Economic news(2025/03/28)
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and Aioi considering merger, if successful, will become the top non-life insurance company
2025-03-28 20:08:00
It has become clear that major non-life insurance companies Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., Ltd. are considering merging in April 2027. If the merger goes ahead, they will become the industry leader, and with the business environment becoming increasingly tough due to population decline and other factors, the merger aims to accelerate efficiency and strengthen profitability.
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Stockpiled rice now on sale at some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area
2025-03-28 19:31:00
Some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area have begun selling stockpiled rice released by the government. Larger supermarkets are also preparing to sell the rice, and attention is focused on how this will affect the price of rice in stores.
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Fuji TV third-party committee to submit report on 31st to investigate series of issues
2025-03-28 19:25:00
Regarding the series of issues surrounding Nakai Masahiro's troubles with women, Fuji Television and its parent company Fuji Media Holdings have announced that the third-party committee investigating the matter will submit its report on the 31st of this month.
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The yen has risen slightly, and the US long-term interest rate has fallen, leading to dollar selling.
2025-03-28 18:48:00
On the 28th, the Tokyo foreign exchange market saw the yen rise slightly as a result of a sell-off in the dollar following a fall in US long-term interest rates amid concerns that the Trump administration's tariff policies would slow the US economy.
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Toilet paper, beer and electricity prices to rise - how much?
2025-03-28 18:45:00
Starting next month, prices of daily necessities such as toilet paper, beer and chuhai from major beer makers, and electricity rates will rise. Here is a summary of why and how much the prices will rise.
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Stockpiled rice now on sale at some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area
2025-03-28 18:11:00
Some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area have begun selling stockpiled rice released by the government. Larger supermarkets are also preparing to sell the rice, and attention is focused on how this will affect the price of rice in stores.
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Japan Post President Masuda to retire in June, succeeded by Japan Post Managing Director Negishi
2025-03-28 18:00:00
Japan Post Holdings announced that President Hiroya Masuda will step down in June this year and that Japan Post Managing Director Kazuyuki Negishi will take over as his successor. The group has been hit by a series of scandals, including the fraudulent creation of customer information lists, and the question of how to restructure governance will come into question.
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Rising interest rates on super-long-term government bonds: a response to fiscal policy? [Economics column]
2025-03-28 17:38:00
Market participants have begun to say that "the interest rate alert function for finances may have been revived." Since the beginning of March, the bond market has seen a noticeable rise in interest rates on "ultra-long-term government bonds" with long maturities. What is happening and what is the background to this? (Economics Department Reporter Sato Takahiro)
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Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's shareholders meeting approves proposal to appoint 10 new directors to overhaul management structure
2025-03-28 17:33:00
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's general shareholders meeting was held in Osaka. In response to a series of problems surrounding supplements containing red yeast rice ingredients, the company proposed to revamp its management structure by appointing 10 directors. Although a Hong Kong investment fund, a major shareholder, was partially opposed, the proposal was passed by a majority.
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Stockpiled rice now on sale at some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area
2025-03-28 17:15:00
Some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area have begun selling stockpiled rice released by the government. Larger supermarkets are also preparing to sell the rice, and attention is focused on how this will affect the price of rice in stores.
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Japan Post President Masuda to retire in June, succeeded by Japan Post Managing Director Negishi
2025-03-28 16:54:00
Japan Post Holdings announced that President Hiroya Masuda will step down in June this year, and that Japan Post Managing Director Kazuyuki Negishi will succeed him. Masuda has served as president since January 2020, following the resignation of the previous president over the inappropriate sales of insurance at Japan Post Insurance. Japan Post also announced that President Tetsuya Senda will step down in June, and that he will be replaced by Managing Director Shinya Koike.
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Yoshimoto Kogyo holds compliance training seminar on online casino issue
2025-03-28 16:48:00
On the 28th, Yoshimoto Kogyo held a compliance training session for its talents in response to an investigation into the issue of several of its talents being suspected of being involved in online casinos.
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Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and Aioi considering merger, if successful, will become the top non-life insurance company
2025-03-28 16:29:00
It has become clear that major non-life insurance companies Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co., Ltd. and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Co., Ltd. are considering merging in April 2027. If the merger goes ahead, they will become the industry leader, and with the business environment becoming increasingly tough due to population decline and other factors, the merger aims to accelerate efficiency and strengthen profitability.
