Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Hokkaido—The skulls of three Ainu individuals were returned from Britain to Hokkaido the third repatriation of the indigenous people’s remains from overseas eight sets of Ainu remains have been moved back to Japan a traditional Ainu ritual of offering prayers to gods was performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park here on May 3 after the skulls returned by the University of Edinburgh were stored in the Memorial Site at the facility executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido described the remains as “our brethren and ancestors.” When he received the skulls at a ceremony at the University of Edinburgh on April 30 “I was filled with a desire to rightfully take them back to where they were born and raised and console their souls in a dignified manner.” who inhabit the northern part of the Japanese archipelago were collected by domestic and overseas institutions for research purposes the remains of an Ainu individual were brought back from Germany in 2017 and four more from Australia in 2023 The total number of Ainu people’s remains that were taken out of Japan is still unknown a professor of indigenous archaeology at Hokkaido University’s Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies He said the three skulls returned from Britain are only a small part of them Japan has also been calling on Britain to return three Ainu remains preserved at the National History Museum in London The skulls were kept at the University of Edinburgh’s Anatomical Museum according to the Ainu Policy Promotion Headquarters of the Cabinet Secretariat A catalog of the museum’s collection indicates that the specimens derive from the present-day Urakawa town The remains will be placed in the Upopoy Memorial Site until they are taken over by organizations in Hokkaido A group in the Kushiro area has applied for taking custody of the skull from the area the remains were donated to the university in 1913 by Neil Gordon Munro an anthropologist and doctor who provided free medical care to the Ainu community in the town of Hiratori in Hokkaido Kato said the remains of indigenous populations were collected around the globe for research purposes from the 18th century largely without consent from those concerned He said calls from indigenous groups have led to gradual repatriations to their rightful owners although some institutions are reluctant to give up what they consider research materials The University of Edinburgh returned the skulls of four indigenous individuals to Taiwan in 2023 who attended the April 30 repatriation ceremony “Repatriations are part of the university’s important ongoing work to review its colonial past and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.” Australia returns to Japan remains of 4 Ainu people EDITORIAL: Time to face up to the past wrongs of robbing the graves of Ainu Let it rot: Ainu totem pole left to decay according to artist’s wishes VOX POPULI: Fire goddess will judge if museum conveys message of Ainu culture Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission In connected car news is AIAG Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) and Silicon Austria Labs The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) announced a refreshed brand identity and the launch of a redesigned website aimed at better supporting the global automotive community The new AIAG.org offers enhanced tools such as the Beginner’s Guide for OEMs and suppliers a self-guided “Diagnose Your Challenges” tool a Collaboration Hub for volunteer initiatives and “The Collective Spark” blog for industry insights With over 4,000 member companies worldwide AIAG continues its 42-year mission to drive innovation positioning itself for leadership in the evolving automotive landscape including electrification and advanced data collaboration Alpha and Omega Semiconductor (AOS) has launched its next-generation 1200V Gen3 αSiC MOSFETs delivering up to 30% improved switching efficiency compared to previous models while maintaining low conduction losses under heavy load Fully qualified for automotive use (AEC-Q101) the devices are engineered for high-power applications including electric vehicles With support for higher voltage architectures (e.g. energy-efficient designs and are available in multiple resistance ratings and packaging formats AOS has also released a high-power die version for EV traction inverters IntelliShift announced a strategic partnership with Netradyne integrating Netradyne’s Driver•i AI-powered camera technology into IntelliShift’s connected fleet intelligence platform The collaboration offers fleets 360° HD camera visibility and real-time data insights to improve safety and operational efficiency Launched during National Distracted Driving Awareness Month the partnership aims to combat distracted driving—one of the leading causes of accidents—by monitoring behaviors like harsh braking and lane drifting This move aligns with IntelliShift’s broader strategy to unify fleet management tools and drive towards a future of zero at-fault accidents Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) and Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) have successfully completed a proof of concept for integrating a coreless current sensor into a power module aimed at electric vehicle (xEV) applications like traction inverters and DC-DC converters Utilizing AKM’s high-resolution EZ232L Hall IC the module offers improved energy efficiency critical for next-generation SiC-based power devices This innovation enables more precise current sensing across wide dynamic ranges enhancing the performance of traction inverters—the key component converting battery DC to motor-driving AC AKM and SAL will present their findings at PCIM Europe 2025 with plans for ongoing collaboration to advance compact and efficient xEV technologies Add AUTO Connected Car News to your Google News Feed. X "Twitter": @aconnectedcar LinkedIn All 5 Releases The number of children under 15 years old in Japan is 13.66 million 350,000 fewer than in 2024 and the lowest on record The figure as of April 1 represented the 44th consecutive year of decline and fell below 14 million for the first time since 1950 when comparable statistics were first collected according to a ministry report released ahead of Children’s Day on May 5 The ratio of children under 15 to the total population was 11.1 percent the number of children in Japan is now 46 percent of 1950’s total of 29.43 million The number of boys as of April 1 was 6.99 million while the number of girls decreased by 170,000 to 6.66 million Only 2.22 million children were between 0 and 2 years old The percentage of children to overall population was 35.4 percent in 1950 the ratio rose slightly during the second baby boom of 1971-74 but the percentage has continued to drop since 1975 the number of children declined from the previous year in all 47 prefectures Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture each had more than 1 million children Akita Prefecture had the lowest percentage of children The highest ratio was 15.8 percent in Okinawa Prefecture According to a ministry analysis of United Nations data on 37 countries with populations of 40 million or more South Korea has the lowest percentage of children to total population Japan’s child population sinks again to record low 14.65 million Japan’s child population shrinks to lowest level on record Number of children in Japan almost halved in just 50 years Number of children in Japan shrinks for 40th straight year Japan’s population drops by largest figure since 1950 Vox Populi Vox Dei is a daily column that runs on Page 1 of The Asahi Shimbun the 10th year of the Meiji Era (1868–1912) a passenger ship from San Francisco arrived at Yokohama Port Among those on board was a 38-year-old American zoologist who was reportedly overcome with excitement at the sight of Japan a land he was setting eyes on for the first time “I jumped out on the shores of Japan tickled enough to yell best known for discovering the Omori Shell Mounds in Tokyo--ancient middens left by prehistoric peoples who inhabited the region during the Jomon Pottery Culture Period (c In his book “Japan Day by Day,” Morse expressed deep admiration for the honesty he observed among the Japanese people “I have spoken of the honesty of the Japanese It is certainly a delightful sensation to be in a country where honesty is the rule and not the exception,” he wrote Morse also noted the country’s low crime rate recurring themes in a work filled with affection for the island nation of the Orient “Japan is the paradise for children.” In his diary “There is no other country in the world where they (children) are so kindly treated or where so much attention is devoted to them.” A drawing he made of “koinobori,” carp-shaped windsocks flown by families to wish for their children’s strength and success during the traditional May 5 festival It was an era when Japan looked up to the “Clouds Above the Hill,” the title of a book that captures the spirit of the Meiji Era a time filled with ambition and national aspiration likened to walking with unwavering resolve toward a single shining cloud high in the sky many Western experts were invited to Japan and received with respect Yet even as the American scholar admired the country He observed that the Japanese were intellectually curious After reading these historical words of praise one cannot help but return to the grim reality of present-day Japan with a sigh The country faces a steep decline in birthrate and one wonders if our society over the past 150 years has truly become as prosperous or livable as we like to believe Why are child suicides reaching record highs Why is one in nine children living in poverty even when a child’s smile is right before us we still cannot look up from our smartphones Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture ‘Honest’ Nigerian finds fame after handing in lost wallet in Japan INTERVIEW/ Ema Yamazaki: Documentary highlights the pros and cons of Japanese schools A film documents the plight of single mothers in Japan Osaka working to help students maintain their cultural roots Asia & World Around Asia Philippines--A World War II-era Philippine navy ship to be used as a target in a combat exercise by American and the Philippine forces accidentally sank Monday hours before the mock assault The BRP Miguel Malvar, which was decommissioned by the Philippine navy in 2021, took on water while being towed in rough waters facing the disputed South China Sea and sank about 30 nautical miles (55 kilometers) off the western Philippine province of Zambales Nobody was onboard when the ship listed then sank American and Philippine forces would proceed with other live-fire maneuvers off Zambales on Monday despite the premature sinking of the Malvar The ship was built as a patrol vessel for the U.S Navy in the 1940s and was transferred to Vietnam’s navy before the Philippine military acquired it "It’s an 80-year-old dilapidated ship and it wasn’t able to withstand the rough seas,” Philippine Lt John Paul Salgado told The Associated Press The ship-sinking exercise was planned in an offshore area facing the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal which has been closely guarded by the Chinese coast guard The Philippines also claims the fishing atoll, which lies about 220 kilometers (137 miles) west of Zambales. Chinese and the Philippine forces have had increasingly hostile confrontations in the waters and airspace of Scarborough in recent years The cancelled ship-sinking drill would have been the third to be staged by the treaty allies in recent years It was supposed to be one of the highlights of largescale annual military exercises by the United States and the Philippines from April 21 to May 9 with about 14,000 U.S the combat drills have increasingly focused on the defense of Philippine sovereignty in the face of China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea which Beijing claims virtually in its entirety Mock battle scenes which have been staged so far, including the retaking of an island from hostile forces, have reflected assurances by the Trump administration, including by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would abide by its treaty commitment to defend the Philippines in case Filipino forces come under an armed attack Australian and Philippine forces practiced retaking an island from hostile forces in the coastal town of Balabac in western Palawan province Japanese forces and British marines joined as observers of the combat exercise which “showcased the growing interoperability and cohesion among partner nations in maintaining regional security,” Salgado said "What we have seen since Trump returned to the White House is a remarkable level of continuity in the US-Philippines alliance not only in joint military drills but also on American statements that the alliance is ‘ironclad,’ said Derek Grossman a senior defense analyst at RAND Corporation “The Trump administration is trying to keep the pressure on China through its support to the Philippines," Grossman said but added that it’s unclear “just how sustainable this commitment will be given that the Trump administration seems less hawkish on China than its predecessors.” China has vehemently opposed such exercises involving U.S forces in or near the South China Sea or Taiwan which Beijing claims as a province and has threatened to annex by force if necessary have insisted that the combat exercises were not designed with China in mind but serve as a deterrence to acts of aggression in the region forces deploy anti-ship missiles in Philippines and stage live-fire drills near China hotspots Filipino forces show firepower at sea amid China tension general says allied forces can repel Asia aggression as Philippines combat drills open Philippines hold largest war drills near disputed waters Lawyers groups are pressing Japan to join other countries in demanding the United States rescind its sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court over its actions concerning Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip President Donald Trump signed the executive order for the sanctions on Feb 6 concerning the ICC’s arrest warrant issued in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on suspicion of war crimes Seventy-nine of the court’s 125 member states immediately condemned the U.S did not sign the statement out of fear of worsening relations with the United States The Aichi Bar Association was one of the first lawyers’ groups in Japan that issued a statement criticizing Trump’s executive order which includes sanctions on the ICC’s prosecutor “A politician is trying to distort the role of the judiciary by force,” said lawyer Kentaro Uematsu “Japan could suffer the same fate someday if we overlook political intervention with the judiciary (in the international community).” prosecutes and tries individuals accused of war crimes and other serious violations of international law a former prosecutor at the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office has been serving a three-year term as ICC president since March 2024 who studied under Akane at Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Law when she was a professor heard his mentor speak at an alumni reunion in November While the ICC was not originally something close to him Uematsu said he learned that the importance of holding those engaged in illegal acts criminally accountable is the same in Japan and abroad He raised his voice against the executive order with other students of Akane which established the international order after World War II another member of the Aichi Bar Association “It is significant for Japan to work on the United States exactly because Japan prioritizes the rule of law.” The Aichi Bar Association and the Osaka Bar Association separately issued statements against Trump’s executive order on March 7 “The sanctions against the ICC could reject the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law altogether,” the Osaka Bar Association said in its statement as well as the Tokyo Bar Association and other groups Trump said the ICC has engaged in “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” He said the court has “no jurisdiction” over the United States or Israel because neither country is a member the ICC prosecutor is the only individual designated as sanctioned but some officials have left the court because the executive order said those who provide support to him could face penalties an associate professor of international criminal law at Ritsumeikan University said international criminal justice has been established as grass-roots movements crossed national borders and developed into a large social activity the actions by bar associations are necessary to establish justice (in the international community),” she said Ochi said victims of war crimes will suffer a serious setback if the ICC fails to work properly because they will become unable to seek the truth ICC condemns sanctions by Trump administration and pledges to continue its work Japan remains silent on Trump’s order to sanction staff of ICC International Criminal Court’s chief lashes out at threats from Russia and U.S Japan joins 40 nations in urging probe of Russian war crimes China BEIJING--Four boats capsized in a sudden storm on a river in southwestern China More than 80 people fell into the water when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province on Sunday afternoon The boats capsized after a sudden rain and hail storm hit the upper reaches of the Wu River a man could be seen performing CPR on another person while one of the vessels drifted upside down Initial reports said two tourist boats had capsized but state media said on Monday that four boats were involved and the seven crew members were able to save themselves Guizhou’s mountains and rivers are a major tourism draw and many Chinese are traveling during a five-day national holiday that ends Monday Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “all-out efforts” to find the missing and care for the injured the official Xinhua News Agency said on Sunday Xi underscored the importance of strengthening safety at tourist attractions large public venues and residential communities as well as for the rush of people returning at the end of holidays CCTV said the capsized boats each had a maximum capacity of about 40 people and were not overloaded An eyewitness told state-owned Beijing News the waters were deep but that some people had managed to swim to safety the storm had come suddenly and a thick mist obscured the surface of the river China reports 7 more deaths from torrential rains brought by tropical storm Heavy rains hit eastern China from weakening tropical storm Rescuers in Japan search for 3 missing in or near rivers swollen by heavy rains last week Death toll from bridge collapse in China's Shaanxi province raised to 38 Japan and China have accused each other of violating the airspace around Japanese-controlled islands in the East China Sea, which Beijing also claims The latest territorial flap came as both appeared to have warmer ties while seeking to mitigate damages from the