Tootfinder

Trotz DMA-artigem Gesetz: Epic bietet „Fortnite“ weiter nicht in Japan an
Apple setzt in Japan die Öffnung seiner iOS-Plattform und seines App Store um. Epic-Boss Tim Sweeney reicht das aber noch nicht: "Fortnite" bleibt draußen.

A look at Japan's Team Mirai, a party founded by software engineers that won 11 of 465 parliament seats by promising self-driving buses and high-tech jobs (New York Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/22/world/asia/japan-ai-politics-election.html…

Jetzt wo ein neuer Streik im öffentlichen Nahverkehr angekündigt wurde, hört man wieder vermehrt die Forderung, dass die Mitarbeitenden der Verkehrsbetriebe doch lieber wie in Japan streiken sollten, also die Leute einfach kostenlos fahren lassen?
Turns out: "Streiken wie in Japan" bezieht sich auf ein singuläres Ereignis, was am Ende auch eher ein PR-Gag der "bestreikten" Firma war.

In #Japan hat das Goto-Konsortium unter Führung von Toda den kommerziellen Betrieb des ersten schwimmenden #OffshoreWindparks des Landes aufgenommen.
Die 16,8 MW starke Anlage vor #Nagasaki

"#Japan mit der #Bahn erleben. Ausgefallene Routen, extravagante Züge, Kulinarisches und ein Schuss Geographie“: Aufzeichnung eines Vortrags von Matthias Reich aka Tabibito vom http:…

@… The Prime Minister has the power to dissolve the House of Representatives in Japan, and in most cases a general election (for all seats) is held before the end of the term. This is the largest and most important election in …

Google invests an undisclosed sum in Sakana AI, valued at $2.6B in November 2025, to boost Gemini's presence in Japan; Sakana AI gains access to Google's LLMs (Min-Jeong Lee/Bloomberg)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/20

plant_pol_kato: Kato plant-pollinator web
A bipartite network of plants and pollinators from Kyoto University Forest of Ashu, Japan, from 1984 to 1987. Edge weights represent frequency of interactions.
This network has 772 nodes and 1206 edges.
Tags: Biological, Food web, Weighted
https://networks.skewed.d…

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSbtXuCCe9Y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Japan Daily on Instagram: "Marty Friedman, an American musician based in Japan, visited a junior high school in Chiba at an event organized by local police to promote coexistence with foreigners. Speaking to first-year students, he said that 99.9% of foreigners who come to Japan are not dangerous and are often eager to communicate with Japanese people. He encouraged students to learn foreign languages and approach others without fear. Friedman also shared a personal story about forgetting his wallet in Japan, highlighting the country’s honesty. The event aimed to help young people understand cultural differences as foreign visitors and workers increase. Learning with empathy can reduce tension and improve everyday interactions. Source:TOKYO NP"
2,062 likes, 113 comments - japandaily_jp on December 18, 2025: "Marty Friedman, an American musician based in Japan, visited a junior high school in Chiba at an event organized by local police to promote coexistence with foreigners. Speaking to first-year students, he said that 99.9% of foreigners who come to Japan are not dangerous and are often eager to communicate with Japanese people. He encouraged students to learn foreign languages and approach others without fear. Friedman also shar…

Japan testet Abbau Seltener Erden aus der Tiefsee
Japan will seine Abhängigkeit von chinesischen Seltenen Erden verringern und sucht nach einer Möglichkeit, sie im eigenen Land zu fördern.
https://www.

They Did Deals With Trump to Get Lower Tariffs. Now They Are Stuck. - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/22/business/trump-tariffs-japan-indonesia.html

"Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach"
#Plastic #Plastics #Microplastics

Scientists trace microplastics in fertilizer from fields to the beach
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how polymer-coated fertilizer (PCF) applied to fields ends up on beaches and in the sea. They studied PCF deposits on beaches around Japan, finding that only 0.2% of used PCFs are washed into rivers and returned to the coastline. When there are canals connecting fields to the sea, this rises to 28%.

