Rice shortages have persisted across Japan, raising concerns about the future of the industry. Although the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries maintains that the balance between supply and demand is being preserved, doubts remain over whether sufficient stock is truly available.
There were plenty of reasons for the global market selloff on Aug. 5, including premature worries of a US slowdown and fears of an artificial intelligence bubble. But one of the main culprits was the unwinding of a popular yen-centered carry trade. (Bloomberg)
A Ferrari, seized from a tax delinquent, has been listed in an online auction of assets by the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau.
Drugstores are rapidly expanding across Japan, with the market size reaching over 8.3 trillion yen ($57 billion) in 2023. Introduced to Japan in the 1970s, drugstores initially focused on selling medicine and daily necessities. However, many stores now offer a wide range of products, intensifying competition among companies leveraging their unique strengths.
Japan's Fair Trade Commission has issued a warning to major food manufacturer Nissin Foods for allegedly pressuring retailers nationwide to raise the selling price of its cup noodles, a potential violation of the Antimonopoly Act.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications announced that Japan’s nationwide Consumer Price Index (CPI) for July, excluding fresh food due to its price volatility, increased by 2.7% compared to the same month last year.
The Tokyo District Court has ruled against Nippon Paper Crecia, rejecting its claim of patent infringement by Daio Paper in a lawsuit over a specific type of toilet paper technology. Nippon Paper Crecia, known for its 'Scottie' brand, had filed the lawsuit against Daio Paper, the company behind the 'Elleair' brand, seeking to halt the production of certain products.
Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) has announced its acquisition of major U.S. tobacco company, Vector Group. The acquisition cost is expected to be approximately $2.4 billion, equivalent to around 378 billion yen, leading to the full subsidiarization of Vector Group.