TOKYO -- Exports of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Middle East destined for Japan will cost more in April, Saudi Aramco has informed wholesalers, a move likely to raise propane prices for Japanese households as early as May, as the Iran war has crunched global supply.
Japan's Terumo steps up medical device R&D in Costa Rica
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Japanese medical device marker Terumo has been building up its presence in Costa Rica, a small Central American nation that has come to be called the "Silicon Valley" of medical devices.
Freshness is king: BYD reigns with 200 vehicle software updates a year
TOKYO -- With automobiles entering an age where competition is defined by software, companies like Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD are developing an edge with wireless updates, hoping to expand the lifespans of their vehicles and ultimately open new revenue streams.
Hormuz closure: Time for Japan to expand its domestic energy resilience
Tim Daiss is a journalist and analyst who has covered energy markets, sustainability and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region for the past 15 years.
Japan insurer Aioi Nissay offers safe driving app for foreign tourists
TOKYO -- Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance has developed a navigation app that helps foreign drivers avoid crash-prone roads, seeking to help reduce accidents among tourists who drive rental cars in Japan.
Analysis: What Wen Jiabao's rare public appearance reveals
Katsuji Nakazawa is a Tokyo-based senior staff and editorial writer at Nikkei. He spent seven years in China as a correspondent and later as China bureau chief and was the 2014 recipient of the Vaughn-Ueda International Journalist prize.
Asia PVC market in turmoil as Hormuz closure hits major Taiwan supplier
TOKYO -- The Asian market for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used in making plastic pipes is being rocked by the conflict in the Middle East, with the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting operations at a major Taiwanese supplier.
US shares jump 3% as ceasefire deal lifts investor sentiment
NEW YORK -- Wall Street's main stock indexes opened strong on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising more than 3% after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire.
China's CSSC sets sail on designing own cruise ships
DALIAN, China/TOKYO -- China State Shipbuilding Corp. (CSSC), the world's largest shipbuilder, is expanding toward independently designing large cruise vessels, a domain that China has yet to dominate within the global shipbuilding industry.
Japan corporate bankruptcies hit 12-year high on rising prices, wages
TOKYO -- Japan recorded 10,505 corporate bankruptcies with liabilities of 10 million yen ($63,200) or more in fiscal 2025, Tokyo Shoko Research said Wednesday, up 4% from the previous year and the most in 12 years as rising prices and labor costs intensify pressure on companies.