An idol has left her group in order to contest a seat in the upcoming Japanese parliamentary elections. Nana Matsuura suddenly left "dela" and her agency on January 21, and the following day announced her candidacy for the Aichi Prefecture 9th District seat in the House of Representatives, representing the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin). Her profile describes her as a graduate of Nanzan University's Faculty of Law, and a former IT company employee. She says "I'm 25-years-old, a member of the…

MPA: Japan's premium VOD sector hit a revenue of $7.2B in 2025, up 15% YoY; Netflix leads with 22% of revenue; Prime Video has the most subscribers at 19.3M (Naman Ramachandran/Variety)
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/japan-streaming-market-7-billion-123666…

Japan's Streaming Market Hits $7.2 Billion, Report Finds
Japan's premium video-on-demand sector achieved $7.2 billion in total revenue during 2025, marking a 15% year-over-year increase, a new report found.

Back in 2018, I took the Maglev between Longyang Road and Pudong Airport. The route was so short that the train was only able to get to it's top speed for something like a minute before it had to start slowing down again. The new Chuo Shinkansen is supposed to go from Tokyo to Osaka and be faster than the Shanghai Maglev. I think that's really cool.
#Trains #Maglev #Japan

So just the other day I found out a vaccine targeting feline kidney disease has entered into trials in Japan last year.
Supposedly, this could enable cats to easily live into their mid to late 20s, which…is kinda amazing, if true.
Here’s a kind of pop-level article about it:
https:/…

Promising New Feline Kidney Disease Treatment Enters Trials in Japan - Catster
An exciting new treatment for feline kidney disease has entered clinical trials. Here's how it works and what we can expect...

I wish more countries followed their lead.
@… https://channels.im/@alojapan/115759185890874911

Alo Japan (@alojapan@channels.im)
Attached: 1 image https://www.alojapan.com/1431434/japanese-lawmakers-support-continued-ban-on-sports-betting/ Japanese Lawmakers Support Continued Ban on Sports Betting #Japan #JapanNews #Japanese #JapaneseNews #news The Yomiuri ShimbunFormer Prime Minister Taro Aso, center, delivers his address about sports betting at a meeting in the Diet Building in Tokyo on Tuesday. By Keita Kudo / Yomiuri Shimbun Sports Writer 2:00 JST, December 22, 2025 A suprapartisan group of Diet members focuse…

A return to nuclear power is at the heart of Japan’s energy policy
-- but, in the wake of the 2011 disaster,
residents’ fears about tsunamis, earthquakes and evacuation plans remain
Activity around the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant is reaching its peak:
workers remove earth to expand the width of a main road,
while lorries arrive at its heavily guarded entrance.
When all seven of its reactors are working, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa generates 8.2 gigawatt…

aus der reihe "spezielle spezialprobleme in den sprachen der welt" heute: "Verwirrende Wegbeschreibungen im Japanischen": https://japan-almanach.de/blog/verwirrende-wegbeschreibungen-im-japanischen/ 🤪

iPhone-Regulierung: Warum Apple mit Japan besser klarkommt als mit Europa
In Japan tritt am 18. Dezember ein Gesetz in Kraft, das dem Digital Markets Act (DMA) in Europa stark ähnelt. Trotzdem ist Apple entspannt. Woran liegt das?

The topic has also highlighted the rise of “fictosexuality” and fan culture in Japan, where many young people form strong emotional connections with fictional characters.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht Rising has been postponed from its previously scheduled February 2026 release in Japan due to production circumstances.
Official Website: https://madoka-magica.com/wr/news/?id=69611

New backdoor found in Android tablets targeting users in Russia, Germany and Japan https://therecord.media/new-backdoor-found-in-android-russia-japan-brazil

"Shabake" erzählt eine Fantasy-Kriminalgeschichte im Japan der Edo-Zeit. Ein junger, kränklicher Erbe eines Handelshauses wird von Geisterwesen beschützt - und klärt mit deren Hilfe auch eine Verbrechensserie auf, in die er verwickelt wird.
Atmosphärisch und in einem ausgewogenen Tempo erzählt wird man in die authentisch (wenn auch mit Übernatürlichem) vermittelte Epoche mitgenommen. Vielleicht nicht eine der besten Serien der letzten Saison, aber sehenswert, wenn einen diese …

