Berkshire Hathaway chief executive Greg Abel discussed the conglomerate’s multi-billion-dollar stake in Google parent Alphabet during an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick, characterizing the tech giant as a significant player in artificial intelligence. According to CNBC, Berkshire built a position totaling roughly 106 million Class A and Class C shares valued at approximately $36.6 billion, … Read more
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, renowned worldwide for her immersive installations and repetitive polka dot motifs, died at age 97, according to the Yayoi Kusama Studio. Kusama passed away on Aug. 14 at a hospital in Tokyo, the studio announced Thursday, without specifying a cause of death. Her career spanned decades of international exhibitions, high-profile fashion … Read more
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi opted against visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on the 81st anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, apparently to prioritize diplomatic relations with China and South Korea. While she avoided the site, she did not offer an apology for wartime atrocities, instead focusing her address on Japan’s postwar contributions … Read more
Japan retains approximately $200 billion in cash and cash equivalents out of its roughly $1 trillion in total U.S. dollar reserves, providing authorities with ample firepower for additional currency interventions on the scale of last month’s historic operation, according to Goldman Sachs. The assessment highlights Tokyo’s capacity to defend the yen as the currency drifts … Read more
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon, prompting a tsunami advisory from the Japan Meteorological Agency. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the tsunami advisory targeted nearby Ariake Bay on the western coasts of Kumamoto, located about 900 kilometers southwest of Tokyo. … Read more
The “Clerestory Garden” building in Tokyo, designed by Key Operation Inc. Architects, serves as a model for integrating high-density mixed-use real estate with adjacent public infrastructure. Located steps from Ikebukuro Station, the project coordinates its architectural design with the 2019 Hareza Ikebukuro cultural hub and the stone-paved Naka-Ikebukuro Park to create a unified urban precinct. … Read more
Haruki Murakami’s latest novel, “The Tale of KAHO,” marks a departure for the Japanese author by featuring a lone female protagonist, according to Shinchosha Publishing Co. The 352-page book, released in Japan on Friday, compiles four stories originally published in Shincho magazine into a single narrative exploring the surreal experiences of a young picture book … Read more
The Japanese yen rose on Monday following comments from Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda suggesting the possibility of near-term interest rate hikes. Despite the central bank raising rates to a three-decade high and the government deploying 11.7 trillion yen ($72.8 billion) in foreign reserves to support the currency, the yen remains near the 160 … Read more
Japan is preparing to launch a nationwide education program focused on LGBTQIA+ awareness across schools, workplaces, and universities, marking a significant shift in the country’s approach to gender and sexual diversity. The initiative, which follows the 2023 Act on the Promotion of Public Understanding of the Diversity of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, aims to … Read more
From Kitchen to Cockpit: The Culinary Roots of Sustainable Aviation In a quiet corner of Tokyo, Maki Watanabe carefully pours leftover oil from her deep-fried aubergines into a plastic bottle. She isn’t just disposing of waste; she is fueling the future of travel. Watanabe is one of thousands of Japanese homemakers participating in “Fry to … Read more