Dec. 18, 2020
Main topics include:
San Mitsu: To Define a Year Defined by COVID, "Mitsu" Selected as Kanji of the Year for 2020; Step Aside Toshiba, Panasonic, and Samsung? Luxury Toaster Maker Balmuda Soars in IPO; Sunny San Diego Update; Ready to Put Their Money where their Mouth is, LDP Backs 10% Tax Break to Back Zero Emissions Pledge

Dec. 4, 2020
Main topics include: The Keys to Being an International Financial Hub? Tax Policy & Foreigners; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; 
Old Habits Die Hard: FTC Reports Big Companies are Hampering Startups with Purse Strings

Nov. 20, 2020
Main topics include: Zoom Boom? Japan Sees Recovery in Q3 as Asia Leads COVID Recovery with Successful Pandemic Responses; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Hitachi Readies to Sell Off its (Former) Core Business, Hitachi Metals, Cementing its Restructuring

Nov. 6, 2020
Main topics include: New Group of Business Leaders Ready to Take Fight for Workstyle Reform to Kasumigaseki; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Prominent Japan Strategist who Coined "Womenomics" Kathy Matsui to Leave Goldman Sachs

Oct. 23, 2020
Main topics include: COVID-19 Threatens to Accelerate Japan's Population Decline and Birth Rate Woes; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Divergent Diaper Visions Derail Chemical Merger with Dispute over Key Diaper Input

Oct. 9, 2020
Main topics include: JFIT Director Ulrike Schaede Embarking on Virtual Book Tour; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; PM Suga gets First Major Test of Regional Economic Plan with Nagasaki Bank Merger

Sept. 25, 2020
Main topics include: Japan's Latest Unicorn Startup Playco Looks a Bit Different as it Rockets to Billion Dollar Valuation; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Innovating for a New Normal, NEC Facial Recognition System Offers 99.9% Accuracy with Mask On

Sept. 11, 2020
Main topics include: Reshaping Supply Chains: Japan Expands Relocation Subsidies for More of China's Neighbors; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; SoftBank Corner

Aug. 28, 2020
Main topics include: Shedding the Non-core: Takeda Sells of Consumer Healthcare Business in $2.3 Billion PE Deal; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Globalizing the Regulator: Japan FSA to Ease Administrative Hurdles for Foreign Investors, including with English Paperwork; SoftBank Corner

Aug. 14, 2020
Main topics include: Staying Ahead of the Curve: Japan's Battery Startups take the World Beyond Lithium Ion; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; SoftBank Corner

July 31, 2020
Main topics include: Japan Selects Four "Global Startup Cities" in Bid to Manufacture the Next Silicon Valley; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; SoftBank Corner

July 17, 2020
Main topics include: To Spur Innovation, Yahoo Japan to hire 100 Moonlighters for Strategic Planning, Double-Down on Remote Working; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Womenomics Delayed? Japan Extends Deadline to Raise Women's Share of Leadership to 30% by a Decade

July 3, 2020
Main topics include: Not Even a Pandemic Can Stop Japan's Corporate Reforms as Shareholder Activism Reaches New Heights; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Will Japan Finally Give Up on Coal? Government to Urge 100 Inefficient Coal Plants to Close

June 19, 2020
Main topics include: Retirement Age Brouhaha: Proposal to Delay Retirement of Japan's Top Prosecutors Spurs Uproar; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; Pandemic Pushes Japanese Geisha to Get Online, Widening Cultural Institution's Reach

June 5, 2020
Main topics include: JFIT Director Ulrike Schaede's The Business Reinvention of Japan; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; SoftBank Corner

May 22, 2020
Main topics include: Keidanren Faces COVID-19, and Hitachi Chairman Hiroaki Nakanishi May be Just the Man for the Job; COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; Sunny San Diego Update; SoftBank Corner

May 8, 2020
Main topics include: COVID-19 in Japan in Focus; With Government's Nudge, Tax Refund Policy Continues to Push Cashless Payments; Sunny San Diego Update; Business Tradition vs. the Coronavirus: Longstanding Practices Forced to Adapt to Changing Workstyle

Apr. 24, 2020
Main topics include: JFIT to Launch New Japan Forum Webinar Series Next Week; SoftBank Corner; Necessary Precaution? Decoupling? Globalization in Retreat? Japan Looks to Block Foreign Investment in Medicine; Sunny San Diego Update

