Technology & Startups
Latest news and updates on technology & startups for expats in Japan
LINE Yahoo Data Breach Exposes 7.1 Million Game User Accounts
LINE Yahoo disclosed that 7.1 million game user identification records leaked to external companies. The breach affects LINE mobile game users but doe...
Mitsubishi Motors Partners with Tokyo University for Humanoid Robot Production
Mitsubishi Motors partners with Tokyo University startup to mass-produce autonomous humanoid robots using Physical AI technology, marking Japan's push...
Japan's Mobile Carriers Postpone Launch of 060 Phone Numbers
Japan's five major mobile carriers postponed the introduction of 060 phone numbers on July 8, 2026. The delay affects telecommunications expansion pla...
KDDI Email Breach Exposes 12.23 Million Addresses, 7.62 Million Passwords
KDDI confirmed a breach exposing 12.23 million email addresses and 7.62 million passwords from its corporate email system. The attack began May 16 thr...
Japan's Hayabusa2 Probe Successfully Completes Asteroid Trifune Flyby
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully completed a high-speed flyby of asteroid Trifune on July 5, continuing its extended mission six years after ...
Japan Launches Nationwide USB Security Audit After Defense Ministry Breach
Japan's government has launched a nationwide USB security audit of all municipalities after malware was found on Defense Ministry devices. The investi...
KDDI Email Breach Exposes Up to 14.22 Million Accounts in Japan
KDDI reported a major security breach affecting up to 14.22 million email accounts on June 23, 2026. Users of Nifty, Biglobe, and four other providers...
Japan's H3 Rocket to Launch Michibiki GPS Satellite on August 7
JAXA will launch the Michibiki-7 GPS satellite on August 7, 2026, using the H3 rocket. The satellite enhances positioning accuracy for navigation apps...
Voice Actor Kenjiro Tsuda Sues TikTok Over AI Voice Impersonation
Voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda sued TikTok in May 2026 over unauthorized AI-generated voice imitations, marking a landmark case for AI regulation in Japan ...
G7 Finance Ministers Target AI Security Risks Amid Financial Concerns
G7 finance ministers met in Paris to address AI security threats, particularly the Claude Mythos model. Japan's government is urging companies to dete...
Japanese Automakers Slash U.S. EV Plans as Demand Weakens
Nissan and Honda are canceling multiple U.S. EV production plans due to falling demand. Honda projects a 400 billion yen operating loss, reflecting br...
Nintendo Switch 2 Faces ¥10,000 Price Hike Due to Semiconductor Costs
Nintendo announced a ¥10,000 price increase for the Switch 2 in Japan due to rising semiconductor costs. The hike affects the domestic model and comes...
Denso Withdraws Rohm Acquisition Bid, Reshaping Japan's Semiconductor Landscape
Denso withdraws its acquisition bid for Rohm after failing to gain management support. Rohm instead pursues power semiconductor alliance with Toshiba ...
Japan's Justice Ministry to Tackle AI Misuse of Images and Voices
Japan's Justice Ministry is establishing an expert panel to create a legal framework addressing unauthorized AI use of personal images and voices, par...
SoftBank, NEC, and Honda Launch National Physical AI Development Company
SoftBank, NEC, and Honda have established a new company to develop domestic Physical AI technology, marking Japan's coordinated effort to compete glob...
Japan Invests ¥631.5 Billion in Rapidus Semiconductor Initiative
Japan's government commits ¥631.5 billion to Rapidus for advanced semiconductor development, aiming to restore domestic chip manufacturing capabilitie...
Microsoft Commits $16 Billion to AI Infrastructure in Japan
Microsoft will invest $16 billion in AI infrastructure across Japan, partnering with SoftBank to build data centers. This creates potential job opport...
JAL Luggage Delivery Service Breached: 28,000 Customers Affected
JAL's same-day luggage delivery service suffered a data breach exposing names and phone numbers of up to 28,000 customers. Expats who used the service...
Sony Ends Blu-ray Recorder Production as Streaming Dominates Japan
Sony will stop producing Blu-ray disc recorders due to declining demand from streaming services. Other manufacturers continue production, but the move...
Japanese Startups Raise Over ¥4 Billion for AI and Business Innovation
Japanese startups raised over ¥4 billion in early February 2026, with major investments in AI-driven supply chain management, restaurant business tool...