Global Scans · Japan · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The latest sign of weakness in Japan's economy will likely add to mounting skepticism about the prime minister's expansionary policies. His coalition government has just achieved the supermajority it needs to amend the constitution which many are worried that Japan is about to remove the mask of pacificism and convert its "Self-Defense Force" into the military threat it really is.

• [New] Japan is expected to stay important for metabolic, oncology, osteoporosis and specialist hospital medicines, with domestic companies and academic laboratories contributing significantly to discovery and formulation research. Doctor NHS
• [New] Among established uses, cooling demand in buildings is the fastest growing, with the stock of residential air conditioners set to triple by 2035. / Japan IEA
• [New] Electricity makes up almost a quarter of total final consumption today and rises rapidly to 2050 across all scenarios: over the next decade alone, demand increases by an amount equivalent to Japan's total electricity generation today. IEA
• [New] As the scope of AI investment expands, opportunities will emerge for Japanese companies. note
• [New] Tower Semiconductor will invest approximately $3 billion to expand its production capacity for silicon photonics and silicon-germanium semiconductors in Japan. note
• [New] Asia-Pacific is expected to record the fastest expansion through 2036 as manufacturing activity accelerates across China, Japan, South Korea and India, accompanied by broader adoption of industrial 3D printing technologies and increased awareness of cybersecurity risks. Mexico Business
• [New] The Japanese government, recognizing the growing threat, has initiated measures to strengthen its counterintelligence capabilities, including the formation of a National Intelligence Council and the drafting of new anti-espionage legislation. Crypto Briefing
• [New] Asia-Pacific is expected to experience the fastest growth during the forecast period, supported by increasing investments in biotechnology and medical devices, national neurotechnology programs in China, Japan, and South Korea, and large patient populations with stroke and spinal cord injuries. Precedence Research
• [New] Japan is expected to account for a 26% share of the Asia Pacific revenue in 2026 due to a rapidly aging demographic profile demanding cost-efficient chronic disease management models. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Region Over-60 spending today By 2036 Note North America $7.4 trillion $11.7 trillion Largest in absolute terms APAC $4.9 trillion $10.2 trillion Fastest grower; driven by Japan, South Korea, China, and increasingly Singapore and Thailand The US remains the single biggest prize. World Data Lab
• [New] Regionally, Kim Jong Un is courting Beijing while keeping Moscow central, and Japan-South Korea defence cooperation is advancing only as fast as South Korean domestic politics will allow. Fault Lines
• [New] While Japan has faced macroeconomic and energy price headwinds due to the Gulf crisis, industrial growth should help provide a key tailwind towards the end of the year and into 2027. atradius
• [New] We expect Japan's transportation and logistics output to grow by 3.6% in 2026 and by 2.3% in 2027. atradius
• [New] In Japan alone, approximately 80% of adults over 30 years old are affected or considered at risk. News-Medical
• [New] Japanese firms now expect higher inflation for longer, and they are feeling more confident about it than economists predicted. investingLive
• [New] Japanese home cooking aligns closely with sustainable diet goals, but researchers warn that westernization, aquaculture pressures, and excess sodium could undermine its future. FoodNavigator-Asia.com
• [New] By 2050, roughly 20% of regional areas could lose all of their inhabitants. / Japan Emerging Market Skeptic
• [New] For Japan's sake and for the sake of the rest of the world economy, we have to hope that the Japanese government has the foresight to take early action to put its public finances on a sustainable path. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] The Japanese yen's collapse through mid-2026 has become one of the most consequential disruptions to hit global financial markets in decades. Asia Times
• [New] Intermediaries will load at least 200,000 barrels of jet fuel in Chiba, Japan in July, ship them to Yeosu, South Korea, load them onto another tanker, and pass them through a network of other traders before shipping the fuel to Russia. Critical Threats
• [New] Japan's working population is set to shrink by over 11 million people by then, and there will not be enough workers to keep factories and infrastructure running. LinkedIn

Last updated: 18 July 2026