The competition, a long-standing image of winter in Hokkaido, started on February 4th and rapidly drew massive crowds, with guests gathering from early within the day to view the sculptures.

Among the highlights are an enormous snow sculpture impressed by Myaku-Myaku, the official character of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, in addition to a roughly 15-meter-tall copy of Aizuwakamatsu’s Tsuruga Castle, each attracting robust consideration from guests.

At the principle Odori venue, a complete of 136 sculptures, together with large snow works and creations made by native residents, have been put in, with a gap ceremony held shortly after 10 a.m. that was adopted by a gradual circulate of vacationers.

A customer from Kobe stated the sculptures had been stunning and transferring, including that it was clear how a lot effort had gone into constructing them within the snow, whereas one other from Hyogo praised the extent of element, and a customer from Tokyo stated seeing the sculptures in particular person was much more spectacular than watching them on tv.

The Sapporo Snow Festival additionally options projection mapping shows after darkish and is being held on the Odori, Tsudome, and Susukino venues via February eleventh.

Source: Kyodo

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group reported web revenue of 1.8135 trillion yen, up 3.7% from a yr earlier, whereas Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group posted a 22.8% enhance to 1.3947 trillion yen, marking its fourth consecutive yr of file earnings. Mizuho Financial Group noticed web revenue rise 19.2% to 1.0198 trillion yen, exceeding the 1 trillion yen mark for the primary time for this era.

Source: テレ東BIZ

IBM Japan was based in 1937 because the Japanese subsidiary of the worldwide expertise firm IBM, initially dealing with calculating machines for statistical and accounting duties, a growth that marked a serious step towards modernizing workplace work at factories and firms throughout Japan.

The firm later contributed to the unfold of computer systems by opening calculation facilities that undertook company data-processing operations and by establishing home pc manufacturing, whereas its accounting programs linking financial institution headquarters and department workplaces by devoted communication strains helped drive the adoption of on-line banking. At a time when Japanese-language help remained restricted, IBM Japan developed programs able to utilizing kanji and kana, which had been launched at newspaper corporations, and by increasing these programs into fields past journalism, the corporate laid the groundwork for supporting languages world wide.

IBM Japan as soon as manufactured private computer systems, together with the ThinkPad model that turned synonymous with enterprise laptops, however has since withdrawn from PC manufacturing and reworked itself into an organization centered greater than ever on fixing social points by expertise. Its developments embody an AI-powered cod roe sorting machine that trains synthetic intelligence on 400,000 photos to copy the judgment of expert artisans, immediately distinguishing delicate variations comparable to whether or not merchandise are appropriate for presents or house use, in addition to an AI suitcase designed to help the mobility of individuals with visible impairments. The firm can be inserting sturdy emphasis on the social implementation of quantum computer systems, an space of growth being pursued globally in collaboration with main tutorial establishments.

Japan is house to many world-class company giants, and by introducing these corporations to a wider viewers, this system goals to foster delight and vitality throughout the nation by highlighting how company power underpins Japan’s financial system. The collection, titled Shiranarezaru Gulliver, introduces lesser-known international champions, with narration supplied by Watanabe.

At a cod roe manufacturing facility in Fukuoka Prefecture, pollock roe referred to as tarako is salted after which seasoned with chili peppers to supply karashi mentaiko, with the uncooked roe graded in response to look, form, and different components that straight have an effect on model worth, as top-grade tarako is commonly used for premium reward merchandise. Until not too long ago, this sorting was carried out by a small variety of extremely skilled staff, however the retirement of veteran employees led to labor shortages and made it troublesome to keep up constant high quality.

The resolution was an AI-based sorting machine operated by simply two folks, wherein tarako positioned on a conveyor belt is mechanically separated into completely different trays. As the roe passes by stainless-steel packing containers, it’s photographed by three cameras, flipped over by the machine, and photographed once more to seize photos from all angles, after which AI analyzes the information and determines the grade in about one second, sorting the merchandise precisely and immediately.

IBM Japan cooperated in creating this AI, with a manufacturing facility consultant explaining that whereas that they had consulted numerous IT distributors, few had been prepared to significantly have interaction with the challenges posed by pure seafood merchandise, and that the partnership started when IBM Japan stepped ahead believing the issue might be solved. Because no two items of tarako are the identical, the AI was skilled on 400,000 photos—round 4,000 instances extra knowledge than can be wanted for uniform industrial merchandise—attaining sorting accuracy similar to that of expert staff.

