Japan Wut 133 "AI DNA CHIPS"

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ON PODCAST 133…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss breakthrough research that turns your DNA into Computer Storage, Pig Organs for Human Transplants, and how Japan’s reliance on Foreign Technology is creating Digital Trade Deficits. Strap in. You are living in Interesting Times.

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Show Notes Ep. 133

IT'S OMGWTF!

Japan produces 1st pigs designed for organ transplants

SOCIETY 5.0

Japan Takes a Leap into the Future with Its First Metaverse High School

Wakayama Signs Pact on Flying Cars

Researchers design a processor from DNA — microfluidic chip completes math calculations and also stores data in DNA

JAPAN BUSINESS

Japan slips into recession, becoming 4th-largest economy, behind U.S., China and Germany

Japan's digital trade deficit widens to $37bn on Big Tech reliance

China's warehouse robots set to ease Japan's logistics crunch

U.S. Techstars CEO eyes Japan as Asia's hub for accelerating startups

WAR

SDF to soften hairstyle rules as recruit shortage worsens

[All Politics is Global] Escalating Russia-North Korea Arms Trade a Critical Security Threat

Tweet:Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping) 

Yet, we see war risk insurance has gone from 0.02% to almost 1 %, except for Chinese ships which is at 0.35%.

We also see a reduction in ships transiting the Suez from 70 to 39 y/y and in tonnage from 4.7M to 2.0M y/y.

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 133

Japan Wut 132 "Face in the Machine"

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ON PODCAST 132…

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… We discuss the status of Facial Recognition Technology in Japan, plans for Hydrogen Infrastructure for Japan, and some issues with migration and depopulation from a rational perspective. Strap in! You are living in Interesting Times.

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Show Notes for 132

IT'S OMGWTF!

Half-naked men doused with cold water on mad dash through Japan city in unique festival

SOCIETY 5.0

I tried Japan's first "facial recognition vending machine" | What is the background behind DyDo Drinko's development?

保育現場の膨大な手作業を自動化する「顔認証AI解錠システム」（BCN） - Yahoo!ニュース (Facial Recognition)

SUPPLY CHAIN

Japan to spur clean hydrogen production with $20bn in subsidies

U.S.-led Indo-Pacific supply chain deal to take effect on Feb. 24 ｜ Kyodo News

DEPOPULATION / MIGRATION

Osaka nursery going extra mile to stop Vietnamese kids falling behind

From violence to cost, Japanese egg farmer cites problems with foreign trainee program

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PHOTOS FOR 132

Japan Wut 131 "AI BabySitters"

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ON PODCAST 131…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss Japan’s crazy business numbers, AI Babysitters for Japanese Cars, and Edible Cricket businesses that are declaring bankruptcy (VICTORY!).

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SHOW NOTES EP. 131

IT'S OMGWTF!

Undersea wine aging hoped to boost southwestern Japan island economy

JAPAN BUSINESS

SoftBank Group marks return to profit as it cuts Vision Fund losses

Japan's total debt swells to record ¥1,286.45 tril in 2023

SOCIETY 5.0

Japan firms unveil prototype model of robots that can babysit in car

AI 2.0: Japan Opens Up the Tomorrow of Solving Social Issues | Japan Insight - Investing in Japan - Japan External Trade Organization

DEDOLLAR

TUCKER PUTIN (INTERVIEW EXCERPT)

EAT THE BUGS

bankrupt The group's edible cricket farming business is sluggish Total debt: 242.9 million yen

A cricket farming venture goes bankrupt less than three years after its founding .

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PHOTOS EP. 131

Japan Wut 130 "AI Dream Reader"

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ON PODCAST 130…

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… We discuss a Japanese breakthrough AI-based technology that allows users to transmit their brain imagery, Japan’s issues with demographics, and dive into the Supply Chain Wars. Strap in — You are living in Interesting Times.

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SHOW NOTES EP. 130

IT'S NEW!

