Japan drug companies offer rare haven amid Trump market jitters
TOKYO -- As nerves fray over tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, large Japanese pharmaceutical companies have largely held their value even as other manufacturers like autos and semiconductors have endured a market sell-off.
Take for example Takeda Pharmaceutical, a company that depends on overseas markets for 89% of its revenue, with the U.S. alone accounting for 51.5%. Its share price has mostly stayed above water year-to-date, even during the broader market's near 20% tumble this month, with investors saying that its blood plasma products are locally produced and unlikely to be affected by any tariffs.
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Nikkei Asia
3 hours ago
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Japan's share buybacks expand at record pace, reaching $80bn so far
TOKYO -- Share buybacks announced by listed Japanese companies are rapidly expanding so far this year, Nikkei has found, signaling that corporations are rushing to improve returns to shareholders despite concerns that trade pressures will reduce profits. The ceiling for buybacks set between January and May stood at 12.1 trillion yen ($83.5 billion), a 20% increase on the year and a record for the five-month period.
SoraNews24
3 hours ago
- SoraNews24
Mr. Sato orders a box of hot coffee from Starbucks Japan to our office
Ever felt like a Venti was just too small? This is over three times the size. Do you ever find yourself sitting home feeling hungry or thirsty, and despite having a house full of food, you don't really feel like having any of it? You contemplate going out for a drink or bite to eat, but then remember that it can be a little pricey. This is a situation that our Japanese-language reporter Mr. Sato found himself in recently; he was craving Starbucks coffee, yet couldn't be bothered to go out and buy it. After considering it for a while, he came up with a brilliant idea: why not try out the coffee pot service? Way back in 2018, another of our reporters, K. Masami, wrote an article about this ingenious service where you could order an entire pot containing about 2.2 liters (77 fluid ounces) of coffee—that's roughly 10 Shorts. The great thing about this service is that, on top of the coffee pot, you get paper cups, portioned milk, and sugar, which makes it perfect for small meetings or gatherings. If you contact the store you're ordering from in advance, either in person or by phone, you can customize it a little further, by choosing your beans, requesting whether it's hot or cold, or asking for larger amounts. They will even arrange to have the coffee pot returned after you're done with it. As Mr. Sato researched it further, he stumbled across something even more intriguing: the Coffee Traveler. According to the website, you can get about 12 Short-sized cups out of it, and there's no need to return it. The customization options for the Coffee Pot Service are applicable for the Coffee Traveler too. For a self-proclaimed lazy person such as Mr. Sato, not having to deal with the hassle of waiting around for the delivery person to come back to collect the coffee pot was a bonus. Plus, with more coffee, he could fulfill his role as a senior member of staff and treat his coworkers to some hot drinks. The total cost of the coffee was 4,550 yen (US$31.78) which, when you break it down, works out to be about 379 yen per cup. At the store, a Short can cost you at least 380 yen, meaning that you technically save about one yen per cup. Of course, being a delivery, the costs don't end there as there's a delivery surcharge of 219 yen, as well as a separate service fee of 360 yen. Although, if you consider the fact you don't have to go out, an extra 579 yen isn't so bad. Placing the order at Yotsuya 3-Chome, the nearest store to our office in Shinjuku, the coffee was set to arrive 25–35 minutes later. After around half an hour, the delivery person called Mr. Sato's phone to let him know that he was at the front door. The coffee had arrived safely! Mr. Sato was keen to see exactly what a non-returnable coffee pot looked like with his own eyes. It seems that the coffee is inside the cardboard box. Here it is: the Coffee Traveler! It traveled all the way from the store to the office: not far by any means, but a travel nonetheless. Will it be as delicious as it is in-store? In addition to the coffee, there were enough paper cups, napkins, milk portions, sugar, and stir sticks for twelve people — perfect for a small gathering. Now it was time to enjoy the long-awaited coffee. But wait! How do you pour this…? Checking the diagram, Mr. Sato discovered that he had the box upside down. On reflection, he realized the spout being on the top was a bit strange. This is how it should look: Yet, despite fixing his little mistake, Mr. Sato still didn't notice that there was a stand for the box included, so there was no need to set it on the edge of the table like he had done. You might wonder how hot coffee stored in a cardboard box could be, but you shouldn't underestimate it; it's seriously hot. There was so much steam, Mr. Sato was worried about burning his hands. Finally getting the coffee he'd been longing for, Mr. Sato really felt tempted to drink all 12 servings by himself. However, his conscience caught up with him, and he invited the other reporters in the office to a round of drinks. Even though there were only a few members at the office that day, they drank up the delicious coffee to help them power through their article writing. Looking at everyone's faces as they savored their drinks, Mr. Sato felt a warm glow inside as showing a little bit of generosity from time-to-time is essential for a senior team member. If something as simple as coffee can help elevate the mood in the office, it is money well spent. To think ordering coffee could make him feel so satisfied… Yuuichiro Wasai: 'Mr. Sato, could I have a minute?' Mr. Sato: 'What is it?' Yuuichiro: 'About the Coffee Traveler… I wrote an article about it before. I know we've already drunk it, but still…' Mr. Sato: 'Huh? You did?!' Yuuichiro: 'See, here it is. About a year and a half ago.' Mr. Sato: 'Oh… you're right…' Yuuichiro: 'When I ordered it, pick-up at the store was a lot cheaper. In December 2023, it was 3,100 yen. It's gone up to 3,500 yen now, but it's still way cheaper than delivery, right?' Yuuichiro: 'Also, the returnable pot service is about 2,900 yen for 10 cups. So, the Coffee Traveler has gone up in price, and there are cheaper options out there. I mean, just by choosing delivery, you're already paying more compared to buying at the store…' Mr. Sato: 'Yuuichiro… I just wanted to let everyone drink some coffee. Everyone is working hard today, and I just wanted to give them some coffee. I don't want to know how much money I'm losing. Yuuichiro… communication is not something you can determine by losses and gains.' Yuuichiro: 'If this was about communication, then why didn't you wait until everyone was here? There are 12 cups, and if only the few of us drink it, the others can only read about it in the article and… well… I'm sorry. The coffee is really good.' And so a subtle sense of distance settled between Mr. Sato and Yuuichiro. Nothing brings an office together quite like a cup of coffee… Putting that interlude aside, if you don't mind returning the pot, it'd be better to go with the cheaper Coffee Pot Service. If you're fine with picking it up but not with returning it, call the store or use mobile order. And, if you're like Mr. Sato, who feels both picking it up and returning it is a pain: use delivery. The more effort you put in yourself, the cheaper it gets. Related: Starbucks Coffee Traveler, Starbucks Coffee Pot Service Screenshots: Wolt Top and insert photos: ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Metropolis Japan
6 hours ago
- Metropolis Japan
Why Does Japan Use So Much Plastic?