Apr. 10, 2020
Main topics include: Corporate Cash Hoarding in the Age of Coronavirus: The Risk-Averse's Time to Shine; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Tokyo Startup Paidy Raises Capital with Pitch to Credit Card-wary Japanese Consumers

Mar. 27, 2020
Main topics include: Tokyo 2021? Tokyo 2020: Take Two? COVID-19 Pushes the Olympics Adding Yet Another Logistical Nightmare; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Private Equity Entry: Another PE Giant Bets on Reorganization with Largest Fund Yet

Feb. 28, 2020
Main topics include: Abe Gets Work Style Changes, Just Not How He Intended; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Japan Chemical Makers to Tap into Power of AI in Joint Materials Project by Making their Big Data Bigger

Feb. 14, 2020
Main topics include: Japan Returns to Asia: Amid U.S. Uncertainty, Japan's M&A Returns Closer to Home; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Vacation Rental Venture: As Japanese Tourism Booms, Rental Startup Attracts New Funding

Jan. 31, 2020
Main topics include: Brokerages Branch Out: Daiwa Ready to Enter Rehab with New Stake; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Give Me Some Space: Japan Considers Limiting Foreigners' Land Purchases, Citing Security

Jan. 17, 2020
Main topics include: Koizumi Kerfuffle: Koizumi Shinjiro's Paternity Leave Makes Noise in Workaholic Japan; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Machinery Boost: Japan Posts Record Machinery Orders Growth in November in Boost to Economy

Jan. 3, 2020
Main topics include: 2020 Promise: Japanese Business Kicks off the Year of the Rat with Promise of Digital Innovation Boost; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Potato-Onion Bottleneck? Shinkansen Battle Produce to Decrease Travel Time Between Hokkaido and Tokyo

Dec. 20, 2019
Main topics include: Buzzwords Year in Review: Rugby, a new emperor, new technologies, and demanding customers get the nod; SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; JDI Déjà vu: Japan Display Strikes Bailout Deal...Again

Dec. 6, 2019
Main topics include: To the Promise Land? Uniqlo enters Vietnam deeming SE Asia the "land of promise;" SoftBank Corner; Sunny San Diego Update; Omotenashi meets global logistics: Amazon to leave packages at the door in defiance of Japan's service culture

Nov. 22, 2019
Main topics include: Letter from the Director; SoftBank Corner; Toshiba Rising from the Ashes?; Sunny San Diego Update; Tech to the rescue of Japan's grandmas and grandpas!

Nov. 8, 2019
Main topics include: SoftBank Corner: Son, Misra and a Story in Hubris; Innovation and Technology Avengers Assemble!!; San Diego Startup Paves The Way To The Shore; The New Automotive Arms Race In Japan

Oct. 25, 2019
Main topics include: Facing Reality with Mixed Reality: Business Turns to Mixed-reality in Face of Labor Shortage; Softbank Watch: In Search of a Savior, WeWork Founder Finds a Billion Dollar Golden Parachute from an Unlikely Source; Readying for the Next Frontier: Qualcomm Earmarks $200 Billion for 5G Startups; Indispensable to the value chain, Apple infuses Japan Display with Capital after Failed Chinese Bailout

Oct. 11, 2019
Main topics include: Toyota Breaks from the Pack: Boosting Mid-career Hiring, Toyota Signals New Trend Penetrating Japan's Largest Firms; Softbank Watch: Going Back to its Roots, Softbank Facilitates Yahoo Japan's E-commerce Pursuit while on Data Pursuit of its Own; San Diego Startup Looks to Make App Creation Available for Everyone with New Billionaire Backing; Japanese Chemist Gets Nobel Nod for Invention at the Center of Modern Life and the Digitial Economy

Sep. 27, 2019
Main topics include: Dreaming of Traveling to Space, He Flew Too Close to the Sun: Zozo's Maezawa Steps Down Leaving Business Behind; San Diego's Qualcomm Leading the Charge on Smart City Innovation Debuting Smart Streetlights Water Meters and More; Unicorn Hunt: Japan's Biggest Firms Deploy Record-breaking Cash Holdings into Tech Start-ups; More than Beer, San Diego Becomes One of the Top 10 Coffee Cities in the U.S.

Sep. 13, 2019
Main topics include: Changing the Face of Transport by Removing its Face: Japan Tests Fully Autonomous Truck; Innovating for Food Security: San Diego Agriculture Startup, ZeaKal, Prepares for Global Growth Armed with New Funding; With New Government Backing, Geothermal Power in Japan is Set to Heat Up; For the 9th Time in 10 Years, UC San Diego Named Number One Public University for Research and Social Mobility.