Lipton releases Pancake Tea Latte in Japan

SUPPLY CHAIN CHINA WAR

Weaponizing Biotech: How China's Military Is Preparing for a 'New Domain of Warfare'

Demand for shipments from China via rail through Russia has ‘skyrocketed’ since the Red Sea attacks

Taiwan to deploy drone defences around power plants amid fears of Chinese attack

Japan, Germany sign military supply-sharing pact amid China rise

SOCIETY 5.0

Japan scientists create world's 1st AI-generated images using brain activity

DEPOPULATION / MIGRATION

Governor in east Japan wants to abolish nationality requirement for prefecture gov't jobs

Tokyo bus operator banks on foreign drivers as shortage looms

Japan's foreign workers surpass 2m for first time, led by Vietnamese

CHONGRYON (JAPAN’S N. KOREANS)

"Wakayama Compatriots' Spring Gathering / Congratulations to the Youth in Their Twenties

New North Korean propaganda poster depicts tank crushing South Koreans

North Korean drones pose major risk to South Korean airports, lawmaker says

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PHOTOS FOR PODCAST 130

Japan Wut 129 "AI Scoundrels"

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ON PODCAST 129…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss SoftBank’s quest for AI Offices via the WeWork Model, the Japanese Carbon Capture Technologies as a Breakaway Society, and more analysis on Japan’s declining population and changing demographics. Strap in — you are living in Interesting Times.

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Show Notes Ep. 129

IT'S NEW!

Japan’s Homo Sausage now comes with cheese

JAPAN

Rules outlined for storing CO2 underground in CCS projects  | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Toyota Chairman Says Electric Cars Will Never Dominate Global Market

DEPOPULATION / MIGRATION

Governor in east Japan wants to abolish nationality requirement for prefecture gov't jobs

Tokyo bus operator banks on foreign drivers as shortage looms

Japan's foreign workers surpass 2m for first time, led by Vietnamese

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Photos 129

Japan Wut 128 "Smart City"

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ON PODCAST 128…

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… We discuss the weirdness of everyone including Japan lambasting China and then funding it with business ventures, how drones will be used by Japanese fighter pilots with AI, and updates in the Supply Chain Wars and how that affects Japan. Strap in — You are living in interesting times.

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Show Notes for 128

JAPAN

Japan business leaders return to China seeking to bolster cooperation

Japan exports surge 10% in December on strong demand for autos, revived trade with China

SOCIETY 5.0

Japan, US agree on AI research for drones to assist new fighter jet

What is the “smart city vision” that Hitachi, Ltd. is aiming for through co-creation with Hitachi City?

Entrusted with an R&D Project for the Cabinet Office's Problem-solving Program "Bridge"

SUPPLY CHAIN WAR

Red Sea crisis pressures China's exporters as shipping delays, costs mount

China orders Japanese fishing boat to leave Senkaku waters

Mysterious new Chinese carrier emerges to capitalise on risky Red Sea trades

https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/ (Supply Chain News Headlines)

How Will the Houthi Attacks on Commercial Ships Impact India and Japan?

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Photos for Show 128

Japan Wut 127 "Dedollaring Now"

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ON PODCAST 127…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss China’s advancements into brain warfare, how the dedollarization movement is affecting the weakened Japanese Yen, and a “Eet Ze Bugs” company that is shutting down operations (VICTORY!).

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SHOW NOTES EP. 127

NEW IDEA

Growing Food on the Moon Using Asteroid Soil

CHINA

China developing 'brain warfare' tech with devices that make you sleep and thought-controlled weapons

DEDOLLAR

Yuan Overtakes Yen For 4th Place In Global Payments

De-dollarization: 95% of the trade between China and Russia didn’t use the US dollar

De-Dollarization Kicks Into High Gear - Chinese Yuan Hit Record High, Overtook Japanese Yen As 4th Most Used Currency
China's De-Dollarization Efforts and the Shifting Dynamics in the Global Banking Industry

EAT THE BUGS

The company that sparked the ``edible crickets'' boom ends its ``pet brand'' 1 year and 9 months after establishment... ``It's so sad''

Grillas (Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture), which sells edible crickets, has announced that it will discontinue its brand ``Cricket Research Institute'' for pets, aquatic and livestock animals on January 25th.

