News

Researchers at Chiba University are developing space farming techniques to grow fresh food on the moon, aiming to establish a lunar farm by the 2040s. This research not only benefits space exploration but also has the potential to revolutionize agriculture on Earth with innovative and sustainable techniques.

Canadian convenience store giant Alimentation Couche-Tard is exploring the sale of its U.S. stores to address antitrust concerns and facilitate its proposed $47 billion acquisition of Japan's Seven & i Holdings, the owner of the 7-Eleven chain. However, the deal faces significant regulatory hurdles, particularly in the U.S. market where the two companies are dominant players.

Tomoko Yoshino, leader of Japan’s largest labor organization, called on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to pass legislation permitting married couples to have separate surnames. Her remarks, delivered at the LDP's annual convention, surprised some conservative party members and brought renewed focus to this longstanding issue.

Japan's economic growth for October-December 2023 has been revised downwards due to lower consumer spending and concerns about higher prices. The updated growth rate reinforces apprehensions tied to tariff policies under former U.S. President Trump and could impact Japan's monetary policies moving forward.

Terumi Tanaka, co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, a Nobel laureate organization of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors, strongly criticized the Japanese government's decision not to attend an anti-nuclear weapons meeting in March. Tanaka emphasized the importance of Japan sharing its experiences in providing support for atomic bomb victims and argued that the government should fulfill its role in promoting nuclear disarmament.