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Stock prices temporarily fall by more than 900 yen. Concerns over additional US tariffs grow, causing almost all stock prices to fall.
2025-03-28 16:24:00
On the 28th, the Tokyo stock market saw almost across the board declines in the afternoon as concerns spread that Japanese companies would suffer a major blow in the future due to the additional tariffs on automobiles and other items announced by US President Trump, with the Nikkei average at one point falling by more than 900 yen.
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Automakers' February U.S. sales "solid" amid concerns over additional tariffs
2025-03-28 16:22:00
Three out of six major Japanese automakers' sales in the U.S. in February exceeded the same month last year, and many manufacturers believe that demand is solid. However, there are concerns about the impact on sales and production after President Trump announced that he will impose an additional 25% tariff on imported cars from April.
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Stockpiled rice now on sale at some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area
2025-03-28 16:14:00
Some supermarkets in the Tokyo metropolitan area have begun selling stockpiled rice released by the government. Larger supermarkets are also preparing to sell the rice, and attention is focused on how this will affect the price of rice in stores.
TOP
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's shareholders meeting approves proposal to appoint 10 new directors to overhaul management structure
2025-03-28 15:41:00
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's general shareholders meeting was held in Osaka. In response to a series of problems surrounding supplements containing red yeast rice ingredients, the company proposed to revamp its management structure by appointing 10 directors. Although a Hong Kong investment fund, a major shareholder, was partially opposed, the proposal was passed by a majority.
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Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance and Aioi considering merger, if successful, will become the top non-life insurance company
2025-03-28 14:14:00
It has been revealed that Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, the third-largest non-life insurance company in Japan, and Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance, the fourth-largest, are considering merging in April of next year (2027). Both companies are under the same holding company, but the merger is expected to expand their scale and strengthen their management base amid a shrinking domestic insurance market due to population decline. If the merger goes through, they will overtake Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance to become the top non-life insurance company in terms of income premiums, which corresponds to sales.
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Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's shareholders meeting approves proposal to appoint 10 new directors to overhaul management structure
2025-03-28 14:04:00
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's general shareholders meeting was held in Osaka. In response to a series of problems surrounding supplements containing red yeast rice ingredients, the company proposed to revamp its management structure by appointing 10 directors. Although a Hong Kong investment fund, a major shareholder, was partially opposed, the proposal was passed by a majority.
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Canadian Prime Minister emphasizes "retaliatory measures" as US announces 25% auto tariffs
2025-03-28 14:00:00
Following US President Trump's announcement that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported automobiles and other products, Canadian Prime Minister Carney held a press conference on the 27th and emphasized his intention to take retaliatory measures. If the Trump administration imposes tariffs, it is expected that trade friction will intensify and the impact on the global economy will be significant.
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Stock prices temporarily fall by more than 900 yen as concerns grow over additional tariffs
2025-03-28 13:41:00
The Tokyo Stock Exchange on the 28th was almost entirely down in afternoon trading, with the Nikkei Stock Average dropping even further, dropping by more than 900 yen at one point. There is growing concern in the market that Japanese companies will be hit hard by the additional tariffs on automobiles and other items announced by US President Trump, and sell orders are spreading, especially for automobile-related stocks.
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February cabbage imports 42 times higher than same month last year due to soaring prices of domestically produced cabbage
2025-03-28 13:01:00
The amount of cabbage imported into Japan in February was over 14,000 tons, 42 times higher than the same month last year. The amount of imported cabbage remains high while domestic cabbage prices remain high.
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Agriculture Minister Eto: "3,000 yen is a good price for stockpiled rice" - Hopes for price stability
2025-03-28 12:18:00
At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 28th, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Eto said of the retail price of the government's stockpiled rice released onto the market, "3,000 yen seems reasonable," and expressed hope that the availability of stockpiled rice will help stabilize rice prices, which have remained high.
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Stock prices plummet amid fears of additional auto tariffs by President Trump
2025-03-28 12:05:00
On the 28th, the Tokyo stock market saw an almost across-the-board decline in share prices as concerns grew that Japanese companies would suffer a major blow in the future due to the additional tariffs on automobiles and other items announced by U.S. President Trump.