U.S Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement it lodged a “very severe protest” with Beijing after a Chinese helicopter took off from one of China’s four coast guard boats which had entered Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands The helicopter violated Japanese airspace for about 15 minutes on May 3 The statement called the incident an "intrusion .. into Japan’s territorial airspace” and urged the Chinese government to ensure preventive measures Japan’s Self-Defense Forces scrambled fighter jets in response China also protested to Tokyo over a Japanese civilian aircraft violating its airspace around the islands saying it was “strongly dissatisfied” about Japan’s “severe violation of China’s sovereignty,” according to a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Japan late on May 3 China Coast Guard said it “immediately took necessary control measures against it in accordance with the law” and dispatched a ship-borne helicopter to warn and drive away the Japanese aircraft Japanese officials are investigating a possible connection between the Chinese coast guard helicopter’s airspace intrusion and the small Japanese civilian aircraft flying in the area around the same time China routinely sends coast guard vessels and aircraft into waters and airspace surrounding the islands forcing Japan to quickly mobilize its jets The May 3 intrusion was the first by China since a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft violated the Japanese airspace off the southern prefecture of Nagasaki in August Chinese aircraft have also violated the Japanese airspace around the Senkaku Islands twice in the past Chinese violation of airspace in Kyushu shocks Japan repeatedly spots Chinese coast guard and warships near disputed waters Chinese naval vessel spotted sailing in Japan’s contiguous zone Chinese military's airspace violation is utterly unacceptable Chinese navy helicopter flies within 10 feet of Philippine patrol plane over disputed shoal Fewer Japanese believe their society is rooted in democracy compared with 10 years ago Forty-eight percent of respondents said democracy had not taken root The figure for those in the affirmative declined sharply from the 62 percent in the 2015 survey The percentage who said democracy had not taken root climbed from 32 percent in the last survey Questionnaires were mailed to 3,000 randomly selected voters around the nation between late February and early April Valid responses were received from 1,899 voters While a direct comparison cannot be made due to the use of different survey methods an interview survey taken in December 1971 found that 41 percent of respondents felt democracy had taken root while 54 percent said so in a similar survey taken in December 1994 There were clear differences in the latest survey depending on age more said democracy had not taken root than those who responded in the affirmative But a majority of respondents over 50 said democracy had taken root Another question gave respondents four choices in evaluating the administration headed by the late Shinzo Abe during his second stint as prime minister from 2012 until 2020 Nine percent heaped praise on the Abe administration while 48 percent said they somewhat praised it 29 percent said they were somewhat negative about the Abe administration and 11 percent were greatly negative 70 percent said democracy had not taken root in Japanese society But 60 percent of those who heaped praise on the administration said democracy had taken root Views about democracy also differed based on whether respondents said they placed trust in politics While 32 percent of respondents said they placed trust in politics of that figure 65 percent said democracy had taken root of the 67 percent who said they did not place trust in politics only 37 percent said democracy had taken root Of respondents who said they supported the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Among supporters of the opposition Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan 65 percent said democracy had not taken root an associate professor of historical sociology at the Kobe City University of Foreign Studies pointed out that the decrease in those who said democracy had taken root was likely a reflection of a lack of informed debate and respect for opposing views in political circles “While the spread of social media has given some people a greater sense of participating in politics among those who still depend on traditional media such a spread may be a sign to them that democracy is declining,” Yamamoto said Poll: Distrust in politics strong among young Survey: 53% continue to back revision of Constitution Survey: 72% say dissolving LDP factions will not restore trust Kishida Cabinet approval rating lowest since LDP regained power an operator of high-end traditional Japanese restaurants on March 28 after renovations in response to the demands of the times The long-standing “ryotei” (a type of traditional and exclusive Japanese restaurant) in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward is renowned for hosting an official banquet during a Group of Seven summit in Tokyo in 1986 it has been equipped with tables and chairs for the first time offering easier seating arrangements for aging patrons and foreign visitors “Ryotei may be closely associated with political dramas but we want to cherish the tradition and make it a place open to society,” said Reiko Kanazawa referring to how fictional works depict politicians bureaucrats and businessmen patronizing such establishments the restaurant offers a lunch course at a starting price of 33,000 yen ($220) and a dinner course starting at 50,160 yen The restaurant has selected “chawan-mushi” steamed egg custard prepared with foie gras as its signature dish to raise its profile in the social media era Nadaman has been operating Sazanka-so in the garden of Hotel New Otani since 1974 Nadaman has been making efforts to reinvigorate its business in recent years as customers have shifting away from using ryotei to entertain clients and ryotei remain lesser known among young people Illegal outdoor dining surges amid weak regulations Pandemic forces geisha to resort to doing discount shows in the day Michelin Guide Tokyo awards three stars to Sezanne Michelin Tokyo picks sushi shop for 1st new 3-star eatery in 3 years World Iran--Iran's defense ministry Sunday unveiled the country's latest solid-fueled ballistic missile against a backdrop of threats from the United States over its nuclear program TV showed the “Qassem Basir” ballistic missile during an interview with Defense Minister Gen He said it includes improvements in both guidance and maneuverability to overcome layers of defense and easily bypass anti-ballistic defense systems The missile was most recently tested on April 17 TV described the missile as having at least a 1,200-kilometer (745-mile) range It also said the missile can identify and strike a designated target among multiple ones without GPS guidance and with pinpoint accuracy In reaction to a May 1 comment by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the platform X in which he warns Iran about its support for the Houthis in Yemen Nasirzade said if war is initiated by the U.S bases and forces “wherever they are and whenever necessary.” Nasirzadeh added: “We have no hostility toward neighboring countries and seek brotherly relations bases in the region will be considered legitimate targets.” Regarding a recent missile attack by Yemen's Houthis on Israel Nasirzadeh said Yemen is an independent nation making its own decisions attempts to link Iran to the conflict there Tehran created its ballistic missile program after suffering through Iraqi Scud missile attacks in the Iran-Iraq war — and as a hedge against its Western-armed neighbors as embargos have kept it from accessing modern attack aircraft The missile announcement comes amid escalating tensions following the strike on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport by the Houthis Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed significant retaliation against both the Houthis and their Iranian supporters The incident marks a significant escalation in regional hostilities indirect talks between Iran and the United States Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the postponement came at the request of Oman’s foreign minister President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels Israeli military says it has struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to attacks 3 commercial ships hit by missiles in Houthi attack in Red Sea Yemen rebels' helicopter-borne attack on ship raises risks in Red Sea Iran and Russia hold joint naval drills in Mideast as tensions rise between Tehran and US Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack an Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea and take 25 crew members hostage A majority of respondents in an annual nationwide poll continue to support constitutional revision while a record-low percentage of respondents said there is no need to revise Japan's post-war Constitution The new Asahi Shimbun poll showed that 53 percent support revising the Constitution while 35 percent are opposed to constitutional revision the same 53 percent said the Constitution needs to be revised while 39 percent said it does not need to be changed The Asahi Shimbun has asked this question annually in its spring mail survey every year since 2013 The second administration of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe which showed a strong desire to revise the Constitution ruled from the end of 2012 to the fall of 2020 In the surveys conducted during the second Abe administration the “unnecessary” camp outnumbered the “necessary” camp for constitutional revision from 2014 to 2020 the year immediately after Abe took office under the administration of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga the “necessary” camp overtook the “unnecessary” camp by a small margin after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida more than 50 percent thought constitutional change was “necessary,” while the number of those who thought it was “unnecessary” remained below 40 percent The “unnecessary” camp decreased a little this time under the current administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba the 4 percentage points drop was not a significant one Among the supporters of the Ishiba Cabinet a small percentage compared to the overall percentage Among those who disapprove of the Ishiba Cabinet nearly double the 32 percent of the “unnecessary” camp This is a statistical abnormality in that the Cabinet is led by Ishiba the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party which has made constitutional revision a party policy opponents of the Cabinet were more inclined to favor changing the Constitution than Cabinet supporters Under the Kishida and Suga administrations there was no significant difference between the “necessary” and “unnecessary” responses among the supporters and opponents of the Cabinet in stark contrast to the Ishiba administration had consistently polled a much higher percentage backing constitutional revision among supporters than opponents in a total of eight surveys the “necessary” for constitutional change exceeded the “unnecessary” camp by 54 percent to 36 percent among LDP supporters compared to the 62 percent to 32 percent ratio in 2024 and the overall trend this time was not different 45 percent of the supporters of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan considered it "necessary" in the latest survey while 48 percent said it was "unnecessary." and the “necessary” and “unnecessary” camps became closer to each other is the chairman of the Lower House’s constitutional research committee it is better to change (the Constitution).” Edano has also supported Diet deliberations of the issue it is not clear whether this has affected the change in the numbers of supporters of the CDP this time because The Asahi Shimbun did not ask any related questions Among supporters for the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin) 65 percent said it is "necessary," while 22 percent said it is "unnecessary." Supporters for the Democratic Party for the People showed similar trends as 65 percent said it is "necessary," while 26 percent said it is "unnecessary." 64 percent said it is "necessary," while 25 percent said it is "unnecessary." Among supporters for the junior coalition partner Among supporters for the Japanese Communist Party those in their 30s to 50s were more likely to agree that constitutional change is “necessary,” at 60 percent The survey also asked respondents to what extent do they trust Japanese politics A total of 32 percent said they “trust” Japanese politics including 1 percent who said they “have a lot of trust” and 31 percent who said they “trust to some extent.” Those who responded that they do not trust Japanese politics were at 67 percent including 49 percent who said “not very much” and 18 percent who said “not at all.” Among those who answered that they trust the Japanese politics 46 percent said that constitutional change is “necessary,” almost on par with the 43 percent of those who said it was “unnecessary.” among those who answered that they “don’t trust” the political system 57 percent said it was "necessary," far exceeding the 31 percent who said “unnecessary.” it would be necessary to drastically reform the political or whether it would be better to maintain and improve the current systems Among those who chose “drastic reform” (49 percent) 64 percent said that constitutional reform is “necessary,” ahead of the 26 percent who said it is “unnecessary.” Those who chose “maintain and improve” (49 percent) were almost equally divided between those who thought constitutional change was “necessary” and those who thought it was “unnecessary.” It can be said that those who are increasingly distrustful of politics and those who desire a renewal of the world order are more inclined to support changing the Constitution The survey also asked the extent to which momentum to change the Constitution is growing among the public Three percent (4 percent in the 2024 survey) responded that “momentum is growing a lot,” while 28 percent (24 percent in the 2024 survey) responded that “momentum is growing to some extent.” Fifty-six percent (55 percent in the 2024 survey) answered “not so much” and 9 percent (15 percent in the 2024 survey) answered “not at all.” only 31 percent (28 percent in the 2024 survey) said momentum was growing while 65 percent (70 percent in the 2024 survey) said momentum was not growing The latest survey was conducted by mail from late February to early April randomly selecting 3,000 voters nationwide Poll: Cabinet of gift-giving Ishiba sinks to lowest approval rating Asahi survey: 72% say no rush for Diet to revise Constitution Lower House support to revise Constitution falls to 67%: survey Survey: 43% of voters very concerned about Trump’s tariffs Same-sex marriage backed by CDP candidates while LDP mostly silent Korean Peninsula SEOUL--South Korea’s third acting president in five months Lee Ju-ho said on Friday he will ensure stable government ahead of a June 3 presidential election following the quick-fire resignations of the prime minister and finance minister Education Minister Lee took over as acting leader thrusting him into the job of shepherding Asia’s fourth-largest economy through the political turmoil triggered by a martial law attempt last year by ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol and the impact of sweeping U.S Lee pledged to work closely with the cabinet and opposition-led parliament which impeached Yoon in December “I will try my best to ensure government functions are managed stably,” he told reporters Lee later chaired an unscheduled National Security Council meeting and called for a posture of “unwavering readiness” in case of possible aggression from neighboring North Korea Financial markets were preparing for further uncertainty in early trading as authorities vowed to quell any immediate fallout from the resignations of key policymakers pledging to minimize the impact and maintain round-the-clock monitoring The South Korean won weakened as much as 0.8% to 1,438.5 per dollar in early trade while the benchmark KOSPI stock index slipped 0.3% who had been serving as acting president before stepping down a day earlier announced his entry into the presidential race on Friday hoping to leverage his higher profile after a spell in the leadership role Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok had been set to assume the position of acting president by law before a snap election on June 3 to elect a new leader but he abruptly quit just before midnight on Thursday who has played a leading role in the response to U.S apologised in a statement for not being able to continue his work while the country faces severe economic conditions at home and abroad The finance minister resigned just before midnight on Thursday as parliament was voting to impeach him over his earlier refusal as acting president to appoint a Constitutional Court judge The resignation raises questions about the oversight of South Korea’s discussions with Washington on looming new tariffs South Korea’s central bank cautioned that U.S tariffs added to the uncertainty over the path of the inflation rate which it said was expected to remain around 2% for the time being which had been considered one of the most powerful success stories of democratic resilience has faced months of political turmoil since Yoon’s ill-fated attempt to declare martial law late last year a court ruling on Thursday cast doubt on the liberal election frontrunner Lee Jae-myung’s eligibility to run for the presidency The Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling that had cleared Lee saying he had violated election law by publicly making “false statements” during his 2022 presidential bid It sent the case back to the appeals court and ordered it to issue a new sentence which could bar Lee from running for office for up to five years has the potential to impact the conservative People Power Party’s chance of retaining the presidency potentially splitting a field that polls show is already far behind Lee A Gallup Korea survey on April 25 showed that Lee Jae-myung was the favorite to win next month’s election with 38% while former head of the conservative People Power Party (PPP) Han Dong-hoon had 8% and Han Duck-soo was on 6% South Korea’s top court to rule on presidential frontrunner’s case as election looms South Korea presidential frontrunner’s eligibility in doubt after court ruling South Korea’s acting leader Han resigns amid reports he will run for presidential election South Korea’s parliament impeaches acting president Han South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo reinstated as acting president after impeachment overturned South Korean leaders seek calm after Yoon is impeached The English noun “individual,” which originates from the Latin “individuus” meaning “not divisible,” was said to have been translated into Japanese as “kojin” during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) The