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Tower Semiconductor is preparing a major expansion of its Japanese manufacturing operations, including the return of semiconductor production to its Arai facility in Myoko, Niigata Prefecture. The project will increase capacity for advanced semiconductors used in AI data centres, high-speed communications and next-generation optical connectivity. Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry certified the company’s supply assurance plan on July 14th. METI estimates total pr

Corporate bankruptcies in Japan continued to increase during the first half of 2026 as rising costs, labor shortages and accumulated debt placed greater pressure on smaller businesses. Tokyo Shoko Research recorded 5,346 bankruptcies between January and June, up 7.1 percent from the same period of 2025. It was the fifth consecutive first-half increase and the first total above 5,000 since 2014. Photo by Beth Macdonald on Unsplash Combined liabilities increased 6.3 percent to

Existing condominium transactions and prices in the Greater Tokyo Area declined again in June, while the existing single-family home market continued to record growth. The East Japan Real Estate Information Network, or REINS, released the data on July 10th. Existing Condominium Prices Fall as Inventory Rises The average sold price per square metre fell 0.8 percent year-on-year to JPY 826,400, while the average price per unit slipped 0.02 percent to JPY 52.08 million. Both mea

Japan’s regional economies are still moving forward, but that improvement has not yet clearly reached the housing market. On July 9, 2026, the Bank of Japan released its July Regional Economic Report, commonly known as the Sakura Report. Bank of Japan. Photo courtesy of Wiiii via Wikipedia. The BOJ kept its overall economic assessment unchanged for all nine regions. At the same time, the report showed that housing investment remained one of the slower parts of the regional ec

Japan’s real wages rose for a fifth consecutive month in May, as nominal pay growth continued to outpace the inflation measure used by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). MHLW released the preliminary May 2026 results of its Monthly Labour Survey on July 7th. The data showed total cash earnings at workplaces with five or more employees increased 3.2% year-on-year to 311,165 yen. Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash After adjusting for inflation, the real wage index