
Apple supplier Yageo says bid for Japan's Shibaura is a 'win-win'
NEW TAIPEI/KAOHSIUNG -- Taiwanese electronics supplier Yageo says its acquisition of Japanese peer Shibaura Electronics would be a "win-win" for the makers of passive components used in everything from AI servers and cars to satellites.
Yageo, a key Apple and Nvidia supplier, has been attempting to acquire Shibaura to bolster its AI and automotive solutions portfolio.

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Kyodo News
31 minutes ago
- Kyodo News
U.S. asked Japan to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP
KYODO NEWS - 12 hours ago - 20:15 | All, Japan, World U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has asked Japan to raise its defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, a request that will likely prompt Tokyo to call off a planned high-level meeting with Washington, a Japan-U.S. diplomatic source said Saturday. The request was made recently by Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, the Financial Times has reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Colby, a seasoned strategist, had previously pressed Japan to increase its defense spending to 3 percent of its GDP. The increased demand will likely lead Japan to cancel a planned meeting of the countries' foreign and defense chiefs, which was scheduled in Washington before Japan's House of Councillors election, expected on July 20. The meeting would have been the first since Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Trump took office in October and January, respectively. Kyodo News reported in late May that Japan and the United States were considering holding the so-called two-plus-two security talks in Washington this summer. Japan and the United States had not formally said such talks, as held in July last year in Tokyo, would take place. In 2022, after Trump's first term, Japan decided to double its annual defense budget to 2 percent of GDP by 2027, a dramatic move in postwar security policy under the country's war-renouncing Constitution. But Trump continues to complain that the U.S.-Japan security treaty is one-sided, with his administration apparently planning to ask Tokyo to pay more for American troops based in the Japanese archipelago once bilateral negotiations over his tariffs proceed.


Asahi Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Hoyu develops disappearing tattoos, opening doors to body art
A design from Hoyu Co.'s Lucena temporary tattoo series representing the lunar cycle (Provided by Hoyu Co.) 'Tattoo is not taboo,' insist two hair dye company employees, and they've developed the product to prove it—vanishing tattoos made with special inks that disappear in a week. While tattoos are widely accepted as an art form and fashion statement in many countries, in Japan the stigma against them remains fierce. However, the creators of Lucena tattoos are out to challenge these negative assumptions, and hope to contribute to Japanese culture by opening a doorway to body art. Hoyu Co., the Nagoya-based leading manufacturer and distributor of hair coloring products, started selling these made-to-fade tattoos on a trial basis last summer. The Lucena tattoos are characterized by a rich variety of colors and designs. Users can choose their favorite designs from about 70 tattoo sticker sheets. After the stickers are placed on the skin and the inks are applied over the top, the designs will stay visible for about a week. Users can mix inks to create their favorite colors, according to Hoyu. The tattoo series is the brainchild of Jun Fujii, 38, a member of the company's corporate planning division, who has spent extensive time abroad. Fujii initially came up with the idea while studying in the United States. He had noticed a special tattoo showing a blood type on an American friend's arm. His friend explained that this was a medical tattoo designed to prevent transfusions of the wrong blood type in a medical emergency. Fujii began to realize that tattoos might have the potential to be more than just fashion statements. This thought continued to grow after Fujii joined Hoyu and worked in Vietnam, Myanmar and other countries where he was exposed to different cultures that embrace tattoos. About six years ago, Fujii pitched the idea of temporary tattoos to his supervisors, but was shot down. Still, he didn't give up and pitched the idea again in 2023 when an in-house program was launched to create new businesses. Fujii has teamed with a former researcher, Shingo Yamaguchi, also 38, to continue developing the Lucena tattoos, and the company is now ready to commercialize the tattoo series. In Japan, tattoos are still viewed as incredibly taboo. Recently, a tattooed woman employed at a long-established restaurant became a target for defamatory and slanderous comments on social media. One post said, 'I will never go a restaurant where inked employees work.' The vanishing Lucena tattoos are aimed at lessening this stigma and ensuring that people can safely enjoy trying out body art. In recent years, 'fake tattoos' using stickers and body paint have become increasingly popular fashion statements. However, according to the Consumer Affairs Agency, no clear standards have been set for the quality and safety of temporary tattoos in Japan. Incidents of skin irritation and other issues have been reported, the agency cautioned in 2019. Hoyu, which has been developing hair dyes for many years, has conducted extensive research on skin allergens to ensure product safety. Fujii and Yamaguchi used the accumulated research in their development process, and the company manufactures and sells the temporary tattoos as 'cosmetics,' which have established safety standards and need to be reported to local governments. 'Because we are doing everything with just the two of us, there is a limit to the amount we can produce and the places we can visit to promote them,' Yamaguchi said. Still, he said he can see the growing demand for the product, as many young people visit their booths at events and concert venues, eager to experience tattoos that disappear. Fujii added, 'As people get more autonomy over their hair color (at work), there are more opportunities for self-expression. I hope the culture of coloring skin will also spread in Japan.' The brand's Instagram account posts photos showing how to apply Lucena tattoos, and products are being sold on its official website. A set that includes one tattoo sheet and two ink tubes is available for 3,980 yen ($28), including tax.


Kyodo News
11 hours ago
- Kyodo News
India PM Modi eyes visit to Japan in August for bullet train deal
KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 19:11 | All, World, Japan The Japanese and Indian governments are arranging for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Japan in late August for talks with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, diplomatic sources said Saturday. The two leaders are expected to agree on India's adoption of a next-generation shinkansen bullet train being developed by East Japan Railway Co. for a high-speed rail project underway in western India, the sources said. They may also agree to revise the 2008 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation to expand their security partnership amid China's increasing maritime prowess, they said. The visit would be Modi's first since May 2023, when he attended the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, western Japan. Modi and Ishiba also aim to strengthen communication ahead of a four-way summit with the United States and Australia under the Quad framework, which New Delhi is set to host in the fall. The high-speed rail line will connect the western Indian cities of Ahmedabad and Mumbai, covering about 500 kilometers in roughly two hours. The project is considered a symbol of Japan-India cooperation, as it will use Japan's renowned shinkansen technology. JR East aims to complete the E10 series carriages in the fall of 2027 at the earliest, with commercial operation starting in fiscal 2030. In their meeting, Modi and Ishiba are expected to confirm plans to introduce the E10 series in the early 2030s, according to the sources. Through the revised security declaration, the two sides are expected to agree on strengthening comprehensive cooperation in broader areas, including space and cybersecurity, the sources said.