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Bank of Japan's March Monetary Policy Meeting: Opinions include "actively considering raising interest rates"
2025-03-28 11:14:00
On the 28th, the Bank of Japan released the main opinions expressed at its March Monetary Policy Meeting, where it decided to keep the policy interest rate unchanged. While some expressed concerns about the impact of the tariff policy of the Trump administration in the United States, others said that interest rates should be actively considered for an interest rate hike, saying, "Uncertainty does not mean that monetary easing should continue."
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Canadian Prime Minister emphasizes "retaliatory measures" as US announces 25% auto tariffs
2025-03-28 10:56:00
Following US President Trump's announcement that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported automobiles and other products, Canadian Prime Minister Carney held a press conference on the 27th and emphasized his intention to take retaliatory measures. If the Trump administration imposes tariffs, it is expected that trade friction will intensify and the impact on the global economy will be significant.
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Tokyo's 23 wards' consumer price index in March increased 2.4% compared to the same month last year, with rice prices rising
2025-03-28 10:49:00
The March Consumer Price Index for Tokyo's 23 wards was a preliminary figure that excluded fresh food, which is subject to large fluctuations due to weather, and was up 2.4% from the same month last year. In particular, the price of rice, which has been rising sharply in price, increased by more than 89%, a further 12 percentage points from February and a new record high.
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Stock prices fall by more than 800 yen due to concerns over President Trump's additional auto tariffs
2025-03-28 10:40:00
On the 28th, the Nikkei average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell by more than 800 yen. With US President Trump announcing that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported cars and other products, there are concerns about the impact on the performance of Japanese companies, and sell orders are spreading, especially for auto-related stocks.
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Stock prices fall by more than 700 yen amid fears of additional auto tariffs by President Trump
2025-03-28 10:15:00
On the 28th, the Nikkei average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell by more than 700 yen. With US President Trump announcing that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported cars and other products, there are concerns about the impact on the performance of Japanese companies, and sell orders are spreading, especially for auto-related stocks.
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Tokyo's 23 wards consumer price index in March increased 2.4% from the same month last year
2025-03-28 08:55:00
The consumer price index for Tokyo's 23 wards in March, excluding fresh food, which is subject to large fluctuations due to weather, was 2.4% higher than the same month last year in a preliminary report. The increase rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than last month's 2.2%, marking the fifth consecutive month of a 2% increase.
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New York market: US automakers' stock prices also fall as additional tariffs on cars and other products are announced
2025-03-28 06:37:00
On the 27th, stock prices on the New York Stock Exchange fell as concerns spread that the performance of major American automakers would be adversely affected following President Trump's announcement of additional tariffs on automobiles and other items.
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Government begins review of efficient data center development to meet growing demand
2025-03-28 06:27:00
Demand for data centers is increasing due to the spread of generative AI, and the government has begun considering ways to efficiently develop data centers, including electricity and communications infrastructure.
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Major financial institutions also focus on raising wages for younger employees
2025-03-28 06:17:00
As competition for talent intensifies, major financial institutions are not only raising starting salaries, but are also focusing on raising the wages of young employees who have already joined the company.
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Canadian Prime Minister emphasizes "retaliatory measures" as US announces 25% auto tariffs
2025-03-28 05:45:00
Following US President Trump's announcement that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported automobiles and other products, Canadian Prime Minister Carney held a press conference on the 27th and emphasized his intention to take retaliatory measures. If the Trump administration imposes tariffs, it is expected that trade friction will intensify and the impact on the global economy will be significant.
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Fuji Media Holdings third-party committee to report as early as the 31st, focus on company measures
2025-03-28 05:13:00
In response to the series of problems, Fuji Television and its parent company, Fuji Media Holdings, announced on the 27th that they would be significantly reviewing their management structure in an effort to quickly restore trust. Meanwhile, the third-party committee investigating the problems is expected to report its findings on the 31st of this month, and the question now is whether the company can come up with effective measures based on the report.
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Government to persistently lobby for exemption from 25% US auto tariffs
2025-03-28 05:03:00
Following U.S. President Trump's official announcement that he would impose an additional 25% tariff on imported cars and other items, the government will persistently lobby to have Japan excluded from the tariffs, while also closely examining the impact on the automobile industry and taking all necessary measures, such as providing financial support to parts manufacturers.
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