Ukraine eyes defense partnership with Japan, Zelensky says: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/20/ukraine-eyes-defense-partnership-with.html

Welcome to Computing's weekly roundup of tech news in Asia. This time we look at Japan’s oddly retro (to Western eyes) websites, China’s reverse engineering of top-spec chipmaking equipment and North Korea’s ill-gotten crypto hoard.
https://www.computing.co.uk/news/2025/japa

Japan’s ‘weird’ websites - Asian Tech Roundup
Welcome to Computing's weekly roundup of tech news in Asia. This time we look at Japan’s oddly retro (to Western eyes) websites, China’s reverse engineering ...

🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBCRadio3:
#SundayFeature
- Samurai culture
Japan experts Rosina Buckland and Oleg Benesch have included Kabuki Theatre, drums and horns in a show about the influential Japanese warrior class. Chris Harding presents.
Relisten now 👇
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002rhr9

Memories of Japan. Man, I miss that country.
▶️ How This Old Man Runs the Last Soba Shop in a Ghost Town
#japan

Apple unveils iOS changes in Japan to comply with local law, including alternative app stores and payment options, a new fee structure, and new default controls (Juli Clover/MacRumors)
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/17/japan-app-store-feature-updates/

Japan App Store Gets Alternative Marketplaces, Third-Party Payments and More
Apple today introduced several changes to the App Store in Japan to meet the requirements of the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) that goes...

From predator to plate: Japan's bear crisis sparks culinary craze - The Japan Times
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/08/japan/japan-bear-crisis-sparks-culinary-craze/

#Japan startet eine Tiefseemission zur Förderung von #SelteneErden, um die Abhängigkeit von #China zu verringern.
Das Forschungsschiff Chikyu soll mineralhaltigen Schlamm aus 6 Kilometern Tiefe n…

Japan beginnt Tiefseemission zur Förderung Seltener Erden
Japan will seine Abhängigkeit von chinesischen Seltenen Erden verringern und sucht nach einer Möglichkeit, sie im eigenen Land zu fördern.

We Work Stiff
The New Japan Pro Wrestling Character and Storytelling podcast...
Great Australian Pods Podcast Directory: #AusPods

From a podcast "#Japan has one of the longest lived and healthiest populations in the world, and let #Japanese startups are playing a relatively small role in the recent #longevity-

Japan Ruling Party Proposes Cutting Subsidies for Solar Projects | Financial Post
https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/japan-ruling-party-proposes-cutting-subsidies-for-solar-projects

"Literally translated as “cut hole”, dakou were surplus recordings from the US, the UK and Japan, imported as recyclable plastic after large-scale trade took off in 1992. A dakou CD might have a small hole drilled through its outer rim, and a dakou tape might have an inch-long cut at the edge of its plastic case – but despite the minor damage, most of the tracks remained playable."

Have Money Daddy • EQUATOR
Kafe Hu was a pioneer in the underground scene that made Chengdu into China's hip-hop capital. But what happens when the counterculture blows up?

🐞 New species of ladybird beetle discovered on university campus in Japan
#insects

New species of ladybird beetle discovered on university campus in Japan
University campuses are often places of learning and discovery, but rarely do researchers find a new species living right on their doorstep. However, that is exactly what happened when a research team from Kyushu University discovered a new species of ladybird beetle, Parastethorus pinicola, on a pine tree at Kyushu University's Hakozaki Satellite.

Heute vor 19 Jahren: Am 22. Dezember 2006 endeten die Sechs-Parteien-Gespräche, die darauf abzielen sollten, #Nordkorea zum Verzicht auf sein #Atomwaffenprogramm zu bewegen, ohne Fortschritte.