The background is "recurring high raw material prices and poor breeding of insects for food"

　The company is a venture company originating from Tokushima University that develops and produces edible crickets. In the past, `` Cricket Rice Crackers '' made with ``Cricket Powder'' developed by the company were sold at ``Muji'', and school lunches using ``Cricket Powder'' were provided in Tokushima Prefecture, creating a buzz. . The Cricket Research Institute will open in April 2022. In addition to "cricket powder," we have been selling food for pets and aquatic and livestock animals on our online site, including "frozen crickets," "dried crickets," and live "live crickets." On January 17, 2024, the brand's official X (Twitter) announced the end of the brand, saying, ``As of January 25, 2024, we will be closing the Cricket Research Institute official online shop.'' It is said that the shipment of crickets ended on January 19th, and the reason for the termination was that ``the repeated high prices of raw materials and poor breeding of insects for food could not be absorbed by corporate efforts to cut costs.'' In response to the sudden closure announcement, users expressed their regrets, saying, ``I'm so sad,'' ``Thank you very much for your help,'' and ``Thank you for the many crickets.''

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Photos for 127

Japan Wut 126 "AI Davos Robots"

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ON PODCAST 125…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss a bevy of new AI products, Japan at Davos’ WEF forum, and a new document penned by Ret. Gen. Brig. Robert Spalding (USAF) that elaborates on how to counter China’s rise in the systems of the West, despite the West allowing them in.
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SHOW NOTES EP. 126

NEW PRODUCT

Japan’s biggest ham company is making “tuna” that contains neither ham nor fish

JAPAN

Elon Musk's Starlink helps communications in quake-hit central Japan

Japan probe lands on Moon in precision touchdown mission

Japan bankruptcies surge in 2023, topping 8,000

SOCIETY 5.0

Davos 2024: Japanese Monetary Authority to adopt India's digital payment models says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Amazon to invest 2 tril. yen in Japan's cloud business amid AI boom

Robots key to new ways of farming as labor shortage looms | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Yokohama library system introduces Japan-1st AI book search

Tokyo bakery, NEC team up to give rise to AI-based 'love bread'

Int'l agreement reached on Japan-proposed rules for flying telecommunication bases

Kono Taro at WEF 2024

WAR

Japan, NATO weigh a dedicated line for sharing security information

Red Sea attacks already bigger issue for supply chain than pandemic, maritime advisory warns

A New Approach: Countering China’s War without Rules

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PHOTOS FOR 126

Japan Wut 125 "Tele-Absentees"

ON PODCAST 125…

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… We discuss Japanese robots that encourage absenteeism, how Japan and Vietnam are using Society 5.0, and how the Supply Chain Wars are affecting you and your family. Strap in, you are living in Interesting Times.

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EP 125 Show Notes

NEW PRODUCTS

Discover trending products from Japan.

JAPAN

• Japan PM Kishida vows to take lead in decarbonization in Asia

• ‘Nowhere to go’: African refugee applicants camp in Tokyo park

• Japan's Nippon Steel to buy US Steel for $14.1 bn: firms

• Singapore, Japan work on green and digital shipping corridor development

• SK’s Chey proposes South Korea-Japan economic bloc akin to EU

• Japan to issue $11 bln in climate transition bonds in February -sources

SOCIETY 5.0

• Stability AI’s plan to counter AI’s Silicon Valley bias

• Stability AI

• ChatGPT, other AI to be studied for military risk by new Japan body

• Absent students in Kumamoto can now attend school via robot

• Vietnam, Japan enhance cooperation in high-quality human resources training

WAR

• S. Korea, U.S., Japan start operating missile-info sharing system

• US clears AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder sales to Japan

• Territorial disputes with Japan 'over,' Russia's top diplomat says

• Shippers mask positions, weigh options amid Red Sea attacks

CHINA

• China poised to eclipse Japan as the largest auto exporter in 2023

• China starts up world's first fourth-generation nuclear reactor

• China to conduct sea trials for its first ultra-deepwater drilling ship

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IMAGES FOR SHOW 125

Japan Wut 124 "Moonshot Weather"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

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… We discuss Japan’s Moonshot Program to Control the Weather by 2050, the Phillippines as a flashpoint for war in the Indo-Pacific, and Singapore’s decision to allow tourists to use China’s CBDC (Dedollarization).

