Electronics

Foxconn is shifting into electric vehicles after years of reliance on iPhone assembly. 
Supply Chain

Foxconn to invest $250m in Vietnam to produce EV parts

Apple supplier plans 2 new factories to cut reliance on iPhones

4 July 2023
Panasonic will use freed up capacity in its Guangzhou plant to produce Xiaomi brand air conditioners. (Photo by Hiromasa Matsuura)
Electronics

Panasonic teams with Xiaomi on air conditioners for Chinese market

Partners will also target development of new technology for home units

30 June 2023
Samsung Electronics has its eyes on global foundry chip leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
Semiconductors

Samsung to apply advanced 2-nm semiconductors to mobile in 2025

South Korean chipmaker keen to overtake TSMC in foundry market in 5 years

28 June 2023
LG Innotek is one of the world leaders in camera modules for smartphones. (Photo courtesy of LG Innotek)
Companies

LG Innotek to raise Vietnam phone camera output with $1bn investment

Move by Apple supplier will double production capacity

27 June 2023
Panasonic plans to invest  $70 million at its Kusatsu Plant in Shiga prefecture, in western Japan, to expand its air conditioner production capacity. (Photo by Koki Izumi)
Electronics

Panasonic moving some air conditioner output from China to Japan

Japanese electronics giant to spend $70m to raise domestic production

23 June 2023
Micron's planned facility will reportedly transform wafers into ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit packages, memory modules and solid-state drives.
Electronics

Micron to invest $825m for building chip assembly plant in India

U.S. semiconductor maker gets Indian subsidies toward two-phase, $2.75bn project

22 June 2023
Stark Corp. has called default on two bond payments worth 2.24 billion baht ($65 million) and will likely miss three more valued at 6.96 billion baht. (Source photos by screenshot from Stark Corporation's website)
Markets

Thai wire maker faces German arbitration, potential bond default

Stark Corp. shares plunge 98% after audit finds 'irregularities'

20 June 2023
Dyson moved its headquarters last year from the U.K. to Singapore, located in a former power plant. (Photo by Mayuko Tani)
Electronics

Dyson powers innovation push with next-gen battery plant in Singapore

Appliance maker taps tech from canceled EV project in search for breakthrough hit

16 June 2023
Nidec Chairman and CEO Shigenobu Nagamori is due to step down in April 2024. (Photo by Koji Uema)
Companies

Nidec succession race heats up with five presidential hopefuls

Winner will be tasked with restoring growth under founder's watchful eye

9 June 2023
Apple CEO Tim Cook poses next to the new Vision Pro headsets at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California, on June 5.
Supply Chain

Apple Vision Pro raises hopes at Sony, other Japan suppliers

Parts makers stand to benefit -- if the pricey headset catches on

7 June 2023
A Panasonic battery cell destined for EV battery packs. The Japanese company is expanding battery production at its Nevada facility, which it operates with Tesla.
Automobiles

Panasonic to boost EV battery output at Tesla's Gigafactory Nevada

Japanese maker adds new production line as EV giant faces shortage

6 June 2023
Apple calls the newly released Vision Pro "the most powerful personal electronic device ever." (Photo courtesy of Apple) 
Technology

Apple unveils mixed-reality Vision Pro headset priced at $3,499

Device said to be the iPhone for VR won't be available in Asia until 2024

6 June 2023
Nidec will not ask shareholders to return the excess dividends that were paid in error. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Companies

Nidec launches probe into excess dividends but won't claw them back

Japanese motor maker discloses share repurchase amount was also over limit

3 June 2023
Daikin is boosting production capacity for energy-efficient heating and air conditioning.
Companies

Daikin plans $5.7bn in capex over 3 years, targeting India and Europe

Indian demand for air conditioning is growing the most in the world, CEO says

1 June 2023
New quantum dot materials developed by Canon can emit vivid colors of light. (Courtesy of Canon)
Electronics

Canon develops quantum dot OLED materials without rare metals

Japan company's new material can reduce reliance on Chinese indium

26 May 2023
A Daikin plant in India. The company is building another facility there to manufacture low-cost inverter air conditioners. (Photo courtesy of Daikin)
Companies

Daikin to make big Asia push on energy-saving air conditioners

Japanese company aims to lower cost of inverter-equipped units

24 May 2023
Ricoh President and CEO Akira Oyama, right, and Toshiba Tec counterpart Hironobu Nishikori shake hands in Tokyo on May 19. (Photo by Mayumi Tsumita)
Business deals

Ricoh-Toshiba deal driven by pandemic-era telecommuting and more

China's technology transfer rules another possible reason to merge printer operations

20 May 2023
The deal would let Ricoh and Toshiba overtake Canon as the leader in the multifunction printer market. (Photo courtesy of Ricoh)
Business deals

Ricoh and Toshiba to combine office printer, copier production

Deal to create top player amid market decline accelerated by remote work

19 May 2023
Chinese electronics maker Anker opened a store in Tokyo's trendy Omotesando district in March. (Photo by Miu Koyama)
Electronics

Chinese charger maker Anker pursues Xiaomi-like diversification

With nearly all its sales overseas, company makes forays from vacuums to headphones

16 May 2023
Workers install an electric-vehicle battery at a Mitsubishi Motors factory in Kurashiki, Japan.
Business trends

EVs replace smartphones as earnings driver for Japan parts makers

Net profit at Kyocera, TDK, other big players set to rise for first time in two years

16 May 2023
Toshiba's board in March stopped short of recommending shareholders accept the buyout proposal by a Japan Industrial Partners-led consortium. (Photo by Tsuyoshi Tamehiro)
Toshiba in turmoil

Toshiba says shareholders positive about JIP buyout proposal

Japanese consortium is set to make a tender offer by end of July

12 May 2023
The Smile Zemi home learning platform from JustSystems delivers lessons on a proprietary tablet. (Photo courtesy of JustSystems)
Education

Japan's Smile Zemi home learning tablets to make U.S. debut

JustSystems says devices raised test scores in elementary school trials

12 May 2023
"It's not that Foxconn 'lost interest' in Sharp," one analyst says. "It's more that current Foxconn leadership, with its focus on EVs and semiconductors, never had any. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Electronics

Dwindling Sharp earnings cast doubt on parent Foxconn's interest

Japan electronics maker rescued by Terry Gou records 1st net loss in 6 years

11 May 2023
BYD will manufacture EVs in Vietnam for domestic drivers and for export in Southeast Asia as the Chinese maker challenges U.S. rival Tesla for global dominance. 
Automobiles

China's BYD expands beyond iPads, to produce EVs in Vietnam

Tesla challenger is among dozens of Apple suppliers in the country

8 May 2023
Nikon's talent search includes data scientists and M&A specialists. (Photo by Konosuke Urata)
Work

Nikon removes pay cap for top hires in scramble for talent

Japanese manufacturer makes further break with seniority-based salary

6 May 2023