Take 5 entries
Here are some of my entries for the daily Take 5 newsletter.
06 30 2023 newsletter
1. No gas in the tank
The electrification of Japan’s auto industry is still getting revved up but it’s still got a ways to go before being fully charged. Some recent sights from the journey:
- Energized by its partnership with Panasonic, Mazda is planning to make EV batteries, a venture that may provide them with the spark needed to start their own line of electric vehicles.
- Japan and the U.S. inked a deal on battery minerals in March, part of efforts to secure supply chains in an area where China remains dominant.
- Despite all the new players plugging into the battery game, lithium producers warn that supply might not meet the demand. Staff shortages, inflation and delays could sap the industry of the juice it desperately needs.
- Over at Nissan, an early pioneer of the EV sector, shareholders re-elected its chief executive and other board nominees on June 27. The company is currently investigating claims that its CEO carried out surveillance on his deputy and other in-fighting.
- Moving away from four wheels, anyone 16 and over can ride an electric kick scooter in Japan without a driver’s license from July 1. The streets might never be the same.
3. Facts of life
Japan’s rapidly aging society and declining birth rate — they are the topics that won’t go away. The latest in the country’s demographic trends:
- With a median age of 68, Gunma Prefecture’s Nanmoku is Japan’s oldest village, Alex K.T. Martin reports. The good times peaked in the 1970s; by 2015, the village’s population was less than one-fifth of its heyday. It’s now doing its best to not go gently into that good night.
- Retirement isn’t such a bad thing. A study found that retired people have a lower risk of heart disease, at least 2 percentage points lower than for working people.
- As the birth rate declines and fewer people tie the knot, a variety of matchmaking initiatives are popping up for those who haven’t given up on love, ranging from face-to-face gatherings in a traditional garden to socializing via avatars in the metaverse.
- Maybe being set up by your parents doesn’t sound too bad in Hiroshima. Adults are putting up little resistance to their parents’ efforts to see them paired off in matchmaking events.
- And finally, take a look inside a stroller in East Asia and you might see fur baby instead of a human one. Elizabeth Beattie reports on why the region’s stroller brands are seeing growth in the pet market.
4. The nourishing power of food
Earlier this month, Tokyo and Michelin chef Yoshihiro Narisawa played host to dozens of the world’s top chefs for the first international summit of the Basque Culinary Center to be held in Asia. The event also marked the awarding of the center’s prestigious accolade, reports Robbie Swinnerton, which is essentially the “Nobel Prize in gastronomy.” This year it went to Turkish chef Ebru Baybara Demir, cited for her longtime work on development and social integration.
In more culinary features:
- Russell Thomas asks the million dollar question: Who really invented the egg-wrapped delights of rice, otherwise known as “omurice”? Explore an egg-cellent odyssey of some of Tokyo’s best.
- At Villa del Nido, located in a rural community in Nagasaki’s Unzen City, it’s more high-end fare: dishes crafted with local produce and Italian techniques.Under the shadow of a still-active volcano, this six-seater restaurant specializes in farm-to-table cuisine, such as focaccia baked with Mount Unzen spring water or kuruma ebi (tiger prawns) wrapped in nori strips cultivated in the nearby Ariake Sea.
- For the latest Recipe Box column, Simon Daly serves up with this Ukrainian-style walnut stuffed prunes recipe. There’s no evidence to suggest the mythical Odysseus ever sailed the Black Sea, but if he had, Simon Daly argues that he might have feasted on an Odesa classic.
06 28 2023 newsletter
2. A shift in defense
The winds are shifting in Japan, as Tokyo looks to loosen some of the postwar shackles on its defense establishment.
Most recently, this came in the shape of a Maritime Self-Defense Force-Japan Coast Guard joint field drill last week — the first to focus on a scenario in which the country came under an armed attack and the defense minister took control of the coast guard.
But that’s not all. The government has told the ruling bloc that exporting noncombat vehicles and vessels is permissible, despite the nation’s strict weapons export regulations, Kyodo reports. This could include SDF surveillance vehicles and mine-sweeping ships ... which happen to be armed with automatic cannons. Tokyo is also prioritizing domestically built defense equipment to ensure it can continue to fight in an emergency.
