Latest news with #Bernama-Kyodo

Barnama
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Barnama
Chairman Of Japanese Toy Model Maker Tamiya Dies At 90
SHIZUOKA (Japan), July 23 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Chairman of the Japanese plastic model kit maker Tamiya Inc., Shunsaku Tamiya, known for its radio-controlled cars and Mini 4WD models, has died, the company said Tuesday. He was 90, Kyodo News reported. Tamiya, who died Friday of undisclosed causes, was credited with raising the global profile of the Shizuoka-based toy maker. While the funeral was held privately by close relatives, the company plans to hold a memorial event. bootstrap slideshow The Shizuoka native long served as the company's president, helping raise his hometown's standing in the plastic model industry through trade and hobby shows, according to the maker. After graduating from Waseda University in Tokyo in 1958, he joined Tamiya Shoji & Co., which was then operated by his father, Yoshio. Tamiya became president of the company in 1984 and was named chairman in 2008. -- BERNAMA-KYODO

Barnama
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Barnama
Trump Says Japan Agrees To 15pct reciprocal Tariff Under "Massive" Deal
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 2, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo WASHINGTON, July 23 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- United States (US) President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has struck a "massive" trade deal with Japan, under which the Asian country has agreed to a so-called reciprocal tariff of 15 per cent, Kyodo News reported. Japan has secured concessions as well, with the Trump administration halving its additional 25 per cent auto tariff for cars from the Asian country. "There has never been anything like it," Trump said on social media, adding that Japan will open its markets for cars, trucks, rice, certain farm products and other goods. bootstrap slideshow The announcement was made after Japan's top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, met with Trump at the White House. Akazawa arrived in Washington on Monday for his eighth round of in-person negotiations with US Cabinet members. Japan was set to face a country-specific duty of 25 per cent on its goods if a deal had not been struck with the Trump administration by Aug 1, when a pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs, targeting dozens of major US trading partners, is due to expire. Trump said, "at my direction", Japan will invest US$550 billion in the United States under the deal. "This is a very exciting time for the United States of America, and especially for the fact that we will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump later said at an event at the White House that he "just signed the largest trade deal in history" with Japan, adding the two countries will form a joint venture for liquified natural gas in Alaska. In the weeks leading up to Tuesday's agreement, Trump indicated that striking a deal with Japan before the Aug 1 deadline would be difficult. He intensified pressure by repeating his frequent accusation that the key US ally had been reluctant to import American cars and agricultural products.


The Star
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Asian fans favourite 'Demon Slayer' manga series tops 200 million copies sold worldwide
TOKYO (Bernama-Kyodo): Popular Japanese manga 'Demon Slayer' has sold over 200 million copies across all 23 volumes worldwide, a feat achieved by only a handful of titles under its wing, Kyodo News Agency reported, citing local media reports. According to the statement released by the publisher, Shueisha Inc, it said that the number of copies in global circulation of the hit series by Koyoharu Gotoge has hit 220 million, including digital editions. The series, which was serialised in the Weekly Shonen Jump from 2016 to 2020, tells the story of Tanjiro Kamado, an adolescent boy who battles human-eating demons while searching for a cure for his sister, who has turned into a demon. An animated film based on the same series was released in 2020, became the first movie in Japan to top 40 billion yen (USD269 million) in box-office revenue. The latest animated film "Demon Slayer -- Kimetsu No Yaiba -- The Movie: Infinity Castle" will open in cinemas across Japan on Friday. Other Weekly Shonen Jump series that have surpassed 200 million copies in circulation include Dragon Ball, Naruto and One Piece. - Bernama-Kyodo


The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Over 80 per cent of scam emails globally targeted Japan in May: security firm
TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo) Over 80 per cent of email scams with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, as advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow the use of more natural language, Kyodo News Agency reported citing US cybersecurity firm. Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report. "Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said. According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said. Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts. If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent. According to Sota, the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February. "Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication. - Bernama-Kyodo


The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Over 80% of global scam emails targeted Japan in May: Report
TOKYO: More than 80 per cent of scam emails with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, according to a US cybersecurity firm. The rise in sophisticated fraud is attributed to generative AI, which helps scammers craft more natural-sounding messages. Proofpoint analysed 240 million scam emails out of a record 770 million sent globally in May. The firm found that 81.4 per cent of these emails were aimed at Japanese speakers. 'Previously, fraudulent emails were easy to spot due to unnatural wording, but generative AI now helps create convincing messages,' said Yukimi Sota of Proofpoint Japan. The surge in malicious emails began around February 2022, coinciding with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Before 2025, monthly scam emails ranged between 100 million and 200 million, but this year, the figure exceeded 500 million per month. Many of these emails impersonate securities firms, directing victims to fake websites to steal login credentials. If corporate emails are compromised, attackers can infiltrate internal systems and launch further phishing attacks. Sota noted that most scams targeting Japan used a Chinese-language cybercrime tool, with a noticeable drop during Lunar New Year. 'The scale suggests possible state-backed involvement,' he warned, urging businesses to adopt multi-factor authentication for better security. - Bernama-Kyodo