Electronics

A shark swims behind a glass window at the Sydney Aquarium. The animal's skin is being emulated in the design of energy-saving fans for air conditioners.
Technology

Shark skin inspires Sharp and Nikon design for energy-saving A/C

Japan-based partners explore biomimicry for high-performance appliances

21 July 2021
Kazuo Hirai, Sony's former CEO, helped engineer the company's renaissance. (Photo by Kosuke Imamura)
Electronics

Ex-Sony CEO Hirai on how he reinvented an electronics icon

Maverick leader ruffled feathers to propel founders' vision into new era

17 July 2021
Kaohsiung Opto-Electronics produces LCD modules used in automobiles and industrial machinery. (Image courtesy of the company)
Business deals

Troubled Japan Display to sell LCD unit to Taiwan's Wistron

Tokyo panel maker offloads more assets, but partners eye new fields together

9 July 2021
A Kawasaki R-188 subway car on New York City's 7 line. The trains use air conditioning from Mitsubishi Electric. 
Electronics

NYC demands more info on Mitsubishi A/C in 2,600 subway cars

Japanese company has admitted to falsifying inspection data

9 July 2021
Daikin plans to enter the automotive market with its new refrigerant, expecting changes to the supply chain with the shift to electric vehicles. (Source photos by AP and Reuters) 
Technology

Daikin develops refrigerant for EVs it says lifts range by 50%

Move into auto market is first for Japan's top maker of air conditioners

7 July 2021
The new version of the Nintendo Switch features an OLED screen capable of displaying vivid colors.
Media & Entertainment

Nintendo ups its Switch game with big OLED screen

New model comes after a banner year when pandemic fueled play-at-home demand

7 July 2021
A New York commuter train: The city's subway received about 2,200 rail cars from Kawasaki Heavy Industries, a key client for Mitsubishi Electric.
Electronics

Scandal-hit Mitsubishi Electric supplied train equipment for NY, London

Air conditioners that potentially underwent fake inspections delivered to 15 countries

6 July 2021
Takeshi Sugiyama said he was "keenly aware of my responsibility for damaging trust" during a press conference in Tokyo on July 2.  (Photo by Arisa Moriyma)
Companies

Mitsubishi Electric CEO Sugiyama quits over fake inspections

Outgoing chief admits 'systemic wrongdoing' going back decades at industrial group

2 July 2021
Mitsubishi Electric's use of falsified data is only the latest in a series of quality-related scandals for the company. (Photo by Yuta Fukushima)
Electronics

Mitsubishi Electric used fake-data program in years of deception

Lack of consequences perpetuates insular corporate culture

2 July 2021
The recently revealed inspection cheating at Mitsubishi Electric may have gone on for more than three decades.
Electronics

Mitsubishi Electric quality scandals fail to shake up insular culture

Faked data shows isolated divisions have not learned from others' errors

1 July 2021
The problems at Mitsubishi Electric's Nagasaki works included reporting false inspection data to customers for equipment that was never checked.
Electronics

Mitsubishi Electric fakes inspection data on train A/C equipment

Improper checks stretch back for more than 30 years at leading Japanese supplier

30 June 2021
India will be Hitachi's most important source for hiring IT engineers, President Keiji Kojima said. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)
Interview

Hitachi's new president eyes US recovery amid economic stimulus

Kojima says he will spur growth after two large M&As, focus on China for smart cities

29 June 2021
Panasonic generated hefty proceeds from the sale of its Tesla holdings. 
Automobiles

Panasonic unloads entire Tesla stake

Exclusive: Japanese electronics company says relationship "will not change"

25 June 2021
LG forecasts the vehicle components division to turn a profit for the first time in six years in 2021.
Automobiles

LG pivots from phones to cars, taking aim at EV supply chain

South Korean manufacturer draws on appliance R&D for partnership with Canada's Magna

23 June 2021
Nidec is expanding its workforce in China to cash in on the electric car boom there.
Electric cars in China

Nidec revs up EV motor growth with Chinese R&D center

Japanese company to boost workforce to meet China demand

17 June 2021
Toshiba aims to reassemble its board to include more foreigners and new voices, its chairman says. (Photo by Takaki Kashiwabara)
Toshiba in turmoil

Toshiba rushes to reassemble board following probe

Board chair criticizes former CEO for 'role in causing current chaos'

14 June 2021
Investors have been impressed with Daikin's performance during the pandemic, sending its market cap to a record high in mid-January.
Electronics

Daikin weathers COVID storm with new AC unit and global plan

Hot demand for home models and eco-products offset cool corporate sales

12 June 2021
South Korean tech companies LG Display and Samsung have reversed plans to end LCD panel production as the pandemic boosts demand and prices. (Photo courtesy of LG Display)
Technology

Samsung postpones LCD exit to 2022 on pandemic demand

Electronics giant struggles with mass producing next-gen displays

8 June 2021
Sony is now more focused on customer satisfaction rather than on short-term business results.
Comment

Sony forges ahead -- and leaves hard numbers behind

New CEO Yoshida sees 'excitement' as key to company's future

5 June 2021
ChipIntelli provides AI-based speech recognition chips to major consumer electronics manufacturers. (Photo Courtesy of ChipIntelli)
36Kr/KrASIA

Chinese AI speech recognition chip startup secures new war chest

ChipIntelli aims to meet expanding demand amid rapid growth of smart homes

5 June 2021
A Velodyne lidar sensor on an autonomous test vehicle in California, right, and illustrations of Luminar's lidar on a robot taxi, top left (Reuters), and an Aeva sensor that helps self-driving vehicles see the road (Reuters).
Automobiles

Cheaper lidar sensors brighten the future of autonomous cars

Leader Velodyne offers a new product at a fraction of the price of former models

30 May 2021
Containerships at a port in Malaysia. The Southeast Asian nation's exports surged 63% in April.
Trade

Malaysia leads Southeast Asia recovery on digital device demand

Vietnam and Singapore also rebound while Philippines mired in slump

29 May 2021
In addition to planned battery plants in Japan and the U.K., Nissan is also considering building new battery plants. (Source photos by AP and Reuters)
Automobiles

Nissan to build EV battery plants in Japan and UK

Automaker to tie up with Chinese-owned partner to make cells for 700,000 cars a year

28 May 2021
Though its market share in standard models is relatively small, Sony still has a solid position in high-end television sets. (Photo courtesy of Sony)
Electronics

Sony's unmanned Malaysian factory to slash TV production costs

Japanese electronics giant seeks edge with robots to catch up with Samsung and LG

28 May 2021
Yuki Kusumi recently assumed the CEO position at Panasonic. (Source photo by AP) 
Companies

Panasonic bets on its strength in batteries to drive profit

Key Tesla supplier aims to profit from clean energy shift

27 May 2021