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BALMUDA Inc. is a fast-growing Japan-based company that offers stylish home appliances designed to offer not only convenience, but also, in the words of BALMUDA CEO and Chief Designer Gen Terao, “thrilling and wonderful experiences.” Produ…
The need to communicate with others who use different languages is universal. Ongoing technological advances in machine translation software are gradually closing the communication gap to enable conversations among those who speak differen…
On November 4, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its earnings results briefing for the second quarter (Q2) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (FY2021). President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa noted that consolidated revenue increased …
While AI is becoming indispensable to many aspects of modern life, employers are struggling to find people with the necessary AI skills. Japan is not alone in facing this conundrum. Although the number of AI software system developers in t…
SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) won two CEATEC AWARD 2021 Category Awards on October 18, 2021, the day before the full launch of CEATEC ONLINE 2021. CEATEC is one of the largest international exhibitions of IT technology and electronics in As…
On August 26, 2021, a next-generation, AI-powered supermarket opened its doors in Osaka. The unique Gyomu Super pilot store, owned and operated by retail operator Kobe Bussan Co., Ltd., is using an AI-based system developed by SoftBank Cor…
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a new mode of public transportation that is attracting attention around the world. How is it different from regular bus services? BRT transit systems use dedicated corridors and stations to deliver fast and relia…
A recent survey conducted by a group company of SoftBank Corp. found that more than 80 percent of respondents in Japan working in over 25 industries did not know the meaning of DX, and only 23 percent of companies queried said they were en…
Access to clean drinking water and sanitation is essential to daily life, and the infrastructure that enables it is often taken for granted. However, according to the United Nations, worldwide, one in three people do not have access to saf…
September 17 to 26, 2021 is Global Goals Week, an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), achieving the SDGs is a top management p…
Since assuming the post of President & CEO of in April 2021, Junichi Miyakawa has been communicating his vision to transform SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) from a telecommunications carrier into to digital transformation (DX) company. To eff…
Since it launched commercial 5G services in March 27, 2020, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has made significant progress in rolling out 5G smartphones and services. As of writing, SoftBank now has over 10 million subscribers signed up to 5G …
On September 7, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and Japan’s Aichi Prefecture held a press conference in Tokyo to introduce their new facility that promises to nurture a world-leading start-up ecosystem and center of innovation. The Pref…
On August 31 and September 1, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) teamed up with EAMS ROBOTICS Co., Ltd. and Uhuru Corporation to conduct a trial for delivering fish caught right out of the ocean with an autonomous drone and SoftBank’s high…
One the major strengths of SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is its unparalleled number of customer touchpoints. This customer foundation spans SoftBank’s mobile and broadband subscribers (55 million), and the users of platforms provided by gro…
In the IoT era, where autonomous vehicles, drones, robots and other mobile systems will always be connected to the Internet, highly precise positioning technologies will be indispensable. “ichimill,” an IoT service from SoftBank Corp. (TOK…
With the ongoing shift to online platforms for shopping, work, education and other activities, as well as the profound impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives, smart city planning initiatives are gaining momentum. To make smart cities conveni…
While many of us are still considering whether to upgrade to a 5G smartphone, the mobile network operators that brought us 5G and the previous generations of wireless communications are already working on technologies to make 6G a reality.…
To market more of its products, services and technologies, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has taken a leaf out of literature. It has adapted the writer’s Golden Rule of Show, Don’t Tell and come up with the counter-intuitive Show, Don’t Sell.
Telementoring—a relationship between a medical expert and a trainee in a remote location that is facilitated by communication technologies—is not a new concept, but it is gaining increased attention as the ultra-high speeds of 5G and other…
SoftBank Corp.'s (TOKYO: 9434) new headquarters is located in the Takeshiba District of Tokyo, an area designated as a National Strategic Special Zone by the Japanese government to test and deploy cutting-edge technologies. It's here in Ta…
In Tokyo, a state of emergency was declared for the fourth time in July 2021 to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and restaurants in the metropolis were once again particularly impacted. The restaurant industry is experiencing a decline in …
SoftBank Corp.'s (TOKYO: 9434) new headquarters is located in the Takeshiba District of Tokyo, an area designated as a National Strategic Special Zone by the Japanese government to test and deploy cutting-edge technologies. It’s here in Ta…
Whether it's sushi or ramen noodles, Japanese food is enjoying an unprecedented boom around the world. But Japanese food is much more than sushi, tempura or ramen – there are all kinds of processed foods and snacks, drinks and ingredients …
Japan’s healthcare system is coming under increased strain with doctors and nurses working overtime, not to mention rising medical care costs and wait times in hospitals. As with other countries, COVID-19 has put even more stress on frontl…
More than most countries, Japan urgently needs to introduce autonomous driving vehicles ASAP. Beset by a falling birth rate and an aging population declining in numbers yearly, the country's workforce too is shrinking. One government agenc…
