Economic news(2025/05/12)
The NY Dow rose by more than $1,000 at one point following the agreement reached in the US-China talks
2025-05-12 22:44:00
On the 12th, the New York Stock Exchange saw a surge in buying orders after the US and China agreed to significantly reduce the additional tariffs imposed on each other as a result of trade talks, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by more than $1,000 compared to last weekend. In the market, concerns that the trade friction between the US and China would cause a slowdown in the global economy have subsided for the time being.
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[Details] US-China trade talks: Both sides agree to reduce additional tariffs by 115%
2025-05-12 21:50:00
The governments of the United States and China announced that they had agreed to reduce the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other by 115% as a result of trade talks held in Switzerland. They also announced that they would suspend some tariffs for 90 days while negotiations continue. This will temporarily ease the unprecedented situation in which two economic superpowers impose tariffs of over 100% on each other.
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Suzuki's FY24 operating profit hits record high, but forecasts 22% decline this year
2025-05-12 21:46:00
Suzuki announced that its financial results for fiscal year 2024 showed a record high in operating profit, which indicates sales and profits from its core business, due to increased sales volume and the effect of a weak yen. However, for this fiscal year, the company forecasts a 22% decrease in operating profit due to the expected appreciation of the yen and the impact of US tariffs.
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Food distribution business practice "one-third rule" may violate antitrust law, says Fair Trade Commission
2025-05-12 21:25:00
The Fair Trade Commission has published the results of a survey on the actual state of food distribution, and in the survey it stated that a unique business practice regarding delivery deadlines known as the "one-third rule" could, in some cases, amount to an "abuse of a dominant bargaining position" under the Antimonopoly Act, and that it will take strict action against any violations.
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Shiseido's third-month operating profit falls by more than 27% as sluggish sales overseas continue to have an impact
2025-05-12 21:15:00
Shiseido, a major cosmetics manufacturer, announced its financial results for the three months from January to March this year, showing that its operating profit, which represents the profit from its core business, was down more than 27% from the same period last year, due to the continuing effects of the economic downturn in China and sluggish sales in the United States.
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[Details] US-China trade talks: Both sides agree to reduce additional tariffs by 115%
2025-05-12 20:51:00
The governments of the United States and China announced that they had agreed to reduce the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other by 115% as a result of trade talks held in Switzerland. They also announced that they would suspend some tariffs for 90 days while negotiations continue. This will temporarily ease the unprecedented situation in which two economic superpowers impose tariffs of over 100% on each other.
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Rice prices fall for the first time in 18 weeks as supermarkets experience increased sales and stock shortages
2025-05-12 19:45:00
The average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide in the week ending on the 4th of this month was 4,214 yen per 5 kg including consumption tax, down 19 yen from the previous week. This is the first decrease in the average price of rice in 18 weeks, since December of last year. Meanwhile, the amount of rice sold at supermarkets has recently continued to exceed last year's figure, suggesting a change in consumer purchasing behavior amid the continuing price hike.
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Kobe Steel warns of US tariffs slowing global economy and investment activity
2025-05-12 19:33:00
Kobe Steel, a major steelmaker, expressed concern at its financial results briefing on the 12th, saying that the impact of US tariffs could lead to a decline in demand for automotive products, which could lead to stagnation of the global economy and a slowdown in investment activity.
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[Details] US-China trade talks: Both sides agree to reduce additional tariffs by 115%
2025-05-12 19:14:00
The governments of the United States and China announced that they had agreed to reduce the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other by 115% as a result of trade talks held in Switzerland. They also announced that they would suspend some tariffs for 90 days while negotiations continue. This will temporarily ease the unprecedented situation in which two economic superpowers impose tariffs of over 100% on each other.
