Nintendo Aims to Sell 15 Million Switch 2 Units in First Year; New Video Game Console will be Released in June
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
The Nintendo Switch 2, which will be released in June
Nintendo Co. announced on Thursday that it plans to sell 15 million units of its new home video game console, the Nintendo Switch 2, in the first year following its planned June release. In its consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2026, the company projected sales of ¥1.9 trillion, up 63.1% from the previous year, and a final profit of ¥300 billion, up 7.6% from the previous year, thanks to the launch of the Switch 2.
Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa, who held an online press conference on the day, said of the expected sales volume of the Switch 2, 'The unit sales price is high and there are reasonable hurdles to overcome, but we would like to aim for a launch comparable to that of the [current] Switch.'
The current Switch sold 15.05 million units in the year from its launch in March 2017 to March 2018, which is on par with predicted sales of the Switch 2.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Heirs to Kyoto Talent: Metal Ornament Craftsmen Responsible for Cultural Properties Has Impressive Workmanship
The Yomiuri Shimbun Metal ornament craftsman Kosuke Matsuda smiles during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun at Kazariya Matsuda, his workshop in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture, sur-rounded by a myriad of work tools. UJI, Kyoto — Metal ornament craftsman Kosuke Matsuda was using a hammer and chisel to engrave an arabesque pattern on the surface of a thin copper sheet. The 1.5-centimeter-wide, 26-centimeter-long sheet will adorn a folding screen. The sheet has to be exquisite but not too showy — the optimum balance to enhance the ap-pearance of the screen. Matsuda, 33, is very strict and meticulous about his handiwork. He switched to an-other chisel and, on a section with no design on it, neatly engraved a 'nanako' pattern, which involves small, dotted circles, each measuring 0.4 millimeters in diameter. Looking closely, you will notice that none of the tiny circles overlap and there is no extra space between them. The nanako motif highlights and adds depth to the delicate arabesque pattern. The Yomiuri Shimbun Matsuda engraves patterns by rhythmically hitting a chisel with a hammer. Kazariya Matsuda, his workshop, is in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. It was founded in Kyoto more than 200 years ago. The workshop was mainly engaged in producing hikite pulling handles for fusuma sliding panels, as well as ornaments for frames used to mount paintings and calligraphy pieces in homes. During a housing construction boom in the 20th century, the work-shop was inundated by orders. However, as the lifestyles of people in Japan became more westernized, Japanese-style rooms started to disappear. Instead, the company started to receive many more orders related to cultural prop-erties, which they rarely received. Over the past 20 years, these orders have grown to comprise more than half of the total. Matsuda has restored pulling handles for fusuma sliding doors in Nijo Castle's Ninomaru Palace and Kiyomizu Temple's Jojuin subtemple. He has also repaired metal ornaments for floats in the Gion Festival and restored ritual instruments in the Seiden main hall of Shuri Castle in Okinawa Prefecture, among other renowned cul-tural properties. Choosing career path In the spring of 2015, after graduating from university, Matsuda started working at the workshop with the idea of potentially succeeding his father, Kiyoshi, 63, the eighth-generation operator of the business. After much consideration and inner con-flict, he ultimately made the decision to enter this world on his own. The Yomiuri Shimbun Various hikite pulling handles, including eye-catching ones with family crests and beautiful engravings Since he was a child, the workshop had been a playground for him. He closely watched his father and other craftspeople work and even helped them. However, his father never pressured him to follow in his footsteps, saying, 'You can choose your own career path and do whatever you want to do.' At university, Matsuda majored in social welfare, his field of interest. He also attended school to study bookkeeping and management and even received a job offer from a financial institution. However, he ultimately chose the family business, as he knew firsthand that its techniques were essential for repairing and restoring cultural prop-erties. Matsuda's father has been named by the central government as a holder of the se-lected conservation techniques for cultural properties in the field of metal ornament crafting. He also serves as a director of an industry organization. Matsuda's father has built credibility for himself in the industry and interacted with people at the fore-front of various fields. 'It's amazing that he has been able to do a job where mistakes are not tolerated for so many years,' Matsuda said. He was encouraged by his father's strong presence and meaningful work. Even making tools Metal ornament craftspeople create patterns and characters on metal sheets made from gold, silver, copper and brass by using chisels to perform engraving techniques. They sometimes do forging — striking metal with a hammer to give it a certain shape — and coloring. Coloring techniques include lacquering, smoking by burning cedar leaves and chemical coloring, in which metal ornaments are boiled in a mixture of chemicals to change their colors. For many years, these tasks were divided among fellow craftspeople, each with their own area of expertise. However, in recent years, the number of metal ornament craftspeople has been decreasing, and there are only a handful of such craftspeople across Japan. There are dozens of different types of chisels used in Matsuda's workshop but only one craftsman in Aichi Prefecture who can be trusted to produce the tools. The Yomiuri Shimbun Dozens of types of chisels are used according to the size of the pattern on the piece and the purpose. In Matsuda's workshop, the work is done by the father-son pair. Matsuda is trained by his father and also visits other craftspeople to learn the techniques of engraving and chisel making. He does this to broaden his field of expertise for the future, anticipating that the industry will drastically transform due to changes in the environment and a shortage of workers. He is also interested in the latest technologies and trends, including 3D printing. In many cases, cultural properties cannot be taken out of the places where they are kept, and craftspeople have difficulty in making prototypes without sufficient exami-nation. It was under these circumstances that Matsuda started using a 3D printer. The technology has helped him create elaborate prototypes much faster and made dis-cussions with his clients go much more smoothly. The Yomiuri Shimbun An elaborate pattern is engraved with a chisel. The company also started producing and selling copper coffee drippers, lanterns and other handicrafts for everyday use. The products are advertised on social media. The company intends to offer a wider variety of products at a broader range of prices in the future. 'As I work on national treasures and important cultural properties these days, the skill requirement has increased,' Matsuda said. 'I want to work hard to meet those re-quirements.' *** If you are interested in the original Japanese version of this story, click here.