While many individuals nonetheless affiliate IBM Japan with manufacturing private computer systems, the corporate has shifted away from {hardware} manufacturing to give attention to creating programs and software program geared toward fixing social challenges, asking how far expertise can go in addressing human considerations and societal points. Its initiatives vary from robots designed to allow folks with visible impairments to stroll freely by cities to quantum computer systems that speed up innovation throughout a number of fields.

One of IBM Japan’s key bases is positioned in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, the place this system explores the corporate’s inside workings by the angle of college pupil reporter Hashimoto Nodoka, who greets IBM Japan President Akio Yamaguchi, who assumed the position in 2019. Asked concerning the firm’s strengths, Yamaguchi explains that IBM has greater than a century of world expertise and almost 90 years in Japan, giving it a deep understanding of how computer systems and expertise have advanced, alongside ongoing analysis and growth that appears 20, 30, and even 50 years into the longer term, permitting the corporate to determine and create the most effective options by viewing traits throughout Japan and the broader world.

With income of 853.7 billion yen, IBM Japan leverages the community of the IBM Group throughout greater than 175 international locations and areas to offer cutting-edge applied sciences to corporations in Japan and abroad, together with AI-based administration programs that help speedy restoration when industrial gear malfunctions and security-enhancing programs for the monetary sector, whereas additionally creating merchandise geared toward fixing challenges throughout society as a complete.

One such product resembles a suitcase, prompting the query of whether or not IBM makes baggage, to which the reason is provided that it’s in reality a navigation robotic for folks with visible impairments, designed to securely information customers to their locations after they enter the place they wish to go.

Source: テレ東BIZ

The railway has been partially suspended since hurricane injury in 2022 left the part between Kawane-Onsen Sasamado Station and Senzu Station impassable, with restoration work solely set to start in earnest from the top of 2025, making a full reopening unlikely earlier than the spring of 2029.

As trial and error continues towards that objective, President Akira Toritsuka, who took workplace in June 2024, has launched a sequence of initiatives aimed toward maintaining the struggling line related and financially afloat. Toritsuka has earned a repute as a “railway revival contractor” after rebuilding regional traces comparable to Echigo Tokimeki Railway in Niigata and Isumi Railway in Chiba.

One such initiative was a particular eating automotive tour held in December 2025, throughout which passengers loved boxed meals made with Shizuoka components whereas driving a steam locomotive by way of the mountainous area, an expertise designed to mix surroundings, nostalgia, and native delicacies. Toritsuka personally welcomed friends aboard the refurbished eating automotive, signaling his hands-on strategy to rebuilding the railway’s enchantment.

Toritsuka’s bigger imaginative and prescient is to revive the spirit of Japan’s former “Blue Train” sleeper providers in Shizuoka, arguing that areas related to iconic trains turn into locations in themselves. As a part of that technique, the railway launched refurbished 12-series passenger vehicles as soon as utilized by Japanese National Railways and JR, and in January 2026 efficiently operated its first in a single day practice tour, departing within the night and operating till the next morning over repeated spherical journeys on the Oigawa Main Line.

The roughly 14-hour journey, evoking the environment of traditional in a single day steam journey, drew railway lovers from throughout the nation, together with guests from so far as northern Hokkaido, lots of whom mentioned the expertise allowed them to relive the romance of Showa-era evening trains.

However, as these concepts have been taking form, the corporate confronted a severe setback in 2025 when a number of steam locomotives broke down in fast succession, together with one among its conventional black engines and the favored Thomas the Tank Engine-themed locomotive, dealing a heavy blow to operations and income.

With passenger numbers closely depending on the Thomas model, Oigawa Railway determined to pay attention its restricted operational assets on simply two steam locomotives—Thomas and Percy—each of which stay serviceable, a transfer that can briefly sideline the traditional black steam locomotive from the road.

The resolution comes because the railway continues to submit losses within the post-pandemic period, forcing administration to confront harsh monetary realities. Toritsuka described the selection as unavoidable, saying that whereas administration should prioritize actuality above all else, a railway that gives no sense of hope or creativeness will ultimately lose public curiosity.

According to Toritsuka, actuality accounts for about 95% of administration choices, however the remaining 5% have to be reserved for goals, permitting the railway to encourage passengers with out letting ambition undermine its footing.

Looking forward, Oigawa Railway plans to reopen sections of the road regularly from across the autumn of 2027, with full operations focused for the spring of 2029, at which level it goals to revive one other black steam locomotive at the moment underneath refurbishment, in the end working a three-engine lineup of Thomas, Percy, and a standard steam locomotive.

