Japan

Japan's Horiba targets 20 billion yen from India operations by 2028

Japanese precision instruments and testing systems manufacturer Horiba on Monday said it is targeting a revenue of 20 billion yen from its India operations by 2028, as the country emerges as an increasingly important base for its global manufacturing and research roadmap. The company, which is marking 20 years of operations in India, reported an annual turnover of about 15 billion yen in FY 2025, at an average annual growth rate of over 15 per cent. "Looking at our global businesses, India is probably the most exciting and growing energetic market for us. Going forwardit would definitely be a key market for the Horiba Group. "India has grown from a market for our technology into a base where it is manufactured, adapted, and increasingly developed. Twenty years in, our commitment to this market remains as strong as ever, and we see India playing an even larger role in Horiba's global growth in the years ahead," Dan Horiba, Executive Director, Horiba Ltd, Japan, said in a statement.

Maruti Suzuki's Jimny 5-door, Fronx, e Vitara exports to Japan cross 100k

Maruti Suzuki India on Monday said cumulative exports of the Made-in-India Jimny 5-door, Fronx, and e Vitara to Japan have surpassed 1 lakh units. Maruti Suzuki India began exporting the Fronx to Japan, one of the world's most competitive and advanced automobile markets, in August 2024, followed by the Jimny 5-door in December 2024. The Company's first Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), e Vitara, joined this export portfolio in September 2025, further strengthening India's role as a global manufacturing hub for Suzuki. Jimny 5-door and e VITARA are manufactured exclusively in India. With growing acceptance of Made-in-India vehicles, Japan stood as Maruti Suzuki's second-largest export market by volume in FY26, the company said, adding that it has retained the position during the first five months (April-August) of the current fiscal year. "The milestone of over 1 lakh exports of Jimny 5-door, FRONX, and e VITARA to Japan is a powerful endorsement of India's manufacturing excellence.

India-Japan ties deepen as Japanese firms in India hit record 1,463

Bilateral merchandise trade has doubled over the past decade to $27.48 billion, while cumulative Japanese FDI in India stood at $48.14 billion through March 2026

Japan plans $55.6 bn budget to beef up its defence with drones, missiles

Japan plans to use drones, artificial intelligence and new methods of warfare as it adapts its defence strategies to suit changing times, according to details of an 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) budget request for the coming fiscal year disclosed by the Defence Ministry on Monday. The preliminary total is only a small increase from the 8.8 trillion yen ($55 billion) defence budget requested for this fiscal year. It will be much higher eventually, but further details will come later this year after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approves the new security and defence strategy aimed at strengthening Japan's counterstrike capability. Under its five-year defence strategy set in 2022, Japan has doubled its defence spending to about 2% of its gross domestic product to build up its Self-Defence Forces' offensive role to counter China's growing assertiveness. Beijing has criticized Japan's defence buildup as "new militarism." Japan now aims to "drastically strengthen its ...

Will talk to Japan on increasing basmati rice exports from India: Goyal

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said India will take up the issue of greater market access for basmati rice with Japan during a review of the trade agreement, and explore opportunities for exports of processed food products. Responding to a question from an industry representative on increasing basmati rice exports to Japan, Goyal said the government would have to engage with the Japanese authorities as rice is a sensitive sector in Japan. "We in the government will have to work on it and will have to talk to the Japanese government. There are several areas which are sensitive for each country, and to the best of my knowledge, rice is a sensitive area in Japan," he said. He noted that Japan has restrictions on the quantity of rice that can be imported and duties are applicable beyond the permitted quantity. "We will talk to the Japanese government when we review the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) and see what more areas of mutual ...

Piyush Goyal pushes for JPY 10 trillion Japanese investment in India

Commerce minister meets Japanese financial institutions and companies as India seeks investment in semiconductors, technology and resilient supply chains

Yayoi Kusama, Japanese artist who painted polka dots, dies at 97

Kusama died in a Tokyo hospital on Aug. 14, according to a statement on her official website. The cause was multiple organ failure, Kyodo News reported.

Goyal proposes India-Japan 'Shark Tank' to boost investment, business ties

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday proposed an India-Japan startup pitching series, on the lines of the popular 'Shark Tank' format, to connect young startups from the two countries with investors and potential business partners. Addressing a roundtable on startups, Goyal said such pitching sessions could be organised virtually, leveraging digital connectivity, to facilitate greater interaction between Indian and Japanese startups. "India and Japan can develop a pitching series, something like the Shark Tank initiative, that can help young startups pitch," Goyal said. He said Indian startups could pitch their ideas to Japanese investors, while Japanese startups could seek partners and business opportunities in India. "In this world of global connectivity through Zoom calls and the internet, I think we can have more and more pitching sessions where Indian startups pitch for Japanese investments and Japanese startups pitch for partners in India," he said. Goyal

PM Takaichi says Japan will 'protect' ICC from US push to dismantle

The sanctioning of Akane and a senior trial lawyer by the US marks the latest escalation of attacks on the court by Washington, which says the ICC has unfairly targeted the US and Israel

Uniqlo India to focus expansion on six cities where it has a presence

The Japanese retailer, which currently operates 20 stores in India, remains bullish on the market and is continuously looking for opportunities to expand its footprint

