Business

Users can make custom AI characters they can chat with on meltly’s Days AI app. (Photo by Nikkei) TOKYO — When Yuji Takahashi, the CEO of the AI chatbot startup meltly, met with a U.S. venture capital executive in a Tokyo office building, he was given an offer that was hard to refuse.

Iran was Japan’s trading houses counter geopolitical risks with investment diversification, discipline Cameron LNG, a U.S.-based joint project with Japanese trading houses Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui & Co., is planning to boost production. (Mitsubishi Corp.) KEIICHI FURUKAWA, KENTO HIRASHIMA and YUI SATO TOKYO — Mitsubishi Corp. has moved the goalpost for one of its climate goals as […]

Energy Spot purchase of crude from Sakhalin-2 not subject to sanctions, company says Taiyo Oil is buying crude from the Sakhalin-2 project in the Russian Far East. © Kyodo TOKYO — Taiyo Oil said Friday that it is buying crude oil from Russia, part of Japanese efforts to diversify procurement and ensure supply stability amid […]

Finance JBIC and 3 top lenders to fund power plant, crude oil facility and diamond project The Japan Bank for International Cooperation and the country’s top three banks will jointly finance the investment. (Photo by Daiki Katagiri) YUMIKO OSHIMA and SHIKO UEDA TOKYO — A state-backed Japanese lender said Friday that it has signed loan agreements […]

Currencies Trade deficit fears and low preholiday trading volume factor into decision Atsushi Mimura, Japan’s vice finance minister for international affairs, speaks to reporters at the Finance Ministry in Tokyo on May 1. (Photo by Jo Ishibuchi) SHUNSUKE USHIGOME and GENKI IKUTA TOKYO — Japanese authorities this week intervened in the currency market for the first time in more […]

U.S. Navy cadets with the Maine Maritime Academy tour the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) State of Maine at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, on Aug. 26, 2025. The yard acquired by the South Korean conglomerate in 2024 epitomizes its drive to build ships for the U.S. Navy and expand its global maritime defense presence. […]

Anthropic’s new Claude Mythos AI model can find software vulnerabilities overlooked by human experts. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi) RYOTARO YAMADA and RYOHEI YASOSHIMA PALO ALTO, California/WASHINGTON — American artificial intelligence company Anthropic looks to give more companies and organizations access to its powerful new Claude Mythos model, including in Japan, but faces opposition from the […]

Finance Joseph Bae says $10bn portfolio could ‘easily double’ in next five years Recent KKR acquisition Arctos Partners has invested in the Los Angeles Dodgers, home to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters) NEW YORK — KKR sees big opportunities to increase its sports investments, and it is looking for more deals in Asia, according […]

Business trends All five predict profit rises with potential upside from disruption to energy supply chains All five Japanese trading houses reported earnings and predicted profit rises for their current fiscal years on Friday. (Source photos by Nikkei) TOKYO — Japan’s large trading companies are reporting limited impact on their earnings from the Iran War, […]

BANGKOK — A son and associate of Aung San Suu Kyi have raised doubts about the condition of Myanmar’s most prominent political prisoner after she was reportedly moved to house arrest, questioning a photograph of her in state media accompanying the news.