„Nioh 3“: Japan sehen und sterben
Brutal, aber ehrlich: In „Nioh 3“ von Team Ninja erwartet die Fans ein temporeiches wie schwieriges Actionspektakel im alten Japan.
https://www.heise.de/tests/Nioh-3-Japan-se<…

Anti-piracy hackers set sail to save Japan's manga
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20260119153657004/

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on KEXP's #DriveTime
Japanese Breakfast:
🎵 Slide Tackle
#JapaneseBreakfast
https://tomvr.bandcamp.com/track/japanese-breakfast-slide-tackle-tom-vr-edit
https://open.spotify.com/track/5ksM8r8u4AjMwvtqUif9W1

With a historic supermajority now secured, the Japanese
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under Sanae Takaichi stands at its strongest position in decades.
The collapse of the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) in the same election has left Japan’s political landscape without its most prominent counterweight.
The question now is simple: what is left of Japan’s opposition?
Running under the slogan “Citizens First,” the CRA tried to appeal to voters with middle-ground messagi…

[Insider] Where Will Japan’s Bruised Opposition Go After Takaichi’s Big Win? - Unseen Japan
PM Takaichi secured a supermajority in the Lower House election as the opposition fractured. What comes next for Japan’s politics?

Japan: Entwickler kritisieren Apples neue Gebühren
Nach Einführung des Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA) in Japan gibt es massive Kritik. Entwickler fordern ein Einschreiten gegen Apple und Google.
https://www.

ah yes, Japan comes from Japan

Japan to join PURL to buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine, limited to nonlethal equipment: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/11/japan-to-join-purl-to.html

Sad to hear the news that Dave Farber has died. I’ve been a long time subscriber to his Interesting People list. RIP to “the grandfather of the internet”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/11/japan/david-harber-obituary-internet/

Pioneering computer scientist and Keio professor dies at 91
David J. Farber was a central figure in the development of early research networks that evolved into today’s internet.

Meta plans to expand ads on Threads to all users globally starting next week; Threads began testing ads in the US and Japan a year ago (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/21/threads-rolls-out-ads-to-all-users-worldwide/

Threads rolls out ads to all users worldwide | TechCrunch
Ads on Threads will roll out gradually to users over the coming months, Meta says.

Sources: SoftBank plans to form a consortium to build a $33B power plant in Ohio, set to produce 9.2 GW for AI data centers, as part of the US-Japan trade deal (Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/economy/trade-war/trump-ta…

SoftBank to form consortium for $33bn 'Trump deal' power plant
Hitachi and Toshiba show interest in Japan's invest-in-US initiative

In talks with Xi and Takaichi, Trump looks to strike a delicate balance (Jesse Johnson/The Japan Times)
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/25/japan/trump-xi-taiwan-china-us-japan-analysis/
http://www.memeorandum.com/251125/p69#a251125p69

https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2025/dec/02/fading-japan-showa-era-in-pictures

I've often wondered if a Canadian EV "Kei Car" type program would help the country achieve zero emission goals, provide affordable transportation, and reduce grid lock in our cities.
In 1949, Japan created a special category of keijidosha (light vehicles) created for affordability and maneuverability in dense cities. The Kei car quickly became popular despite strict limits on dimensions (length, width, height) and engine displacement (under 660cc). They were given unique license plates for enforcement purposes and had tax benefits for owners.
What if an "Ion" vehicle category was created in Canada:
- must be manufactured in Canada
- minimum 100Km range, suitable for any urban commute
- limited to 50Km/hr
- restricted to street use, not to be used on highways
- size restrictions, perhaps Smart Car sized for personal vehicles, larger for commercial vehicle category
How many city-dwelling Canadians would buy a cheap EV to run errands and give the finger to big oil?
#KeiCars
https://youtu.be/LtTirdKvyeI

Urban Flexitarians Are Driving Japan’s Vegan Tuna Boom, Says New Report https://plantbasednews.org/news/alternative-protein/urban-flexitarians-japan-vegan-tuna-boom/

Urban Flexitarians Are Driving Japan's Vegan Tuna Boom, Says New Report
According to a new in-depth report by Future Market Insights, Japan’s vegan tuna boom is driven primarily by urban flexitarians

Japan is a one party state. It's Liberal Democratic Party is now represented more in parliament than the Chinese Communist Party is in China.

