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☆ Japan protests Chinese navy ship entering Japanese waters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, June 8 (Reuters) - Japan has conveyed "strong concern" and lodged a protest against China after the Chinese Navy entered Japan's waters near Yakushima Island on Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. Two Chinese Coast Guard vessels also entered Japan's territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands, which China calls Diaoyu, and attempted to approach a Japanese fishing boat, said Matsuno, the top Japanese government spokesperson. Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hirokazu Matsuno, Diaoyu, Matsuno, Satoshi Sugiyama, Peter Graff Organizations: Chinese Navy, Coast Guard, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan, China, Yakushima

☆ 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

☆ Japan's jobless rate falls to 2.6% in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

TOKYO, May 30 (Reuters) - Japan's jobless rate fell to 2.6% in April from 2.8% in the previous month, government data showed on Tuesday. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was below economists' median forecast of 2.7% in a Reuters poll. The jobs-to-applicants ratio stood at 1.32, unchanged from March, labour ministry data showed. For a table on the jobless data, go to the internal affairs ministry's website: http://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/roudou/index.html(Note: The jobs-to-applicants ratio and new job offers can be seen in Japanese on the labour ministry's website)Reporting by Kentaro Sugiyama; Writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Japan PM Kishida says his son to quit as aide after 'inappropriate' behaviour
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Kishida told reporters that Shotaro Kishida would step down as his secretary from Thursday, saying the change was due to "inappropriate" behaviour at the official residence. A weekly magazine last week published photos of the younger Kishida and relatives apparently pretending to hold a news conference at the podium where the prime minister usually stands. "His behaviour at a public space was inappropriate as someone who is in an official position as political aide. I suspect (Kishida) appointed someone who is not capable (of being the) prime minister's aide to the post," Osaka was quoted as saying. Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama, Mariko Katsumura, Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by David Dolan and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 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.

☆ Japan's G7 refugee balancing act: door open for Ukrainians, but not many others
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The generosity towards Ukrainian evacuees, however, will highlight the stark contrast against Japan's track record with asylum seekers, experts and advocates say, with hopes for broader refugee policy reform still distant. Ukrainians have entered Japan under a framework set up specifically for them and are referred to as evacuees rather than refugees. "We want the world to know how bad Japan's refugee recognition system is," said Keiko Tanaka, head of Osaka-based refugee assistance group Rafiq, noting the group would hold a press conference on Sunday when the G7 summit wraps up. Private charity Nippon Foundation gave her 1 million yen ($7,400)- an annual grant it extends exclusively to Ukrainian evacuees. Advocates are guardedly hopeful the Ukrainian presence could change Japan's overall refugee policy, but Temple University Japan's political science professor James Brown thought it unlikely.

The G7 countries -- the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy -- are all closely tied economically to China, the world's second-largest economy and a key global manufacturing base and market. "Everything is part of the great power competition that is taking place between the United States and Russia, and the United States and China." A woman walks past a “G7 Hiroshima” flower installation near the Peace Memorial Museum, ahead of the G7 summit, in Hiroshima, Japan, May 17, 2023. The G7 is looking to draw closer to members of the "Global South" to counter China's role on the global stage. The United States is at the forefront in pushing for stronger investment controls, yet Germany is more cautious, given its heavy reliance on trade with Beijing.

WASHINGTON/PARIS, May 17 (Reuters) - The longest shadows at the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' summit this week will be cast by two countries that weren't even invited to the Hiroshima gathering: China and Russia. The G7 countries -- the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and Italy -- are all closely tied economically to China, the world's second-largest economy and a key global manufacturing base and market. "Everything is part of the great power competition that is taking place between the United States and Russia, and the United States and China." A woman walks past a “G7 Hiroshima” flower installation near the Peace Memorial Museum, ahead of the G7 summit, in Hiroshima, Japan, May 17, 2023. The United States is at the forefront in pushing for stronger investment controls, yet Germany is more cautious, given its heavy reliance on trade with Beijing.

☆ North Korean hackers stole $721 million in cryptocurrency from Japan - Nikkei
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - Hacker groups affiliated with North Korea have stolen $721 million worth of cryptocurrency assets from Japan since 2017, the Nikkei business daily reported on Monday, citing a study by U.K. blockchain analysis provider Elliptic. The amount is equal to 30% of the total of such losses globally, the Nikkei reported. The report comes after Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors said in a statement on Saturday that they support measures to counter growing threats from illicit activities by state actors, such as the theft of crypto-assets. According to Elliptic, which conducted the analysis on behalf of the Japanese newspaper, North Korea has stolen a total of $2.3 billion in cryptocurrency from businesses between 2017 and 2022. Reporting by Satoshi Sugiyama, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - A meeting of the government's top economic council on Monday focused on whether recent rises in inflation and wage growth suggest Japan is approaching a sustained exit from deflation. The fresh round of discussions between the government and central bank are looking at the role each should play in achieving sustained wage hikes, which would help reduce the risk of the country returning to deflation. Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda spoke about the bank's resolve to patiently maintain ultra-loose monetary policy, according to presentation material released after the meeting. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government and BOJ need to coordinate closely given rising uncertainty over the economic outlook. "We're aiming to pull Japan out of deflation and achieve sustained, private demand-driven economic growth" by creating public perceptions that growth and inflation will keep rising, he said.

