IT Analysis: OpenAI to Launch AI-Powered Speaker?
OpenAI is developing its first original hardware, a screenless portable smart speaker, marking a significant shift from ...
IT 
Civil engineering [News] Maglev Shinkansen makes progress toward opening as early as 2036.
Shizuoka Governor Suzuki Yasutomo has expressed his approval for the construction of the Shizuoka section of the Maglev ...
economy [News] Government and BOJ Conduct Record Yen-Buying Intervention
In late July 2026, the Japanese government and the Bank of Japan conducted a record-scale yen-buying intervention in coo...
economy [News] Dow Jones Rises for First Time in Two Days as US Rate Hike Expectations Recede
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded on the New York stock market over the weekend, closing up 151.83 dollars at 5...
economy [News] Neckties removed from price index, protein supplements added
The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has announced a draft for the 2025-base revision of the Con...
Civil engineering [News] MLIT Expert Panel Proposes Expanding Scope of Land Acquisition Notifications
On August 7, 2026, an expert panel under the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) fin...
IT [Analysis] AMD Acquires AI Chip Startup to Strengthen Inference Product Line
On August 6, 2026, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a leading U.S. semiconductor company, reached an agreement to acquire T...
IT [Analysis] Hidden Backdoors in 20 Chinese Router Models May Affect Over 100,000 Units Worldwide
U.S. security firm VulnCheck has disclosed that intentional backdoors for remote control were embedded in 20 router mode...
IT [Analysis] New Shared Office for Semiconductor Companies Opens at New Chitose Airport
A new co-creation space dedicated to the semiconductor industry, "RISE GATE NEW CHITOSE AIRPORT," has opened at New Chit...
IT [Analysis] PFN Launches Homegrown LLM “PLaMo 3.0 Prime”
On June 22, 2026, the Tokyo-based AI startup Preferred Networks, Inc. (PFN) officially released PLaMo 3.0 Prime, a flags...