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Show Notes for Episode 124

NEW JAPANESE TREND

• Character for tax (税) picked as kanji of 2023 

JAPAN NEWS

• All 47 prefectures to have same-sex partnership systems in 2024

• Fukushima nuclear plant worker exposed to radiation

• USJ roller coaster suddenly stops, leaving passengers suspended in the air for over an hour

SOCIETY 5.0

• Moonshot Reseach and Development Program - Science, Technology and Innovation- Cabinet Office Home Page

• Moonshot R&D｜Program｜Goal8 Controlling and modifying the weather

• Driverless buses could be running on public roads by year-end

• Coming Soon: Your Travel Will Be Restricted By Personal Carbon Allowances

• Japan to introduce electronic arrest warrants, interrogation records

• Toyota's "Hydrogen Sharing Network" May Let You Fill Up Your Car At Home

• What is carbon capture and why does it keep coming up at COP28?

• Japan digital minister hints at move to make 'My Number' ID cards mandatory

• ANA Holdings, Joby partner with Nomura Real Estate Development for vertiports in Japan

DEDOLLAR

• china-singapore-let-each-others-tourists-pay-digital-yuan-beijing-seeks-globalise-its-e-cny-currency

EAT THE BUGS

Ecology, launched a nutrition bar containing crickets that promotes health benefits by containing iron and zinc.

https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/23/12/06/11381/

Ecology (Shinjuku, Tokyo, CEO Seiya Ashikari), which produces food ingredients using edible crickets, announced on December 6, 2023 that it will release a new nutrition bar containing cricket powder. A press briefing was held. The company's crickets contain high amounts of iron and zinc, and the company promotes the health benefits of these ingredients. On the same day, the company also announced that it had confirmed that cricket powder promotes the immunostimulating effect of lactic acid bacteria, and expressed its intention to focus on developing products with immunostimulating effects in the future.

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Photos for show 124

Japan Wut 123 "Techno-Swindlers"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss “Convenience Store Fashion Shows,” how stagnant Japanese bureaucracies hell-bent on SDGs are sucking the life force out Japan’s AI markets, and a potential refugee crisis brewing just outside of Japanese shores. Strap in. You are living in interesting times.

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Show Notes for Show 123

NEW PRODUCT

• FamilyMart hits the runway with ‘Convenience Wear’ lineup

SOCIETY 5.0

• TOKURA Masakazu Chairman, Keidanren and Chairman of the Board, Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited

• Japan’s rural areas are depopulating – could a circular economy deliver local economic revitalization?

• Circular Economy in Japan Coming Soon: Your Travel Will Be Restricted By Personal Carbon Allowances

• Japan to introduce electronic arrest warrants, interrogation records

• 草取りの解決で、農業に革命が起きる。雑草対策ロボット開発 - さくマガ

• 田んぼの除草 (Robot video)

• Toyota Hydrogen Factory Scaling Up Its European Activities

• Nvidia to work with SoftBank, other Japan firms to push AI research

• AI-generated imaging using brain activity hits record 75% accuracy: Japan research

• Half of hospitals see no merit in My Number health insurance cards: survey

WAR

• Japan's frontier islanders decry lack of gov't plan to aid Taiwanese fleeing attack

• Hundreds of #Chinese Ships Gather Near the #Philippines

• Japan would play a key supporting role: expert

JAPAN

• Japan backs tripling global nuclear energy by 2050 

• Japan PM vows to phase out coal-fired power at climate summit

• Kobe Illuminage

• 'Roads are for people': Tokyo taxi driver arrested for allegedly running over pigeon

• NPO Director Gets 8 Months in Jail Over Organ Transplants; Arranged Surgeries in Belarus for Japanese Patients

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Photos for Show 123

Japan Wut 122 "My Robot's Load"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss robots on the rise in Japan, the WEF and Japan’s investments into semi-conductors, and more Japanese ships linked to Israelis being hijacked amid the Current Wars. Strap in — you are living in interesting times.