etymology leaves no doubt that every individual is meant to be an independent and integral person Author Soseki Natsume (1867-1916) understood the value of individualism as a philosophy based on the concept of the individual In “Watakushi no Kojinshugi” (My individualism) a lecture he gave to a youthful audience in 1914 Natsume explained that individualism is not selfishness nor does it put one at odds with the State postwar Japan made a fresh start by declaring its respect for the individual Articles 13 and 24 of the Constitution spell out the concept of the individual stressing that every individual is an independent person who is neither self-centered nor egoistical This is put quite plainly and forcefully in the first part of Article 13: “All the people shall be respected as individuals.” And it goes on to guarantee what is termed the right to pursue happiness: “Their right to life to the extent that it does not interfere with public welfare be the supreme consideration in legislation and in other governmental affairs.” Japanese courts have been in the news for their decisions related to constitutional provisions In a lawsuit brought by a man who had been switched at birth the Tokyo District Court last month acknowledged his legal rights based on Article 13 the Fukuoka High Court cited the right to pursue happiness when it ruled that banning same-sex marriage is in violation of the Constitution Natsume stated that individualism is about respecting oneself as well as others and acknowledging everyone’s freedom To respect the individual is to defend the human rights of other people Britain and Italy are almost ready to bring Saud Arabia on board in the development of a next-generation fighter aircraft Japanese government officials told The Asahi Shimbun on May 2 The move is part of a multinational initiative dubbed the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) to jointly develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter Saudi Arabia would be a “partner country” in the project Saudi Arabia has been seeking formal participation under the GIGO treaty an intergovernmental organization that manages the development of fighter jets The three countries decided at the end of 2022 to jointly develop the next generation fighter aircraft Both Britain and Italy are eager to tap Saudi Arabia’s oil-based financial resources but Japan is concerned about development delays if another negotiating partner is added citing arms transactions involving Saudi Arabia Riyadh did not insist on early participation as a formal member As Tokyo does not expect Saudi Arabia to be directly involved in project development it wants to limit Riyadh’s cooperation to financial and other aspects are working toward formal participation by Saudi Arabia under the treaty but on condition that Saudi Arabia demonstrates beefed up technical capabilities and information security measures (This article was written by Mizuki Sato and Taro Ono) EDITORIAL: Serious concerns increase if Saudi Arabia joins fighter jet project Italy eye Saudi Arabia in fighter jet project Saudi and South Korea compete to host 2030 world fair Britain and Italy plan to place advanced jet fighter project HQ in U.K.--sources Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he isn't rushing to conclude tariff negotations with the Trump administration if the deal isn't an agreeable one for Japan Ishiba talked to reporters on May 2 after being briefed on the second round of talks from Japan's representative Ryosei Akazawa Regarding the prospect of negotiations between the two countries reaching a conclusion “It is not a matter of concluding the agreement quickly if it comes at the expense of Japan’s national interests.” “It is a matter of (both countries) making the utmost efforts and I don't think I should mention the timing.” “we are not yet in a situation where we can find a point of agreement” between Japan and the United States I was informed that the discussions were very positive and constructive,” he added the minister in charge of economic revitalization visited the United States for ministerial-level talks on tariff measures set by President Donald Trump tariff talks at the ministerial level were held at the U.S side that the tariff measures are “regrettable” and reiterated Japan’s request for a review side was represented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent who is leading the external tariff negotiations Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick The two countries agreed to hold intensive discussions at the ministerial level again after mid-May after starting administrative-level talks on May 2 based on this latest exchange At a news conference following the exchange Akazawa was asked if he sees Ishiba and Trump reaching an agreement in June “I hope we can get to that stage,” he said During the closed-door talks that lasted two hours and 10 minutes “We were able to have very in-depth discussions,” Akazawa said three points were covered in detail: expansion of trade between the two countries “In reporting the results of the discussions to the leaders there will be a time to go through the process to see if there are any areas that have not been fully discussed or if there are any omissions,” Akazawa said The minister's strategy going into the meeting was to carefully assess the U.S side’s demands along with preparing a negotiating card involving measures to ease "non-tariff barriers" that the American side considers problematic Akazawa said that there were no discussions on defense security or the foreign currency exchange rate between Japan and the United States for second round of talks on Trump’s tariffs Japan tariff negotiator plans to visit US from April 30 Japan Finance Minister Kato ‘deeply concerned’ over Trump tariff impact Ishiba ally to negotiate tariff exemptions from U.S Minister Kato: Japan does not manipulate FX to weaken the yen Editorial Constitution Day in the 80th year after World War II comes while the world is being hit by strong winds that appear to rewind the clock in units of centuries back to a time when naked authority wreaked havoc on the world The United States is endangering the free trading structure Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is continuing and European nations are proceeding to ramp up their defense spending China once again is applying pressure on Taiwan with a show of military strength in surrounding waters If this chaos represents a transition period for the world order which had been guided by the United States President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the Japan-U.S Now is the time to once again choose the Constitution which sets out universal principles We look on with doubt at the major shift created by the United States which had been recognized by itself and others as the main engine for freedom and democracy the president has made diversity his sworn enemy appears to have no thoughts about freedom of expression or academic freedom and shows no sign of embarrassment even when acting as if everything is all about money It is understandable that a French lawmaker became incensed and asked for the return of the Statue of Liberty after observing the spread of a fictional video showing a statue of Trump erected on a Gaza that had been converted into a resort area From the enactment of the current Constitution containing the principles for the state that have lasted until the present day Japan has been under the strong influence of the United States Freedom and democracy were widely made known as new values for a defeated Japan and the people greatly welcomed the pacifist Constitution as they started to rebuild from the devastation of war That represented a conversion to a state that protected the freedom of individuals who were to be respected rather than the old concept of having individuals only for the purpose of the state The United States dropped the atomic bombs that leveled the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the occasional high-handed nature of that major power many Japanese in the postwar era have held positive feelings toward the United States because it was a land where diverse peoples gathered under the banner of freedom and democracy where opinions were exchanged over issues both large and small and which had an open society that strove toward co-existence among disparate groups That is also the kind of society the Constitution is trying to encourage for Japan The United States now appears to be a bad example But if we think about Japan and its society of 80 years ago can we not say that the very fact many Japanese today are grimacing at the United States going out of control is a result of the course taken in the postwar era together with the Constitution Japan has become a nation that clearly believes in rule of law But we are still only part of the way and Japan also has bad precedents of administrations not heeding the law A good example is the national security law passed in 2015 during Shinzo Abe’s second stint as prime minister That led to a change in constitutional interpretation through a Cabinet decision as well as the distorting of a Supreme Court ruling That can only be described as an outrageous act Japan in general has gradually moved forward while respecting the principles of the Constitution the Supreme Court ruled that the former Eugenic Protection Law was unconstitutional the Supreme Court ruled as unconstitutional a law about changing one’s gender that had conditions for surgically removing reproductive functions The reason used in both verdicts was Article 13 the foundational support for constitutional principles It states: “All of the people shall be respected as individuals.” The spread of social media and advances made in artificial intelligence have led to new issues arising that are closely intertwined with privacy and confidentiality of communication The Constitution calls for issues to be weighed on their merits as they arise a major precondition is emphasizing procedure and there is need for informed debate in the Diet regardless of whether the ruling coalition has a majority There are likely many people who feel that the pacifist Constitution no longer matters in a world rampant with the breaking of rules where China and North Korea are taking disquieting actions and the transfiguration of the United States that Japan had depended on The passage of 80 years has also weakened the collective memory of that awful war War robs individual dignity from its very roots The current Constitution carries on the spirit of the 1928 Paris treaty that renounced war That provision shows what was learned from history and is a goal for all mankind which is now under fire due to the arbitrary acts of major powers Is Japan thinking about returning to a world where power is everything Japan’s defense spending is now approaching 2 percent of gross domestic product While the amount is now more than sufficient by fiscal 2027 Japan could become one of the five largest spenders on defense The history of global arms races shows there is no limit to preparations for war it could turn into a major military power while continuing to uphold an exclusively defensive posture avoiding war means not only engaging in diplomatic efforts with nations both large and small This is what the current Constitution calls for and Japan must have the determination to carry through with such efforts There is no telling how long the United States will continue in its abnormal situation The judicial branch is trying to apply the brakes on a president intent on destroying the philosophy behind the Declaration of Independence and opposition and resistance by the American public is also strengthening Yoon Suk-yeol sided with those trying to abuse authority by declaring martial law but the South Korean Constitutional Court decided to remove him as president The memory of South Korean citizens gathering around the national assembly to stop the outrage is still fresh While it has progressed toward a democratic nation espousing pacifism freedom and rights can only be maintained “by the constant endeavor of the people.” Such endeavors take on even graver importance in a world bombarded by naked authority What is the subtle charm in the taste of tea that makes it irresistible Japanese art philosopher Tenshin Okakura (1863-1913) once observed that tea “has not the arrogance of wine he published “The Book of Tea” in New York a passionate appeal to Western readers about the aesthetics and spiritual values of Asia—particularly those of Japan aiming to convey the delicate and refined flavors and aromas of tea His English-language descriptions of various tea preparations are particularly intriguing: “the Cake-tea which was boiled” refers to “dancha,” a solid compressed form of tea; “the Leaf-tea which was steeped” describes the method of brewing loose or whole tea leaves in hot water; and “the Powdered-tea which was whipped” refers the finely ground powdered green tea that originated in Japan has gained global popularity under the name “matcha.” Matcha lattes matcha chocolates and matcha ice cream have become familiar treats around the world international influencers showcase vivid green matcha smoothies promoting them as a trendy and healthful “superfood.” According to Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture green tea exports reached a record 36.4 billion yen ($250.2 million) last year with matcha likely serving as the primary engine of that growth It has become a popular souvenir among inbound tourists and now holds a distinct and elevated status among the many varieties of tea before matcha had gained widespread recognition abroad it made a memorable appearance on the stage of diplomacy President Barack Obama fondly recalled his childhood visit to Kamakura where his mother had taken him to see the great bronze Amida Buddha I was more focused on the matcha ice cream,” drawing warm laughter from the audience That same dessert was served at the state dinner in his honor where it was graciously received and appreciated May 1 marked “Hachijuhachi-ya” (the 88th night) which refers to the 88th day after the start of spring in the traditional Japanese calendar Tea harvested around this time—known as "shincha," or the season’s first flush—is prized for its exceptional freshness and vibrant flavor would he be astonished to see matcha transformed into a global phenomenon Though its evolution may have taken an unexpected path perhaps he would find satisfaction in seeing it become a bridge between East and West VOX POPULI: Papal politics in high gear as cardinals meet before conclave VOX POPULI: Bitter lessons from failures of American elites in Vietnam War VOX POPULI: Asahi’s poetry selector Akiko Baba retires after 47 years VOX POPULI: A trip down memory lane: When milk came in glass bottles VOX POPULI: Gender gap in professional shogi poses a complex puzzle VOX POPULI: Remembering an old story about a father Manga & Anime “Ichi-byo Nijuyon-koma no Boku no Jinsei” (My life at 24 frames per second) an autobiographical manga by famed anime director Rintaro won the Manga Grand Prix at the 29th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize the competition honors “Astro Boy” creator Osamu Tezuka and the indelible mark he left on Japan’s manga culture given for fresh talent and novel modes of expression who authored “When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom.” The Short Story Prize was given to Shunji Enomoto’s “The Kinks.” The Asahi Special Prize went to the Yokote City Masuda Manga Art Foundation a general incorporated association that operates the Yokote Masuda Manga Museum in Yokote The awards ceremony will be held at the leading daily’s Tokyo head office in the Tsukiji area on June 5 Each winner will receive a bronze statuette The winner of the Manga Grand Prix will also take home a 2-million-yen ($14,000) prize Short Story and Asahi Special Prize winners will each receive 1 million yen Manga titles published or released in Japan in 2024 were eligible for the awards Rintaro is an anime director who has movies such as “Galaxy Express 999,” “Genma Taisen (Harmagedon)” and “Metropolis” under his belt After working on a Japan-France joint project he was approached to make an autobiographical anime in the European country it came to fruition as a manga originally released by a publisher in the French-speaking world under the title of “Ma Vie en 24 Images par Second” (My life at 24 frames per second) The Japanese edition was published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha Ltd “I decided to take on the project thinking that nothing could scare me I remembered various scenes of my life like a revolving lantern of memories,” Rintaro said Rintaro made a career switch to become a director while working on “Astro Boy,” Japan’s first animated TV series which aired in 1963 and featured a robot boy named Atom he was the chief who worked together with staff members on ‘Astro Boy’ without sleep,” he recalled “When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom” is Kido’s first series published by Kodansha Ltd It portrays creators of “art brut” (raw art) or art made outside the mainstream forms of expression and their supporters through a peculiar relationship between two elementary school pupils one being a model student and the other an eccentric one “The Kinks” is the first family-centered comedy series for Enomoto The Yokote City Masuda Manga Art Foundation is among the first to conserve manga manuscripts to pass down the manga culture to future generations the Yokote Masuda Manga Museum currently houses more than 480,000 original drawings (This story was written by Atsushi Ohara and Takumi Terui.) ‘Plinivs’ wins top prize at Tezuka Osamu manga awards TEZUKA OSAMU CULTURAL PRIZE: ‘Land’ wins top manga prize at Tezuka Osamu awards Facility sought to create national manga and anime archive Netflix to stream anime series based on Naoki Urasawa’s ‘Pluto’ ‘Nyx’s Lantern’ wins top manga prize at Tezuka Osamu awards After enjoying eight decades of peace since World War II a growing number of Japanese fear Japan will be caught up in a major war in Asia with 62 percent in a new survey saying such a conflict is likely That marks a significant increase from the 50 percent in a similar survey conducted a decade ago respondents were asked to assess the likelihood of Japan becoming involved in a large-scale war in Asia at some point in the future The survey found that 12 percent said a war is “very likely” and 50 percent said it is “likely.” Meanwhile 30 percent believed a war is unlikely and just 5 percent said there is “no chance” of a war This marks a notable shift in public sentiment from the 2015 survey where opinions were more evenly split: 50 percent saw war as likely The results suggest that more Japanese now feel the country is entering what some have described as a "new pre-war era."  