price rises driven not by rising raw material costs, but strong domestic demand accompanied by continued wage increases. But she laid out in detail the conditions for ending negative rates. "When we see many people share prospects that wages will keep rising, we may be able to exit (negative rates)," she added.

Persons: Androniki, Nakagawa, Bank of Japan policymaker Junko Nakagawa, Haruhiko Kuroda, We're, Kazuo Ueda, Leika Kihara, Tom Hogue, Kim Coghill, Emelia Organizations: REUTERS, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Japan, Tokyo, KOCHI, Kochi

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