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
2025 Expo ‘a Mirror of the Times' That Highlights International Affairs
The Yomiuri Shimbun King Frederik X of Denmark, fourth from left, walks on the Grand Ring at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. More than 50 days have passed since the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo began. Exhibits that evoke the future of society are popular, and the number of visitors is increasing after an initially slow start. Although they tend to be overlooked amid the spectacular exhibits, some events and activities during this 50-day period have reflected the complex state of the world today. The king's sales A procession led by the king of Denmark passed along the Grand Ring, the world's largest wooden structure and the symbol of the Expo, and made its way to the Japan Pavilion. Visitors held up their smartphones to record the scene. On April 24, it was Denmark's turn to mark 'National Day,' in which countries participating in the Expo showcase their cultures. King Frederik X — the successor to Queen Margrethe II, who enjoyed immense popularity during her 52-year reign — led the party, which included Danish corporate leaders. King Frederik chose Japan as the first Asian country to visit after his accession to the throne in January last year, accompanied by a business delegation including Danish Crown, his nation's largest meat producer. One of the accompanying members wrote in an email before arriving in Japan that she considered this visit to Japan to be 'particularly important.' One reason why is the Trump administration's tariff policy. Japan is gaining importance as a market amidst the instability of the global free trade system, and it has 'a long-standing partnership [with Denmark] grounded in mutual respect and values,' as King Frederik said in a speech at the Expo. The day before arriving in Osaka, the king stopped by Ippudo, a ramen chain restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, that uses pork supplied by Danish Crown. He enjoyed a bowl in front of the press, helping to promote Danish products. 'A window to the world' Denmark has a population of just under 6 million, which is less than Chiba Prefecture. Two-thirds of its food production is exported, and the country relies on international trade to support its economy. 'We are a small country in a big world. So, we are a strong believer of free trade,' stressed delegation member Soren Sondergaard, who is president of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council. 'We don't like tariffs at all. For Denmark, Japan is a big, big, big export market for us where we would like to export more. ' After leaving the Expo site, Mr. Sondergaard and the delegation went to the head office of Suntory Holdings in Kita Ward, Osaka, which obtained beer manufacturing technology from Carlsberg in Denmark. They met with members of Japanese companies, with the 52 Danish participants exceeding the 42 from Japan. Following the event, a lively reception was held at the PRONTO bar on the ground floor of the building. Business exchange events related to Denmark are often held in Tokyo, so holding one in Osaka is a rare occurrence. Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Jacob Jensen emphasized, 'I believe that a small country like Denmark, with an open economy, we have huge interest in having loyal and long partnerships with good friends like Japan.' 'When you look at a map, you have Japan here, you have Denmark, long way, 13 hours in a plane directly, but still, we are very close in the way that we do business, in the way that we have values, democracies,' Jensen said. 'We have an open society, and we have also trust as a keyword in our society. Even though … we are far from each other in geography, I think we are very close in our mindset. The Expo is a window to the world.' A diplomatic stage The Expo also serves as a diplomatic stage in connection with ongoing global conflicts. Israel is exhibiting a 2,000-year-old building stone weighing approximately 1.5 tons from the Old City of East Jerusalem that dates back to the early Hasmonean Kingdom, a Jewish dynasty. The dynasty was established when the Jews regained their independence from Hellenistic rule. Gilad Cohen, Israel's ambassador to Japan, stated at the opening ceremony on April 23 that 'the pavilion expresses the connection between the people of Israel, their homeland and their capital, Jerusalem.' However, East Jerusalem is an area that Israel occupied after the 1967 Six-Day War. The Palestinian side considers it to be the capital of a future state. Most of the international community, which supports the 'two-state solution' between Israel and a future Palestinian state, does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and maintains that the status of Jerusalem should be decided through peace talks between Israel and Palestine. An expert on Middle Eastern politics said, 'Israel's exhibition at the Expo could cause controversy over its claim to the territory.' The Palestinian pavilion at the Expo site had not directly addressed the Gaza conflict. However, as the Israeli Army restarted its military operations in Gaza, the pavilion displayed QR codes at the end of May that link to information about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to visitors. 'The world must see and acknowledge the truth. It's time for awareness to turn into action,' a Palestinian official said. 