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] Given Tokyo's status as a significant global business hub, Japan considers supersonic air travel a transformative opportunity for premium business routes. Precedence Research
• [New] Researchers in Japan have developed titanium-selenium solar cells that could potentially make solar panels 1,000 times more powerful than current models. Yahoo News
• [New] Japan could become militarily involved in the event of an attempted Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The Guardian
• [New] South Korea and Japan, in a rare display of unity, have agreed to resume bilateral naval search-and-rescue exercises for the first time in nine years to counter the growing security threats from China and North Korea. Ronin's Grips
• [New] The Bank of Japan is still running outright QT, ECB liquidity remains low, and the dollar's bounce has acted as a mild handbrake on conditions despite investors remaining broadly risk-on, rotating toward Emerging Markets, particularly Asia, while trimming exposure to the US and Eurozone. Ainslie Crypto
• [New] Japan's tax cycle will weigh on 2026 performance, while smoke-free growth is expected to re-accelerate thereafter. @2Firsts
• [New] Japan Railways will expand the capacity of women's toilets at stations and introduce further measures to reduce queues. AndyBTravels
• [New] Japan's prime minister is expected to forge optimal trading arrangements with the U.S. and other countries. sdwia.com
• [New] Funding support is expected from state-backed agencies such as the Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, which already help Japanese firms expand abroad in sectors seen as vital for economic security. ECOticias.com
• [New] Japan's repeated typhoon disruptions underscore another dimension: transportation, power distribution, and manufacturing output are tightly synchronized in export-driven economies. Environment+Energy Leader
• [New] The number of visitors to Japan is expected to decline amid deteriorating bilateral relations. NHK World
• [New] Japan unveiled a draft legal framework to tighten recycling rules for end-of-life solar panels, aiming to prepare for a surge in waste that could reach as much as 500,000 metric tonnes a year in the late 2030s. Eco-business
• [New] Japanese supplier Idemitsu plans facilities capable of producing enough solid electrolyte for roughly 50,000 electric vehicles per year by latest 2027. EBBC
• [New] MGM is building Japan's first casino opening in 2030 in Osaka. Emerging Market Skeptic
• [New] Japan maintains sophisticated mineral processing technologies and could provide technical expertise for developing value-added processing capabilities within the DRC. Discovery Alert
• [New] Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's election victory could accelerate progress on a Taiwan-Japan economic partnership agreement. The Asia Cable
• [New] A Chinese attack on Taiwan could pose a survival-threatening situation for Japan. The Asia Cable
• [New] SoftBank is preparing a similar offering in 2026, and Rakuten Mobile plans to launch its version later in 2026 using satellites from AST SpaceMobile. / Japan ITBusinessToday

Last updated: 21 February 2026