Regional security concerns are closely linked to perceptions of an increasingly assertive China Among respondents who view China as a threat--a third of the total--22 percent said a war involving Japan is “very likely,” nearly double the overall average of 12 percent Doubts about Japan's alliance with the United States seem to fuel unease only 15 percent of respondents believe the United States would “definitely protect” Japan in the event of a crisis A striking 77 percent expressed skepticism about Washington’s commitment to Japan’s defense 67 percent believe a major war involving Japan is likely also seems to be influencing Japanese public opinion Among those who reported a strong interest in current global conflicts--a third of the total--72 percent said a major war in Asia involving Japan is likely The survey was conducted by mail between late February and early April among 3,000 randomly selected voters across the country Survey: Record 64% of Japanese want national defense bolstered Survey: Record 56% of voters back changes to Constitution INTERVIEW/ NPO head details rare survey of Chinese views on Ukraine TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei and Honda Sign Shareholders’ Agreement to Convert Existing Asahi Kasei Subsidiary into Joint Venture for Production of Lithium-ion Battery Separators in Canada Asahi Kasei Corporation (Asahi Kasei) and Honda Motor Co. (Honda) announced today that the two companies have signed a shareholders’ agreement to convert an existing Asahi Kasei subsidiary in Canada into a joint venture company This agreement was reached as a result of continued discussions on collaboration for the production of lithium-ion battery separators in Canada based on the basic agreement the two companies announced on April 25 The two companies plan to convert E-Materials Canada Corporation (E-Materials) a wholly owned subsidiary of an Asahi Kasei subsidiary in Canada into a joint venture between Asahi Kasei and Honda to be renamed Asahi Kasei Honda Battery Separator Corporation (tentative name) acquiring a 25% stake by subscribing to new shares to be issued by E-Materials through a third-party allotment Honda will invest a total of approximately C$417 million (approximately US$300 million) combining the subscription of new shares and other investment in this joint venture The two companies will combine each other’s strengths such as high value-added material technologies and electrification technologies to produce high-quality separators to be utilized for lithium-ion batteries that will accelerate the realization of high-performance electrified vehicles The two companies plan to establish and start the operation of the joint venture company in early 2025 subject to obtaining permits and approvals from relevant authorities “At the beginning of October we launched Asahi Kasei Battery Separator as a new company for the Hipore™ separator business to achieve more nimble management for this essential component of lithium-ion batteries I am confident that we can continue to leverage the technology and experience gained with Hipore™ as well as our global network and diverse personnel to realize innovations in batteries for the future of energy storage As Honda strives toward the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 it is building a comprehensive electric vehicle value chain in Canada where it has a history of conducting business for more than 50 years Our partnership will not only establish stable supply of separators in North America together we will enhance battery performance and durability to advance the energy transition through electric vehicles making an important contribution to sustainability.” News & Analysis on Food & Beverage Development & Technology 05-May-2025 Last updated on 05-May-2025 at 08:10 GMT Asahi’s core business has long been focused on beer products including Asahi Super Dry and confectionery Mintia but the firm believes it will increase long-term corporate value by building up ‘next-generation growth’ areas water and non-alcoholic product portfolios to drive growth in Japan Japan will also see a new initiative from Asahi focused on helping consumers to manage their daily water consumption tapping vending machine and identification technologies for this new rollout According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture beef and dairy makes up around 42% of Japan’s total agri-food output making the advancement of this sector a top priority “The beef and dairy sectors are very important converting raw milk and raw beef into high-quality protein products for consumers to consume,” MAFF said via a formal statement “They play a very important role in supporting the local economy particularly in the rural and mountainous areas of Japan as well as to boost tourism and improve food self-sufficiency and the government is very keen to modernise these to simultaneously revitalise these local areas Japan has enforced new rules for dairy products powdered milk and products containing non-milk ingredients This was announced by the local Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) after Japan transferred the administration of national food safety standards from the Ministry of Health The major products expected to be impacted by these new requirements are functional foods and drinks fortified using probiotics as well as infant formula developed with probiotics Japan’s Kewpie believes that there is a role for its mayonnaise-based sauces in consumption occasions outside salads in Asia targeting areas such as RTE meals and bakery “Kewpie is very established when it comes to being used as a dressing for salads or a condiment for burgers but we believe there are much wider uses for our products in the market beyond the salad bowl,” Kewpie Singapore Sales Executive Wee Xin Yi told FoodNavigator-Asia While consumers today are exposed to a wider repertoire of how gin is presented in different occasions or serve formats the category remains perceived to lack excitement in terms of innovation it is important to understand consumers’ motivations behind alcohol consumption and what spurs gin appreciation Senior Brand Manager (Premium Spirits) for South East Asia (SEA) at Suntory “Historically, we’ve always showcased our brand and product offerings through the bar community. The growing cocktail culture and sudden spike in demand for gin craft cocktails also championed the growth of the category within SEA, particularly Singapore and Malaysia.” Biscuits & Cookies: How can dark cocoa and chocolate help capture untapped market potential?Paid for and in partnership with Cargill The ‘invisible aroma’: The pastry chefs shaping next-gen vanilla Paid for and content provided by Takasago The rise of dairy butter equivalents: A ‘scalable future-proof’ solutionPaid for and content provided by Bunge TOPNewsFiscal 2025Asahi Kasei Microdevices launches new series of power management ICs for energy harvesting Optimizing charge and discharge of rechargeable batteries in remote controls Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has developed the AP4413 a new series of ultra-low current power management ICs (PMICs) ideal for battery charging systems used in energy harvesting1 applications The AP4413 series enables efficient battery charging while consuming an extremely low current of 52 nA and features four variants with voltage threshold characteristics matching several common rechargeable battery types The AP4413 comes in a tiny 3.0 × 3.0 × 0.37 mm HXQFN package and has been in mass production since February of 2025 Equipped with AKM’s proprietary ultra-low current voltage monitoring system the AP4413 series enables autonomous charging of a small rechargeable battery via energy harvesting which is becoming increasingly common across a wide range of applications such as remote controls which have traditionally used disposable batteries where the transition to rechargeable batteries is being promoted by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 to evaluate the feasibility of phasing out disposable batteries.2 AKM has accumulated wide-ranging expertise in product technology and applications through the development and mass production of PMICs for energy harvesting These devices allow system designers to utilize small amounts of ambient environmental energy to operate a variety of electronic devices This is especially beneficial for IoT environmental sensors such as CO2 monitors that are installed in locations where line power is not easily accessible and where battery replacement would be difficult Using energy harvesting to charge batteries is challenging because the harvested voltage and current tend to be small and often unstable It is therefore essential to minimize the PMIC’s power consumption and prevent excessive charging and discharging The AP4413 series’ ultra-low 52 nA current consumption has minimal impact on a system’s power budget and its voltage monitoring system prevents rechargeable batteries from becoming completely discharged allowing for quick startup and/or recovery the addition of an inline capacitor (see figure 2) allows the AP4413 series PMICs to support system operation even when the battery is completely discharged operates an electronic components business as a member of the Asahi Kasei Group's Material sector AKM provides customers with unique products by combining the compound semiconductor technology used in magnetic sensors with the ASIC/analog circuit technology used in silicon semiconductors AKM's unique products and solutions are featured across a wide range of markets including mobile communication devices and consumer products Additional information is available on https://www.akm.com/global/en/ Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/ TOPNewsFiscal 2024Licensee of Asahi Kasei technology begins commercial production of high-purity carbonates using CO2 as main feedstock in China Jiangsu Sailboat Petrochemical (Sailboat) started commercial operation of a new carbonates plant in Lianyungang The plant uses technology licensed from Asahi Kasei for the production of high-purity ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) with carbon dioxide (CO2) as a main raw material Both carbonates are used as electrolyte solvents in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles Asahi Kasei developed process technology to produce various chemical products using CO2 as a main raw material The technology has been licensed to chemical companies globally with the first licensee starting the production of polycarbonate using CO2 in 2002 Asahi Kasei has been expanding its expertise in the field of CO2-based production of resins and other chemicals Demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to continue increasing due to the global shift to EVs in the automotive industry and greater use of electric power storage systems (ESS) in conjunction with growing use of renewable energy Ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) are two essential materials for the production of lithium-ion battery electrolytes reducing the carbon footprint of products (CFP) for materials and components is a major challenge for manufacturers worldwide Asahi Kasei and Chinese client Sailboat signed a license agreement for process technology to produce 38,000 tons of high-purity EC and 70,000 tons of high-purity DMC annually The two parties jointly performed the design Having started commercial operation in November 2024 the plant has the capacity to use 54,000 tons of CO2 per year as feedstock With several licensees now adopting this process technology for the large-scale production of high-purity carbonates using CO2 as feedstock the total amount of CO2 used as feedstock is approximately 300,000 tons annually including the production of polycarbonate as well as carbonates Project Director of Sailboat for carbonates (EC/DMC) comments: “By producing high-purity EC and DMC for lithium-ion battery electrolytes Sailboat will further expand the value chain for this industry and contribute to a sustainable society” Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and President of its Environmental Solutions SBU adds: “By licensing this technology for a more sustainable production of these important materials we will continue to focus on the practical application of our expertise in the field of CO2 chemistry and contribute to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's environmental challenges.” CHICAGO--From worker rights rallies to marches for social justice activists around the globe will kick off May Day demonstrations on Thursday but activists planning marches in the United States say much of their message is about fighting back against President Donald Trump’s policies targeting immigrants Thousands are expected at demonstrations from Tokyo to Chicago fear sowed by the Trump administration is expected to keep some immigrants home “Everybody is under attack right now,” said Jorge Mujica where May Day rallies historically have had a large turnout stretch back over a century to a turbulent and pivotal time in U.S unions pushing for better workplace conditions began advocating for an eight-hour workday with widespread demonstrations and strikes a Chicago labor rally turned deadly when a bomb was thrown and police retaliated with gunfire were convicted of conspiracy to incite violence among other charges Unions later recommended that the workers be honored every May 1 A sculpture in Chicago’s Haymarket Square commemorates them with an inscription that reads: “Dedicated to all workers of the world.” rallies and riots have taken place worldwide in recent years as unions push for better rights for workers groups air economic grievances or activists call for an end to the war in Gaza While most demonstrations have been peaceful police in Paris fired tear gas as thousands of protesters marched through the French capital May Day demonstrations coincided with rising tensions at college campuses over pro-Palestinian student encampments are calling for unity across many causes and groups “We’re organizing for a world where every family has housing or zip code,” the American Civil Liberty Union of New York said in a statement demonstrations include a workers rally at Philadelphia City Hall with Vermont Sen Bernie Sanders and demonstrations at the Colorado State Capitol and in Los Angeles While labor and immigrant rights are historically intertwined including nearly half a million in Chicago alone took to the streets to protest federal legislation that would’ve made living in the U.S Crowds for May 1 demonstrations have since dwindled with advocacy groups splintering and shifting activism arenas such as voters rights organizers say activism starting Thursday will last until Cinco de Mayo with boycotts and walkouts Their focus is workers’ rights but also rising anti-immigrant rhetoric from Trump’s administration Organizers acknowledge a chilling effect on immigrant communities since Trump has cracked down on enforcement especially in so-called sanctuary cities including Chicago They’re expecting lower numbers of immigrants but are expanding their outreach to more unions “There’s a lot fear out there,” said Omar Lopez It’s also a traditional spring celebration that’s observed in ways that don’t involve marching in the streets or civil disobedience but a statewide celebration of the Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit through the creation and giving of lei — usually a necklace of flowers people mark the holiday by leaving May Day baskets filled with gifts and flowers on the doorsteps of friends is set to hold its 70th May Day Basket Competition where residents and businesses outdo each other for the best floral arrangements “It’s our community’s way of saying goodbye to winter and welcoming the beauty and energy of spring,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said Big May Day events in Asia call for better labor conditions Workers protest Indonesia’s labor law in May Day rallies Workers and activists across Asia hold May Day rallies to call for greater labor rights Vietnam’s arrest of reformist labor official could disturb bid for better trade terms with U.S Young women across Japan are leaving their rural hometowns bound for Tokyo in search of improved job prospects This increasingly rapid trend attracted attention in 2021 when the capital first topped the list of prefectures with the highest proportion of women ages 20 to 24 Kagoshima Prefecture held the top spot until then according to basic resident registers kept by local authorities Basic resident registers show that the proportion of female residents ages 20 to 24 had previously been lower in the Tokyo metropolitan area where young men had moved for work en masse Kagoshima and other parts of southern Kyushu This was attributed to the prefecture’s distance from Tokyo as well as a deep-rooted stigma against women leaving their hometowns to pursue education and employment A 22-year-old female college senior living in Kagoshima said she plans to take a job in the capital Her parents had always told her that “women should look after the household” and asked “who will take care of us if we get sick?” Her grandmother was outspoken in her belief that “women don’t need to go to school.” Her father rarely helped with any household chores and her mother was always preoccupied with neighborhood gossip The student felt suffocated by her local community as her family watched her prepare for recruitment exams and work part time to cover moving expenses on her own their views about her plans to move softened into acceptance The young woman felt relieved—but a bit guilty as well “I wonder what will happen to my parents if I leave them behind here,” she explained who just graduated from a private college in Kagoshima Prefecture had narrowed her job search to businesses in major cities Murayama was inspired by a post from a student group on social media The post invited university students nationwide to apply to a contest for unique ideas about solving local social issues Murayama was quickly stunned by how far behind she was in technology and informatics compared to others at the first online meeting Students from schools in urban areas were exchanging meeting notes and documents via file-sharing software I have to get better at this,” Murayama thought Murayama discovered that internship opportunities in these fields were mainly concentrated in Tokyo Although her grandparents advised her to work at a government office or bank for a “stable future,” she joined an IT company in Nagoya this spring Broader job opportunities and higher salaries in cities are driving a large-scale relocation of young women to these areas The 2022 Employment Status Survey found that in Tokyo 80 percent of women age 25 to 29 had secured full-time employment—the highest proportion of anywhere in the country The ratios were dramatically lower in Okinawa The capital also had the highest percentage of workers in the information and communications technology field increasingly attracting students interested in that industry Kanako Amano is a senior demographic researcher at the NLI Research Institute She is studying the population trend to move to Tokyo Amano pointed out the variety of large companies and employment opportunities available in the capital “It is only natural for young women with diverse values to move to Tokyo for more comfortable working conditions,” Amano said “Young women who had never imagined working outside their home prefectures are starting to realize it’s possible for them as they see older female friends and