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122 Show Notes

NEW PRODUCT/High or Not High

• Building houses with swarms of drones

SOCIETY 5.0

• Robots helping to solve Japan's '2024 problem,' IFR Reports

• How Japan’s semiconductor industry is leaping into the future (WEF)

• Japan’s tech leaders accelerate its climate actions, ex-PM says

• Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO days after ouster with US elite

• Alibaba founder Jack Ma starts ready-made food company

• Docomo to showcase diverse technologies at docomo Open House '24

• Line operator says 440,000 personal data items leaked

WAR

• The First Japan - NATO Cyber Dialogue

• US frees hijacked tanker off Yemen

• Global shipping on edge after Houthis seize Israeli vessels

• U.S. spy drones relocated to Okinawa despite local objection

• Israeli-Owned Ship Comes Under Iranian Suicide Drone Attack In Indian Ocean

JAPAN

• Japan's 330-meter tallest skyscraper Azabudai Hills opens in Tokyo

• Kengo Kuma-designed building paves path as Japan's 1st zero-emissions hotel

• Japan warns that China, Russia share goal of creating new global order

• Origins of Japan's foreign residents shift over 3 decades, further change expected: expert

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Photos for Show 122

Japan Wut 121 "CBDC Crickets"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss Japan’s Cricket Bug Beers, how De-Dollarisation affects Japan, and using Giant Dolls to Combat the Woes of Depopulation. Strap in. You are living in interesting times.

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NOTES FOR SHOW 121

Japan

• In hectic post-COVID Japan, more people prefer sleeping to partying at year-end: poll

• 'Olive oil shock' hits dining tables in Japan as prices of some products rise by over 50%

• Diet debate on inflation-fighting FY2023 extra budget begins

EAT THE BUGS

• Two companies in Gunma prefecture sell drinks containing cricket powder in demonstration experiment

• Is cricket beer delicious? A drink that touches people's emotions

DEDOLLAR

• IMF Releases Digital Currency Handbook For World's Central Banks

• What $6.9B China-Saudi currency swap means for Beijing’s efforts to globalize yuan

• La Russie et le Venezuela confirment leurs plans de dédollarisation

DEPOPULATION 

• This Japanese village was on the verge of being deserted, so a resident filled it with life-size dolls

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Japan Wut 120 "Rope Drones"

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… We discuss Rope Drones, AI Manga, Robot Cameras on Ships, and how war escapes control and predictions, as a Japanese ship with Israeli-control is seized by the Yemeni Houthis amid the Current Wars.

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Show Notes for Episode 120

NEW PRODUCT/High or Not High

• Pokemon and Tiffany team up for new accessory line with Pikachu pendant

SOCIETY 5.0

• New Tezuka 'Black Jack' manga episode created using AI unveiled

• Microsoft CEO Says Sam Altman Will Be Joining Microsoft

• Panasonic envisions a world where homes and offices can be powered by their windows

• 'Aerial robots' as new infrastructure for suburban delivery

• Union files labor complaint as Google Japan rejects talks amid huge staff cuts

• MOL to Install AI System in Cargo Holds of Newbuildings 

WAR

The Houthis have released POV footage of their takeover of the Galaxy Leader. pic.twitter.com/e9S5KjPYU0

— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) November 20, 2023

• Japan seeking talks with Houthi hijackers of Red Sea Israeli-linked ship

• War risk premiums back in oil and shipping as Houthis seize vessel in Red Sea

• Japan should join AUKUS, says former prime minister Taro Aso

• Japan to provide patrol ships to Bangladesh with eye on China

• Japanese marines conduct drill on island seen as vulnerable to China

• Unsafe and unprofessional interaction with PLA-N

• Japan vice ministers visit Ukraine to examine recovery needs

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Photos for Show 120

Japan Wut 119 "Collective Entrepreneurs"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss Ramen in Space, how Japan is being peripherally affected by conflicts overseas, and potential SDGs in the Japan Society 5.0 umbrella.

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Show Notes for 119

High or Not High

• More than 10 who ate 'weed gummies' hospitalized this year: Osaka police

• Osaka restaurateur sends ramen ingredients into space for six months to test effects of cosmic rays

SOCIETY 5.0

• Japan Opens New Silicon Valley Base for Japanese Startups

• Sony lures record female engineers despite talent shortage in Japan

• Uber CEO sees huge potential in Japanese ride-sharing market

COVID

• Japan medical groups urge women to check if they are pregnant before taking COVID drugs

WAR

• Car rams into barricade near Israel Embassy in Tokyo; man detained

• Mitsubishi Electric in line to be key supplier for U.S. Navy radar

• ‘Day may come’ when North Korea will attack US to help Palestine: Hamas official

• Philippines joins Japan-led naval drills as brushes with China rise in the disputed South China Sea

• Japan urges China to release national jailed on spy charges

Japan

• Japanese PM Kishida meets Chinese President Xi amid difficult ties

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Japan Wut 118 "Very Clean Future"

ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

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… We discuss how to implement AI technology into society without it becoming dystopian, by analyzing non-dystopian vs. dystopian solutions that are in the market right now. We also take a look at Japanese Onomatopoeia in the workplace.