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Rice prices fall for the first time in 18 weeks as supermarkets experience increased sales and stock shortages
2025-05-12 18:42:00
The average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide in the week ending on the 4th of this month was 4,214 yen per 5 kg including consumption tax, down 19 yen from the previous week. This is the first decrease in the average price of rice in 18 weeks, since December of last year. Meanwhile, the amount of rice sold at supermarkets has recently continued to exceed last year's figure, suggesting a change in consumer purchasing behavior amid the continuing price hike.
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Sharp to sell part of Kameyama factory in Mie to Taiwan's Hon Hai
2025-05-12 18:34:00
Sharp, a major electronics manufacturer, has announced that it will sell the second factory, which produces small and medium-sized panels at its Kameyama Factory in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture, which produces liquid crystal panels that have attracted attention as the "global Kameyama model," to its parent company, Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
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Nissan plans to cut more than 10,000 employees, totaling 20,000 cuts
2025-05-12 18:33:00
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., whose business performance continues to deteriorate, has decided to further cut more than 10,000 employees both in Japan and overseas in order to turn its business around. Combined with previous plans, this will bring the total number of employees in the group to 20,000, which is about 15% of the total.
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Expo visitor survey: 80% of respondents are satisfied, but some are dissatisfied with reservations, etc.
2025-05-12 18:32:00
The Osaka Kansai Expo Association, the organizing body for the Osaka Kansai Expo, is conducting a survey of people who visited the site to find out their satisfaction and areas for improvement. While 80% of those who responded by the end of April said they were satisfied, there were also complaints about the inability to reserve pavilions and measures to deal with rain and heat, and the Expo Association is considering how to respond.
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China's April new car sales up 9.8%; new energy vehicle sales booming
2025-05-12 18:19:00
China's new car sales in April, including exports, increased 9.8% compared to the same month last year, due to strong sales of "new energy vehicles" such as electric vehicles (EVs).
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[Details] US-China trade talks: Agreement reached to suspend some additional tariffs for 90 days
2025-05-12 18:18:00
The governments of the United States and China announced that they had agreed to suspend some of the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other for 90 days as a result of trade talks held in Switzerland. US media reports that the 145% additional tariffs currently imposed by the Trump administration on China will be reduced to 30%.
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Rice prices fall for the first time in 18 weeks as supermarkets experience increased sales and stock shortages
2025-05-12 18:14:00
The average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide in the week ending on the 4th of this month was 4,214 yen per 5 kg including consumption tax, down 19 yen from the previous week. This is the first decrease in the average price of rice in 18 weeks, since December of last year. Meanwhile, the amount of rice sold at supermarkets has recently continued to exceed last year's figure, suggesting a change in consumer purchasing behavior amid the continuing price hike.
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Sharp to sell part of Kameyama factory in Mie to Taiwan's Hon Hai
2025-05-12 18:14:00
Sharp, a major electronics manufacturer, has announced that it will sell the second factory, which produces small and medium-sized panels at its Kameyama Factory in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture, which produces liquid crystal panels that have attracted attention as the "global Kameyama model," to its parent company, Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
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Yen falls to 148 yen to the dollar as US-China agreement leads to dollar buying
2025-05-12 18:11:00
On the 12th, the Tokyo foreign exchange market saw an intensification of dollar-buying following the announcement by the US and Chinese governments in trade talks held in Switzerland that they had agreed to suspend some of the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other for 90 days. The yen fell from around 146 yen to the 148 yen range, causing the yen to weaken rapidly against the dollar.
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Nissan plans to cut more than 10,000 employees, totaling 20,000 cuts
2025-05-12 18:04:00
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., whose business performance continues to deteriorate, has decided to further cut more than 10,000 employees both in Japan and overseas in order to turn its business around. Combined with previous plans, this will bring the total number of employees in the group to 20,000, which is about 15% of the total.
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ENEOS's final profit for last fiscal year fell by 21% compared to the previous fiscal year due to the fall in crude oil prices
2025-05-12 17:58:00
ENEOS Holdings, Japan's largest oil refiner, saw its net profit for the year last year fall by more than 21% from the previous year due to the fall in international crude oil prices in the wake of U.S. tariffs, which led to a drop in the value of stockpiled crude oil and other assets.