Since July 2020, retailers, supermarkets and convenience stores across Japan began charging a fee for single-use plastic bags. This new law came as part of a larger initiative to reduce Japan's consumption of single-use plastics by 25 percent by 2030. But the country's love of and attachment to the convenient material remains complicated. In 2019, nine of Japan's beloved Nara deer were found dead with plastic bags in their stomachs. A survey in 2016 found 80 percent of the anchovies in Tokyo Bay contain plastic. Three million plastic bags were recorded floating around Osaka Bay . According to the UN , Japan ranks second to the U.S. in the world in terms of plastic packaging waste per capita, and when you take a look into its consumer culture, it's not hard to see why. In fact, Japan has faced increasing international criticism for its slow progress in reducing plastic waste, especially in contrast to its neighbors like South Korea and Taiwan, which have introduced stricter bans on single-use plastics. Japan's heavy reliance on waste incineration has further drawn concern, as it often masks the volume of plastic being used rather than truly addressing the root of overconsumption. In response, some municipalities like Kamikatsu in Tokushima Prefecture have adopted zero-waste goals, offering an alternative model of community-led reduction and reuse. W hen entering a store, shoppers are often met with an array of meticulously packaged products, each beautifully presented, but often at the cost of excess plastic usage. One Tokyo resident commented that, 'Japan is a culture of convenience. 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The government is also aiming for a 60 percent recycling rate for containers and packaging by 2030 and 100 percent utilization of used plastics by 2035. Greenpeace has also commented on Japan's situation: 'To show real leadership, Japan and the G20 must recognise that the linear, throwaway destructive business model must end, and that we cannot simply recycle (or incinerate) our way out of the plastics pollution crisis or substitute one problematic disposable material with another one with other problems.' Leading Japanese convenience store operators Lawson and Family Mart charge ¥3 per plastic bag. 7-Eleven charges ¥3 for small, medium, large and bento bags, or ¥5 for an extra-large bag. The minimum fee is ¥1 per bag. For most stores that are currently charging for plastic bags, the fee is ¥5 to ¥10 per bag. Plastic bags made from plant-derived resin components and those that are marine biodegradable are exempt from the fee. Fastfood chains Yoshinoya, Sukiya and Matsuya and others switched to biodegradable bags due hygiene concerns over customers using their own bags for takeout orders. But the rules haven't gone without criticism. Yukako Kaikake won an award of excellence from Chuo University for her essay ' Is it Really Necessary to Reduce the Use of Plastic Bags? ' (レジ袋削減は本当に必要か). Among other points, she argues that the production of plastic bags amounts to only 0.2 percent of Japan's 240 million kiloliters of yearly oil consumption, and that shoppers must sacrifice a lot of convenience to save a small amount of oil. 'Even if the number of plastic bags is reduced, it [being charged for bags] becomes inconvenient [for shoppers] and, from the viewpoint of energy consumption, it has hardly any effect.' This is not to say that Kaikake thinks nothing should be done. Instead, she believes that there are more efficient ways for Japan, under the guidance of the government, to be more eco-friendly and sustainable. She suggests looking to simple acts such as switching to cycling or public transport instead of driving, taking personal responsibility for one's own consumption and choices, as well as calling for the government to develop and research gasoline alternatives. 'For example,' she continues, 'if a person commuting 10 kilometers goes to work for 250 days a year, he uses 500 liters of gasoline […]. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide generated at this time is actually 300,000 liters, equivalent to 1,500 drums of oil. Just think how clean the air will be if salary workers all over Japan cooperated for even one day? […] What should be essentially done is to make maximum efforts to reduce the use of depleted resources such as fossil fuels.' Although Japan, and the world as a whole, is still far from its goals of achieving a more sustainable society, it is at least taking steps in the right direction and rethinking how society, on international, governmental, and individual levels, can combat this issue. Momentum is slowly building among Japan's younger generations, with more Gen Z consumers favoring bulk stores, reusable containers, and low-waste lifestyles. Domestic companies like Muji and Aeon have started piloting packaging-free product lines and refill stations, signaling a possible shift in the retail landscape. While change is gradual, the growing grassroots support shows promise for a future where convenience and sustainability can coexist. As Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment said, 'Plastic isn't the problem. It's what we do with it. And that means the onus is on us to be far smarter in how we use this miracle material.' Stores such as Loft have a range of compact, reusable eco bags to choose from. Some restaurants in Tokyo permit you to bring your own containers for takeout orders. Listed here . Farmers markets like at COMMUNE and Farmers Market @UNU often use less plastic packaging than supermarkets. Follow eco-savvy, Japan-based influencers for tips and advice like @ @healthyexpatmama and @noplasticjapan. Read more about Japan's eco smart towns
