Analog Japan sinks to record low in global digital ranking

Prices of used condominiums in Tokyo fell for the first time in two years and four months in August, ending a 28-month streak of increases, while neighboring Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures recorded their fourth consecutive month of gains.

SoftBank Group announced on September 24 that it will issue approximately 1.76 trillion yen worth of foreign currency-denominated bonds, the largest simultaneous bond offering in its history, to finance a further $10 billion investment in OpenAI as founder Masayoshi Son accelerates his strategy of building a global business spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors and data centers.

Tokyo stocks rose on September 24, with the Nikkei 225 climbing to 65,647, up 628 points, as investors returned from the Silver Week break with renewed appetite for artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, while the broader TOPIX edged lower as value and financial stocks came under pressure.

Japan's beer industry is preparing for a major transformation as a liquor tax revision takes effect on October 1, unifying tax rates across beer, happoshu and third-category beer for the first time, with conventional beer becoming cheaper while lower-priced alternatives face tax increases.

Japan is stepping up efforts to revive its shipbuilding industry, aiming to double annual construction volume by 2035 through government-backed investment in next-generation vessels, ship repair facilities and liquefied natural gas carriers, while Japanese manufacturers accelerate the development of hydrogen-powered engines and other advanced maritime technologies.

Japan's transition toward an economy with higher interest rates is creating sharply different outcomes for households, with younger generations facing rising mortgage repayments while older savers stand to benefit from increased deposit interest, following the Bank of Japan's decision to raise its policy rate by 0.25 percentage points to 1.25%.

Bankruptcies among Japan's bento shops are surging, with 83 businesses failing in the first eight months of 2026, putting the industry on course to surpass last year's record of 89 as rising ingredient costs and intensifying competition from supermarkets, convenience stores and drugstores squeeze smaller operators.

Tokyo’s stock market was closed on September 21 for Respect for the Aged Day, leaving the Nikkei 225 without a cash close after finishing the previous session at 65,019, while currency and futures markets focused on the yen, the Bank of Japan’s latest rate hike and intervention risks during Japan’s Silver Week holiday.