TVS Supply Chain, Japan's Sankyu sign pact to collaborate across services

TVS Supply Chain Solutions on Monday said it has signed an initial pact with Japan-based Sankyu Inc to collaborate across supply chain and engineering services. As part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Sankyu intends to acquire a 0.5 per cent stake in TVS Supply Chain Solutions (TVS SCS), subject to customary regulatory approvals. Under the partnership, the companies will explore opportunities to deliver enhanced value through a broader portfolio of solutions spanning logistics, warehousing, transportation, engineering services, maintenance and on-site industrial support. The collaboration will initially focus on opportunities in India, where both companies see significant potential to support manufacturing and industrial customers through a broader range of supply chain and engineering services, TVS SCS said in a statement. Over time, the collaboration is expected to expand into other markets across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, leveraging the combined capabilities of

Goyal leads biz delegation to Japan to discuss ways to boost trade

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal is leading a 200-member business delegation to Japan for a four-day visit starting August 24 to discuss ways to boost trade and investment ties between the two countries. The visit assumes significance as Japan last year set an investment target of 10 trillion yen (about Rs 60,000 cr) in India over a decade. The minister will be travelling to Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. The business delegation has representatives from various sectors, ranging from manufacturing, semiconductors, clean energy and steel to automotive, financial services, healthcare and start-ups, industry chamber Ficci Director General Jyoti Viz told reporters here. In Tokyo, Goyal will hold a series of meetings with the top leadership of major Japanese conglomerates and industrial houses that have long been partners in India's growth, alongside a round-table with Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), representing over 1,500 leading Japanese companies. Dedicated sessions are

More than 20 injured after earthquake of magnitude 5.9 shakes Japan

A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday, injuring more than 20 people, most of them slightly, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake occurred in the southern Ibaraki prefecture, at a depth of 70 kilometres, an area of Japan prone to frequent quakes. The US Geological Survey recorded a preliminary magnitude of 5.8. Twenty-three people were injured in four prefectures in the region -- nine in Saitama, another nine in Kanagawa, four in Chiba and one in Ibaraki -- according to prefectural officials. Most of them were injured when they fell down or hit themselves against furniture or doors as they were caught off guard by the quake while sleeping and got out of bed in a panic, officials said. Among them was a woman in her 80s who fell off the bed and suffered a serious hip injury in Yokohama, in the Kanagawa prefecture, the Yomiuri newspaper .

North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile toward sea, says Japan

North Korea launched a suspected ballistic missile toward the sea on Thursday, Japan said, a day after North Korea shrugged off a US decision to scale back military drills with South Korea in an apparent bid to resume diplomacy. The Japanese prime minister's office said it detected the suspected launch but gave no further details. South Korean media, citing the military, reported that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile off the North's east coast. On Wednesday, the South Korean and US militaries said they were scaling back their 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises. US President Donald Trump earlier ordered the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" the exercises, just before they began Monday. Trump cited what he said was a good relationship with Kim and South Korea's refusal to support him over the war in Iran. Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dismissed Trump's overture later Wednesday. She said it was not even worthy of comment. "The

Japan reports record exports, imports for July as energy costs climb

Japan's imports and exports set records in July and soaring energy costs and a weak yen helped extend a trade deficit for a third month, government data showed. Japan's trade deficit totalled 634.5 billion yen (USD 4 billion) last month, marking the third straight month of red ink, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Thursday. Imports surged 27.8 per cent from the same month a year ago to a seasonally adjusted 12.15 trillion yen (USD 77 billion). The war in Iran has sent crude oil prices soaring. Japan, which imports almost all its oil, previously relieved heavily on oil imports from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed. Exports rose 23.2 per cent to 11.51 trillion yen (USD 73 billion), as auto exports to the US and other nations remained strong. Shipments of semiconductors and other electronic devices were also healthy. Japan's exports have now grown every month for almost a year. By value, both imports and exports rose to t

UP-Japan investment meet to focus on green hydrogen, semiconductor push

The meet will include a CEO Roundtable chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and virtual groundbreaking for projects worth ₹3,191 crore

India among ORIX's top two global growth markets: Group CEO Takahashi

Japanese mobility solutions and financial services provider ORIX Corporation has identified India as one of its two focus growth markets globally, bullish on the prospects of vehicle leasing and rentals in the country 'taking off' going forward, according to its President and Group CEO Hidetake Takahashi. The company believes that it can increase the size of its fleet in India to around 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh vehicles in the short to medium term from the current 50,000. India's growing economy, rising inflows of FDI, more multinational companies entering the Indian market and increasing number of domestic entrepreneurs all augur well for the growth of ORIX Corporation's businesses, specially vehicle leasing and rentals, Takahashi told PTI in an interview. "Outside of Japan, Australia and India are the markets that will be a focus for ORIX," he said when asked about the company's key growth markets for the future. Japan is currently the biggest market for ORIX with about 5 lakh vehicles

Japan PM skips controversial shrine visit on anniversary of WW-II surrender

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi avoided Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni Shrine, apparently to prioritise diplomatic relations with China and South Korea, as Japan on Saturday marked the 81st anniversary of its surrender in World War II. However, she did not mention her country's wartime past in Asia or show remorse over it in her address. The Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates over 2.4 million people who died in wars, became controversial after including 14 convicted Japanese war criminals from World War II. China and South Korea say visits by Japanese officials to the shrine show a lack of remorse over Japan's wartime atrocities. Takaichi mourned the victims of major devastation in Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Okinawa, as well as those who perished in overseas battlefronts, and thanked them for their sacrifice as the "foundation of Japan's peace and prosperity today." "Japan, since the end of the war, has consistently contributed to global peace and prosperity. We will never let