SoftBank Group Corp was among the Japanese tech stocks that fell on Dec. 18, as AI infrastructure spending worries on Wall Street crossed into the Asian markets (Lim Hui Jie/CNBC)
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/18/japan-tech-stocks-plun…

SoftBank leads decline in Japanese tech stocks as worries over AI spending spill over to Asia
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slipped 1.81%, dragged by losses in Oracle, Broadcom, Nvidia and other AI names.

Fehlervermeidung führt zu weniger Probleme
https://stohl.de/wordpress/?p=192141

Fehlervermeidung führt zu weniger Probleme
Wie schafft es Japan nur, bei Zugverbindungen so pünktlich zu sein: In Japan beträgt die Verspätung der Züge weniger als 60 Sekunden: Das ist keine Zauberei, das Geheimnis heißt „Poka-Yoke”. „Poka …

Musk's Grok AI Faces Scrutiny From Japan Over Sexualized Images | Financial Post
https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/musks-grok-ai-faces-scrutiny-from-japan-over-sexualized-images

Here's an interesting take on disappearing bookstores. In Japan, some stores are leasing bookshelves.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/27/japan/society/japan-bookstore-shelves-lease/

Just finished "Pearl" written by Sherri L. Smith and illustrated by Christine Norrie, based at least in part on "Hiroshima in the Morning", a memoir by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto. A concise, wonderfully-illustrated, and fascinating story of a Hawaiian-born girl sent to visit her dying great-grandmother in Japan in 1941 and then trapped there throughout World War 2. I won't spoil things beyond that, but the book digs deep into the horrors of the war on both sides, showing just how cruel the geological ambitions of nations can be to people who belong to both cultures.
#AmReading #ReadingNow

Japan to join NATO-led initiative to buy US weapons for Ukraine, media reports: https://benborges.xyz/2026/02/10/japan-to-join-natoled-initiative.html

Weicher Mutterersatz - Verstoßener Babyaffe findet Trost bei Plüschtier #News #Nachrichten

China cites Biden’s message to Xi
that Japan could build nuclear weapons ‘overnight’
Beijing releases 30-page report that includes a call for international community to
‘take concrete and strong measures’
against Japan’s nuclear ambitions
https://…

China cites Biden’s message to Xi that Japan could build nukes ‘overnight’
Beijing releases 30-page report that includes a call for international community to ‘take concrete and strong measures’ against Japan’s nuclear ambitions.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTy4y3VDpS0/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Japan Daily on Instagram: "Abandoned suitcases are becoming a growing issue at Narita Airport, where nearly 900 pieces of luggage have already been collected this fiscal year—about nine times more than four years ago. Police say around 10% of the bags are empty, suggesting intentional disposal, with storage and disposal costs ultimately borne by taxpayers. The problem extends beyond airports to train stations and public spaces, often linked to travelers avoiding disposal fees after shopping. In response, Narita Airport is testing solutions such as clothing compression machines to help travelers save space and avoid buying new luggage. Retailers and repair businesses are also encouraging reuse through free take-back and resale programs, aiming to reduce waste and promote more sustainable travel habits."
49 likes, 0 comments - japandaily_jp on January 21, 2026: "Abandoned suitcases are becoming a growing issue at Narita Airport, where nearly 900 pieces of luggage have already been collected this fiscal year—about nine times more than four years ago. Police say around 10% of the bags are empty, suggesting intentional disposal, with storage and disposal costs ultimately borne by taxpayers. The problem extends beyond airports to train stations and public spaces, often linked to travelers avoid…

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on BBCRadio3's #Breakfast
Johann Sebastian Bach, Paul Gerhardt, Bible, Masaaki Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan & Bach Collegium Japan Chorus:
🎵 Motet BWV228 'Fürchte dich nicht'
#JohannSebastianBach
https://open.spotify.com/track/5XP6KVzkDAXXmkT7i4FqHZ

Jun Togawa - “An Army of Bugs” (1984)
Japanese avant-garde musician singing quite theatrically about bugs 🐛 🐞
#music #Japan
https://www.y…