Most recently, this came in the shape of a Maritime Self-Defense Force-Japan Coast Guard joint field drill last week — the first to focus on a scenario in which the country came under an armed attack and the defense minister took control of the coast guard.
But that’s not all. The government has told the ruling bloc that exporting noncombat vehicles and vessels is permissible, despite the nation’s strict weapons export regulations, Kyodo reports. This could include SDF surveillance vehicles and mine-sweeping ships ... which happen to be armed with automatic cannons. Tokyo is also prioritizing domestically built defense equipment to ensure it can continue to fight in an emergency.
Despite the ruckus over NATO’s reported plan to open a Tokyo office — a move opposed by Paris — Japan and France last week managed to find common ground on defense cooperation in response to China’s military expansion.
In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japan is also looking to bolster its cooperation with NATO in areas of disinformation and outer space exploration. Tokyo is planning to release a document outlining a new relationship in time for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s trip to the NATO summit in Lithuania in July, sources said last week.
In light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japan is also looking to bolster its cooperation with NATO in areas of disinformation and outer space exploration. Tokyo is planning to release a document outlining a new relationship in time for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s trip to the NATO summit in Lithuania in July, sources said last week.
3. Market moves |
Let’s get down to business with some financial news, from market expectations for Toyota’s new push into electrification to the emergence of another “poison pill.”
- In positive news for prospective businesses, an upcoming series of public offerings has lifted sentiment toward startups, with more than 10 new stocks expected to start trading in Tokyo between now and the end of June.
- Security firms Nomura and Mizuho are among companies that have raised their price targets for Japanese auto giant Toyota since it revealed details of a new push into electrification. While Toyota was famously late to the electric vehicle party, it looks like investors are convinced they are coming up to speed.
- Cosmo Energy shareholders won investor approval for a “poison pill” in Japan, making it the second time a vote will exclude an investor. Some governance experts say this move could deter shareholder activism.
- A recent poll says that nearly 70% of Japanese firms expect more activist proposals. This sentiment comes after more than 340 shareholder resolutions were submitted to 90 companies for voting at annual shareholders meetings in June.
- During the firm's annual shareholders meeting last week, elevator-maker company Fujitec shareholders rejected proposals from ousted chairman Takahazu Uchiyama to overhaul the board.
5. Best of Tokyo
Last week, Tokyo took three of the top 50 spots in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants rankings, which were announced in Valencia, Spain. The top accolades of the evening went to Central (Lima, Peru). Further down the ranking, Den’s modern kaiseki cuisine led the Japan pack at No. 21; French restaurant Florilege shifted into the No. 27 spot; and Sezanne, which only opened in July 2021, rocketed up the list to No. 37. Beyond those stars, Japan’s influence could be detected up and down the list, writes Owen Ziegler.
In other Tokyo-related news:
- Cuisine is a main draw for tourists in Japan, but what’s a vegan to do in the famously fish- and meat-heavy restaurants of the capital? Katie Forster reports that Tokyo restaurants are getting creative with classic dishes to lure vegetarian tourists.
- Tekigaiso, a heritage building south of Ogikubo Station, hosted meetings that helped set Japan’s course during World War II, but with an extensive renovation taking place, how much of its story is set to be told, asks Tim Hornyak.
- Tokyo will host Japan’s first Formula E race in 2024. The decision comes as the city looks to step up its zero-emissions strategy by reducing carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050.
- U.S. military Yokota air base recently banned drag shows. Karin Kaneko reports on how the policy change has left organizers scrambling to find alternative venues or forced them to cancel the events altogether.
06 26 2023 newsletter
3. On rising tensions
Temperatures are not the only thing rising in the Asia-Pacific this summer. Here’s some news and commentary focused on increasing tensions in the region:
- NATO is beefing up outreach to the Indo-Pacific region as the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies. But experts and NATO members remain divided on whether these actions will deter or exacerbate Chinese aggression, Gabriel Dominguez reports.
- Seoul is standing its ground amid criticism from Beijing of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s bid to build stronger security and economic ties with Washington and Tokyo, Alyssa Chen reports.