☆ Japanese chipmaker Rapidus considers listing for capex needs -Kyodo
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, May 3 (Reuters) - Japanese microchip maker Rapidus estimates that it needs about 2 trillion yen ($14.71 billion) for technological development, for which it will seek mid to long-term assistance from the government, the company's chairman told the Kyodo news agency. The company also requires an additional 3 trillion yen to fund mass production and is considering listing to raise capital for that purpose, Rapidus chairman Tetsuro Higashi said in the interview published on Wednesday. Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said last week the government plans to give 260 billion yen in additional subsidy on top of a 70 billion yen funding. Rapidus is planning to build a cutting-edge two-nanometre chip factory in Japan's northern major island of Hokkaido. "Going public is a major means of forming the foundation of the company" as a way to raise 3 trillion yen, Higashi said in the interview.

Importantly, smaller firms are also starting to raise pay even as many of them face a margin crunch. Big firms offered pay hikes of 3.8% this year in annual wage talks with unions that ended in March, the largest increase in three decades. Attention has now shifted to whether small firms, which employ seven out of 10 workers in Japan, would follow suit. The BOJ's tankan business sentiment survey showed last month that small firms' current profits fell 2.7% in the last fiscal year to March, while big firms' earnings rose 11.5%. Less than half of small firms said they were able to pass on rising costs to customers as of last September, government data showed.

☆ Toyota edges past 9.1 mln vehicle output goal, warns chip shortage lingering
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Toyota Motor Corp FollowTOKYO, April 27 (Reuters) - Japan's Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) set a global annual output record in the business year ended in March, just edging past its target of 9.1 million vehicles as factory disruption from global chip supply woes and pandemic lockdowns eased. But the world's biggest automaker by sales warned it continued to see impacts from the long-running global chip shortage, saying it remained hard to predict its effect going forward. Global sales for the 12 months ended March rose to 9.61 million vehicles from 9.51 million in the prior year, setting another annual record for the company. The company didn't release new sales or production targets for the current business year that started in April. That compared with 24,466 battery EVs sold by Toyota worldwide for the whole of 2022.

☆ Japan's Honda Motor in strategic collaboration deal with TSMC
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of Honda is seen during the 88th International Motor Show at Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, March 6, 2018. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy/File PhotoTOKYO, April 26 (Reuters) - Japan's Honda Motor Co (7267.T) on Wednesday unveiled it struck a strategic collaboration agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) (2330.TW) as part of steps the company was taking to secure a stable supply of semiconductors. Honda will build direct relationships with chip producers for the long-term stable supply of chips, chief executive Toshihiro Mibe said at a news conference where he laid out the automaker's business strategy. "Honda will work closely together with Tier 1 suppliers and semiconductor makers and move forward with drastic steps," Mibe said, adding it had reached a basic agreement on strategic collaboration with TSMC. Honda also said it planned to introduce four new electric vehicle (EV) models in Japan by 2026.

☆ Japan prepares to evacuate citizens from Sudan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, April 19 (Reuters) - Japan's defense ministry has begun preparations to evacuate its citizens from Sudan amid deadly fighting, a top government spokesperson said on Wednesday. Japan's foreign minister asked the defense minister to use the Self-Defense Forces' plane for the evacuation, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. "The government will continue to do its utmost to ensure the safety of Japanese residents in Japan, including the safety and evacuation of Japanese nationals, in close cooperation with the G7 and other major countries," Matsuno said. About 60 Japanese nationals were in Sudan as of Wednesday, Matsuno told reporters, adding the government was able to contact all of them and none of them were injured. Heavy gunfire shattered a 24-hour truce in Sudan on Tuesday.

Eastern Theatre Command/Handout via REUTERSTOKYO/TAIPEI, April 10 (Reuters) - Japan has been following China's military drills around Taiwan consistently and "with great interest", a top government spokesperson said on Monday, on the last scheduled day for the exercises where Beijing has simulated striking the island. China claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under Beijing's control. Japan has long worried about China's military activities in the area given how close its southern islands are to Taiwan. The United States has said it is also watching China's drills closely. China's military simulated precision strikes against Taiwan in the second day of drills around the island on Sunday.

TOKYO, April 10 (Reuters) - Japan will consider government adoption of artificial intelligence technology such as OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot if privacy and cybersecurity concerns are resolved, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Monday. The remarks from Matsuno, the top government spokesperson, came shortly before Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a visit to Japan, where Altman said his company is "looking at opening an office". Asked about Italy's temporary ban on ChatGPT - developed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) backed OpenAI - Matsuno told a news conference that Japan is aware of other countries' actions. Japan will continue evaluating possibilities of introducing AI to reduce government workers' workload after assessing how to respond to concerns such as data breaches, Matsuno said. Reporting by Kantaro Komiya and Satoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Sam Altman speaks at the Wall Street Journal Digital Conference in Laguna Beach, California, U.S., October 18, 2017. "We hope to ... build something great for Japanese people, make the models better for Japanese language and Japanese culture," Altman told reporters following his meeting with Kishida. Asked about Italy's temporary ban on ChatGPT - developed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) backed OpenAI - Matsuno told a regular news conference that Japan is aware of other countries' actions. Japan will continue evaluating possibilities of introducing AI to reduce government workers' workload after assessing how to respond to concerns such as data breaches, Matsuno said. OpenAI CEO Altman said he told Japan's Kishida about "the upsides of this technology and how to mitigate the downsides" at the Monday meeting in Tokyo.