Aug. 23, 2019
Main topics include: Japanese Funding Launches New US Unicorn as Japan Continues to Bet Big on Co-working, Funding WeWork Rival; UC San Diego Prepares to Innovate Reaching New Funding Heights Surpassing $2 Billion Funding Goal Three Years Early; Rakuten Boosts Cryptocurrency with New Crypto Exchange Mainstreaming Blockchain; and San Diego Tops Ranking for Best Cities for Female Entrepreneurs, Notching Second Spot

Aug. 9, 2019
Main topics include: Moonshot Innovation to be given Government Go-Ahead and Sponsorship; San Diego-based Rakuten Medical Closes Another Megaround of Funding for Cancer R&D; Fresh Tech for Keeping Food Fresh: Japanese Startups Innovate Natural Solutions for Food Preservation; and California's Largest Angel Investor Network, Tech Coast Angels, Reaches Record Heights

July 26, 2019
Main topics include: A Record M&A Spree: Japan Overseas Acquisitions Surge 30% in First Half of 2019; Leading Fitness Innovation: San Diego Fitness Startup Booms with Apple Partnership; Cryptocurrency's Vanguard? Japan to Take Lead on Crypto, Bootstrapping Global Payment System; and New Startup Funding: Sony and Daiwa Plan $185 Million Fund to Target High-growth Startups

July 12, 2019
Main topics include: Mixing Business and Politics: Abe Dips a Toe in Global Protectionist Swing with Korea Chip Component Export Restrictions; San Diego Startup for "Indie Grocery'' Delivery Attracts $4 million in Funding; Pushing into China: Itochu Teams with Chinese Conglomerate to Entice Japanese Startups to Enter China; and San Diego Startups Continue Funding Growth Streak into 2019

June 28, 2019
Main topics include: At last a Japanese Commercial Jet? Mitsubishi to Acquire Bombardier Jet Unit; San Diego Bucks Global IPO Downtick with Another Strong Quarter; Tokyo in Paris: Japanese Menswear Designers Show their Dominance at Paris Fashion Week; and Drones to Make Fast Food Faster: Uber taps San Diego as Test City for Drone Delivery.

June 15, 2019
Main topics include: A Boon for Tech Talent Deals Blow to Seniority Wages as Sony Boosts Rookie Wages; Angel Infusion: San Diego AI Semiconductor Startup Lands New Funding to Revolutionize Chip Industry; Taking a Page from Big Tech's Playbook, Kirin Launches Beer Subscription Service; and Student Startup Synergy: UC San Diego's Rady Gets New Fintech Incubator.

May 24, 2019
Main topics include: A Green Tech Leader: Japan Set to Lead the Charge toward Hydrogen Power as Firms Innovate New Green Tech; San Diego's Newest Startup Accelerator is Making Sure that Nobody is Left Behind in San Diego Startup Boom; As Tourism Booms, AI-Powered Guides to Greet Tourists at Tokyo Station; and Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical Opens New Global Research Center in San Diego to Capitalize on Life Science Prowess.

May 10, 2019
Main topics include: Growing Abroad: Japan Flexes Insurance Expertise and Finds New Demand as it Enters Nascent Myanmar Market; San Diego's Robust Year for Venture Capital Sows Seeds for Future IPO Successes; Japan Takes Leap in Private Space Race: Japanese Aerospace Startup Becomes Country's First Private Firm to Reach Space; and A Greener San Diego with a Japanese Assist: San Diego Teams with Sumitomo Electric for Next Generation Grid Optimization. 

April 26, 2019
Main topics include: Shuukatsu Shift: Fight for Top Talent Deals Blow to Traditional Recruitment Strategy to Favor Flexibility; Major Startup Merger: Connect San Diego fuses with San Diego Venture Group Creating New Powerhouse; Japan Finds Latest Unicorn in Cryptocurrency Startup as it leads the way on Blockchain; and Building a Smart City: Drones are responding to 911 calls in San Diego.

April 12, 2019
Main topics include: Ushering in Peace or Looking Back? New Gengo Hopes for (Ordered?) Harmony in Coming Era of Transformative Technology; San Diego Adds Another Fintech Unicorn to its Growing Stable as Kyriba Hits a Billion; Rakuten just made $2 Billion in Lyft Windfall Foreshadowing American Strategy; and San Diego Cements Status as Craft Beer Capital with New Museum of Beer.