Dental hygiene key to predicting mortality, Japanese researchers find - The Japan Times
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/05/japan/science-health/elderly-dental-hygiene/

New China-linked hacker group spies on governments in Southeast Asia, Japan https://therecord.media/china-linked-hacker-group-spied-on-asian-govs

A 17-year-old in Japan allegedly asked ChatGPT for ways to bypass the security of the Kaikatsu Club internet cafe chain and used it to launch malware that stole over 7 million pieces of personal data.
Japan teen arrested for alleged ChatGPT-assisted cyberattacks
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/new

Tim Sweeney says Fortnite will not return to iOS in Japan in 2025, as Apple is "charging a competition-crushing 21% junk fee on third-party in-app payments" (Tim Sweeney/@timsweeneyepic)
https://x.com/timsweeneyepic/status/2001494517996732598

Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) on X
Sadly, Fortnite will not return to iOS in Japan in 2025 as promised. Apple was required to open up iOS to competing stores today, and instead of doing so honestly, they have launched another travesty of obstruction and lawbreaking in gross disrespect to the government and people

Japan to intensify Ukraine assistance in first half of 2026 - The Mainichi
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20251220/p2g/00m/0na/006000c

plant_pol_kato: Kato plant-pollinator web
A bipartite network of plants and pollinators from Kyoto University Forest of Ashu, Japan, from 1984 to 1987. Edge weights represent frequency of interactions.
This network has 772 nodes and 1206 edges.
Tags: Biological, Food web, Weighted
https://networks.skewed.d…

In Hong Kong, companies have received “America 250” forms from the U.S. consulate
soliciting donations.
In Japan, companies have heeded the call and committed to tens of millions of dollars in contributions.
In Singapore, the American ambassador pressed for donations before a room full of executives at a dinner at one of the city-state’s most expensive hotels.
The solicitations from the diplomatic outposts come as Trump's allies are aggressively raising money for a…

Like Trump, U.S. Embassies Are Raising Cash for Lavish July Fourth Parties
Some of Washington’s diplomatic outposts in Asia are raising millions for events to mark the 250th independence anniversary. One ambassador offered to sing and dance.

🤑 Nearly Half of Young Japanese Workers Spend Big on Fandom Activities
https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/young-japanese-workers-spend-big-on-idol-fandom/

Nearly 50% of Young Japanese Workers Are Investing in Idol Fandom Activities
A recent survey suggests that Japanese 20-somethings are increasingly turning to fandom culture for motivation at work.

Meta plans to expand ads on Threads to all users globally starting next week; Threads began testing ads in the US and Japan a year ago (Sarah Perez/TechCrunch)
https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/21/threads-rolls-out-ads-to-all-users-worldwide/

Threads rolls out ads to all users worldwide | TechCrunch
Ads on Threads will roll out gradually to users over the coming months, Meta says.

I am planning on taking my nephew to Japan this summer as an early graduation gift. He hasn’t been out of the country before and I figure that experiencing new cultures is how you make sure that someone is a good world citizen. I miss Japan and I’m happy to go back but OMG, this is going to be expensive.

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) agree to buy WildBrain's 41% stake in Peanuts Holdings for ~$457M, raising Sony's slice to 80% (Todd Spangler/Variety)
https://variety.com/2025/film/news/sony-acquire-peanuts-457-mil…

Sony to Own Control of Peanuts in $457 Million Deal With WildBrain
Sony will own 80% of Peanuts Holdings after acquiring the 41% stake in the entity from WildBrain.