relatives actually leave their hometowns.” Building careers in urban areas is becoming a realistic option for women Amano called for gender equality in employment to combat the dwindling birthrate “While some have feared that the birthrate could decline further if more women enter the workforce national census data actually shows that dual-income households are more likely to have children than households with stay-at-home moms,” she explained The so-called “demographic dam,”—the social barrier that once forced women to remain in their rural hometowns—is collapsing “The recent trend can no longer be hindered,” Amano said (This article was written by Ryoma Komiyama and Misato Nakayama.) Boorish behavior in Diet prompts drive to elect more women Nobel economics prize goes to Harvard's Claudia Goldin for research on the workplace gender gap Sciences-oriented universities set quotas for more female students Social media lets young workers see job changes in new light Japanese job-seeker applicant rejected because of foreign name Fukushima Prefecture--Inside the former town hall here it's as if time had stood still for more than a decade A calendar for March 2011 remains on a wall on the ground floor which housed the industry promotion division and the health and welfare division A wheelchair and a pushcart sit abandoned in the reception area for the residents’ life division testimony to the haste in which the workers likely evacuated the office the time in the afternoon that the Great East Japan Earthquake struck that day was entirely evacuated after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami triggered a triple meltdown at the plant The building that housed the town government has remained as it was then for 14 years Even after the evacuation order was lifted for Futaba’s downtown area at the end of August 2022 the four-story edifice remained in disuse because of age-related deterioration and other reasons An Asahi Shimbun reporter was allowed to enter the former town hall The old town hall stands about 800 meters southeast of the JR Joban Line’s Futaba Station A town government official who accompanied the reporter on the tour said the building has no problem in its earthquake resistance is currently housed in a new town hall rebuilt just outside Futaba Station partly because it would be costly to repair the infrastructure in the old building an interim storage facility for soil that was removed during decontamination work in Fukushima Prefecture lies right outside the former town hall he saw several umbrellas with fading colors outside a side entrance A sheet of paper saying “Do not enter” in Japanese and English was seen on a door that leads to the interior The warning was put up after a stir was caused by a social media post that showed individuals intruding into the old town hall and trespassing in the room near the main entrance and the town assembly speaker’s office marked with notes saying “for preservation” and “for disposal,” were seen piled high along a passageway Work began last year to organize documents and materials that are left in the old town hall The reporter proceeded to the second floor the secretarial and public relations division Hotline telephones that connected the town hall with the Fukushima No 2 nuclear plants were seen next to the desk used by the head of the nuclear power management office were seen left in the telecommunications equipment office which was in charge of community broadcasting were inscribed with notes on the developing situation at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear plant according to information provided by Tokyo Electric Power Co. These are replicas of the original sheets that are kept elsewhere workers dealt with the emergency on the second floor where they jotted on the paper sheets information received from the Fukushima No as well as the number of evacuees at each evacuation center Desks of workers with the residents’ life division and the secretarial and public relations division were seen piled with empty bottles of energy drinks The scene suggested the workers possibly had to cut down on their sleep to deal with disaster response on that fateful day 14 years ago The third floor housed the construction division the education board secretariat and a large conference room A schedule board from the time was seen outside the education board One section of it noted a graduation ceremony to be held at Futaba Junior High School on March 11 houses the assembly hall where a chandelier hangs from the ceiling Part of the chandelier had fallen to the floor from the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent seismic events that occurred off Fukushima Prefecture The reporter concluded the tour by going to the rooftop and looking out over the surroundings Black jumbo bags filled with soil from decontamination work were seen on the other side of a barricade that stretched around the interim storage facility just across a road It remains to be decided when the old town hall building will be demolished New details shed on botched Futaba Hospital rescue mission ‘Atomic Sushi’ eatery near nuke plant goes under the wrecking ball Police investigate school break-in in Fukushima evacuation zone Town signboard touting nuclear energy greets museum visitors TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei Microdevices Advances AgeTech with Better AI-Ready Data Through New Sensor Technologies showing how aging in place can be safer and more accessible The desire to age in place is stronger than ever, with 95% of adults 55 and older considering it an important goal, according to U.S. News & World Report even though health challenges often make it difficult At CES 2025, Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) will unveil a suite of sensor technologies including millimeter-wave (mmWave) radar and contactless monitoring These technologies can make AgeTech more reliable and accessible while minimizing intrusion into users’ lives By providing AI systems with high-quality data AKM aims to transform how we support and care for seniors making the expectation of aging in place a safer reality for millions “These technologies are designed to be less intrusive and are significantly more accurate than current industry standards,” said Gregg Rouse President of AKM’s United States business unit “What sets these components apart is a focus on privacy thanks to our mmWave radar which presents a new way of monitoring through electromagnetic waves instead of cameras Our sensors don’t know what you look like AKM’s technology captures essential health indicators as anonymous data points This allows AI systems to enhance care and safety without infringing on personal privacy and allows users to feel independent.” ready-made solution with extremely low noise performance compared to the conventional approach where antennas are integrated into the device package thereby reducing the discomfort associated with prolonged wetness AKM will also demonstrate a wristband-based thermometer featuring the AK9757P This minuscule infrared temperature sensor integrates seamlessly into wearables such as hearing aids non-invasive health monitoring with negligible impact on battery life It can measure temperature accurately within ±0.2℃ even in the presence of a small air gap allowing for early health issue detection and more personalized care Other cutting-edge technologies on display during the convention will include mmWave radar-based vital sign monitoring (breathing rate muscle activity monitoring (electromyography) enabled by an analog-front-end IC and smart home solutions to enhance security and detect air quality AKM’s innovations represent a significant leap forward in AgeTech and provide invaluable support to caregivers AKM’s technologies can alleviate the stress and uncertainty associated with remote caregiving Family members can have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are safely monitored professional caregivers can optimize their time and resources focusing on providing personalized care where it’s needed most As the population of Americans 65 and older nearly doubled to approximately 55 million from 2000 to 2020, the need for such innovative solutions is increasingly urgent. Learn more about how AKM’s technology produces quality data to power the next generation of AgeTech The AKM media kit includes photos of the technologies Saitama Prefecture—Firefighters on May 2 found a body believed to be the driver of a 2-ton truck that plunged into a sinkhole at an intersection here in January Although police said they were still confirming the identity of the body the trucker’s family and employer released statements describing him as a warm-hearted and popular person The search and rescue operation for the trucker who was trapped in a ruptured sewer pipe about 10 meters beneath the surface had been delayed due to continuous water leaks additional cave-ins and extremely precarious conditions About 20 firefighters and police officers entered the 4.75-meter-diameter pipe on May 1 for the first time since the accident and conducted a visual inspection They confirmed that the truck cabin was still within the pipe and that a person was in the driver’s seat After checking hydrogen sulfide concentrations and sewage water levels in the pipe they determined the risk of a secondary disaster was low firefighters walked within the pipe toward the truck cabin The body was pulled out and taken away by car The ruptured pipe is believed to have spewed out water that eroded the ground under the prefectural road intersection in the Yashio 2-chome district The prefecture had been working since mid-February to create a temporary drainage pipe to divert the flow of sewage water away from the truck cabin Workers also excavated holes from the ground level directly above the driver’s seat and from an area on the upstream side of the sewage pipe The work was essentially completed at the end of April about 10 days earlier than initially planned released a statement through the prefectural police saying they still cannot believe that he is gone strong-minded person “who could be relied on for anything.” wanting to return home alive until he ran out of strength,” the statement said but he was always smiling and had a very kind and gentle personality,” the family said and his great-grandchildren with even more love He was really looking forward to watching them grow up.” The truck driver’s employer also described him as having a warm personality but that didn’t stop him from being a lovable honest person,” the employer said in a statement he was the life of the party,” the statement continued the whole place was naturally filled with smiles The employer said the trucker “worked for us for over 20 years and he expressed a strong desire to work as long as he was able to.” (This article was written by Shun Nakamura and Masahide Miyajima.) Trucker trapped in 10-meter-deep sinkhole in eastern Saitama cave-ins hamper rescue of trucker stuck in growing sinkhole Saitama budgets 4 billion yen for repair work at Yashio sinkhole Residents asked to sacrifice again as rescue work at sinkhole stalls Governor: Three months needed to rescue trucker from sinkhole Japan’s fair trade watchdog is investigating the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization over its confiscation of Fuji Television Network Inc.’s press pass during the Japan Series NPB revoked the pass on grounds that Fuji TV aired a digest of Major League Baseball’s World Series at the same time when the first Japan Series championship game was broadcast live on Oct which operates Japan’s two professional baseball leagues and holds the season-ending Japan Series said Fuji TV “seriously damaged the relations of trust.” The Fair Trade Commission believes that NPB’s action not only temporarily deprived Fuji TV of its reporting opportunities but also could lead to restrictions on TV networks’ content selection and programming The FTC suspects the action constitutes an “unfair trade practice” prohibited under the Anti-Monopoly Law The competition watchdog is expected to decide on whether to issue administrative guidance to NPB after the investigation The Yokohama DeNA BayStars of the Central League won the Japan Series over the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the Pacific League in six games from Oct including Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc The World Series drew much attention in Japan because Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were playing for the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers NPB did not issue press passes to Fuji TV for all remaining Japan Series games as well as for postseason games featuring the Japanese national team NPB notified the 12 professional baseball teams that Fuji TV’s pass was forfeited the organization tried to transfer the network’s broadcasting right for the third Japan Series game to TBS The 12 teams propose TV networks that cover the Japan Series to NPB The stations recommended by the two Japan Series teams gain the rights The FTC believes that NPB confiscated Fuji TV’s press pass as a sanction for doing business with MLB The commission suspects the action constitutes an Anti-Monopoly Law violation by unjustly interfering with Fuji TV’s transaction with MLB FTC investigators believe that barring Fuji TV from covering the Japan Series could deter TV networks from doing business with MLB and other entities NPB banned Fuji TV from covering Japan Series as punishment What’s the future of baseball in Japan as the best players leave for MLB OLYMPICS/ Late rally lifts Japan over Dominican team to open baseball play BASEBALL/ Roki Sasaki says he intends to sign with Los Angeles Dodgers MLB/ Yoshinobu Yamamoto becomes free agent Tuesday Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) and Japan's Seven & i said they have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that will give the Canadian company access to the Japanese retailer's financial data as it seeks a $47 billion acquisition The move represents progress in takeover talks for Couche-Tard which operates the Circle-K convenience stores in Canada and the United States and has been trying to acquire Seven & i since August The detailed terms of the agreement will remain confidential 7-Eleven operator Seven & i said in a statement on Thursday The agreement also includes a "standstill" clause which protects target companies from hostile takeovers Couche-Tard has said that access to "fulsome diligence information" may allow it to improve its proposal The current offer of around $47 billion would already be the largest ever takeover of a Japanese company by a foreign buyer "The execution of the NDA is a positive step in the constructive engagement process with ACT," Paul Yonamine who chairs Seven & i's independent special committee to examine bids Seven & i has previously said that until now Couche-Tard's refusal to agree to "standard protections" in a friendly deal It has also argued that antitrust hurdles in the U.S but since March the two have been working together on finding a buyer for over 2,000 stores that are candidates for divestment Seven & i has accelerated an overhaul of its management and business operations that includes selling off non-core business lines Proxy adviser Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended shareholders support the appointment of the new CEO Couche-Tard could lift $47 billion offer for Seven & i if Japanese firm cooperates Seven & i mulls MBO following Couche-Tard takeover offers Couche-Tard to stay ‘friendly’ in continued push to buy Seven & i Artisan Partners opposes Japan retailer Seven & i’s CEO choice Canada’s Couche-Tard’s chief stresses ‘friendly’ interest in Japan’s 7-Eleven chain TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei America the regional headquarters of the Asahi Kasei Group for North America plans to relocate its corporate office from New York to Novi The New York office will conclude its operations and the Novi location will assume all headquarters responsibilities effective November 1 This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Asahi Kasei’s growth trajectory and underscores its commitment to operational excellence in North America The consolidation in Novi streamlines processes and enhances Asahi Kasei’s ability to provide exceptional services to its partners By bringing key leadership and operations together in a single 14,403-square-foot location Asahi Kasei is poised to foster greater collaboration with the regional business units Asahi Kasei’s journey in America began in New York in 1959 where it established its initial operations Recognizing the strategic importance of the Midwest particularly its proximity to major OEMs in the automotive sector Asahi Kasei America opened an office in Novi Following a significant expansion of the Novi facility in 2023 Asahi Kasei is now ready to centralize its North American headquarters in this location “Transitioning our headquarters to Novi represents more than an address change This move will empower us for future growth as we’ll be better situated in the center of the country to reach our growing client base in the Material and Health Care sectors nationwide,” said Takuma Miura “Our headquarters in Novi will be a place for creativity and a single home where we will continue to focus on delivering for our partners.” The Novi headquarters has been thoughtfully designed to showcase Asahi Kasei’s technological prowess and commitment to innovation across key industries It will function as a hub for enhanced administrative services across sectors for various departments NEW YORK--Much like its wild month of April a scary Wednesday for Wall Street found a gentler ending as U.S stocks stormed back from steep early losses to continue their manic swings amid uncertainty about what President Donald Trump’s trade war will do to the economy The S&P 500 rose 0.1% to extend its winning streak to a seventh day The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 141 points while the Nasdaq composite edged down by 0.1% It was a stunning reversal after the S&P 500 dropped as much as 2.3% and the Dow fell 780 points in early trading Stocks initially tumbled after a report suggested the U.S economy may have shrunk at the start of the year falling well short of economists’ expectations in a sharp turnaround from the economy’s solid growth at the end of last year Importers rushed to bring products into the country before tariffs could raise their prices which helped drag on the country’s overall gross domestic product Such data raised the threat of a worst-case scenario called “stagflation,” one where the economy stagnates yet inflation remains high Economists fear it because the Federal Reserve has no good tools to fix both problems at the same time If the Fed were to try to help one problem by adjusting interest rates “Even if today’s weak GDP may have partially reflected companies trying to get ahead of tariffs it was still a stagflation warning shot over the bow of the economy,” according to Ellen Zentner chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management But some better news came later in the day when a report said the measure of inflation