March 29, 2019
Main topics include: As Speculation Swirls Around the New 'Gengo', Coders Prepare and Society Reflects and Looks Forward; Ditching Silicon Valley: Comma.ai, Maker of Self-driving Tech, Relocating to San Diego; Asia's Sweethearts Swoon for Japan as Tourism Reaches Record High; and San Diego Startup Surge: Record Number of SD Startups Vying for Venture Capital.

March 15, 2019
Main topics include: Womenomics happening after all? Japanese Financial Firms Hire Females for C-Suite; Apple to Create 1,200 Jobs in San Diego making SD its Newest Principle Engineering Hub; Is there any stopping SoftBank? Japanese Conglomerate to Launch $5 billion Latin America-focused Tech Fund; and Move than a Surfer's Paradise: Cardiff-by-the-Sea VC Firm Section 32 Raises $200M for Second Fund.

March 1, 2019
Main topics include: 'Made in Japan' Goods to Make U.S. Blitz through Amazon with Help from Regional Banks; New Robot Ruler: Qualcomm Builds First Robot Platform to Guide everything from Autonomous Cleaners to Robot Dogs;
Less Convenient Konbini? 7-Eleven Owners Request Shorter Business Hours; and San Diego Matures becoming the Country's Third Largest Biotech Hub as Rapid Growth Continues.

Feb. 15, 2019
Main topics include: Unleashing a FinTech First, Japan's Largest Bank to Launch Blockchain Payment Network; San Diego’s Biotech Startup Scene Quietly Builds Steam for The Year of the Boar; The Perfect AI beer? Artificial Intelligence Threatens to Disrupt Japan’s Brewing Industry; and
Autonomous Trucking Startup becomes San Diego's Newest Unicorn.

Feb. 1, 2019
Main topics include: San Diego Startup Accelerators Pick Up Speed as New Groups Form and Existing Groups Attract Fresh Funds; A Stimulating Supplement: More Japanese Companies Hunt for Talent Overseas to Stimulate Talent at Home; Fueled by a Pet-Loving City, San-Diego Startup PetDesk attracts New Funding creating New Business Model; and Japanese Comedy Just Got More Robotic? Traditional Japanese-style Comedy Meets AI for a Robotic Makeover.

Jan. 18, 2019
Main topics include: Revolutionizing the Internet of Things: San Diego Semiconductor Startup Wins $30 Million Backing from Amazon and Samsung with Battery-free Micro-sensor; Crypto's New Commander: Japan's Leading Cryptocurrency Regulator Expands Membership Increasing Clout; Coworking Boom: San Diego Startup Growth Drives Coworking Demand to New Heights as Local Startup Attracts Fresh Funding; and AI Meets HR: Japanese Firm Hopes AI Holds the Key for Better Employer-Employee Relations

Jan. 4, 2019
Main topics include: Silicon Valley's Shepherd: Softbank Driving the Largest Deals in the Valley; New Year, New Funding: San Diego Tech Startups Start 2019 with Fresh Funding; An Assist for Driver-Assist: Japan Eyes Tax Breaks for Driver-Assist Cars; and LOVOT the Pet Robot: AI-enabled Pet Robots go on Sale in Japan.

Dec. 21, 2018
Main topics include: That’s right: “Sodanē” wins Top Buzzword for 2018; In San Diego IPOs are a Go: 2018 Marks Record Year for Market Debuts; A Younger Keidanren? Amazon Japan and Mercari Bring New Japan to Business Lobby; and Scoot Over, Make Room: San Diego is Latest Battleground in E-scooter Turf War.

Dec. 7, 2018
Main topics include: UC San Diego and GPS Team with Famed Sci-Fi Writers to Imagine the Policy Problems of the Future; San Diego-based Scientist.com to Open an Office in Japan; Turning the Page: Japan’s Last Pager Service Ends after 50 years; and Tsinghua University Investment Unit to Back Japanese High-Tech Startups.

Nov. 23, 2018
Main topics include: JFIT Director & GPS Students Explore the Japanese Bureaucracy and Ministries through the Lens of Shin Godzilla; World Trade Center San Diego and Local Congressman Lead Trade Mission to Japan; Awash in Money, UC San Diego Enjoys a Golden Age in Research; Work Begins on New Biomass Power Generation Plant in Japan.