'Gaza has endured over 600 days of relentless suffering — children's lives lost, civilians bombed out of their shelters, famine ravaging communities and aid being misused for military purposes. It's a humanitarian crisis that demands urgent attention and tangible steps to end the suffering,' the official said. Russia withdrew from the Expo, but Ukraine is holding an exhibition to convey its position. To show their solidarity, a representative from the European Union visited the pavilion on May 9, followed by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on the 14th and Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide on June 2. Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory, is participating in the Expo under the name of a private company. The absence of the word 'Taiwan' in the exhibition area is seen as an attempt to avoid China's objections by framing it as a 'non-governmental' activity. While the Olympic Games, known as the 'Festival of Peace,' uphold political neutrality in the Olympic Charter, the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions that defines the nature of the Expo does not include neutrality provisions. Therefore, politics is not strictly off-limits. The Expo is often referred to as 'a mirror of the times.' With just over four months remaining, we will witness more realities of the global situation at this festive event. Political Pulse appears every Saturday. Kenji Nakanishi Kenji Nakanishi is a deputy editor in the City News Department of the Yomiuri Shimbun Osaka.
Yomiuri Shimbun
7 hours ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
World Leaders Must Urge Trump to Adjust Course on Trade, Says Ex-Vice Foreign Minister for Japan
The Yomiuri Shimbun Takeo Mori Former Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori believes leaders must speak up and urge U.S. President Donald Trump to adjust his policies during negotiations. The following is excerpted from Mori's remarks in an interview conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer Kenta Kamimura. *** Many of U.S. President Donald Trump's most basic arguments, such as his view that it is unfair for the United States to keep singlehandedly supporting the international order, are understandable. However, the measures he has unleashed in rapid succession so far have been too high-handed, even compared to his first term. Nobody in Trump's inner circle will object to his whims. Trump's confidence must have soared after the results of last year's federal elections, which resulted in Republicans clinching the presidency and a majority in both houses of Congress. Narrowly surviving an assassination attempt also appears to have left Trump driven by a feeling of invincibility and a sense that he was 'chosen by God.' Trump's rollout of sweeping tariffs also probably stemmed from his assumption that nations around the world would simply give in and acquiesce to his demands. However, the reality has not been so straightforward. China naturally pushed back by slapping high tariffs on U.S. imports and restricting exports of rare earths. In addition, Russia, European countries and even Japan have not simply gone along with Trump's demands, so the prospects on the tariff issue remain unclear. Amid all this, Trump recently adjusted his policy course in some cases, such as by postponing the introduction of additional tariffs. Although Trump charged into this issue feeling that he was all-powerful, it is possible that, when confronted with reality, he will be flexible and change direction. Should that be the case, Trump also might realize that his raft of tariffs on U.S. allies and friendly nations is ultimately weakening the United States. For instance, the United States unveiled a plan for particularly high tariffs on Vietnam and Cambodia. This was intended to prevent China from exporting its goods via those countries. However, it will not be in the U.S. national interest if those nations distance themselves from the United States. When communicating with Trump, it is important for leaders to be considerate of his basic thinking but encourage him to 'become aware' of specific policy points. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was able to forge a close relationship with Trump because no matter how far-fetched Trump's assertions were, Abe respected them as the statements of a president chosen by the American people; he accepted them head-on. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has adopted a similar approach when dealing with Trump and is steadily building a personal relationship with the president. On a slightly different topic, Japan and the United States have been having the same discussions on auto exports and imports for decades. I was surprised when Trump cited as an example of Japan's nontariff barriers a test in which a bowling ball is dropped on a car's hood. The United States made this same claim when I was a negotiator more than 10 years ago. I carefully explained the situation to my U.S. counterparts, and they accepted the truth right there and withdrew their claim. Over the past few decades, Japan has done everything it can to eliminate the trade imbalance. During the upcoming negotiations, the Japanese delegation must listen closely to what Trump has to say, and be prepared to push back tenaciously against any irrational statements. Takeo Mori Mori, 64, is a graduate of the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 1983. From 2015, he held posts including director general of the North American Affairs Bureau and vice foreign minister. He was stationed at the Japanese Embassy in the United States from 2010 to 2013 and was a negotiator in talks with the United States about Japan joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Mori has been an adviser to the Foreign Ministry since August 2023.