that the Fed likes to use slowed in March Stocks began paring their losses almost immediately after the report it would give the Fed more leeway to cut interest rates in order to juice the economy Expectations are building for the Fed to cut its main interest rate at least four times by the end of this year though it likely won’t begin at its next meeting next week Much of Wednesday’s economic data raised concerns about a weakening economy A report on the job market from ADP suggested employers outside the government may have hired far fewer workers in April than economists expected It’s discouraging because a relatively solid job market has been one of the linchpins keeping the U.S A more comprehensive report on the job market from the U.S Wednesday’s reports add to worries that Trump’s trade war may drag the U.S The president’s on-again-off-again rollout of tariffs has created deep uncertainty about what’s to come “I’m not taking a credit or discredit for the stock market,” Trump said Wednesday Uncertainty around Trump’s tariffs has already triggered historic swings for financial markets from stocks to bonds to the value of the U.S The S&P 500 briefly dropped nearly 20% below its all-time high set earlier this year with scary headlines at one point warning of the potential for the worst April since the Great Depression But the uncertainty has been two-sided and hopes that Trump may relent on some of his tariffs helped the S&P 500 claw back a chunk of its losses It ended April with a decline of just 0.8% Stronger-than-expected profit reports from big U.S and Seagate Technology jumped 11.6% for one of Wednesday’s biggest gains after the maker of data storage joined the parade Gains for other storage makers also helped to offset drops for stocks within the artificial-intelligence industry which have been pulling back on worries their prices shot too high in prior years Super Micro Computer warned that some customers delayed purchases in the latest quarter which caused the maker of servers used in AI and other computing to slash its forecast for sales and profit Its stock tumbled 11.5% for the largest loss in the S&P 500 Starbucks sank 5.7% after the coffee chain fell short of analysts’ forecasts for revenue and profit in the latest quarter Starbucks did log its first quarterly sales increase in more than a year but acknowledged that its turnaround effort is far from complete the S&P 500 rose 8.23 points to 5,569.06 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 141.74 to 40,669.36 and the Nasdaq composite fell 14.98 to 17,446.34 It still marked the close of a third straight losing month for the S&P 500 Stocks in the energy industry took some of the hardest hits dropping over three times more than any of the other 11 sectors that make up the index lost nearly 22% in April as the price of crude slid on worries that tariffs will weaken the global economy Treasury yields fell as investors ratcheted up their expectations for cuts to interest rates by the Fed The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.17% from 4.19% late Tuesday Lower interest rates in general give boosts to prices for stocks and other investments Yields have largely been sinking since an unsettling unusual spurt higher earlier this month rattled both Wall Street and the U.S That rise had suggested investors worldwide may have been losing faith in the U.S bond market’s reputation as a safe place to park cash indexes rose across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia Wall Street rises after encouraging inflation data but the trade war keeps knocking stocks around Asian shares are mixed after US stocks tumble on worries over tariffs Asian shares are mostly lower after Wall St holds firm Wall Street rebounds after Trump pulls back on some of his tariffs Asian benchmarks dip after Wall Street’s mixed finish Stock market today: Wall Street rises again TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei holds grand opening ceremony for biogas purification system at sewage treatment plant in Japan On-site demonstration trial on CO2 separation/recovery utilizing zeolites Asahi Kasei and Kurashiki City held a grand opening ceremony on February 4 for a biogas purification system (the System) in Kurashiki The System uses Asahi Kasei’s CO2 separation/recovery technology utilizing zeolites installed at a sewage treatment plant The goal of this collaboration is to evaluate and demonstrate the performance of the System Asahi Kasei and Kurashiki City concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement for the realization of carbon neutrality in society on September 15 Advancing the demonstration trial for decarbonization is one of the provisions of the partnership The System separates CO2 and methane from biogas using the optimum combination of a special zeolite as adsorbent that selectively adsorbs CO2 and a special pressure vacuum swing adsorption (PVSA) process technology The zeolite is a crystalline aluminosilicate having regular channels (pores) controlled on the order of angstroms (ten-millionths of a millimeter) and cavities (voids) with a specific surface area exceeding several hundred square meters per gram Asahi Kasei’s PVSA process technology which separates specific gases by changes in pressure enables the removal of CO2 from biogas to refine high-purity methane gas (biomethane) at a high recovery rate consists of approximately 60% methane and 40% CO2 While the use of biogas as a carbon-neutral fuel is rapidly expanding it is also a source of biomethane as a substitute for natural gas in Europe electricity is generated using biogas derived from sewage sludge at the Kojima Sewage Treatment Plant The System will use a portion of this biogas for the demonstration trial if the CO2 separated by this System is utilized and/or stored the separated methane is returned and used as fuel to generate electricity for effective utilization of the biogas The demonstration trial at the Kojima Sewage Treatment Plant began in February 2025 Asahi Kasei is responsible for the design as well as evaluating and demonstrating its performance while Kurashiki City supplies biogas generated from sewage sludge in addition to providing the site for the trial Commercialization of the System is expected around 2027 following additional trials in countries or regions where biogas purification is performed “We are excited to start the on-site demonstration trial of a biogas purification system using Asahi Kasei's zeolite and PVSA process technology,” says Osamu Matsuzaki Senior Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei and Senior General Manager of Corporate Research & Development by expanding co-creation partnerships globally we will accelerate the advancement and practical implementation of this outstanding technology that can reduce environmental impacts contributing to sustainability for the world.” Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei Medical launches Planova™ FG1 next-generation virus removal filter Asahi Kasei Medical has launched the Planova™ FG1 a next-generation virus removal filter featuring higher flux for the manufacture of biotherapeutics The bioprocess business of Asahi Kasei Medical comprises Planova™ virus removal filters and equipment used in the manufacturing process of biotherapeutic products such as biopharmaceuticals and plasma derivatives It is one of the Asahi Kasei Group’s businesses to drive future growth Planova™ had its product lineup expanded in 2009 with the launch of Planova™ BioEX hydrophilic PVDF hollow-fiber membrane filters and in 2022 with the launch of Planova™ S20N next-generation cellulose hollow-fiber membrane filters meeting heightened standards for the viral safety of biotherapeutics around the world The new Planova™ FG1 is expected to further contribute to improved productivity as demand for monoclonal antibodies and other biopharmaceuticals steadily grows by 5–10% per year Developed to maximize productivity in the process of manufacturing biopharmaceuticals Planova™ FG1 provides high performance in terms of the filtration speed and robustness in virus removal capability Its high flux is approximately 7 times that of Planova™ BioEX enabling virus filtration time to be shortened and it features less risk of virus breakthrough when the filtration process is suspended Customer evaluation in the development stage of Planova™ FG1 confirmed high protein filtration and virus removal performance under various conditions using several solutions even without a prefilter to remove aggregates Planova™ FG1 is also compatible with standard cleaning in place (CIP) and sterilization in place (SIP) processes allowing it to be used with many types of existing equipment for biopharmaceutical manufacturing Following the October 2024 start of mass production and shipment of smaller filters of Planova™ FG1 Asahi Kasei Medical will successively extend the product lineup with new filters having larger surface areas to support its customers in efficiently scaling up their process By adding Planova™ FG1 to its broad lineup of products Asahi Kasei Medical will further solidify the presence of the Planova™ brand among biopharmaceutical manufacturers and contribute to the safer and more efficient production of pharmaceuticals “Asahi Kasei Medical is thrilled to launch the Planova™ FG1 next-generation virus removal filter,” said Ken Shinomiya “We look forward to continuing to support biopharmaceutical manufacturers with our broad and growing lineup of products that help them to safely and efficiently manufacture pharmaceuticals that patients can trust.” SINGAPORE—Singaporeans will vote Saturday in a general election that is set to return to power the city-state's long ruling party and it will be closely watched as a gauge of public confidence in Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s leadership The People's Action Party has won every election since the Asian financial hub gained independence in 1965. Wong, who took office last year, hopes to clinch a stronger mandate after the PAP suffered a setback in 2020 polls over voters’ rising discontent with the government Here’s what to know about the Singapore election Singapore holds a general election every five years and voting is compulsory Its electoral system involves single-member wards along with group representation constituencies (GRCs) where voters pick a team of up to six members rather than individual candidates The team includes at least one member from a minority ethnic group The GRCs ensure minority representation in Parliament but critics say they entrench the PAP and make it harder for the opposition to contest Ethnic Chinese are the majority in Singapore while Malays and Indians are in the minority Nearly 2.76 million voters are registered to elect 97 members of Parliament but five seats have already been won uncontested by the PAP after the opposition failed to nominate candidates in a GRC comprising 15 single-member wards and 18 GRCs The election is the first test for Wong, 52, since he succeeded Lee Hsien Loong who stepped down last year after two decades at the helm Lee’s departure marked the end of a family dynasty started by his father who built the former colonial backwater into one of the world’s richest nations during 31 years in office Known for its clean and effective governance the PAP is seen as a beacon of stability and prosperity its support is being chipped away by unhappiness over government control and a high cost of living overcrowding caused by immigration and restrictions on free speech have also loosened the PAP’s grip on power the PAP’s share of popular support slipped to a near-record low of 61% The PAP kept 83 out of 93 parliamentary seats The opposition has acknowledged it cannot unseat the PAP but is appealing to voters for a stronger voice in Parliament a U.S.-trained economist and finance minister warned this would only weaken the government as it navigates economic turbulence following U.S The government has lowered its growth forecast you can be sure there will be people tempted to push us around It will be harder for us to advance Singapore's interest my team and I can speak up for Singapore confidently,” Wong said while campaigning this week The PAP has fielded many new faces to refresh the party vouchers and other goodies in this year's national budget and sought to engage younger voters in developing a more balanced and inclusive Singapore A strong PAP performance would help seal Wong's leadership and determine whether the one-party dominance in Singapore could endure over the next decade “The ruling party has portrayed the ongoing tariffs war as a crisis for trade-reliant Singapore,” said Eugene Tan a law professor at Singapore Management University or will they come to view the political system .. as being robust enough and can accommodate more political diversity and competition?” is the biggest opposition party and the only one with a presence in Parliament Singh was named as Singapore's first opposition leader after the WP won 10 seats in the 2020 polls the opposition still struggles with limited resources and talent The WP is fielding only 26 candidates in this election Singh has said even if the WP won all 26 seats it wouldn't hamper the PAP but lead to a more balanced political system and greater accountability The remaining seats are contested by nine smaller opposition parties and coalitions “The WP threat is taken seriously by the PAP and it will be a keener contest than in 2020 It remains to be seen how many more seats it will win But even an additional seat won will add to the WP’s standing and builds on the momentum to erode the one-party dominant system,” said law professor Tan Wong will be sworn in as Singapore’s prime minister as Lee Hsien Loong bows out after 20 years Two votes and coalition talks: How the German election works South Korea’s ruling party cements presidential win with local vote success Singapore PM’s brother will not contest July 10 election Mongolia's governing party wins only a slim majority in parliamentary election OSAKA--A man suspected of attempting to murder schoolchildren showed no signs of braking or slowing down when the vehicle he was driving plowed into the pupils Seven children were hit by the SUV on their way home from the municipal Senbon Elementary School at around 1:30 p.m on May 1 in the Senbonnaka 2-chome district of Nishinari Ward Their injuries range from minor to serious a former police officer working as a school support worker near the scene witnessed the car approaching the children and then crashing into them He told police the vehicle’s brake lights never flashed during the incident Investigators also found no signs of braking on the pavement carried out an indiscriminate attack with a strong intention to kill so I crashed my car into a crowd of people Yazawa told police that he worked as a medical radiographer until April He rented the SUV from a company at Shin-Osaka Station on April 29 Prefectural police are retracing his steps and trying to determine why he decided to come to Osaka police and parents accompanied their children to the elementary school in the pouring rain A 29-year-old mother who saw off her second-grader son in front of the school said: “It’s heartbreaking to think about the kids who were victims and he told me to come pick him up at school.” A father in his 30s of another second-grader said: “The incident happened yesterday so I decided to accompany my son this morning Driver arrested in Osaka after ‘trying to kill’ schoolchildren Hyogo child killer arrested in second stabbing case from 2006 Police: Couple planned to leave girl at home for 3 nights Brazen thieves rob vehicle being towed by convoy of police cars and Italy is now said to be buzzing with talk of the upcoming conclave by which the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church will be elected Cardinals who are regarded as strong candidates for the papacy are called by the local media as “papabile,” which means “eligible to become pope.” Media reports delve not only into their backgrounds and personalities but also where they stand on the theological spectrum “Papabile intel,” as such information may be dubbed is eagerly sought not only by the Roman Catholic faithful who are naturally curious about what their would-be leader will be like but also by the cardinals themselves who will be electing the new pontiff I know from my past reporting experiences that many cardinals are virtual strangers to one another because their posts are scattered around the world At the time of the last conclave 12 years ago a German charlatan posing as a cardinal went undetected for some time and caused quite a stir Now that the conclave participants from around the world are descending upon Rome there must be interminable gatherings and dinner meetings going on there to compare notes and exchange opinions And they are probably being held in groups made up of members of the same nationality I learned from the 2021 book “The Election of Pope Francis” by Gerard O’Connell a Vatican correspondent of an American magazine that a pre-conclave session played a vital role in determining the outcome of the 2013 papal election On the eve of the first day of the conclave abhorring the possibility of a conservative candidate becoming pope resolved to create a pro-reform momentum from the very first ballot O’Connell’s depiction of the scene is filled with tension What will the outcome be of the upcoming conclave Of the 135 cardinals who are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote the number of countries from which they hail has increased dramatically from 48 to 71 Given the greater diversification and the presence of more new faces it may have become more difficult to gather papabile intel well before the secret balloting begins next week HO CHI MINH CITY--Vietnam celebrated the end of the war with the United States and the formation of its modern nation 50 years ago Wednesday with a military parade and a focus on a future of peace Thousands camped overnight on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City — once known as Saigon — to watch the parade drinking strong black coffee and their faces painted with the Vietnamese flag The parade included a float that carried the Lac Bird another carrying a portrait of Ho Chi Minh and finally one that represented 50 years of reunification between North and South Vietnam Laotian and Cambodian troops marched behind Vietnamese army formations including some wearing uniforms similar to what was worn by northern Vietnamese troops during the war Helicopters carrying the national flag and jets flew over the parade near Independence Palace where the war ended when a North Vietnamese tank smashed through its gates Sitting next to Vietnam’s leader were Cambodia’s former leader Hun Sen and Laotian Communist Party General Secretary Thongloun Sisoulith Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary To Lam said the victory was a “glorious landmark,” ending a 30-year fight for independence and ending colonialism and he gave credit to the former Soviet Union “We will have to respect the past and respect differences… we are desperate to build a future for peace (and) do everything we can do so the future generation can have