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- Katsura Roller Expands Sales of Air Rolls for Floating Conveyors Jul. 26, 2024Katsura Roller reported lower sales and profits for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 compared to the previous fiscal year. While sales of rolls for printing use were down, the stagnation of overseas markets led to a decline in sales of rolls for film use throughout the year. Sales of rolls for printing were […]
- Meiwa Rubber to Ramp up Online Promotion, Exhibitions Jul. 25, 2024Meiwa Rubber’s performance in the first half of fiscal 2024, from October 2023 to March 2024, exceeded the results of the same period of the previous year but fell short of the target. In addition to the unstoppable decline in sales of rolls for printing, sales of rolls for industrial use, which had been the […]
- Kinyosha to Expand Production Facilities on Solid Blanket Sales Jul. 24, 2024Kinyosha, Japan’s leading manufacturer of rubber rolls, reported only a slight decrease in sales in fiscal 2023, keeping revenues almost at the same level as in the previous year. Blanket sales were firm, but total sales fell slightly short of the previous year’s results due to sluggish sales of some rolls. By division, sales of […]
- Report: Denka Expects Moderate CR Recovery, Expands Evolmer Into Tire Bladders Jul. 23, 2024Denka’s chloroprene rubber (CR) business experienced weak sales in the previous fiscal year (April 2023-March 2024). “The poor sales trend of the first half continued into the second half of the fiscal year,” the company said. Initially, it had expected a recovery in the second half of the year, but there was no boost in […]
- Tosoh Expects CR Demand Recovery, Focuses on CNF Jul. 22, 2024Tosoh’s CR sales volume declined only a few percent in the previous fiscal year ending March 2024, with sales benefiting from the weaker yen. Japanese domestic demand began to recover in the second half of the year, but was impacted by production stoppages at some automakers. Overseas, on the other hand, sales were affected by […]
- Report: Osaka Soda Continues Expanding Sales, ACM Newly Adopted Mainly in Asia Jul. 19, 2024In the previous fiscal year ending March 2024, Osaka Soda’s acrylic rubber (ACM) sales volume increased due to new adoption in automotive parts applications, mainly in China, Southeast Asia, and India, as well as demand for ACM as a substitute for other materials. “We believe that there is still room for ACM to replace other […]
- Asahi Kasei Sees SSBR Sales Remain Steady This Year Jul. 18, 2024Asahi Kasei’s synthetic rubber business for the fiscal year ending this March achieved its full-year operating income forecast, despite difficult conditions in the first half amid economic risks in China. This came as sales remained strong in the second half, especially for SSBR for tires, and the weaker yen also helped boost results. On the […]
- Report: Zeon Overall Optimistic, Ramping up Technical Support in India Jul. 18, 2024Zeon’s elastomer materials business division posted sales of 215.29 billion yen ($1.36 billion), down 3.1% year-on-year, and operating profit of 6.64 billion yen, down 34.8%, in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. Synthetic rubber sales and profits were up, and, in addition to a generally normal recovery in Japanese domestic demand from the second […]
- Japanese Rubber Union Urges Promotion of Women Jul. 17, 2024Gomu Rengo, the Japanese Rubber Workers’ Union Confederation, held a labor-management round-table conference to exchange lectures and information to promote the advancement of women. The meeting was attended by 57 representatives from labor and management, thereof 33 from the union side and 24 from the management side. In response to the 2007 revision of the […]
- Bando Chemical’s Nankai Plant Achieves 12.5 Million No-Injury Hours Jul. 16, 2024Bando Chemical’s Nankai Plant in Sennan City, Osaka Prefecture, has over the past 10 years achieved a total of 12.5 million hours without a fatal accident or an accident resulting in one or more days of absence from work, and received a no accident record certificate from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). […]
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Japan’s Political System
Japan is a large and firmly established democracy in form of a constitutional monarchy in Asia. Learn more
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Japan’s Chemical Industry
People often do not realize that almost everything they touch in daily life originates in the chemical industry. The Japanese chemical industry is the third largest in the world. And it is the second largest manufacturing industry in Japan. Learn more
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Japan’s Automotive Industry
Japan is one of the most important auto-making countries in the world. Brands like Toyota, Honda or Suzuki are household names worldwide. Learn more
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Japan’s Machinery Industry
Japan has one of the most important industrial machinery industries in the world. It is home to a broad range of famous brands, globally renowned for their history and high quality. Learn more
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Japan’s Rubber Industry
Tires, cars, or buildings: Modern life is unthinkable without rubber. And Japan boasts one of the most developed rubber industries worldwide. Learn more
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Japan’s Newspaper Structure
Most people in the West are familiar with 3-tiered newspaper structures. Japan’s 5-tier system is more differentiated. Learn more
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Fujitsu Tests AI Customer Service Solution in Japanese Supermarket Aug. 7, 2023. - Fujitsu has begun testing an innovative AI module in a Japanese supermarket that generates AI avatars and tailors promotional content based on consumer behavior. The field trial, run in collaboration with the Retail AI Institute, is taking place from August 3 to October 15 at Aruk Mitajiri stores operated by supermarket chain Marukyu in Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. This […]
Global Trade Suffers Amid Fragmentation, Warns JETRO 2023 Report Aug. 4, 2023. - According to the World Trade and Investment Report 2023 by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), global trade is faltering due to a myriad of international conflicts and geopolitical risks. The report indicates that enduring tension in Ukraine, an uptick in trade restrictive measures, and the uncertain relationship between the U.S. and China are undermining the principles of free trade. […]Japan and Germany Co-Develop Standard for Automated Valet Parking Aug. 3, 2023. - In a significant step towards efficient urban mobility, an international standard for “automatic valet parking” co-developed by Japan and Germany has been officially issued. This system leverages autonomous vehicle technology to navigate vehicles into parking spaces in large facilities, improving utilization of parking space and user convenience, reducing accidents, and cutting CO2 emissions. Large complexes, shopping malls, theme parks, and […]