Nov. 9, 2018
Main topics include: JFIT Launches 2018-2019 Japan Discussion Group Series; Silicon Valley Venture Capital Looks to San Diego as the City continues to Blossom as Tech Hub; Japan Weighs Construction of $7 Billion International Linear Collider as Scientists and Potential Suppliers Push for Innovative Site's Construction; and San Diego and Local Tech Incubator CyberTECH Launch Smart City Competition for Startups.

Oct. 26, 2018
Main topics include: How Well is Japan Prepared for the Big Data Revolution? JFIT to Co-host Joint DIJ-NIRA Big Data Workshop in Tokyo; JFIT Executive Manager Takashi Kiyoizumi to Speak on the Social Implementation of Health Innovations at Kanagawa Health Innovation Symposium; NASA Looks to Japan: Japanese Startup iSpace Tapping Apollo-era Expertise to Build Lunar Landers for NASA; and A "Hotbed for Tech Startups": UCSD Tech Accelerator Receives $1 Million Boost.

Oct. 12, 2018
Main topics include: In Boon for Blockchain Research, Tech Giants IBM and Intel Fund Launch of UC San Diego's New Blockchain Research Lab; Softbank in Talks to Up its Bet on Office Space Startup WeWork; San Diego-based Life Science Giant Illumina Board Member Frances Arnold Shares in Nobel Prize Win; and NTT Data Invests in Plans to Develop AI-backed Medical Diagnosis Service Globally.

Sept. 28, 2018
Main topics include: In Historic First, Japanese Rovers Land on Asteroid with Mission to Provide Clues to the Origins of the Universe; Venture Capital Looks Beyond Silicon Valley and Finds Life (and Profits) Outside the Bay Area; Despite High Costs, Japan's Paper Industry Bets They Can Help the Environment and their Bottom Lines with Plastic Substitutes; and Japan and Dubai Ink FinTech Agreement to Improve Cooperation on Innovation and Regulation.

Sept. 14, 2018
Main topics include: Driven by Semiconductors and Manufacturing, Japan's Capital Investment Marks 7th Straight Quarter of Growth with New 11-year-high Growth Rate; In a Boon for Innovation and University – Business Collaboration, $65 Million is Pledged for Drug Development Partnership with UC San Diego; Japanese Chipmaker Renasas to Acquire US Rival IDT in $7.2 Billion Deal as it Looks to Cement its Position in the Market for Connected Car Technology; and Ajinomoto Althea Opens New Manufacturing Facility in as it Marks its 20th Year in San Diego. 

Aug. 31, 2018
Main topics include: A Global Academic Powerhouse: UCSD Named World's 15th Best University, as Todai Named Best in Asia; JFIT Executive Manager Takashi Kiyoizumi Headlines LINK-J reception on Fundraising of Early Stage Life Science Ventures and US Angel Investment; Venture Capital Investment into San Diego more than Doubles in 2018; and Toyota Doubles Down on Driverless Cars with $500 Million Investment in Uber Partnership.

Aug. 14, 2018
Main topics include: UCSD Ranks 2nd in Ranking of Best Value Colleges; Japan Pushes for more Cashless Payments, as Amazon and Softbank vie to Lead the Way; Facing Stricter Regulations, Airbnb and Real Estate Japan Team Up to Promote Home Sharing; and After Years of Losses, Struggling Japan Display Bets on Smart Helmets and Mirrors.

Aug. 3, 2018
Main topics include: Better Politics? There's an App for that! Bringing Politicians Closer to Constituents through their Phones; Y2K All Over Again: Emperor Akihito's Abdication and a New 'Millennium Bug'; In Wake of Failed NXP Merger, Qualcomm Unveils 5G Electronics and Claims Big Strides; and Lixil Partners with UNICEF and Simplifies its Luxury Toilets to Save Lives. 

July 20, 2018
Main topics include: A 16-Year Failure to Launch: Walmart Looks to Cut-and-run and Exit Japan with Seiyu Sale; Startups get a Boost: Venture Capital to San Diego Startups Surges; Urban Fatigue for Rural Revitalization? Are Japanese Youth Yearning for the Countryside?; and Ordering Luck with Shooting Stars on Demand: Tokyo Startup Plans 2020 Meteor Shower.

July 6, 2018
Main topics include: Japan takes Lead on Policy for the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution'; Zozo seeks to Upend Bespoke Clothing Industry with a Polka-dot Bodysuit; Scooter, Personal Assistant, or Best Friend: Chiba Team unveils AI powered Kangaroo-like Transforming Robot; and
By Pitting Virus against Bacteria, UCSD takes the Lead on Fighting Drug-resistant Bacteria.