a better world,” he said on military victory reflected how Vietnam was approaching the changing tides of the global economy and geopolitics today an analyst at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute He added that the Vietnam War remains central to how the Communist Party framed its legitimacy not just as a military triumph but also as a symbol of national unity But To Lam’s comments underlined that the reconciliation remains unfinished Pham Ngoc Son is a 69-year-old veteran who was an army truck driver bringing troops and supplies from the north to the south through the Ho Chi Minh trail — the secret route used by North Vietnam which he remembers entering as a part of the northern troops that took over He said he cherished those memories and couldn’t describe the joy he felt at that moment But now there was “only space for peace and friendship” between the U.S “The war is over a long time ago,” he said “The war has ended and we shake hands (with the former enemy) for development Peace is the dream that everyone in the world wants,” Hue said This year also marks the 30-year anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the United States Vietnam upgraded its relations with the U.S to that of a comprehensive strategic partner the highest diplomatic status it gives to any country and the same level of relations as China and Russia Vietnamese officials insist that this relationship has been built on a bedrock of trust intrinsically linked to U.S efforts to address war legacies such as Agent Orange and unexploded bombs in the countryside that still threaten lives The future of those projects is now at risk because of the Trump administration’s broad cuts to USAID the export-dependent country is vulnerable in a global economy made fragile by U.S The route follows the main boulevard leading to the Independence Palace before branching into city streets and will pass the U.S A video of Chinese troops singing the iconic “As If Uncle Ho Were With Us on Victory Day” during a rehearsal was shared widely on social media Chinese leader Xi Jinping had visited Vietnam earlier in the month in a bid to present the country as a force for stability in contrast with Trump Close ties with Washington helped Vietnam balance its relations with its much larger and more powerful neighbor China said Huong Le-Thu of the International Crisis Group think tank Vietnam is among the countries involved in maritime disputes related to the South China Sea But the Trump administration’s focus on tariffs — Vietnam was slammed with reciprocal tariffs of 46% one of the highest — puts a “big question mark” on what the U.S Focus on economic and not strategic competition may mean that Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia become less important for the U.S “It really will be shaping up (on) how the new administration sees the strategic picture in the Indo-Pacific and where countries like Vietnam would fit in,” she said Visit by new Vietnam leader to China reflects key relationship USAID cuts jeopardize Agent Orange cleanup and other efforts critical to ties with Vietnam TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei enters collaboration with De Nora for development and sale of small-scale containerized electrolyzers for hydrogen production The Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with De Nora and other components for the production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis and sale of small-scale pressurised alkaline water electrolyzers De Nora possesses technical expertise and knowledge in high-performance electrode catalysts for the electrochemical field and is a leading company in the development and sale of electrodes and electrolyzers for several industrial electrochemical processes This MOU was signed with the aim of leveraging the long-standing experience and know-how of both companies in the chlor-alkali electrolysis field to establish a close cooperation framework for development and sales/support in the water electrolysis field Demand for green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis as a clean energy alternative to fossil fuels is growing the global installed capacity of water electrolyzers is forecasted to expand rapidly to a cumulative total of approximately 300 GW by 2030 an increasing number of companies are newly entering the water electrolysis field there is growing demand for compact production systems with reduced costs and delivery time serving several industrial sectors To meet this growing demand for smaller hydrogen production systems Asahi Kasei has now entered into a collaboration with De Nora and after-sales service for small-scale containerized electrolyzers in the range of 1 to 7.5 MW Asahi Kasei expands its portfolio into the range of small-scale containerized pressurized electrolyzers covering the emerging diversified needs of customers across the entire hydrogen market Asahi Kasei’s alkaline-water electrolysis business is based on nearly five decades of experience of construction and long-term operation of chlor-alkali electrolyzers worldwide This enables the company to provide support to customers who lack adequate experience in electrolysis technology Asahi Kasei entered the partnership with De Nora in anticipation of synergies with De Nora’s knowledge of electrodes for electrolysis and small sized pressurised electrolyzers for hydrogen production This collaboration is another important cornerstone of Asahi Kasei’s holistic business model to become a one-stop solution provider in the field of electrolysis This model comprises technological development capabilities for membranes and other components involved in the electrolysis process it also includes supply chain construction as well as operation technology and know-how to achieve large-scale production monitoring technology to ensure long-term plant operability and reliability as well as maintenance and support systems Executive Officer of Asahi Kasei responsible for Business Development of its Green Solution Project comments: “The efforts of both companies to deploy the new water electrolysis systems will lower the hurdle for customers to adopt water electrolysis and contribute broadly to the development of the hydrogen market We believe that the combination of De Nora’s technological expertise and experience as a world leader in the field of electrolysis for many years together with Asahi Kasei’s customer experience-oriented business model cultivated through chlor-alkali electrolysis will play an important role in the development and deployment of this system in the addressable markets.” De Nora’s CEO Paolo Dellachà commented: “We are proud to announce the commencement of a collaboration with Asahi Kasei to develop small-scale electrolyzers for green hydrogen generation marking a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions This partnership leverages the strengths of two leading companies in a strategic field addressing the global market’s growing demand for small-scale hydrogen production systems through our combined expertise The strategic partnership with Asahi Kasei will enable De Nora to further develop its small scale containerized electrolyser technology for hydrogen production designed to supply hydrogen to various applications It effectively supports decentralized hydrogen production in areas identified as ‘Hydrogen Valleys,’ progressively eliminating the dependency on fossil fuels In addition this collaboration will accelerate the ramp-up of production at our Italian Gigafactory our newest electrolyzer manufacturing hub currently under construction.” Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon-neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/ 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asahi Group Holdings announces the launch of the Sustainability Growth Platform kicking off with The Challenge (Environment)—a global call for startups and scaleups to advance groundbreaking environmental solutions This initiative aligns with Asahi's goal of achieving net zero across its value chain by 2040 and The Challenge reflects our dedication to forging partnerships that drive impactful change," said Drahomira Mandikova Chief Sustainability Officer at Asahi Group Holdings we aim to accelerate progress toward a more sustainable future." the corporate innovation arm of the globally recognized venture capital firm Antler Asahi will leverage industry expertise and Antler's vast network to advance innovative sustainability solutions we're ready to support bold ideas that bring us closer to our net-zero goal," added Mandikova The Challenge (Environment) invites startups and scaleups worldwide to tackle key sustainability themes highlighted the importance of venture collaboration: “I’m continually inspired by the level of innovation coming from startups and venture capital firms in the sustainability space The Challenge allows us to bring the best ideas into Asahi supporting our sustainability journey while helping startups scale their solutions Selected participants will have the opportunity to: echoed the initiative's spirit: “Solving the world’s biggest challenges requires collaboration and bold thinking We’re thrilled to support Asahi on their net-zero journey through our innovation platform The startup and scaleup ecosystem is not just an opportunity—it’s a critical foundation for success Great things are never built by individuals alone; they are built by teams that push the boundaries together.” Apply to The Challenge (Environment) here: https://bit.ly/AGH-The-Challenge-Application is a global leader offering a diverse collection of brands centered on beer Our mission is to deliver on our great taste promise and bring more fun to life the Group has always been committed to innovation and quality This dedication has brought together iconic brands and the expertise of renowned breweries from around the world including those with a rich heritage spanning over centuries Our approach has culminated in a globally recognized portfolio of brands that includes premium beers such as Asahi Super Dry “Make the world shine” articulates Asahi Group’s commitment to build connections among people thereby paving the way for a sustainable future together we provide over 10 billion liters of beverages to consumers worldwide and generate revenues of over JPY 2.7 trillion annually Asahi Group Holdings is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Prime Market: 2502.T) Nathan Jackson, Circular Ventures, Asahi Beverages Pty. Ltd.Nathan.Jackson@asahibeverages.com is designed as a sector-specific innovation and investment platform It aims to assist corporations in transforming their approach to technological development by fostering collaborations with startups corporates can better navigate the complexities of growth ensuring that their partnerships with startups lead to measurable and impactful outcomes ContactRike Döpp Bergérus, VP of Global Communicationsrike@antler.co AKITA—An elderly man died on May 2 after being found collapsed on the ground near a broken blade from a wind turbine here Akita prefectural police are investigating whether the fallen blade caused the death of Takashi Shishido The fire department was notified about Shishido’s condition at the Araya seaside park in Akita city’s Araya district at around 10:20 a.m He was taken to a hospital with a head injury but was confirmed dead about an hour later According to the Akita prefectural government’s clean energy industry promotion division the wind turbine at the park was installed by Sakura Furyoku one of the three blades on a turbine in the same location fell to the ground A strong wind advisory was issued for Akita city on the morning of May 2 according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and a maximum instantaneous wind speed of 83 kph was observed at 7:52 a.m Such conditions make it difficult to walk against the wind The JMA said strong winds were expected to continue until the evening of May 2 in northeastern Japan features a pavilion for resting and paved walkways police officers restricted access to a road leading to the park said: “He seemed to have a daily routine of taking a walk around his house in the morning He was a neat and tidy person and often weeded his garden A person involved in wind power generation in Akita Prefecture said it is possible that some of the blades on the turbine deteriorated due to metal fatigue it could have been prevented,” the person said “If concerns about wind power generation spread it will have a negative impact on the industry.” Operator plans November start of large wind farms off Akita Coal carrier is fitted with a sail to cut emissions in a world first Electric fan inspires design of home-use wind power generator Major delays in Shinkansen runs likely as typhoon heads for Japan Offshore wind power next big thing in Japan’s green push TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corporation Breaks Ground on Lithium-ion Battery Separator Plant in the Niagara Region Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corporation marked a significant step in its commitment to supporting the North American electric vehicle (EV) market by breaking ground on its new lithium-ion battery separator manufacturing facility in Port Colborne The plant is expected to begin commercial production in 2027 It is planned to operate as a joint venture facility between Asahi Kasei and Honda welcomed several government officials as well as Asahi Kasei and Honda executives expected to create more than 300 full-time jobs in the first phase will have the capacity to produce approximately 700 million square meters of coated lithium-ion battery separator per year The coated battery separator is a vital component of the battery that keeps the positive and negative electrodes from touching while allowing lithium ions to pass through The project will move into visible construction phases in the coming months including structural development and utility connections to support the building “This facility signifies a bold step in advancing innovation in battery technology,” said Koshiro Kudo President and Representative Director of Asahi Kasei Corporation “We are establishing a center of excellence here in Port Colborne that will further position Asahi Kasei as a leader in meeting the growing demand for electric vehicle battery separators across North America helping drive the energy transition forward with cutting-edge technology.” The Port Colborne plant will effectively be Canada's first large-scale wet-process separator facility strengthening Asahi Kasei’s energy storage business and contributing to its growth strategy The battery separators play a critical role in lithium-ion batteries enabling higher energy density and long-term durability essential for EVs and other energy storage applications Asahi Kasei has already started local hiring with more than five employees supporting the project’s startup phase the company held a community open house at the Vale Health & Wellness Centre in Port Colborne offering a venue for the community to learn more about the project and upcoming career opportunities Asahi Kasei is committed to local engagement and economic growth and has begun earthworks using provincial companies and contractors To learn more about the joint venture between Asahi Kasei and Honda, please refer to the press release at https://www.asahi-kasei.com/news/2024/e241101_3.html  To learn more about the Port Colborne battery separator manufacturing facility, visit Welcome | Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Canada The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber business Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age the company contributes to sustainable society by providing solutions to the world’s challenges through its three business sectors of Material SEOUL--South Korea’s Supreme Court will issue a ruling on Thursday in a case involving presidential frontrunner Lee Jae-myung which could disqualify the former opposition party leader from contesting the country’s June 3 election the candidate of the liberal Democratic Party which controls parliament leads opinion polls to win a snap presidential election sparked by former conservative president Yoon Suk Yeol’s ouster over his imposition of martial law The election law violation case against Lee is being closely watched since a ruling that removes him from the ballot could further deepen divisions in society after months of political turmoil that has hampered efforts to steer Asia’s fourth-largest economy through the choppy waters of U.S an appeals court had cleared Lee of violating the election law but prosecutors had appealed the decision to the Supreme Court Lee is embroiled in several criminal trials but the election law case is in the spotlight because if the Supreme Court overturns Lee’s not guilty verdict and it is finalized it would bar him from contesting elections for at least five years The ruling is due to be announced at 3 p.m (0600 GMT) and will require the backing of a majority of seven or more out of 12 judges on the top court’s bench South Korea’s acting leader Han Duck-soo is expected to resign on Thursday in order to clear a path for him to join the race to become the country’s permanent president Prime Minister Han looks set to contest the election so he can leverage his higher profile since being thrust into the top post after the removal from office of former President Yoon Seoul court acquits South Korean opposition leader on charges of instigating perjury South Korea’s top court upholds 17-year jail term on ex-leader South Korean court confirms 20-year term for ex-president Park Prosecutors seek 9-year prison term for Samsung chief Lee SEOUL--South Korea's Supreme Court threw into doubt frontrunner Lee Jae-myung's eligibility to run for the presidency on Thursday by overturning an earlier ruling that had cleared him of breaking an election law The Supreme Court said that Lee violated election law by publicly making "false statements" during his 2022 presidential bid and sent the case back to the appeals court The ruling could undermine Lee's credibility to be on the ballot and further deepen divisions in society after months of political turmoil that have hampered efforts to steer Asia's fourth-largest economy through the choppy waters of U.S were judged to be false statements on matters important enough to ruin voters' accurate judgement on the defendant's eligibility for public office," said Chief Justice Jo Hee-de While the Supreme Court moved unusually fast to consider Lee's election law case which usually takes months to revisit rulings It was unclear if a decision would come before the June 3 election said he had not expected the verdict to play out this way but pledged to follow the will of the people "I will trust only the people and move forward confidently," Lee said in a post on Facebook after the ruling a political science professor at Myongji University said the ruling was a blow to Lee and the liberal-leaning Democratic Party "The appeals court will decide whether to disqualify him to run for office or not but the Supreme Court in effect found him guilty.. but the election law case has been in the spotlight because if the appeals court