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Mazda leaves current fiscal year earnings forecast undecided, saying "calculation difficult due to U.S. tariffs, etc."
2025-05-12 17:18:00
Mazda has announced that its earnings forecast for this fiscal year is "undecided," citing the difficulty of making a reasonable calculation due to the US tariff measures. Meanwhile, Mazda President Masahiro Moro indicated that the company plans to maintain domestic production at 700,000 units in order to protect local jobs, even if the tariff measures are impacted.
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Rice price falls for the first time in 18 weeks to 4,214 yen per 5 kg, average supermarket price
2025-05-12 17:13:00
The average price of rice sold at supermarkets nationwide in the week ending on the 4th of this month was 4,214 yen per 5 kg including tax, down 19 yen from the previous week. This is the first decrease in the average price in 18 weeks, as the government's stockpiled rice has been gradually distributed since late March this year.
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US-China trade talks: Agreement reached to suspend some additional tariffs for 90 days
2025-05-12 17:05:00
The governments of the United States and China announced that they had agreed to suspend some of the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other for 90 days as a result of trade talks held in Switzerland. US media reports that the 145% additional tariffs currently imposed by the Trump administration on China will be reduced to 30%.
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Yen falls to mid-147 yen range against the dollar as US-China agreement is reached
2025-05-12 16:51:00
Following the announcement by the governments of the United States and China in trade talks held in Switzerland that they had agreed to suspend some of the additional tariffs currently imposed on each other for 90 days, there was an intensified buying trend in the Tokyo foreign exchange market, and the yen, which had been trading at around 146 yen to the dollar, suddenly fell to the mid-147 yen range, with the yen weakening and the dollar strengthening rapidly.
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April Economic Watchers Survey: Current and Future Indicators Both Decline
2025-05-12 16:43:00
Last month's Economic Watchers Survey, which asks working people about their impressions of the economy, showed that both indices showing the current state and outlook for the economy fell from the previous month due to concerns about rising prices and the impact of U.S. tariff policy.
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Number of recommendations for violation of Subcontract Act: 21 cases last year, the highest since the Heisei era
2025-05-12 16:22:00
Amid a continuing rise in labor costs and raw material costs, the number of cases in which the Fair Trade Commission instructed companies on suspected violations of the Subcontract Act, such as for making unreasonable demands on subcontractors, exceeded 8,000 for the third consecutive fiscal year last year, and the number of cases in which it issued recommendations came to 21, the highest since the Heisei era.
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More than 800 corporate bankruptcies in April, the highest number in 11 years: "Vigilance against tariff measures required in the future"
2025-05-12 16:20:00
Last month, the number of companies that went bankrupt nationwide exceeded 800 for the first time in 11 years in April. Research companies say that rising prices and labor shortages are behind the increase, and that caution is needed in the future regarding the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the United States.
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Stock prices rise slightly on hopes of easing US-China trade tensions
2025-05-12 16:18:00
On the Tokyo stock market on the 12th, the start of the week, the Nikkei average rose slightly as investors grew hopeful that trade friction between the United States and China would ease following the trade talks held in Switzerland.
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Sharp to sell part of Kameyama factory in Mie to Taiwan's Hon Hai
2025-05-12 16:09:00
Sharp, a major electronics manufacturer that is transforming its business structure by selling assets, has announced that it will sell the second Kameyama Factory in Kameyama City, Mie Prefecture, which produces liquid crystal panels and once attracted attention as the "global Kameyama model," to its parent company, Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., by August 2026.