June 22, 2018
Main topics include: Mercari Makes Japan's Largest Tech IPO in Two Years and Sets Sights on the US; Silicon Valley-style Coding Boot Camps Seek to Bring Japanese Software Development up to Global Standards; From Failing Mall to Startup Hub: Downtown San Diego's Horton Plaza to be Converted into Unique Office Space; and Suit-style Work Wear to Change the Image of Blue Collar Work?

June 8, 2018
Main topics include: Falling Icon? Karaoke Chains Struggle to Find Profits; Self-driving Vehicles in Tokyo for the Olympics?; What you've been waiting for? Japanese Firm Debuts "Umbrella Drone"; and Sharp to Save Toshiba's Money-losing Signature PC Bra

May 25, 2018
Main topics include: San Diego Economy Continues to Improve; Suntory to Discontinue Another Whiskey Line as Demand Continues to Grow; Japanese Drone Deliveries Scuttled for Now; and Grandesign Relocates HQ to Downtown SD.

May 11, 2018
Main topics include: JFIT Conference on AI and the Digital Disruption Probes the Future of Humanity; Recruit Acquires Glassdoor for $1.2b; UCSD Develops Biosensor to Fight Substance Abuse; and SD Named Test Sight for Drone Deliveries.

April 27, 2018
Main topics include: Airbnb Faces Tightened Restrictions in Japan; Amazon/Whole Foods Launch 2-Hour Delivery in SD; OECD: Half of all Jobs Threatened by Automation; and GPS Study Finds: Anyone Can Innovate.

April 13, 2018
Main topics include: Q1 2018: SD Startups Raise More with Less; Japan Discovers "Near-Infinite" Supply of Rare Earth Minerals; Japanese Wine Makers Harness Big Data; and Japan Deemed a Cryptocurrency Hub.

March 30, 2018
Main topics include: Cryptocurrency and AI Excite at Slush Tokyo; SD Leads US Cities in Solar, Named Top "Energy Forward" City; Japan Launching Supercomputer for Advanced Nuclear Fusion Research; and Japanese Companies Investing Directly in Startups.

March 16, 2018
Main topics include: Japan Remembers 3/11, Tohoku Continues to Rebuild; 2017: Japanese Firms Rival EU, US in ROE; Japanese Venture to Build 80 Hydrogen Fuel Stations by 2022; and UCSD, Lyft Agree to Partnership.

March 2, 2018
Main topics include: Foreign Policy Magazine Ranks UCSD one of the World's Best for International Relations; Nissan Testing Driverless Taxi in Yokohama; Japan's Ongoing Struggle to Increase Women in Upper Management; and Twitter Use Surges in Japan.

Feb. 16, 2018
Main topics include: Ignite: UCSD's 2-Day Innovation Conference; New Drug Could Kick the Flu in a Day; Takeover Threaten's SD's "Flag”; and UCSD Innovator Recognized for Contributions to High Density Hard Drives.

Feb. 2, 2018
Main topics include: Fujifilm to Acquire Xerox in $6.1 Billion Deal; No. of Foreign Workers in Japan Hits New High; Japan's LINE to Open E-Currency Exchange; and UCSD Opens New Aerodrome for Drones.

Jan. 19, 2018
Main topics include: SD Venture Funding Tops $1.9B in 2017; Japanese VC Investments Up 27x in 5 Years; New Ceramic Could Revolutionize Transportation Industry; and Tokyo Plans for EV Charging Station Subsidy.

Jan. 5, 2018
Main topics include: 2018: The End for Japanese Deflation?; Docomo to Offer Free SIM Cards to Foreign Visitors; Dealmaking at "$1 Billion per Minute”; and Bon Appétit: 50 New San Diego Restaurants to Try in 2018.

Dec. 22, 2017
Main topics include: "Kita" Assigned Kanji of the Year; Japan Seeks to Lure Foreign Talent with Startup Visas; San Diego's Crown Bio Acquired by JSR; and Tokyo Lawson's to Automate Checkout.

Dec. 1 (read here)
Main topics include: JUMP: Helping One Woman at a Time; Rakuten Invests Big in SD Cancer Startup; Tokyo Puts More Michelin Stars on its Map; and Closing Theme Park Goes Viral.

Nov. 9 (read here)
Main topics include: Qualcomm-Broadcom Merger May Be Largest Ever; UCSD Preps for Carbon Neutrality by 2025; Sony to Sell New Breed of Electronic Dog; and UCSD Driving Smart Car Research.

