Economic news(2025/03/26)
Chiba Bank to acquire nearly 20% of Chiba Kogyo Bank shares; business integration in sight
2025-03-26 23:12:00
It has been learned that Chiba Bank, based in Chiba Prefecture, is making arrangements to acquire nearly 20% of the shares of Chiba Kogyo Bank, a regional bank in the prefecture. The first and third largest regional banks in Chiba Prefecture are joining forces and are expected to hold discussions in the future about specific measures to strengthen cooperation, with a view to a future business integration.
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35% of Japanese companies say the impact of the Trump administration on their business and profits is "negative"
2025-03-26 21:50:00
NHK conducted a survey of 100 major Japanese companies regarding the impact of the policies of the Trump administration in the United States. 35% of the companies that responded said that the policies have had a "negative" or "somewhat negative" effect on their business and profits. Many of the respondents cited the tariff hikes imposed by the Trump administration as the reason.
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"d Pay" service restored; payment temporarily unavailable at stores nationwide due to equipment failure
2025-03-26 20:55:00
NTT Docomo's smartphone payment service "d Pay" was unable to use barcode payments at stores nationwide from around 5:30 pm on the 26th, but was restored just after 8 pm. The company said that the problem was caused by equipment failure, and that it was restored by correcting the data in the faulty area. The company commented, "We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers."
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35% of Japanese companies say the impact of the Trump administration on their business and profits is "negative"
2025-03-26 20:48:00
NHK conducted a survey of 100 major Japanese companies regarding the impact of the policies of the Trump administration in the United States. 35% of the companies that responded said that the policies have had a "negative" or "somewhat negative" effect on their business and profits. Many of the respondents cited the tariff hikes imposed by the Trump administration as the reason.
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Nissan to launch hybrid vehicles and other models to revive US market
2025-03-26 20:44:00
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., whose performance has been deteriorating, has announced that in order to recover in the American market, it will launch plug-in hybrid vehicles with technology provided by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in fiscal 2025 and 2026, in addition to hybrid vehicles, which are in high demand locally.
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Amount of rice consumed by foreign visitors to Japan is expected to increase by 30% from last year, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
2025-03-26 20:32:00
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has announced that the amount of rice consumed by foreign visitors to Japan this year is expected to be 70,000 tons, 30% more than last year. At present, the ministry says that the impact of the increase in inbound consumption on the overall supply and demand of rice in Japan is small.
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Junko Koeda appointed to the Bank of Japan's Policy Board: "We want to utilize the know-how of researchers"
2025-03-26 20:06:00
Junko Koeda, a professor at Waseda University, was appointed to the Bank of Japan's monetary policy committee. She expressed her ambition to utilize her know-how in empirical analysis as a researcher, and indicated that monetary policy for the time being will be carefully considered, citing the high degree of uncertainty about the future.
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"d Pay" barcode payment and other services are no longer available nationwide
2025-03-26 19:31:00
NTT Docomo has announced that its smartphone payment service, "d Pay," which uses barcodes to make payments, has been unavailable nationwide since around 5:30 p.m. Barcode payments in stores, payments with other companies' services linked to the app, and bill payments are all unavailable. The company says that the problem is due to an equipment failure and that it is investigating how to restore the service. However, online payments can be made as normal. There are approximately 65 million d Pay users, and NTT Docomo has commented, "We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers."
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Bank of Japan Governor: "If rising food prices lead to widespread inflation, we may respond by raising interest rates"
2025-03-26 19:10:00
Bank of Japan Governor Ueda, speaking at the House of Representatives' Financial Services Committee on the 26th, indicated that if rising food prices lead to price increases for other goods and services and inflation spreads, the bank may respond with further interest rate hikes.
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35% of Japanese companies say the impact of the Trump administration on their business and profits is "negative"
2025-03-26 18:46:00
NHK conducted a survey of 100 major Japanese companies regarding the impact of the policies of the Trump administration in the United States. 35% of the companies that responded said that the policies have had a "negative" or "somewhat negative" effect on their business and profits. Many of the respondents cited the tariff hikes imposed by the Trump administration as the reason.
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JR West to promote Executive Vice President Shoji Kurasaka to new president "To improve safety"
2025-03-26 18:45:00
JR West Executive Vice President Noboru Kurasaka has been appointed as the new president of the company, and at a press conference held on the 26th, he stated his ambitions to work on improving safety, starting from the Fukuchiyama Line derailment accident, which marks 20 years since this April.
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Yen exchange rate moves slightly as trade is held back due to concerns over U.S. tariff policy
2025-03-26 18:43:00
On the 26th, the Tokyo foreign exchange market saw little active trading as caution over the US tariff policy remained, and the yen fluctuated little between the two currencies.
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Long-term interest rates: 10-year government bond yields temporarily rise to 1.585%
2025-03-26 18:02:00
In the bond market, long-term interest rates continued to rise on the 26th, with the yield on 10-year government bonds, a representative indicator, temporarily rising to 1.585%.
