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July 24, 2026
 

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Koh Yoshida
A Zabka convenience store in Warsaw
BUSINESS
Jul 17, 2026
Seven & I said to be in talks to take stake in Poland¡¯s Zabka
The transaction, if completed, would allow the 7-Eleven operator to accelerate expansion in Europe where growth has lagged behind its main markets in the U.S. and Japan.
Seven & I Holdings is mulling a new share issuance totaling several hundred billion yen to SoftBank and PayPay.
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Jul 13, 2026
7-Eleven owner drops go-it-alone strategy with SoftBank deal
Seven & I Holdings is mulling a new share issuance totaling several hundred billion yen to SoftBank as well as PayPay.
Seven & I Holdings is seeking to recast itself as a focused global convenience-store operator after years of pressure over its sprawling retail portfolio.
BUSINESS
Jul 9, 2026
Seven & I raises profit outlook, bolstering turnaround hopes
Operating profit will be ?425 billion ($2.6 billion) for the year through February 2027, compared with Seven & I Holdings¡¯ prior forecast for ?405 billion.
York Holdings¡¯ 30 supermarket and related retail outlets are fending for themselves at a time when prices are climbing and major supermarket operators pursue cost cuts by seeking scale.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 7, 2026
Seven & I¡¯s former supermarket unit may acquire more under Bain
The 7-Eleven operator sold off the business as it sought to revamp itself and focus on convenience stores following an unsolicited takeover proposal from Alimentation Couche-Tard.
Kenichi Hori, CEO of Mitsui & Co., speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 29, 2026
Mitsui seeks LNG investments as data centers boost power demand
Companies seeking clean energy to power artificial intelligence infrastructure are creating ¡°big additional demand¡± for LNG, Mitsui CEO Kenichi Hori said.
A subsidiary of Itochu will take over the Japan sales operations of U.S. medical equipment maker SunMed Group Holdings, which does business in the country as AirLife.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 20, 2026
Itochu expands healthcare business with takeover of AirLife¡¯s sales
The move comes as Japan¡¯s trading houses cement healthcare as a key pillar of their businesses, placing it alongside traditional mainstays such as oil, gas and metals.
Itochu and other Japanese trading houses are making investments to solve the supply chain bottleneck for official toys, apparel and collectibles of anime and manga in overseas markets.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 15, 2026
Itochu invests in San Francisco venture to chase anime merchandise demand
Following Itochu¡¯s investment, startup Octas will license Japanese characters and work with North American manufacturers and retailers to develop products.
¡°Areas connected to southern China such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam will be potential regions that the company will look into,¡± said Sojitz Chief Financial Officer Makoto Shibuya.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 13, 2026
Japan¡¯s Sojitz eyes Southeast Asia for new rare earths supply
The company will also consider India and other countries if suitable rare earths investment opportunities exist there.
A 7-Eleven store at the Anzac rail station in Melbourne. Australia is a live test of whether the 7-Eleven Japan model ¡ª built around fresh, prepared food and daily services ¡ª can succeed across the world.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 19, 2026
7-Eleven bets on Australian stores to show it can grow globally
Australia is a live test of whether the 7-Eleven Japan model ¡ª built around fresh, prepared food and daily services ¡ª can succeed around the world.
For Aeon, Kusuri no Aoki represents a potential valuable addition to its strategy of consolidating Japan¡¯s fragmented retail market.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 16, 2026
A family fights to keep control of 157-year-old firm in Japan
Kusuri no Aoki, run by two brothers, are fighting for control of the firm with their largest outside shareholders, Aeon and the activist fund Oasis Management.
Tokyo Gas storage tanks in Tokyo. The company decided not to attend the LNG 2026 conference in Doha due to safety concerns.
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 3, 2026
Japanese LNG players skip Qatar conference on security fears
Several Japanese buyers opted not to take part in the LNG 2026 conference, including Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas and Saibu Gas Holdings.
Mitsubishi said in a statement on Friday that the company agreed to buy Aethon Energy Management¡¯s U.S. gas and pipeline assets for $5.2 billion, the biggest purchase by a Japanese company in the American shale sector.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 16, 2026
Mitsubishi to buy Aethon U.S. gas assets in $5.2 billion deal
Japanese energy companies are looking to expand into U.S. oil and gas following renewed support from President Donald Trump¡¯s administration.
A 7-Eleven store in Chicago. Seven & I¡¯s success in making food central to its Japan business should help improve U.S. prospects, Seven & I Holdings CEO Stephen Dacus says.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 22, 2025
Seven & I¡¯s IPO of U.S. arm hinges on faster turnaround, CEO says
The timing of an initial public offering will depend on execution and the market, says Stephen Dacus, who took over as head of the company six months ago.
Recruit Holdings and Indeed.com CEO Hisayuki Idekoba
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 17, 2025
AI-assisted hiring will drive Indeed¡¯s growth, Recruit CEO says
The job-search portal¡¯s head said the business is using AI to help companies optimize their talent-acquisition approach.
Yoshinoya CEO Tetsuya Naruse says the firm's China business is now on track to report a record profit this year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 13, 2025
Yoshinoya predicts record China profit on new recipes
The beef bowl chain redesigned menus, offering items with vegetable toppings and expanding combo sets, to enhance value without sacrificing margins.
Asahi's troubles carry outsized weight given Super Dry¡¯s dominant market share and the cutthroat competition among Japan¡¯s major brewers.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 3, 2025
Asahi blames ransomware for crippling Japanese beer plants
The maker of Japan¡¯s most popular beer warned that the perpetrators may have made off with data, though it¡¯s investigating the extent of the infiltration.
Marubeni Ennex tanks in Chiba Prefecture
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 1, 2025
Marubeni to lift Japan power business with new trading firm
The company¡¯s power retail arm and its U.K.-based energy trading unit SmartestEnergy will each hold a 50% stake in the newly-formed venture.
Itochu is planning to issue between ?30 billion and ?50 billion in local currency debt and is weighing a $500 million bond, said Kenichiro Soma, executive officer and general manager of finance.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 26, 2025
Itochu mulls first dollar note issue in five years to diversify
The push comes as tighter credit spreads and expectations for U.S. rate cuts fuel demand for investment-grade bonds, with premiums over government debt near the lowest since 2007.
Seven & I Holdings says it will open 1,300 new international stores and add 1,000 net new outlets in Japan.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 6, 2025
Seven & I sets expansion targets to win back investor confidence
Stephen Dacus, who took over as chief executive officer earlier this year, is under pressure to deliver on a plan to streamline Seven & I around convenience stores.
While Seven & I shares are higher than they were before Couche-Tard¡¯s interest became public in August 2024, they fell after the proposal was withdrawn this week and are down by more than a fifth this year.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 18, 2025
7-Eleven operator risks becoming buyout target again if turnaround fails
Seven & I Holdings remains a buyout target in the eyes of some investors, who say new suitors may emerge unless the operator of 7-Eleven turns around its business.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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