Yokohama Spearheads Japan’s First Waste-to-Energy CO2 Capture Demonstration Experiment Aug. 2, 2023. - The City of Yokohama, Tokyo Gas, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and MHI Environmental & Chemical Engineering (MHIEC) have launched a pioneering demonstration experiment aimed at capturing and utilizing CO2 emissions from a local waste-to-energy plant. The project, based in Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, is the first of its kind in Japan and involves the separation and capture of CO2 from plant flue […]Mitsui Chemicals Spearheads Development of Advanced Carbon-Neutral Naphtha Cracking Tech Aug. 1, 2023. - In an ambitious move towards carbon neutrality, Mitsui Chemicals has partnered with Microwave Chemical and Chiyoda Corporation to develop a pioneering naphtha cracking technology, the M-Cracker. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) adopted this initiative under its program for advancing research, development and social implementation of energy-saving technologies to realize a decarbonized society. Japan’s petrochemical industry annually […]
Japan’s Cabinet Greenlights Strategy for Decarbonized, Growth-Centric Economy Aug. 1, 2023. - In a bid to promote energy stability amid ongoing global challenges and to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, the Japanese Cabinet approved the “Strategy for Promoting the Transition to a Decarbonized Growth-Oriented Economic Structure” (GX Promotion Strategy) on July 28. This approval follows the enactment of several key policies earlier this year, including the “GX Promotion Law” and […]
Japan’s METI Launches Committee to Accelerate Generative AI Development Jul. 31, 2023. - The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has formed an expert committee to propel the development of generative AI technology. The initiative aims to establish a support scheme for companies developing competitive base models in the fast-evolving field of generative AI. This advanced technology is predicted to have a transformative impact on industrial activities and daily life, tackling social […]
New Series of Japanese Bank Notes to Launch in July 2024 Jul. 28, 2023. - The Japanese Ministry of Finance has announced that the new series of Bank of Japan notes, designed to strengthen anti-counterfeiting measures, will start circulating in the first half of July 2024. The initiative follows the decision made by the Ministry in April 2019 to produce a new series of notes to enhance the country’s ability to prevent counterfeiting and fraud. […]
Toyota Breaks Ground on Tokyo’s Next-Gen Sports Complex, Set for Fall 2025 Opening Jul. 26, 2023. - Toyota Motor, Toyota Fudosan, and Toyota Alvark Tokyo announced the groundbreaking for the construction of the highly-anticipated Tokyo A-Arena in the Odaiba Aomi area. Toyota Fudosan hosted the ceremony to commemorate the start of this ambitious project. Expected to be completed in June 2025, the arena aims to begin operations in the fall of the same year. Situated on the […]
Mitsui Chemicals Targets Global Leadership in Pellicle Manufacturing Jul. 25, 2023. - Mitsui Chemicals has announced the inauguration of its new affiliate, Mitsui Chemicals EMS Corp., which started operations on July 1, 2023. The newly established company is built on the pellicle business acquired from Asahi Kasei. As a leading provider of FPD pellicles, used in the LCD panel exposure process, this business has established a strong market presence. The company also […]
Japan Heralds New Era of Solar Power with Launch of Grid-Scale Battery System Jul. 24, 2023. - NTT Anode Energy Corporation, Kyushu Electric Power Company (Kyuden), and Mitsubishi Corporation officially started operations of a 1.4 MW / 4.2MWh grid-scale battery storage system in Tagawa-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture, marking a significant milestone in Japan’s journey toward renewable energy. The implementation of this system is expected to boost the country’s use of solar power by minimizing the necessity for solar […]
Toyo Ink Unveils Nano-Silver Sintering Paste for Enhanced Power Die Bonding Jul. 21, 2023. - Toyo Ink SC Holdings, the parent company of specialty chemicals firm Toyo Ink Group, has developed a silver nanoparticle paste for die-attach applications. This lead-free material is engineered to meet the needs of next-generation power electronics, capable of sintering at low temperatures under both pressureless and pressure-assisted methods. The silver nanoparticle paste, born from the company’s Corporate R&D Division, caters […]Denso to Negotiate Transfer of Combustion Engine Parts Operations to Niterra Jul. 19, 2023. - Automotive parts supplier Denso has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to negotiate the transfer of certain internal combustion engine parts operations to Niterra. The move comes as the automotive industry accelerates its shift toward electrification in the push for carbon neutrality. The sector continues to develop internal combustion engines, accounting for regional and country-specific energy situations and fuel usage. […]
Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Bags Order for LNG Systems from Imabari Shipbuilding Jul. 17, 2023. - Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, a Yokohama-based subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, has secured an order for 12 units of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel gas supply system (FGSS) from Imabari Shipbuilding. The order includes high-pressure systems for nine LNG-fueled car carriers and three bulk carriers. The units are set to contribute significantly to the decarbonization of the marine environment with a […]Fujitsu and IHI Collaborate on Blockchain Project for Environmental Value Exchange Market Jul. 12, 2023. - Fujitsu and IHI Corporation have made significant progress in their joint project, which aims to contribute to carbon neutrality and establish an environmental value distribution platform supporting environmental value transactions. The project, initiated in fiscal year 2022, focuses on simplifying the environmental value creation process and preparing for the issuance of J-Credit, a carbon credit system. Under the initiative named […]