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Honda's EV-specific factory in Guangzhou, China, is now fully operational.
2025-03-26 17:22:00
Honda, a major automaker, built a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) factory in Guangzhou, southern China, on the 26th and began full-scale operations. Japanese automakers are struggling in China, where the shift to EVs is accelerating, so attention is focused on whether strengthening the production system will lead to a comeback.
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Stockpiled rice: What about restaurants? What about retail sales? Second bidding begins today
2025-03-26 17:14:00
As the government continues to release its stockpiles of rice, preparations are underway for its sale. The second round of bidding for 70,000 tons began on the 26th. Will this lead to a stabilization of rice prices?
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35% of Japanese companies say the impact of the Trump administration on their business and profits is "negative"
2025-03-26 17:02:00
NHK conducted a survey of 100 major Japanese companies regarding the impact of the Trump administration in the United States, and 35% of the companies that responded said that it was "negative" or "somewhat negative" on their business and profits. Many respondents cited the Trump administration's hike in tariffs as the reason, and some companies are taking or considering taking action.
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Japan Post President: "We must act quickly to prevent recurrence and improve organizational culture" as scandals continue
2025-03-26 17:01:00
Regarding the series of scandals occurring within the group, including Japan Post's fraudulent compilation of a list of personal information for a total of 10 million Japan Post Bank customers to use in soliciting financial products, Japan Post President Hiroya Masuda stated at a press conference his intention to take immediate steps to prevent recurrence and improve the organizational culture.
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Makino Milling Machine Workers' Union Expresses Concerns Over Nidek's Takeover Proposal
2025-03-26 16:41:00
The head of the labor union at Makino Milling Machine, a machine tool manufacturer that has received a takeover proposal from electronic parts giant Nidek, held a press conference and expressed concern about the other party's response, saying, "The takeover proposal was made without prior consultation, causing strong distrust among employees and their families."
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Stock prices rise as concerns over U.S. tariff policy ease
2025-03-26 16:28:00
On the 26th, the Tokyo stock market saw the Nikkei average rise as concerns over US tariff policy eased.
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Kawasaki Steel Begins Consideration of Setting Up Data Center on Former Blast Furnace Site
2025-03-26 15:43:00
It has been announced that major trading companies and steel manufacturers will begin considering establishing data centers on the site of a blast furnace at a closed steelworks in Kawasaki City. Demand for data centers is growing rapidly with the spread of generative AI, and there is a growing trend to utilize industrial land such as factories.
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Prime Minister Ishiba: Japan and Brazil to strengthen cooperation in decarbonization
2025-03-26 15:31:00
Prime Minister Ishiba spoke at a meeting of business representatives from Japan and Brazil, expressing his intention to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the field of decarbonization, including the use of biofuels.
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Cashless payments to achieve 40% of government target ahead of schedule
2025-03-26 14:49:00
The proportion of cashless payments in domestic consumption over the past year is set to surpass the government's target of 40% ahead of schedule. The main reason for this is the increase in small and medium-sized restaurants introducing QR code payments, which have relatively low fees.
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Former judge found guilty: "Serious lack of normative awareness" - Tokyo District Court
2025-03-26 13:53:00
In a trial where a former judge seconded to the Financial Services Agency was charged with insider trading, the Tokyo District Court found him guilty of "a serious lack of ethical standards," and sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for four years, and a fine of 1 million yen.
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Former judge found guilty of insider trading while seconded to the Financial Services Agency, Tokyo District Court
2025-03-26 12:18:00
In a trial where a former judge seconded to the Financial Services Agency was charged with insider trading, the Tokyo District Court sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for four years, and a fine of 1 million yen.
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Stock prices rise slightly as concerns over U.S. tariff policy ease somewhat
2025-03-26 12:03:00
On the 26th, the Tokyo stock market saw the Nikkei average rise slightly as concerns over US tariff policy subsided somewhat.
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Second auction for stockpiled rice targets 70,000 tons - Will this lead to rice price stabilization?
2025-03-26 10:55:00
The second round of auctions for the government's stockpiled rice, conducted to facilitate smooth distribution of rice, began on the 26th. This time, 70,000 tons of stockpiled rice are being auctioned, and the focus is on whether the release of this stockpile will lead to the stabilization of rice prices.
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Cashless payments to achieve 40% of government target ahead of schedule
2025-03-26 06:00:00
The proportion of cashless payments in domestic consumption over the past year is set to surpass the government's target of 40% ahead of schedule. The main reason for this is the increase in small and medium-sized restaurants introducing QR code payments, which have relatively low fees.
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Former Hitachi Zosen subsidiary falsifies data, "top management turns a blind eye to abnormal behavior"
2025-03-26 02:04:00
A new investigation report has been published into the issue of two subsidiaries of the former Hitachi Zosen Corporation (now called Canadavia) falsifying measurement data for marine engines. The report states that the tacit approval of the falsification by top management led to the "normalization of fraud," and that the company will work to reform its organizational culture.
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