Oct. 27 (read here)
Main topics include: JFIT Welcomes 1st AIM Program Participant; Cyber Genius Awarded for Talents; San Diego 4th Best for Startups; and Glimpse of the Future at Tokyo Motor Show.

Oct. 13 (read here)
Main topics include: UCSD Alum Awarded for Stretchable Battery; Japan Launches High-Precision GPS Satellite; Japanese Firms Pan for Modern Day Gold; and Bot Battle Scheduled for Next Week.

Sept. 29 (read here)
Main topics include: 2020: Japanese Banks Consider Minting E-Currency; 
San Diego Beer: Best in the US?; and A Guide to Japan's Snap Election.

Sept. 14 (read here)
Main topics include: Stem Cells - "Made in Japan”; Back to School '17: UCSD Gets Good Grades; and Japan Struggles to Kick Habit Before 2020 Games.

Aug. 25 (read here)
Main topics include: 2011 GPS Fellow Taro Kono apptd. Foreign Minister of Japan; Samsung partners with Takeda Drug R&D; Housing crisis for foreign workers in Japan; and UC San Diego hits $1.16B research record.

Aug. 10 (read here)
Main topics include: UC San Diego's DT "Innovation" Housing; Japan Display Inc.'s OLED Woes; Nidec to sell factory automation systems; and Monozukuri: The world's best fidget spinner.

July 20 (read here)
Main topics include: GPS Students Take Japan; SD Ranked Top Booming Start-up City; 
WeWork launches Japan Co-Working; and Japanese Seaweed: Invasive but Welcomed.

July 5 (read here)
Main topics include: SD Company gets first local AV permit; SD is #1 in Nation for Craft Breweries; Japan is latest to enter Asian space race; and Japan Eliminates Bitcoin Consumption Tax.

June 13 (read here)
Main topics include: SD #4 in National Biopharma Ranking; SoftBank buys Alphabet's Boston Dynamics; Move over Tokyo Drift...it's Lowrider time; and Japan building world's fastest Supercomp.

June 6 (read here)
Main topics include: Over 29K Jobs Added in SD this Year; Local Biotech receives $3M for CF Research; MUFG to help bring Plug and Play to Japan; and First F-35 Manufactured in Japan Unveiled.

May 30 (read here)
Main topics include: China Closes in on SD Biotech Firms; SD is #8 in U.S. Clean Power Production; TPP Negotiators to Meet in Japan in July; and Amazon Nixes Pricing Clause for Vendors.

May 23 (read here)
Main topics include: SD Startup Aira raises $12 mn Series B; Japanese Firms discuss IoT Data Exchange; Toyota, MUFG join Blockchain alliance; Kickstarter Launches in Japan.

May 16 (read here)
Main topics include: Local Genome Startup Raises $22 mn; EY Announces SD Entrepreneurship Awards; Fujitsu to release emotion-sensing Robot; and A Robot to Curb Elderly Driver Accidents.

May 9 (read here)
Main topics include: SD Welcomes non-stop Frankfurt flight; Triton Entrepreneur Night: Event Wrap-Up; Sony's Planned Re-Launch of OLED TVs; and Nissan launches Pickup Production in China.

May 2 (read here)
Main topics include: JUMP: Inspiring One to the Next; Kyoto Prize Laureates in SD Last Month; Bitcoin Spike Stemming from Japan; and Labor Shortage spurs increase in FT Hires.

April 25 (read here)
Main topics include: San Diego Biotech Sector at the Forefront; A Physician-centered Wearable Device; OLED iPhone to change game for Japan suppliers; and Japan Post could report $364M Net Loss.

April 18 (read here)
Main topics include: SD Company Develops Smartphone Blood Sugar Monitor; Japanese Pilot wins SD Red Bull Air Race; 7/11 & Others to Introduce Self-Checkout; and Japan Farmers turn to Biogas Production.

April 11 (read here)
Main topics include: San Diego Claims #1 Spot for Solar; UCSD's public-private research vision; An Update on Japan's Startup Environment; and Son vs. Bezos: E-Commerce Race in India.

April 4 (read here)
Main topics include: Local School offers free Software builds; 900,000 Graduates started work Monday; METI to address Big Data in new guidelines; and Rakuten launches 'free' gaming platform.

March 21 (read here)
Main topics include: UC San Diego: Let there be Sight; Toshiba Memory Bidding War Intensifies; UNIQLO takes internship program on a drive; and The History behind SD's Cherry Blossoms.