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SHOW NOTES FOR JAPAN WUT 118

NEW PRODUCT

• Japanese onomatopoeia guidebook hoped to help foreign workers navigate life in Japan

SOCIETY 5.0

• Tokyo has a new vending machine where everything inside is free

• CLEANING TOILET ROBOT (Twitter/X Video)

• Use of AI-based robots on the rise in Japanese agriculture

• This Company Is Bringing Zero-Waste Shopping To Japan (WEF)

• Cities Present Models for Using Data for Social Impact (WEF)

• Artificial Intelligence vs Copyright (In Japan) with supplementary AI or ART Quiz?

• Eco Marine Power introduces cloud communication IoT device for maritime applications

• Toyota trials hydrogen-powered vehicle on public roads in Australia

• Toyota's fuel cell vehicles include food trucks and mobile offices

• E-scooter startup wins over Japanese regulators who confounded Uber

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 118

Japan Wut 117 "Billionaire Hippies"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

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… We discuss a robot worker killing a human worker in South Korea, economic inconsistencies on why Japan is doing so great and bad at the same time, and how the Philippines is moving away from China’s BRI and toward Japan’s and the US’ wide open arms.

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Show Notes for Episode 117

SOCIETY 5.0

• Japan eyes $13bn in aid for chips, generative AI in stimulus budget

• An industrial robot crushed a worker to death at a vegetable packing plant in South Korea

Japan

• Japan's April-Sept current surplus triples to record ¥12.7 tril

• Japan household spending down for 7th month in Sept. as wages slide

• Germany set to overtake Japan as 3rd-largest economy 

• Kishida announces stimulus package of 17 trillion yen

• Albert Edwards: "Will The BOJ Fiasco Be The Straw That Breaks The Back Of US Debt"

• Japan's green transition bonds find 'more open-minded' investors

• Massive trove of ancient coins dug up in Gunma Prefecture | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

• Japan whaling mother ship calls it a day amid industry stupor　 | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

EAT THE BUGS

• 東京で「ザザムシ」新メニュー提供　上農高生が創作　長野県

CHINA

• Why the Philippines is exiting the Belt and Road

• Valued at $1B, Kai-Fu Lee's LLM startup unveils open source model

• Asia’s first Gay Games to kick off in Hong Kong, fostering hopes for wider LGBTQ+ inclusion | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

• China’s AI Regulations and How They Get Made - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

SGOTW

• Vietnamese people have the highest number of foreigners arrested, surpassing Chinese people, background such as disappearance of trainees

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 117

Japan Wut 116 "AI Moats" (Audio Corrected)

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N THIS INSTALLMENT…

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… We discuss drive through drugstores, how AI solutions used by regular Japanese people are being demonized as misinformation while the G7 (headed by Japan) seeks to regulate the AI ecosystem, and how Japan is using the cheap yen as an excuse to bow out of military spending. Strap in! You are living in interesting times.

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SHOW NOTES FOR EP. 116

HIGH NOT HIGH/NEW PRODUCT

• Gunma’s drive-throughs offer everything from sushi to meds

SOCIETY 5.0

• Japan high school trials AI as conversation partner to boost English speaking skills

• Thousands of education board-distributed tablet computers broken in west Japan

• Fake video of Kishida spreads; creator denies malicious intent  

• (LINK TO STUPID DEEP FAKE PM KISHIDA VIDEO)

• Kishida can’t believe his ears at the sound of him speaking

• Japan PM Kishida faces questions from AI bot ChatGPT in Diet

• Elon Musk issues warning about 'humanoid robots' in AI 'age of abundance'