Source: SBSnews6

Shiro Nursery School in Suzuka cares for round 200 kids starting from two months previous to 6 years of age, with overseas kids accounting for greater than 30% of the whole. About 70,000 overseas nationals stay in Mie Prefecture, representing 3.84% of the inhabitants as of January final yr, the fourth-highest ratio nationwide, and greater than 10,000 of them reside in Suzuka, many working in manufacturing and different industrial fields.

The nursery faculty has been accepting overseas kids for greater than 30 years, and at its peak had near 80 overseas kids enrolled, in contrast with 68 at current. Staff recall that many households arrived within the space solely to search out no childcare vacancies elsewhere, and when mother and father stated that they had no alternative however to work, the college did what it might to simply accept their kids.

Supporting the acceptance of overseas kids are seven overseas employees members at the moment working on the nursery. As the variety of overseas kids grew from one to a few after which 5, communication shortly grew to become a problem, notably earlier than translation units had been accessible, creating language boundaries for each mother and father and employees. The function of overseas staff, nonetheless, extends far past interpretation, with persistent labor shortages within the childcare business making them an important presence. Staff say excluding overseas employees could be unthinkable, noting that each Japanese and overseas staff help each other.

As Japan’s inhabitants ages and birthrates decline, labor shortages have deepened throughout many sectors, pushing the variety of overseas employees in Japan to a document 2.57 million as of October final yr. In current nationwide elections, overseas coverage has develop into a significant level of debate, with discriminatory claims additionally circulating on social media.

One overseas resident affected by the dialogue is Kubo Mesjiane, who has labored on the nursery for greater than 4 years. A Nikkei Brazilian who got here to Japan together with her mother and father on the age of three, she says she feels deeply accustomed to Japanese tradition after greater than 30 years within the nation, but in addition feels she is unfairly lumped along with foreigners who break the principles. She remembers being turned away from condominium viewings just because she was overseas, regardless of having lived in Japan for 33 years with out committing any crimes.

Married a couple of decade in the past and now elevating two daughters, she says Japan feels safer and extra livable than Brazil, and she or he hopes to proceed elevating her kids in Japan. She argues that slightly than treating all foreigners the identical, society ought to take a look at every particular person’s background and circumstances earlier than making judgments.

While the presence of overseas residents continues to develop in native communities, how Japan ought to settle for them has develop into a key challenge within the Lower House election. In Mie, the place many overseas residents stay, candidates working within the district that features Suzuka have outlined differing views.

Candidates embody newcomer Mizutani Sachi from Sanseitō, incumbent Shitano Kosuke of the Centrist Reform Alliance, and incumbent Kawasaki Suguru of the Liberal Democratic Party. Mizutani argues that accepting folks with out correctly established guidelines is problematic, calling for clear authorized frameworks earlier than additional acceptance and stressing the necessity to distinguish between lawful residents and people who overstay illegally, a distinction he says shouldn’t be discrimination.

Shitano says that to create a society the place each Japanese and overseas residents can stay comfortably, extra alternatives must be offered for foreigners to study the Japanese language and tradition, emphasizing that with out the help of overseas employees, neither Japanese society nor native communities reminiscent of Mie might perform.

Kawasaki maintains that digital expertise can assist be sure that overseas residents observe the principles, proposing using techniques reminiscent of My Number playing cards to shortly establish points reminiscent of unpaid taxes, arguing that closing such gaps by way of digital instruments would encourage compliance.

Political events have additionally laid out their positions on overseas coverage of their election platforms. The Liberal Democratic Party requires zero unlawful overstays and a assessment of guidelines on overseas possession of housing and land. Nippon Ishin no Kai is contemplating setting higher limits on the proportion of overseas residents whereas strengthening responses to unlawful acts and institutional foundations. The Centrist Reform Alliance proposes enacting a fundamental regulation for a multicultural society to create a secure atmosphere for all. The Democratic Party for the People seeks to ascertain a regulation regulating overseas land possession and correctly handle entry to social safety.

The Japanese Communist Party opposes exclusionary politics that gas discrimination and division, advocating for a society that respects dignity. Reiwa Shinsengumi requires abolishing the technical intern coaching program and strengthening authorized protections for overseas residents’ rights. Sanseitō proposes establishing a complete overseas coverage company and tightening enforcement in opposition to unlawful stays. The Conservative Party argues for revising immigration coverage and reforming the Immigration and Refugee Recognition Act. The Social Democratic Party helps enacting an anti-discrimination regulation and selling a multicultural society primarily based on inclusion slightly than exclusion. Team Mirai proposes elevating entry taxes and increasing income sources with minimal affect on residents, whereas the Japan Yūgō Federation has not introduced a unified occasion platform.

Source: Nagoya TV News