Gosh, how inconvenient that tourists have to deal with cultural differences that don't cater to them. 🙄
☑️ Tourists in Japan Are Baffled: Where Are the Trash Cans? - WSJ
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/tourists-in-japan-are-b…

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on BBCRadio3's #EssentialClassics
Johann Sebastian Bach, Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan & Masaaki Suzuki:
🎵 Preise dein Glücke, gesegnetes Sachsen (Canata BWV.215)
#MasaakiSuzuki
https://open.spotify.com/track/5qyjrkWsbFPC58fIb04MKi

Kirschblütenvorhersage 2026: https://wanderweib.de/tipps-kirschblueten-kalender-vorhersage-japan/

Honda plans to halt production in Japan and China from December 29 to January 6, showing the ongoing fallout of the global chip shortage and Nexperia takeover (Bloomberg)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-18/chip-s…

Heikle Provokation - China-Kampfjets sorgen vor Japan für Schreckmoment #News #Nachrichten

Japan prepares for threats – defense budget rises to historic high #shorts: https://benborges.xyz/2025/12/26/japan-prepares-for-threats-defense.html

Sources: Apple and Qualcomm are scrambling to secure glass cloth fiber, used in chip substrates and PCBs, as the AI boom boosts demand for the component (Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/tech-…

Apple and Qualcomm fret over strained supplies of Japan's glass cloth
Surge in demand from AI giants like Nvidia send companies in search of new sources

🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on BBCRadio3's #Breakfast
Trad., William James Kirkpatrick, Richard S. Willis, Masato Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan Chorus & Masaaki Suzuki:
🎵 Away in a Manger - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear - Ding, Dong! Merrily on High
https://open.spotify.com/track/2uPXkMt4BVbPamGXfYcZ2U

plant_pol_kato: Kato plant-pollinator web
A bipartite network of plants and pollinators from Kyoto University Forest of Ashu, Japan, from 1984 to 1987. Edge weights represent frequency of interactions.
This network has 772 nodes and 1206 edges.
Tags: Biological, Food web, Weighted
https://networks.skewed.d…

🛀 Japan Unveils Human Washing Machine, Now You Can Get Washed Like Laundry
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/japan-launches-human-washing-machine-for-public-use-after-expo-success-9721446

Robo-Buddhism
https://uwm.edu/letters-science/event/robo-buddhism-kokoro-technology-and-spirituality-in-japan-today/

Japan faces bottlenecks in data center construction due to labor shortages and more; DC Byte says Japan's capacity has tripled to 6.8 GW in the past five years (Tsubasa Suruga/Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/techn

Bottlenecks in data center construction threaten Japan's AI ambitions
Labor shortages, rising costs and outdated building processes delay construction

U.S. plans to ask visitors to disclose 5 years of social media history

The proposal would affect travelers from countries on the visa waiver program,
including Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Japan and South Korea
https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration

U.S. plans to ask visitors to disclose 5 years of social media history
The proposal would affect travelers from countries on the visa waiver program, including Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Japan and South Korea.

For some live events, NBC Sports plans to use tech from Japan's Nippon Television Network that uses AI to track individual players and reframe them vertically (Pranob Mehrotra/Digital Trends)
https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/nb…

NBC Sports will soon use AI to put your favorite athletes front and center during live broadcasts
NBC Sports has announced it will debut a new AI feature in its mobile app later this year that will let fans follow their favorite athletes in real time.

A plant that looks like a fungus,
lives like a parasite,
and clones itself in the dark
—Balanophora may be one of evolution’s strangest experiments.
At the foot of moss-covered trees in the mountains of Taiwan and mainland Japan,
as well as within the subtropical forests of Okinawa,
an unusual organism emerges from the forest floor.
It is often mistaken for a mushroom,
yet it is actually a rare flowering plant that produces some of the smallest…

Sources: Micron plans to invest $9.6B in Japan to build a production facility for next-gen HBM memory chips beginning in 2026, with shipments expected in 2028 (Ryo Mukano/Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/s…

Micron to invest $9.6bn in western Japan to make AI memory chips
US company's decision enables Japan to secure domestic access to key components

Die erste pandalose Situation in Japan seit einem halben Jahrhundert

Sources: Tokyo-based chipmaker Renesas agrees to sell its clocks and timing device business to Nasdaq-listed chip design company SiTime for ~$3B (Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/business-deals/japan-s-re…

Japan's Renesas to sell timing solution segment to US-based SiTime for $3bn
Chipmaker divesting non-core businesses after seeing a loss in 1st 9 months of 2025

