An American software engineer and researcher at Google has completed a PhD in Computer Science at the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology), funded by Japan's MEXT Scholarship. He pursued the degree while continuing full-time work at Google, having previously studied automata theory during an earlier, uncompleted PhD attempt in Korea before joining Google. He now works on on-device language models for keyboards.
tokyodev.com
· 2026-09-30
Keio Corporation, a Japanese railway and hotel operator, confirmed a ransomware attack detected early Saturday that disrupted business systems, primarily affecting its hospitality division. The company shut down its network, reported the incident to police, and is investigating with external experts whether customer or partner data was accessed. Local media say the attack disrupted payment systems, while train operations appear unaffected.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-28
Times Car, Japan's major vehicle rental service, confirmed that a cyberattack in early September compromised roughly 6.6 million current and former member accounts, including corporate Times Business Service users. The company disclosed the intrusion on September 25 and blocked unauthorized access the next day, then confirmed today that attackers accessed personal data including names, addresses, birth dates, driver's license details, verification document images, and account passwords.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-28
Tower Semiconductor plans to co-invest $4 billion with the Japanese government to expand its Niigata and Toyama fabs into a major hub for optical-connectivity chips. The plan, dubbed Track One and Track Two, will convert an idle 200mm fab to 300mm production, boost output at an existing 300mm fab, and eventually add a new 300mm fab, raising total capacity to the equivalent of 45,000 300mm wafers per month by 2029.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-09-25
Toyota unveiled a prototype mobility device called 'Walk me' at the Japan Mobility Show, replacing wheelchair wheels with four independently articulating, LiDAR-equipped legs that can navigate stairs and uneven terrain. The device features a pastel, minimalist design and generated buzz at the show, but a disability-focused commentator argues such prototypes rarely reach mass production or serve everyday users.
newmobility.com
· 2026-09-25
Oracle Corp Japan reported record fiscal first-quarter results, with net sales up 13% to 74.86 billion yen and net profit up 23.2% to 18.25 billion yen for the June-August period. Cloud revenue rose 31.7%, now accounting for 33.6% of total sales, and the company kept its full-year sales growth outlook at 6-10%. The stock jump came even as Oracle's U.S.-listed shares fell more than 3% after the company issued a force majeure notice related to its New Mexico data center project.
cnbc.com
· 2026-09-25
Toyota is developing a next-generation Corolla built on a modified version of its TNGA-C platform that will support multiple powertrains, including a fully electric option, alongside gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. The redesign was previewed as a concept at last year's Japan Mobility Show and includes new sedan, hatchback, crossover and GR body styles.
electrek.co
· 2026-09-23
A tech feature compiled a list of ten niche Japanese gadgets, ranging from an AI companion shaped like a meerkat that remembers past conversations to a handheld umbrella with a built-in fan, that are largely absent from American retail shelves. The author sourced these products by digging through Japan's domestic gadget market, deliberately focusing on inventions rarely exported abroad.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-19
New government data shows Japan now counts 107,677 residents aged 100 or older, retaining its status as the country with the most centenarians worldwide. Women make up 88% of this group, and the oldest citizens are Kishimoto Fuyo, 114, of Kyoto City, and Kato Hikaru, 112, of Kumamoto.
bbc.com
· 2026-09-17
Japan's Digital Agency disclosed that an attacker exploited a known, medium-severity vulnerability in a VPN device used by its Government Solution Service to access internal systems. The breach, detected after unusual account activity on June 25 and confirmed on July 9, may have exposed roughly 246,000 rows of data including names, emails, phone numbers and some addresses belonging to government staff and affiliated businesses.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-14
Universal Studios Japan is marking its anniversary year with expanded Halloween programming, including a haunted attraction restricted to older guests for the first time. The move is part of a broader lineup of Halloween Horror Nights additions planned for 2026.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-13
A new Japanese book, 'Building a library like a city,' documents how public libraries in Japan are shedding their old reputation as dull spaces and becoming central gathering points for local communities. The trend traces back to 2013, when bookstore chain Tsutaya opened an unconventional public library in Takeo, Kyushu, combining a Starbucks, a retail bookstore, and stationery goods alongside the usual lending services. The redesigned library drew visitors from far beyond the neighborhood and gradually reshaped civic life in the small city.
untranslatedjp.substack.com
· 2026-09-12
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