News

Canadian convenience store giant Couche-Tard remains determined to acquire Seven & i Holdings, the operator of Japan's top convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, despite the latter's initial rejection of the offer. Couche-Tard emphasizes its commitment to a friendly transaction and believes the merger would benefit 7-Eleven's business, while Seven & i focuses on boosting its own value and addressing antitrust concerns.

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD unveiled a new platform for its EVs that boasts super-fast charging capabilities, enabling cars to travel 400 kilometers on just a 5-minute charge. The company also announced plans to build a charging network across China to support the new platform, aiming to address range anxiety and further accelerate the adoption of EVs.

Japan's trade surplus returned in February 2024, driven by a robust 11.4% annual growth in exports, despite concerns over potential auto tariffs from the United States. The February surplus amounted to 584 billion yen ($3.9 billion), a significant improvement from the 415 billion yen deficit recorded in the same month the previous year.

Former top uniformed officer of the Self-Defense Forces, Shigeru Iwasaki, has been appointed as a political affairs consultant to Taiwan's Cabinet, marking a rare instance of a former senior SDF official taking on a role within the Taiwanese administration. This move is seen as a strategic step by Taiwan to strengthen its security ties with Japan, potentially drawing opposition from China.

Japan's Lower House passed the initial budget for fiscal 2025, marking the first time in 29 years the Diet revised the initial budget bill and the first time in 70 years it reduced the initial budget amount. The budget includes measures to provide free high school education, a key demand of the opposition Nippon Ishin party.