[1/5] Delivery trucks are parked at a parking area along the highway in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Japan April 6, 2023. On April 1, 2024, the government will limit truck drivers' annual overtime to 960 hours, among other reforms officials say are meant to improve the job's notoriously gruelling conditions and make it more attractive. The global consultancy Roland Berger expects a 20% decline in the number of Japanese truck drivers in the decade to 2030. Fierce competition and high fuel prices mean truck drivers are squeezed too despite an acute labour shortage. That would make it difficult for small companies to hire to make up for the lower number of legal working hours per driver.

☆ Japan unveils fresh childcare plan but funding unclear
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Under the plan, the government will take steps such as expansion of child allowances to be given without income limits. While the government has earmarked 6.1 trillion yen ($45.90 billion) for steps to arrest the declining number of children, a senior ruling party lawmaker was quoted by media as demanding an additional 8 trillion yen to fund the new measures. "A boost to child allowances alone could cost 2-3 trillion yen. "Everyone acknowledges childcare support is important given Japan's need to boost the growth rate. "Opposition parties also have no objection to boost childcare spending," said political analyst Atsuo Ito.

☆ Toyota's global sales notch up a February record as parts shortage eases
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Toyota Motor Corp FollowTOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) said on Thursday that global sales hit a record for the month of February as it bounced back from severe pandemic-induced parts shortages, adding that worldwide production also increased for a second straight month. Japan's biggest automaker said in a statement, however, that shortages of parts continue to be a problem. Last month, its global sales jumped 10.3% to 773,271 vehicles, driven by a blistering 53.2% climb in domestic sales. That compares with a particularly weak February last year when sales sharply declined due to a lack of semiconductors. It said worldwide production of Toyota-branded vehicles rose 2% to 755,839, slightly ahead of its goal of 750,000.

Zelenskiy posted footage of him greeting Kishida, whom the Ukrainian leader called "a truly powerful defender of the international order and a longtime friend of Ukraine". It is rare for a Japanese leader to make an unannounced foreign visit. [1/5] Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits a site of a mass grave, in the town of Bucha, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, outside of Kyiv, Ukraine March 21, 2023. Zelenskiy, speaking at a joint briefing with Kishida, said he would join the Hiroshima summit via an online link. Prior to leaving for Poland en route to Ukraine, Kishida visited India, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

SummarySummary Companies C.banks responded to risk-aversive moves in markets - MatsunoJapan's banking system stable as a whole - MatsunoFinmin says will keep assessing impact of Credit Suisse buyoutMarket rout may complicate BOJ's exit path from easy policyTOKYO, March 20 (Reuters) - Japan's top government spokesperson said on Monday the banking system was stable, seeking to reassure markets the country won't see a contagion from U.S. and European banking sector woes. "Each country promptly ramped up efforts as risk-aversive moves were seen in financial markets," Matsuno told a regular news conference. "Japan's financial system is stable as a whole," he said, adding that authorities were watching financial market moves "with a strong sense of alarm". For now, financial authorities in Tokyo see the most likely risk for Japan coming from a deterioration in the U.S. economy that would hurt exports, rather than a direct bank contagion. "The failure of two U.S. banks spilled over to a Swiss bank in a seemingly unrelated way," one official said.

"Each country promptly ramped up efforts as risk-aversive moves were seen in financial markets," Matsuno told a regular news conference. "Japan's financial system is stable as a whole," he said, adding that authorities were watching financial market moves "with a strong sense of alarm". The remarks came after Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki told reporters on Monday the government would continue to "carefully assess" how a weekend rescue deal for Credit Suisse Group would affect Japan's financial sector. For now, financial authorities in Tokyo see the most likely risk for Japan coming from a deterioration in the U.S. economy that would hurt exports, rather than a direct bank contagion. "The failure of two U.S. banks spilled over to a Swiss bank in a seemingly unrelated way," one official said.

☆ Japan, South Korea business leaders look for reset after wartime labour strain
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, March 17 (Reuters) - Top business leaders from Japan and South Korea met in Tokyo on Friday, pledging greater economic cooperation as they seek to pivot away from years of strain and acrimony over compensation for forced wartime labour. The head of Japan's Keidanren business lobby met with members of its South Korean counterpart, the Federation of Korean Industries, as well South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday morning. Yoon is in Japan for the first visit by a South Korean president in 12 years. The lack of cooperation between the two countries has long undercut U.S.-led efforts to present a united front against China and North Korea. Signs of a breakthrough came last week when Seoul announced a plan for its companies to compensate former forced labourers.

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