Was in Japan übrigens so nebenbei zum Thema gemacht wird:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DSqy86IAJPZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

Japan Daily on Instagram: "For the first time in Japan, foreign nationals have begun driving local bus routes under the Specified Skilled Worker program to address severe labor shortages. Tokyo Bus launched the initiative on December 23 in Tokyo and Okinawa, hiring five drivers from the Philippines after long-term training. The company says even higher wages have not attracted enough domestic drivers, making outside talent necessary. New drivers initially operate with support from Japanese staff and are expected to work independently after several months. Industry leaders hope the move will stabilize bus services and ensure passenger safety. Public understanding and continued training will be important as Japan adapts to workforce shortages in essential public services. @YAHOO"
85 likes, 11 comments - japandaily_jp on December 24, 2025: "For the first time in Japan, foreign nationals have begun driving local bus routes under the Specified Skilled Worker program to address severe labor shortages. Tokyo Bus launched the initiative on December 23 in Tokyo and Okinawa, hiring five drivers from the Philippines after long-term training. The company says even higher wages have not attracted enough domestic drivers, making outside talent necessary. New drivers initially ope…

https://www.instagram.com/p/DUNFbR2AbG9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

VT on Instagram: "In Japan, a new kind of bar is drawing attention for flipping workplace culture on its head. The bar is designed specifically for people who are considering leaving their jobs. Drinks are free, and the focus is not on alcohol sales but conversation. Patrons are invited to talk openly about burnout, frustration, and career doubts, while staff are trained to listen without judgement or pressure. The idea taps into a growing reckoning in Japan around long working hours, rigid hierarchies, and the mental health toll of intense job expectations. Conversations about quitting or dissatisfaction have traditionally been stigmatised, making this kind of space unusual. By removing the cost barrier and offering a supportive environment, the bar aims to normalise discussions about career dissatisfaction and help people reflect on what they actually want from work, even if that means starting over."
34K likes, 169 comments - vt on January 31, 2026: "In Japan, a new kind of bar is drawing attention for flipping workplace culture on its head. The bar is designed specifically for people who are considering leaving their jobs. Drinks are free, and the focus is not on alcohol sales but conversation. Patrons are invited to talk openly about burnout, frustration, and career doubts, while staff are trained to listen without judgement or pressure. The idea taps into a growing reckoning in Japan a…

UK activist investor Palliser says Toto, Japan's largest toilet maker, is an "undervalued and overlooked" AI play due to its "advanced ceramics" used in chips (David Keohane/Financial Times)
https://www.ft.com/content/4252e45f-75fb-4dfc-aebe-72de48b7fb…

Japan and the Octopus Trap of Modernity (file under: Takotsubo is not only a cardiac disease)
https://genealogiesofmodernity.org/journal/2021/6/10/cgq5rildc4mxhatmak817jxn3f9bef

Genealogies of Modernity — Japan and the Octopus Trap of Modernity
What we see in Japanese modernity, according to Maruyama, is a national franchise of these “idols of the market place” through the continuous specialization and internal diversifications that multiply these groups. Takeshi Morisato on how Japan became trapped in a hyper-specialized version of mode

Sandisk and Kioxia announce a five-year extension of their JV manufacturing contract from 2029 to 2034; the new deal involves SanDisk paying Kioxia $1.165B (Ryo Mukano/Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/sem…

Japan's Kioxia extends memory chip JV with Sandisk, receiving $1bn
US partner's access to Yokkaichi plant to last 5 more years through 2034

Japanese chipmaker Rapidus plans to start building a second plant in Hokkaido in fiscal 2027, aiming to make advanced 1.4nm chips as early as 2029 (Nikkei Asia)
https://asia.nikkei.com/business/tech/semiconductors…

Japan's Rapidus to build cutting-edge 1.4-nm chip plant in race with TSMC
Construction to begin in fiscal 2027, production to start as early as 2029

TSMC plans to produce 3nm chips at its second plant in Kumamoto, Japan; sources say that is an upgrade from an original plan to produce 7nm chips by late 2027 (Bloomberg)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-05/ts…