Finance Tokyo looks to check spread of yuan as small countries increasingly turn to China International remittances and tourism are critical parts of many Pacific island economies. © Reuters TOKYO — The Japanese Finance Ministry will help create a framework for handling international remittances in Pacific island nations and territories as major banks that process […]

Disclosure/PFRJ The Federal Police (PF), the Federal Revenue Service (RFB) and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) began Operation Mare Liberum, which investigates a bribery scheme in the Port of Rio de Janeiro this Tuesday (28). The loss is estimated at half a billion reais to public coffers due to the irregular release of […]

A member of Ukraine’s military prepares a rocket-type interceptor drone for launch. © Reuters NATSUKI KANEKO and YUIYA SHIBATA VIENNA/TOKYO — Japanese drone developer Terra Drone said Tuesday that it will make a strategic investment in an Ukrainian maker of fixed-wing drones, its second in a Ukrainian company.

Semiconductors Incident may set back Japan tool maker in competition over top customer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is a crucial customer for Tokyo Electron. (Source photos by Nikkei) HIDEAKI RYUGEN and RYOSUKE EGUCHI TOKYO — A Taiwanese court’s finding that a former employee of a Tokyo Electron unit leaked confidential data from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing […]

The Honda ICON e: electric motorbike at the Vietnam Motor Show. (Photo by Yuji Nitta) ITSUKI MIYAKE and YUJI NITTA TOKYO/HANOI — Honda Motor is scrambling to make up for lost ground after falling behind in the electric motorcycle markets in Vietnam and India.

Construction Japanese construction equipment maker assumes continued high oil prices for current fiscal year Komatsu is having a harder time raising prices on construction machinery as competitors are also holding prices steady. (Photo by Azusa Kawakami) TOKYO — Construction equipment maker Komatsu said Tuesday that it expects consolidated net profit for the current fiscal year to fall […]

Commodities Sulfur shortage and Jakarta’s pricing policy send battery feedstock value soaring A nickel processing plant operated by Vale Indonesia in Sorowako, South Sulawesi province. © Reuters ISMI DAMAYANTI and REZHA HADYAN JAKARTA — Nickel prices are expected to stay high throughout 2026 as Indonesia pushes its production cut plans and the Iran war disrupts […]

Transportation March passenger volume up 8.5% on Europe demand but uncertainty looms Planes sit on the tarmac at Kansai International Airport in Osaka. Some airlines have benefited from higher demand between Asia and Europe. (Photo by Hiromasa Matsuura) SINGAPORE — Rising fuel prices are prompting Asian airlines to cut more flights in the coming months, with a […]

PALO ALTO, California/TAIPEI — Apple’s incoming CEO has a China problem: On the one hand, the iPhone giant is finally seeing sales rebound in the world’s second-largest economy. On the other, its China-heavy supply chain is increasingly under pressure from geopolitical headwinds.

Robot maker Fanuc has partnered with U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to outfit its machines with AI. (Photo by Miki Hiasa) MIKI HIASA and EISAKU NITTA HANOVER, Germany — Manufacturers in Japan and Germany are stepping up the adoption of physical artificial intelligence, leveraging their real-world shop-floor data to boost production speed and precision.