- Ramesh Thakur presents takeaways from a recent Toda Peace Institute brainstorming retreat. Among them: The Ukraine war has left the West looking isolated, while U.S. global leadership is hobbled by domestic dysfunctionality, leaving China the big strategic victor.
- While China’s behavior in the region makes its neighbors wary, Hotaka Machida says Beijing’s stated aim of realizing a “community with a shared future for mankind” shows its potential to be a responsible superpower — if it can be persuaded to live up to these words.
- G7 countries are divided on how to approach China over the long term and how Beijing will fit into the international order. Naoko Eto argues that G7 countries need to take notes on Beijing’s diplomacy and respond in concert.
4. Reigning in the AI juggernaut
AI developers, lawyers, academics and business execs in Japan have launched a group aimed at creating guidelines for using artist-created images as learning materials for AI image generation amid concerns over copyrights, Karin Kaneko reports.
At the same time, some creatives are letting AI loose on their prize creations — on a tight leash. A new episode of the Osamu Tezuka manga “Black Jack” created with help from AI will be released this fall, the project’s organizers said last week.
Japan’s education ministry, meanwhile, reportedly plans to introduce new guidelines allowing schools limited use of generative AI to help formulate ideas to facilitate classroom discussions, among other things.
In higher education, nearly a third of students polled in Japan said they’ve used the ChatGPT chatbot, with many claiming it enhances their thinking abilities. But students’ usage varied greatly depending on subject — and gender.
While many people have invited AI into their homes and lives, Brad Glosserman argues the tech could doom us all, citing early warning signs such as an U.S. Air Force simulation gone wrong and “AI hallucinations.”
Indeed, seen through “Black Mirror”-tinted specs, Fukushima Prefecture’s reliance on an AI-based system for evaluating beef quality on live cattle looks downright sinister. Yes, AI is already helping make decisions on which animals die and when.
At the same time, some creatives are letting AI loose on their prize creations — on a tight leash. A new episode of the Osamu Tezuka manga “Black Jack” created with help from AI will be released this fall, the project’s organizers said last week.
Japan’s education ministry, meanwhile, reportedly plans to introduce new guidelines allowing schools limited use of generative AI to help formulate ideas to facilitate classroom discussions, among other things.
In higher education, nearly a third of students polled in Japan said they’ve used the ChatGPT chatbot, with many claiming it enhances their thinking abilities. But students’ usage varied greatly depending on subject — and gender.
While many people have invited AI into their homes and lives, Brad Glosserman argues the tech could doom us all, citing early warning signs such as an U.S. Air Force simulation gone wrong and “AI hallucinations.”
Indeed, seen through “Black Mirror”-tinted specs, Fukushima Prefecture’s reliance on an AI-based system for evaluating beef quality on live cattle looks downright sinister. Yes, AI is already helping make decisions on which animals die and when.
5. Out in translation
Here are some hot reads out of Japan in English this summer, including ideal entry points into the works of contemporary Japanese writers:
- Author Maki Kashimada is famous for her experimental style and philosophical themes. And her first full-length novel to be published in English is a great introduction to her work, writes Kris Kosaka. “Love at Six Thousand Degrees”centers on two strangers whose sexual connection is complemented by their intimate conversations.
- “Hit Parade of Tears,” cult literary figure Izumi Suzuki’s new collection of 11 stories, unveils the chaos, conflict and pain of women rebelling against the desire of men and seeking messy self-actualization, according to Eric Margolis.
- Nearly 10 years in the making, Alan Spence’s novel “Mister Timeless Blyth,”follows the life of R.H. Blyth, a British scholar who helped bring Japanese poetry to the West, writes Iain Maloney.
- Riku Onda’s vibrant novel “Honeybees and Distant Thunder” examines the idea of genius in the world of classical music, following four characters as they navigate the pressures and joys of competing in a piano contest. (Kosaka)
- In his English-language debut, “People Who Talk to Stuffed Animals Are Nice,”Ao Omae explores the struggles Japan’s young people face today with subtlety and incisive criticism. (Margolis)