finalizes a guilty verdict in line with the Supreme Court's decision Lee would be barred from contesting elections for at least five years which can take a year or more to consider a case made its decision on Thursday only about a month after prosecutors appealed the earlier court's decision to clear Lee Lee's support in the polls for the snap election had been buoyed when as opposition leader he stared down a short-lived martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec He climbed the National Assembly's walls to avoid security cordons deployed on Yoon's orders and also livestreamed his exploits urging viewers to come to parliament and demonstrate to prevent the arrest of lawmakers Lee survived an assassination attempt when he was stabbed in the neck by a man who had written a manifesto saying he wanted to ensure Lee never became president The Democratic Party on Thursday criticized the top court's ruling and a spokesperson told reporters there was no chance of replacing Lee as a candidate "Within the party there will be talk about a plan B or whether it needs to replace the candidate," said Rhee Jong-hoon suggesting it could reach out to minor parties or bring in candidates to shore up support South Korea's acting leader Han Duck-soo resigned on Thursday ahead of his anticipated run for the presidency Han looks set to contest the election so he can leverage his higher profile since being thrust into the top post after Yoon's removal from office A Gallup Korea survey on April 25 showed that Lee was favorite to win the election with 38% Political strife erupts over South Korean court as it is set to determine the fate of impeached Yoon South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol removed from office over declaration of martial law As South Korea’s impeached president Yoon awaits fate BOSTON--Tariffs weren’t on the agenda of this week’s Robotics Summit where thousands of tech industry workers mingled with humanoid and other robot varieties and talked about how to build and sell a new generation of increasingly autonomous machines “Jump up to the microphones,” said keynote speaker Aaron Saunders chief technology officer of Boston Dynamics inviting a standing-room-only crowd to ask him questions But as they streamed onto the show floor at Boston’s convention center greeted by a remote-controlled humanoid made by Chinese company Unitree it was hard to ignore the shadow of President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs and retaliatory measures from Trump’s biggest target 1 topic that we’re discussing in the hallways and at the water cooler with people that I’ve known for a long time,” said event organizer Steve Crowe chair of the annual Robotics Summit & Expo because there’s so much uncertainty about what is going to come.” That concern is rooted in a robot’s complex anatomy of motors and actuators to move their limbs computers to power their artificial intelligence and sensing devices to help them react to their surroundings batteries and rare earth magnets are among the array of components most sensitive to global trade disputes Tesla CEO and billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk warned investors last week that China’s countermeasures restricting shipments of rare earth magnets will delay Tesla’s development of its Optimus humanoid robots some humanoid makers were looking at a potential bright side to the geopolitical shifts as American businesses look harder for domestic supplies of parts and the development of U.S.-based robots that can automate factories and warehouses “It’s added some inconveniences to our own supply chain But it’s also opened up opportunities,” said Pras Velagapudi chief technology officer at Oregon-based Agility Robotics The company is starting to deploy its humanoid robot plant run by German manufacturer Schaeffler a maker of ball bearings and other components key to the auto industry a director of engineering for Schaeffler’s chassis systems said tariffs could push many companies toward onshoring production of a variety of items in the U.S then local companies have to deal with high labor costs and a shortage of labor and so automation gets pushed further,” Makke said “And one of those faces of automation is humanoids.” Most of the big industrial robots employed in the U.S and are imported from countries such as Japan installed 9.6% more robots in their plants than a year before according to new data from the International Federation of Robotics humanoids are still a niche but one that invites intense curiosity presented an update Wednesday on the development of its Atlas humanoid robot but didn’t bring a physical prototype instead showing off a more familiar pack of its four-legged Spot robots contained in a pen on the show floor The sole humanoid at the conference was Unitree’s G1 Marketed for $16,000 and remote-controlled by an employee standing nearby waved back at people and walked around the show floor but it won’t be moving totes or working in a factory anytime soon Its main customers outside China are academic researchers and some social media influencers and Trump’s current tariffs totaling 145% on China would raise its cost to American buyers to roughly $40,000 a Unitree vice president of business development who manages its North American sales Unitree’s strategy to rapidly develop its hardware and software is a long-term one but I think there’s still a huge potential market on the industry side like for manufacturing and factory and even home use,” Yang said At a full pickleball court on the show floor some conference attendees took a break to grab a racket and swing at balls tossed by a wheeled robot Asked to describe what’s inside the Tennibot robot It’s not just the U.S.-China trade rivalry that was weighing on some attendees said she’s also hearing more wariness from Canadian robotics and engineering candidates about taking jobs in the U.S people in Canada found it attractive to come and work for U.S China robots conference spotlights the changing face of humanoids Robot dogs cheer on Japanese pro baseball team in absence of fans Robots compete against humans in 1st humanoid half-marathon Softbank CEO says smart robots can revitalize Japan growth Sony says it has technology for humanoid robots NEW YORK--Consumers can expect higher prices and delivery delays when the Trump administration ends a duty-free exemption on low-value imports from China Friday The expiration of the so-called de minimis rule that has allowed as many as 4 million low-value parcels to come into the U.S every day — mostly from China — is also forcing businesses that have built their models on sourcing production in China to rethink their practices in order to keep their costs down But some might actually benefit from the termination of the duty exemption companies that make their goods in the U.S may feel relief from the competition of cheap Chinese imports and likely experience a brighter sales outlook which applies to goods originating from mainland China and Hong Kong comes on top of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs totaling 145% on China Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of 125% on the U.S. fueling a trade war between the world’s two largest economies Sellers are already seeing cautious consumers Trump called the de minimis exemption “a big scam going on against our country the de minimis exception was intended to facilitate the flow of small packages valued at no more than $5 But the rapid rise of cross-border e-commerce has challenged the intent of the decades-old customs exception rule Chinese exports of low-value packages soared to $66 billion in 2023 according to a February report by the Congressional Research Service Former President Joe Biden proposed a rule last year that said foreign companies can’t avoid tariffs simply by shipping goods that they claim to be worth $800 or less Trump tried in February to end the exception but his initial order was called off within days when it appeared the U.S was not prepared to process and collect tariffs on the deluge of parcels coming in Consumers will face higher prices and delivery delays now that parcels will go through a more complicated customs process to enter the U.S Businesses could factor tariffs into the final price or they can list them separately in the same way as sales taxes which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings now lists “import charges” that have reportedly doubled many items’ prices (The retailer also has a “local warehouse” option for some products “Tariffs are included in the price you pay You’ll never have to pay extra at delivery.” Amazon says it’s not planning to display added tariff costs next to product prices on its site — despite a report that sparked speculation the e-commerce giant would soon show the new import charges and the White House has made fiery comments denouncing the purported change Parcel carriers will be burdened with collecting duties and the paperwork to comply with the new rule could result not only in higher prices but also delays and even disruptions to delivery said Ram Ben Tzion of the vetting platform Publican Major commercial carriers such as UPS and FedEx have said they are well-equipped and prepared to collect duties on international parcels in compliance with local laws Commercial carriers will be collecting 145% tariffs on declared values a government agency that offers international mail service can choose either to charge a 120% tariff on low-value packages or a flat fee of $100 per shipment Customs and Border Protection says it “stands ready to fully implement the restrictions on de minimis shipments and collect all revenue owed for these shipments on May 2 experts have expressed concerns that the surge in the workload could be a serious challenge more than 70% of the 216 million packages coming into the U.S Those that relied on the de minimis exemption are now having to adjust owner and chief executive officer of HAPARI International had switched from bulk shipping to de minimis shipping about six months ago to improve cash flow and eventually eliminate U.S.-based warehousing His company makes its products in China and sells them directly to U.S Curry said he planned to stay the course and pay the additional 145% duty — one parcel at a time — while waiting for the U.S and China to work out a more sustainable approach “There has to be a solution because both countries cannot survive this way,” Curry said founder and CEO of the logistic company Portless helps businesses like HAPARI to ship goods from its China-based warehouse using the de minimis exemption businesses are likely to stay in China for now given the competitiveness of the manufacturing base and of the supply chain in China but can be expected to raise prices And while businesses with good profit margins probably will continue to ship from China those that run on razor-thin profit margins are likely to “go local” setting up more U.S.-based warehouses to defray tariff costs Trade groups representing flag manufacturers and bike dealers said they expect to benefit from the end of the duty exemption the Flag Manufacturers Association of America said its members have been bombarded by an onslaught of American flag imports mostly made in China that are falsely marketed and significantly discounted The group cited a drop of 25% to 35% in industrywide sales of American-made U.S CEO of Embroidery Solutions Manufacturing LLC had to shutter one of his two plants in South Carolina earlier this year because of stiff competition from cheap imports He noted sales have fallen 20% since 2021 in part because of the de minimis exemption “We need duties to level the playing field to make it fair,” Severini said The National Bike Dealers’ Association’s Heather Mason said shoppers often check out $2,000 bike from a trusted brand like Trek and then they find a lookalike online for $1,200 — often with lower quality parts and warranty standards,” she said in an email to The Associated Press “De minimis allowed bad actors to dodge these.” Hong Kong post office will stop shipping parcels to the US over tariffs Hong Kong's post office continues to suspend packages for U.S Trump’s sharp tariff hikes could speed up China's shift to new markets and offshore factories Osaka firm helps missing items return home to foreign owners The Bank of Japan slashed its growth projection for the country by half and kept interest rates unchanged as the economy faces growing uncertainties from U.S In its Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices for April released on May 1 the BOJ said Japan’s real gross domestic product is expected to grow at 0.5 percent in fiscal 2025 down from 1.1 percent predicted in the previous report for January The central bank also cut its GDP growth forecast for fiscal 2026 to 0.7 percent down from 1.0 percent in the January report included in the April report for the first time After a two-day Policy Board meeting on April 30 and May 1 the BOJ decided to maintain the target for the uncollateralized overnight call rate which commercial banks charge on loans to each other “It remains extremely uncertain how countries will develop their trade policies and how such policies will affect overseas economic and price trends,” BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda told a news conference on May 1 the BOJ ended its 11-year ultra-easy monetary policy and lifted the negative interest rate policy which marked its first interest rate hike in 17 years Interest rates were raised in July and again in January But the central bank kept them steady in March citing rising concerns about the economic policies of U.S who returned to the White House in January Trump levied what he calls reciprocal tariffs on April 2 causing stock prices to nose-dive and triggering the yen’s sharp appreciation against the dollar Ueda said the BOJ will continue to gradually raise policy interest rates if economic activity and prices move in accordance with the bank’s outlook “We will carefully monitor domestic and overseas economies price movements and financial market trends and make decisions without preconceived notions,” Ueda said BOJ policymakers are expected to examine the outcome of government negotiations on U.S tariffs and the impact on corporate activities before deciding whether to proceed with the next interest hike In the Outlook for Economic Activity and Prices report the BOJ also revised down its inflation projections The central bank said the consumer price index is expected to increase 2.2 percent in fiscal 2025 down from 2.4 percent in the January report The forecast for fiscal 2027 was 1.9 percent Ueda acknowledged that the revised GDP and CPI growth projections may not be as accurate as the BOJ’s conventional estimates citing the uncertainties brought on by U.S The April report said the 2-percent price stability target for what the BOJ calls “underlying CPI inflation,” which does not take rising import prices and other temporary factors into account is likely to be achieved in the second half of a three-year period through fiscal 2027 The central bank effectively pushed back its goal because the January report said the target is likely to be achieved in the second half of a three-year period through fiscal 2026 While the CPI growth rate has been 2 percent or higher for three years the BOJ has said underlying CPI inflation has yet to reach that level The BOJ has been aiming to achieve a virtuous cycle of rising prices and wages increased a solid 3.4 percent in April from a year earlier according to internal affairs ministry figures released on April 25 During the “shunto” annual spring labor offensive companies agreed to raise wages of regular employees by 5.37 percent on average exceeding the 5-percent mark for the second straight year according to figures compiled by Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation) The average wage increase was 4.97 percent among small and midsize companies where fewer than 300 workers are organized (This article was compiled from reports by Kuniaki Nishio and Chihaya Inagaki.) BOJ holds rates steady as Trump causes market uncertainties What to look for at Bank of Japan’s October policy meeting TOPNewsFiscal 2024Asahi Kasei launches new grade of LASTAN™ flame-retardant nonwoven fabric Enhancing EV battery safety with superior resistance to flames and particle blasts The Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei is introducing a new material solution for enhanced EV battery safety A flame-retardant and highly flexible nonwoven fabric LASTAN™ is an outstanding alternative to conventional materials for thermal runaway protection and other applications within the EV battery pack Although electric vehicles are becoming more common worldwide battery safety is still a major concern for many car users According to the latest “Asahi Kasei Automotive Consumer Survey,” 34% of non-EV owners in China see improved safety as a primary consideration in buying an electric vehicle global OEMs seek to further raise the safety of EV batteries and the market for materials to prevent thermal runaway is expected to grow by some 15% annually from 2024 onward with even further expansion of demand in the future (IDTechEX: “Fire Protection Materials for Electric Vehicle Batteries 2024–2034”) there is increasing demand for materials in EV battery cover applications having excellent resistance against flames and particle blasts as well as good electrical insulation properties While mineral-based materials are generally used as protection against thermal runaway at present such materials tend to be heavy and brittle these materials are difficult to adapt to complex shapes making processability an issue for automotive OEMs LASTAN™ is a non-mineral flame-resistant fabric made by air baking a special acrylic fiber at 200–300℃ It is characterized by high flame resistance and good electrical insulation which are further improved by a special coating process that also augments abrasion resistance This allows the material to provide effective protection against particle bombardment from venting gas LASTAN™ has been used for many years as an optimal material for failure prevention and safety in various industries the temperature on the opposite side of LASTAN™ remains below 400℃ While a “limiting oxygen index” (LOI) value of 27 or higher is generally considered to indicate flame retardance this material has an LOI value of 50 or higher LASTAN™ has obtained the highest rating of 5VA No holes are formed in LASTAN™ even when it is exposed to a flame of 1,300℃ for one minute LASTAN™ is resistant to high-pressure impact by particles of 200–500 µm It also provides electrical insulating capacity of up to 3.5 kV at a thickness of 1 mm LASTAN™ also features outstanding processability being highly flexible while maintaining its performance characteristics in sheets as thin as 0.8 mm This makes it easily processed with ordinary tools contributing to a simplified manufacturing process Having integrated production of LASTAN™ currently in Japan Asahi Kasei is considering production in the United States and other countries in the future The company will exhibit the new LASTAN™ grade at the North American Battery Show from October 7 to 10