WAR

• Air Self-Defense Force plane evacuates 46 out of Israel

• The #US is quietly arming #Taiwan to the teeth

• Japan and Philippine leaders agree to negotiate defense pact and boost ties amid China's aggression

• Japan's prime minister tours Philippine patrol ship and boosts alliances amid maritime tensions

• PNP on watch vs Chinese ‘sleeper cells’

• Weak yen forces Japan to shrink historic military spending plan

• Japan, Malaysia to boost defense cooperation

DEDOLLOR

• China Delivers Sustainable Development Funding To Hard-Hit Egypt

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 116

Japan Wut 116 "AI Moats"

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N THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss drive through drugstores, how AI solutions used by regular Japanese people are being demonized as misinformation while the G7 (headed by Japan) seeks to regulate the AI ecosystem, and how Japan is using the cheap yen as an excuse to bow out of military spending. Strap in! You are living in interesting times.

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Official Website: matthewpmbigelow.com

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SHOW NOTES FOR EP. 116

HIGH NOT HIGH/NEW PRODUCT

• Gunma’s drive-throughs offer everything from sushi to meds

SOCIETY 5.0

• Japan high school trials AI as conversation partner to boost English speaking skills

• Thousands of education board-distributed tablet computers broken in west Japan

• Fake video of Kishida spreads; creator denies malicious intent  

• (LINK TO STUPID DEEP FAKE PM KISHIDA VIDEO)

• Kishida can’t believe his ears at the sound of him speaking

• Japan PM Kishida faces questions from AI bot ChatGPT in Diet

• Elon Musk issues warning about 'humanoid robots' in AI 'age of abundance'

WAR

• Air Self-Defense Force plane evacuates 46 out of Israel

• The #US is quietly arming #Taiwan to the teeth

• Japan and Philippine leaders agree to negotiate defense pact and boost ties amid China's aggression

• Japan's prime minister tours Philippine patrol ship and boosts alliances amid maritime tensions

• PNP on watch vs Chinese ‘sleeper cells’

• Weak yen forces Japan to shrink historic military spending plan

• Japan, Malaysia to boost defense cooperation

DEDOLLOR

• China Delivers Sustainable Development Funding To Hard-Hit Egypt

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 116

Japan Wut 115 "Build Back Worse"

➠ Japan Wut Podcast RSS

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We discuss how uninformed politicians at Japan’s G7 meet are trying to regulate AI as a Build Back Better move — they don’t care if their AI solutions are worse, as long as they control them and you don’t. We also cover how the De-Dollarization movement is affecting the Japanese economy, and why tech shows seem to be stuck in dumb Sci-Fi ruts!

Follow Matt: Twitter / Facebook Page / Instagram
Official Website: matthewpmbigelow.com

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SHOW NOTES FOR 115

HIGH NOT HIGH

• Hay fever-fighting rice to be part of Japan's economic stimulus

NEW PRODUCT

• Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance to offer AI security camera service

WAR

• What Russia could give North Korea in exchange for weapons to use in Ukraine | NK PRO

SOCIETY 5.0

• Japan Mobility Show provides glimpse of robots as future of rescue efforts

• Koito, Denso collaborate to enhance night driving safety

• G7 agrees on guiding principles for AI developers to address risks

• Press corner

• An economy that works for people

• Japan, EU agree on developing rules for cross-border data flows

• Japanese scientists make better lithium-ion battery without cobalt

• Brakes applied to driverless public transport after Fukui accident 

• AI suitcase tested outdoors to guide visually impaired people

• AI map analysis uncovers 34 probable ancient burial mounds in Japan

CHINA

• Chinese yuan beats Euro, is 2nd most used currency in global payments system SWIFT

DEDOLLOR

• DCJPY: A Revolution in Digital Currency and Global Connectivity

• De-Dollarization? China Completes First Digital Yuan Purchase For Cross-Border Oil Transaction

• India Rejects Russian Demand To Pay For Oil In Chinese Yuan

SGOTW

• U.S. soldier arrested for trespassing in home in Aomori Prefecture

DEPOPULATION 

• Aging Japanese town faces challenge as foreign population grows 20 times larger in 20 yrs

• Small group learning key to survival of Japan's least populous city

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Photos Related to Show 115