News

Major discount store operator Trial Holdings Inc. will acquire supermarket company Seiyu Co. for about 380 billion yen ($2.5 billion), expanding its business areas to the Kanto and Chubu regions. The acquisition will make Seiyu a wholly owned subsidiary of Trial, creating the sixth-largest domestic retailer with annual sales of approximately 1.2 trillion yen.

Japan's new family registration system allows individuals from Taiwan to list Taiwan as their place of origin, sparking a strong reaction from China which claims Taiwan as its own territory. This change coincides with the introduction of phonetic readings in hiragana above kanji characters to aid pronunciation.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba apologized for giving gift certificates to newly elected lawmakers, sparking criticism from opposition parties who called it a violation of the Political Fund Control Law and indicative of a problematic culture within the LDP. The incident has raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the party.

A study by JAMSTEC, the University of Tokyo, and Hokkaido University reveals that climate change has led to a sharp increase in endangered Japanese eel larvae reaching rivers in Hokkaido, offering a potential boost to the species' conservation efforts. However, further research is needed to understand the long-term impact and ensure the sustainable management of this valuable species.

Nissan has appointed Ivan Espinosa, currently the company's chief planning officer, as its new CEO, effective April 1, 2024. Espinosa, who joined Nissan in 2003, has extensive experience in the automotive industry and will play a key role in leading the company through its transition to electric vehicles.