Transcript

Hello and welcome to today’s news from TotemoTech on December 10th, 2023. In today’s news, Hitachi Astemo, a subsidiary of Hitachi, announced its plans to strengthen its electric powertrain business by merging with its fully-owned subsidiary, Hitachi Astemo Electric Machinery Systems, which is responsible for the development and manufacturing of motors for electric vehicles. This merger is set to take place on April 1st, 2024, and aims to enhance the company’s position in the growing field of electric powertrains as the demand for electric vehicles continues to rise globally.

Moving on to our next story, Mebuki Financial Group is set to introduce AI evaluation for personal loans in its subsidiaries, Joyo Bank and Ashikaga Bank, starting from December 13th, 2023. By leveraging artificial intelligence, Mebuki FG aims to provide immediate responses for 50% to 80% of loan applications, replicating the quality of human evaluations while streamlining the process for customers.

In other news, Asahi Kasei is intensifying its digital transformation efforts with a focus on a ‘participatory’ and ‘field-driven’ approach. During a recent DX strategy briefing, Asahi Kasei’s President, Kohshi Kudo, expressed satisfaction with the progress of the company’s digital initiatives, emphasizing the importance of digitalization in driving future growth and innovation.

Furthermore, Hitachi has established a new position called ‘Chief AI Transformation Officer’ to promote the utilization of artificial intelligence within the company. This role will be responsible for coordinating and implementing the company-wide AI transformation strategy across various sectors.

Moving on, Rohm and Toshiba’s subsidiary, Toshiba Device & Storage, have received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for their joint application for a production collaboration in power semiconductors. The total investment for this project is 388.3 billion yen, with the government providing support of up to 129.4 billion yen. The collaboration aims to enhance the supply capacity of silicon (Si) power semiconductors and silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors by leveraging the strengths of both companies.

In other news, NOT A HOTEL announced the sale of its luxury villa, ‘NOT A HOTEL ISHIGAKI ‘EARTH,’ located in Ishigaki Island, for approximately 4.2 billion yen. The circular building features a green rooftop that creates a unique ‘garden’ experience. The villa, designed by Sosuke Fujimoto, is scheduled to open in June 2025.

Lastly, Japan Microsoft has announced a price increase of 20% for its corporate software and cloud services, effective from April 1st, 2024. This decision aligns with the global pricing adjustments made by Microsoft and reflects the company’s ongoing investment in innovation and service quality. Visit JapanDailyNews.com for the news, yen exchange rates, and a daily Japanese proverb.

Keywords - japan, tech, news