March 14 (read here)
Main topics include: SD Amongst 'Happiest' Places to Live in U.S.; Will Toshiba be Delisted?; Japan's Ibiden to be Apple's First 100% Clean-Energy Manufacturer; and San Diego & Yokohama: Life Science Sisters.

March 7 (read here)
Main topics include: Startups Moving to SD - and they Love it; UC San Diego Champion for Upward Mobility; BOJ Study: Cash Dependent Japan; and Honda's Minicar No.1 for 3 months straight.

Feb. 28 (read here)
Main topics include: San Diego: 1st large-scale IoT "Smart" City; UC San Diego helped with NASA Discovery; Panasonic Seizes Solar Opportunity; and Working Women & Wine Consumption: A Positive Correlation in Japan. 

Feb. 21 (read here)
Main topics include: The Science of DNA Origami @ UC San Diego; SoftBank to buy Fortress Investment Group; Japan Manufacturing Increasing Activity; and NY Times thinks SD is a Vacation Paradise. 

Feb. 14 (read here)
Main topics include: Innovation Lab...at the Airport??; SD Tech Wages better than SV, says Study; Flexible Screens in Your Home Next Year; and Japan's Big Push for the Hydrogen Auto. 

Feb. 7 (read here)
Main topics include: Qualcomm & TDK's Joint Venture; Trending in Japan: Solar & Renewables; Samsung looks to Murata for Batteries; and Kakehashi: A Student's Take on Japan. 

Jan. 31 (read here)
Main topics include: JFIT Special Spotlight: Yoriko Kawaguchi; Kakehashi: Building a U.S.-Japan Bridge; Toshiba to Exit Nuclear Plant Business; and Salk Institute: Fountain of Endless Youth? 

Jan. 24 (read here)
Main topics include: TUC San Diego Leads Rare Cancer Study; Tokyo: First in Global Women's Marches; Sharp Invests $570M in OLED Production; and Latest Labor Reform Proposals.

Jan. 17 (read here)
Main topics include: Takeda invests in SD Biotechs; the Japan labor ministry pushes 'Premium Friday' campaign; the Pentagon targets Japanese companies for new technology; and Toyota Takes the AI & Robotics plunge.

Jan. 9 (read here)
Main topics include: New Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty; the Legendary Japanese Turntable; CyberTECH, San Diego's Unique Tech Incubator; and California's Cannabis Culture.

Jan. 2 (read here)
Main topics include: Nikkei's Highest Close in 20 Years; Kanji of The Year - Gold (金); San Diego Recognized for Tech Jobs; and What to Watch in 2017.

Dec. 26 (read here)
Main topics include: New Tie Ups in Self-Driving Cars; Qualcomm's New 5G Tech; Casinos Legal in Japan; and Super Mario Run Sets Download Record.

Dec. 19 (read here)
Main topics include: More Start-Up Money in Japan; San Diego Veteran Start-Ups; Bay Area Firms Heading to San Diego; and Shigetaka Kurita: Father of the Emoji.

Dec. 12 (read here)
Main topics include: Softbank's $50 Billiion Move; Hydrogen Innovation in San Diego; Stronger Dollar - Weaker Yen; and Who wouldn't want this puppy?

Dec. 5 (read here)
Main topics include: JUMP: Helping One Woman at a Time; ANA: Latest Space Tourism Competitor; Japan Inc. and S.V. Innovation Tourism; and A Miyazaki Successor in the Making?

Nov. 28 (read here)
Main topics include: The Fukushima Disaster's Snowballing Costs; Veggie Delivery Services on the Uptrend; Domino's Japan Tests Reindeer Delivery; and San Diego: The Life Sience VC Magnet.

Nov. 21 (read here)
Main topics include: The Autonomous Driving Race Tightens; Hitachi Reveals Lensless Camera; Japan's 2016 Top Buzzword Candidates; and Japan's Untapped Economic Potential.

Nov. 14 (read here)
Main topics include: Rakuten's Growing Finance Business; Dentsu Offices Raided by Ministry Officials; Why Honda chose Tokyo over Silicon Valley; and Fujitsu may merge with Lenovo PC Unit.

Nov. 7 (read here)
Main topics include: Dr. Kohara talk on Sino-Japanese Relations; Silicon Valley Accelerator Calls SD Home; MGM Resorts Sets Sights on Japan; and The Japanese Entrepreneurship Gap.