Electronics

Epic is known for the smash hit "Fortnite" as well as the advanced game engine "Unreal Engine." 
Media & Entertainment

Sony partners with 'Fortnite' producer ahead of PS5 launch

Japanese conglomerate to invest $250 million in US developer Epic Games

10 July 2020
Seoul is trying to expand homegrown supply of high-tech materials as Japan continues to limit exports of chipmaking materials bound for South Korea.
Japan-South Korea rift

A year on, Moon presses ahead with made-in-Korea drive

Seoul expands support for local production of high-tech materials

10 July 2020
Beijing has been encouraging major companies to list at home and for investors to buy.
Markets

Shanghai bourse's 29-month high bolstered by government help

Beijing seeks to dispel fears about capital flight in wake of Hong Kong crackdown

8 July 2020
Heavy rains flooded many parts of the Kyushu island in southern Japan.
8 July 2020
Anti-China activists shout slogans during a protest in Jammu on July 1: the ban will likely lead to economic retaliation and escalation on both sides.
Opinion

India has chosen sides in the US-China tech war

New Delhi ban on Chinese apps after border clash fits into wider conflict

7 July 2020
Founded in 2016, Cambricon is expected to make an initial public offering of shares this month in Shanghai.
China tech

China's top AI chip unicorn to raise $368m in Shanghai debut

Beijing wants Cambricon to become homegrown rival to Intel and Nvidia

7 July 2020
Rising chip prices helped Samsung's quarterly operating profit. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
Companies

Samsung Electronics profits rise as coronavirus spurs chip demand

Remote working and social distancing give short term boost but uncertainty lingers

7 July 2020
Despite being a major player in smartphone production and 5G telecommunications networks, China produces only around 15% of the chips it uses.
China tech

China quadruples fundraising pace for chip self-sufficiency

Sector receives over $20bn in first half as US tech war rages

7 July 2020
Chinese travelers are banned from staying at roughly 3,000 budget hotels in the Indian capital. 
Travel & Leisure

No rooms for Chinese travelers: Indian hotel body issues a ban

3,000 establishments in Delhi told to refuse service as backlash grows

7 July 2020
A successful offering would give SMIC, China's top contract chipmaker, a market capitalization similar to BYD and SAIC Motor -- the country's two biggest automakers. 
China tech

Chipmaker SMIC touts benefits of $6.5bn China share listing plan

Beijing keen on biggest offering on tech STAR Market amid tension with US

6 July 2020
Thanks to founder Morris Chang, TSMC stands head and shoulders above rivals, but that does not mean the chipmaker is resting on its laurels.
Companies

TSMC rebuffs Samsung challenge to chip foundry dominance

Stellar financials keep Taiwan maker in top spot as contract chipmaker

5 July 2020
Panasonic is a major provider of cash registers to the fast-food industry, including McDonald's Japan. 
Companies

Panasonic to exit cash registers in pursuit of higher margins

With new partner Blue Yonder, Japanese company to focus on supply chains

5 July 2020
PlayStation 4 units come off the assembly line at a pace of about one every 30 seconds. (Photo by Kento Awashima)
Companies

PlayStation's secret weapon: a nearly all-automated factory

Robots carry on legacy of craftsmanship at little-known Kisarazu plant

4 July 2020
Sharp acquired Dynabook from Toshiba in 2018. (Photo from Dynabook's Twitter account)
Technology

Sharp looks to move up PC unit Dynabook's listing to 2020: CEO

Business became profitable within months of 2018 acquisition from Toshiba

3 July 2020
Western-style incentive-based remuneration have gained popularity in Japan as companies look to attract global management talent.
Business trends

Japan execs' million-dollar club shrinks for first time in 8 years

Pandemic cuts into results-based pay, but top earners still riding high

3 July 2020
Guangzhou-based Xpeng Motors started late last month deliveries of new electric sedan P7 in China. (Photo courtesy of the company)
Automobiles

China's 'Tesla killer' becomes first to use latest Nvidia AI chip

Xpeng Motors launches EV with Xavier brain that controls self-driving

2 July 2020
Sony's cooling and heating device fits in a pocket along the neck of a custom undershirt. (Photo by Kosuke Shimizu)
Technology

Hot around the collar? Japan has a wearable AC for you

Sony's device fits in the shirt while Fujitsu General features a neck-worn gadget

2 July 2020
An Olympus camera on display in a store in 2009. Some enthusiasts were so taken by how Olympus cameras reproduce blues, they came up with the expression "Olympus blue."
Electronics

Olympus exit foreshadows a Japan camera sector shake-up

Smartphones, overzealous competition and coronavirus undercut proud industry

1 July 2020
Apple is racing to make sure its first-ever 5G smartphones are released with as little delay as possible. (Nikkei Montage/Reuters/Getty Images) 
Technology

Apple races to push ahead with 5G iPhone mass production

US tech titan to make more older handsets to offset coronavirus disruption

1 July 2020
Shimadzu's saliva test can yield results in as little as an hour. (Photo by Kenya Akama)
Coronavirus

Japanese coronavirus test for business travelers costs $370

'Proof of no infection' certificates can be produced quickly for busy people

30 June 2020
Sony's booth at the 2020 CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas: The company wants to go from being primarily an electronics maker to a diversified conglomerate covering financial services, entertainment and more.
Companies

Sony hopes to shed 'conglomerate discount' under new name

CEO Yoshida faces test of sustaining share rally with post-pandemic vision

29 June 2020
A member of the National Students' Union of India takes part in a protest against China in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on June 18.
Economy

China-India border tensions spark trade friction in 5G and autos

Huawei and car plant investment deal caught up in calls for tough measures

29 June 2020
A researcher examines a semiconductor wafer at parent company Tsinghua Unigroup.
China tech

China's top memory chipmaker to unveil first-ever storage products

Yangtze Memory bolsters line up amid US-China decoupling

28 June 2020
Omron's robot can navigate hospitals, schools and other places that need disinfecting. (Photo courtesy of Omron)
Coronavirus

Omron's factory robots report for virus-fighting duty

Spraying disinfectant and projecting UV, machines cleanse hospitals and schools

27 June 2020
Carbon short fiber is often used to reinforce plastic or rubber. (Photo courtesy of Teijin)
Materials

Teijin boosts carbon fiber output in Germany

Medical demand soars as aircraft production nose-dives

27 June 2020