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[Live] US side holds press conference on details of US-China trade talks
2025-05-12 16:07:00
Trade talks between the US and China over tariffs and other measures that were taking place in Switzerland concluded on the 11th, with the Chinese side announcing that they had agreed to establish a new framework for economic and trade consultations between the two countries. After the talks concluded, US Treasury Secretary Bessent told reporters that "significant progress has been made," and indicated his intention to reveal details on the 12th, which he will hold a press conference on the afternoon of the 12th, Japan time. In the second half of this article, we will go into more detail about the impact of the tariff exchange on the US and Chinese economies.
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Mazda leaves current fiscal year earnings forecast undecided, saying "calculation difficult due to U.S. tariffs, etc."
2025-05-12 14:35:00
Mazda has announced that it will not determine its group-wide business outlook for the current fiscal year. The company said that due to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in the United States and other factors, it is difficult to make a reasonable forecast at this time, and that it will announce the forecast as soon as it becomes possible to make a reasonable forecast.
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Stock prices move slightly as US plans to cut drug prices lead to sell orders from pharmaceutical companies
2025-05-12 12:07:00
On the Tokyo stock market on the 12th, the start of the week, there was hope that trade friction between the US and China might ease. However, US President Trump's announcement on social media of his intention to lower drug prices led to widespread sell orders at Japanese pharmaceutical companies, and the Nikkei average stock price fluctuated only slightly.
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US-China trade talks end: China agrees to establish new framework for economic and trade talks
2025-05-12 11:57:00
Trade talks between the United States and China over tariffs and other measures that were being held in Switzerland ended on the 11th, with the Chinese side announcing that they had agreed to establish a new framework for economic and trade consultations between the two countries. Details of the results of these talks are expected to be announced on the afternoon of the 12th (Japan time), and the focus is on whether an agreement was reached that will lead to the easing of trade frictions.
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Japan's current account balance to hit record high of 30.3771 trillion yen in surplus in fiscal 2024
2025-05-12 11:13:00
Japan's current account balance for the last fiscal year was a surplus of over 30 trillion yen, the largest ever. The weak yen has boosted the profits of overseas subsidiaries, boosting the surplus.
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Major restaurant chains use "spot workers" to secure human resources
2025-05-12 07:47:00
As labor shortages become an issue, major restaurant chains are increasingly using "spot workers" who work in their spare time to secure human resources.
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Major mobile phone companies develop direct satellite communication technology in preparation for large-scale disasters
2025-05-12 07:42:00
In addition to providing communications in mountainous areas and at sea, which have previously been outside the range of mobile phone signals, major mobile phone companies are accelerating the development of technology to enable direct communication between satellite networks and smartphones in preparation for large-scale disasters.
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Power generation companies are increasingly looking to increase LNG-fired power generation capacity
2025-05-12 06:51:00
As demand for electricity is expected to increase in data centers and other areas in the future, there is a growing trend among power generation companies to increase the generating capacity of thermal power plants that use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, which emits less carbon dioxide than coal and other fuels.
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Major mobile phone companies develop direct satellite communication technology in preparation for large-scale disasters
2025-05-12 04:08:00
In addition to providing communications in mountainous areas and at sea, which have previously been outside the range of mobile phone signals, major mobile phone companies are accelerating the development of technology to enable direct communication between satellite networks and smartphones in preparation for large-scale disasters.
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Major life insurance companies' yen forecasts: ups and downs in range of 20 to 40 yen
2025-05-12 04:02:00
Major life insurance companies have compiled forecasts for the yen exchange rate for this fiscal year as a premise for their fund management, and many of them have a wider range of fluctuation than their initial forecasts for last fiscal year, ranging from 20 to 40 yen. This suggests that the future of the market is becoming more difficult to predict due to the tariff measures imposed by the Trump administration in the United States.
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There is a view that the real GDP growth rate from January to March this year will turn negative
2025-05-12 03:58:00
Regarding the gross domestic product (GDP) for the period from January to March of this year, which will be announced on the 16th of this month, many private forecasts suggest that the real growth rate will turn negative, due to lackluster personal consumption and weak external demand.
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