Japan Financial News

interest rate cut in China failed to excite investors jaded at the lack of bigger stimulus measures. China's five-year loan prime rate was lowered by 25 basis points to 3.90%, bigger than the five to 15 bp cuts forecast by economists. The Shanghai Composite, however, fell 0.7% in early trade and blue chips fell 0.6%.

yen was pinned near a three-month low against the dollar on Tuesday as sticky U.S. inflation bolstered the case for higher-for-longer interest rates, contrasting with a recession in Japan and market doubts about a near-term exit from its easy policy. In Asia, China's loan prime rate (LPR) decision takes centre stage, where it is widely expected to trim its benchmark mortgage reference rate to shore up the country's faltering economic growth.

On February 16, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) disclosed that the Japanese cabinet has approved a proposal allowing domestic venture capitalists (VCs) to invest in Web3 startups. The legal reform will enable Japanese VCs to participate in projects issuing virtual currencies, previously limited to international investors.

Solo Leveling, the highly anticipated anime of Winter 2024, continues to enthrall fans with Sung Jin-Woo's thrilling adventures. As Episode 8 approaches, viewers eagerly anticipate the new arc's developments and the challenges awaiting the protagonist.

Classroom of the Elite Season 3 Episode 8 is on the horizon, promising viewers a riveting continuation of the unfolding drama within the walls of Advanced Nurturing High School. As Suzune Horikita's bold move to expel Yamauchi Haruki sends shockwaves through Class C, fans are eagerly anticipating the repercussions in the upcoming episode. Here's a comprehensive guide on the release date, where to watch, expected plot developments, and a quick recap of Episode 7.

(Reuters) — Japan's transport ministry is preparing action against one of Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) Corp's largest units for cheating engine emissions tests, including possibly withdrawing certification for some engine types, news agency Nikkei reported on Monday.

By Nell Mackenzie

Benchmark U.S. crude oil for March delivery rose $1.16 to $79.19 per barrel Friday

A lot people think Google searches are getting worse

Japan is hosting a conference for Japanese and Ukrainian officials to discuss reconstruction of Ukraine just ahead of the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion, while the U.S. and other Western countries are still focusing on military aid for the b...

India has slipped to the 85th spot on the Henley Passport Index. India had gone up to 80th position in January when the rankings for 2024 were unveiled. The Henley Passport Index is updated monthly. Six countries still jointly hold the top position in the 2024 Henley Passport Index, offering their citizens visa-free access to a record-breaking number of destinations. The most powerful passports in the world now allow citizens of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, and Singapore to travel 194 out of 227 destinations worldwide without requiring a visa, according to data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Four EU members have joined them at the top: Germany, Italy, Spain, and France.

TVS Mobility on Monday said it has formed a joint venture with the Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Corporation to establish a comprehensive vehicle mobility ecosystem in India. As part of the collaboration, Mitsubishi Corporation will initially invest Rs 300 crore with both parties committed to support the growth of the joint venture. This investment is intended to propel both the parties' vision in relation to vehicle ownership in passenger cars, commercial vehicles and material handling equipment (MHE), TVS Mobility said in a statement. The business model will have the potential to achieve USD 2 billion revenue in the next 3-5 years' time, it added.

Japan’s SoftBank has a prime perch at the artificial intelligence table thanks to its 90% stake in chip designer Arm, which is raking in cash from the AI boom. Monetizing that good luck could be surprisingly challenging. But if the past is prologue, SoftBank will find a way.

commitment of Rs207 crore ($25 million) from NIIF Fund of Funds – I, the first fund under its Private Markets business to Amicus Capital Partners India Fund II. With a target size of $200 million, Amicus Capital Fund II expects to support businesses that leverage technology to scale, early in their growth journey, across sectors such as speciality manufacturing, technology & business services, healthcare, financial services and other sectors, stated a release from NIIF.

VC crypto investment rules could be relaxed in Japan, where the government plans to allow venture capital firms to invest in Web3 companies.

inflation remained sticky cast doubts on when the Federal Reserve would start its easing cycle, while the yen remained rooted near the psychologically key 150 per dollar level. The yen has hovered around 150 level in the last few days, prompting officials to comment on the currency moves and keeping markets on alert to a possible intervention by Japanese authorities.

₹91,000 crore, while Maharashtra celebrates Chhatrapati Shivaji Jayanti. Meanwhile, legal eagles are on the lookout as the Supreme Court hears Sharad Pawar's plea on NCP leadership and Chandigarh Mayor Polls case unfolds. Investigations heat up with Arvind Kejriwal facing 6th ED summons in the Delhi liquor scam, and Mahua Moitra and Mukul Roy summoned in separate cases.

Sensex surged 376.26 points, or 0.52%, to end at 72,426.64, while the Nifty 50 settled 129.95 points, or 0.59%, higher at 22,040.70. “Indian markets showed resilience despite volatility. Q3 earning season has ended on a buoyant note with Nifty delivering a strong beat with a 17% YoY PAT growth versus estimates of +11%.

Masayoshi Son considers the creation of a $100 billion chip venture that would supply AI-enabling semiconductors. Shares in the Tokyo-based tech investor gained as much as 3.2 percent after Bloomberg News reported the 66-year-old billionaire is seeking funding for a foray into AI chips to compete with Nvidia Corp. The project, code-named Izanagi, would be aimed at building an AI chip venture that would complement Arm Holdings Plc, the chip design company in which SoftBank holds a majority stake.

Kirin Holdings is investing $25 million (about ₹205 crore) to buy an additional minority stake in B9 Beverages, the maker of craft beer Bira 91 and owner of pub chain Beer Cafe, executives aware of the development said. The transaction, made through purchase of fresh shares, will boost Kirin's holding in B9 Beverages beyond the current nearly 20%, the executives said requesting anonymity. Another American financial investor is also close to investing $25 million for an additional stake in B9 Beverages, which is expected to be closed in the coming weeks, said one of the executives cited above. The person did not identify the investor. The fresh investments of $50 million (₹410 crore) are being done at a pre-money valuation of $600 million. Tokyo-listed Kirin Holdings had invested ₹570 crore in the beer company in late 2022, raising its stake to 20%, valuing the beer maker at $600 million. Launched in 2015, B9 Beverages sells craft, lager and strong beer across brands like Bira White, Gold and Boom. It has a presence in 24 countries and operates six breweries. Ankur Jain, B9 Beverages chief executive, and Rahul Singh, chief executive and founder of The Beer Cafe, could not be reached for comments.

Mizuho Bank, Japan’s third-largest ‘megabank’ with close to $2 trillion in assets, made its biggest bet in India with a Rs 4,100-crore capital infusion in November and followed it up with a Rs 1,200-crore investment in NBFC Credit Saison. Asia Pacific co-CEO Yasuhiro Kubota explains to Joel Rebello why India is important for the Japanese lender and how it plans to expand the business here. Edited excerpts. You infused Rs 4,100 crore ($500 million) capital into India in November – Mizuho’s largest here to date. What does that allow you to do that you couldn't do before? We want to create a lending capacity to be able to support our local book. It's a commitment to the market that we have enough capacity to grow. The $500 million is just the first tranche. We want to do large ticket acquisition financing around our customers, like a loan against shares or what we call promoter financing in India. We had the capabilities in the region but not India. Now, we are developing these capabilities in the country. If somebody wants to acquire a company and they are looking for a billion-dollar cheque, I can say with great confidence that we can do it.