Japan Wut Podcast 150 "Diversity Japan"

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ON PODCAST 150

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

Japan’s top-down strategies that insist on diversity in the country, Japan’s role in the Supply Chain Wars, and how Japan could get caught up in the Dedollarization Movement.

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Show Notes

ODD JAPANESE ITEM

Water-absorbing, quick-drying umbrella holder

JAPAN

Sony, Nature magazine create award for female researchers

Seniors 75 and older top 20 million in Japan for the first time

'Understanding systemic discrimination' new students' 1st homework: U. of Tokyo president

Kishida secures $2.9 bil investment from Microsoft

Japan's elderly population living alone to jump 47% by 2050

SUPPLY CHAIN WAR

Southern island worries it will host long-range missiles

Phl, Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement May Be Signed By Yearend – Envoy | OneNews.PH

Russian and China warn NATO to stay out of Asia

Russia to hold talks with North Korea on increasing quota for DPRK students

Japan will prove a worthy collaborator with AUKUS

NATO and a Taiwan contingency

DEDOLLAR/BITCOIN

US deficit poses ‘significant risks’ to global economy, warns IMF

DEPOPULATION / MIGRATION

Meitetsu Bus joins hands with central Japan city to train foreign bus drivers
Japan's population falls below 125 mil; down for 13th straight year

CHINA

US, Vietnam fear Cambodia’s China-backed canal could serve military goals

China Confirms It’s Building a 4th Aircraft Carrier—and the Tables Are Turning

China is moving towards full monetary independence

NORTH KOREA

North Korea can use gene-editing tech to craft military bioweapons, US warns

GREEN JAPAN

Sumitomo Electric Unveils New Material Made from Recycled CO2 and Metal

Hitachi Zosen Leads Decarbonization of Shipping Industry with Green Methanol Technology

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Japan Wut 146 "Bugs by Proxy"

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ON PODCAST 146

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

The hotel industry jumps into AI monitoring, Japan’s iconic vending machines get an algorithm injection, and the Eet Ze Bugs industry takes their aim at fish.

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Show Notes

HIGH OR NOT HIGH

Man arrested after pressing naked butt against water faucet in Tokyo park

JAPAN

Japan's February household spending falls 0.5%, down for 12th month

Shizuoka governor to resign after gaffe insulting vegetable sellers

Japanese firms' plans for CO2 export, storage in Southeast Asia on rise

SOCIETY 5.0

AI is spying on the food we throw away

Uber to launch ride-hailing services in Japan

NEC provides facial recognition payment service for demonstration of local currency service by TOPPAN Digital

Chino Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducts demonstration experiment of facial recognition payment at physical stores, making payments easy even for people who do not have or are unfamiliar with smartphones

Kirin vending machines utilize SoftBank's proprietary AI algorithm; joint demonstration results show that demand forecasts were highly accurate compared to actual sales.

EAT THE BUGS

Making Aquaculture More Sustainable: Marubeni Farms Yellowtail on Insect-Based Feed

JAPAN/NATO

Estonian PM Kaja Kallas to become the new NATO chief Kaja Kallas (WIKI)

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PHOTOS

Japan Wut 142 "AI Agencies"

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ON PODCAST 142

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

The rising use cases of AI for cultural and political soft power, a WEF Death Cult Economist gets his Japanese booze ad pulled, and Japan pushes to adopt ammonia as a green resource. Strap in. You are living in Interesting Times.

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Show Notes

OMGWTF

Want to spruce up your bike helmet? Switch over to Oshare-heru

JAPAN BUSINESS

Economist who advocated mass suicide pulled from Kirin ad

TOWARDS EQUALITY: Mercari official deciphers unexplained pay gap

SOCIETY 5.0

Japan prof. probes strengths, weaknesses of rapidly evolving AI translation: interview

AI supercharges threat of disinformation in a big year for elections globally

New AI tools can record your medical appointment or draft a message from your doctor

SUPPLY CHAIN WAR

4 firms plan first ammonia-fueled ammonia carrier ship

Japan's JERA, IHI to test ammonia as fuel at coal power plant

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PHOTOS

Japan Wut 141 "AI Love in Normie Land"

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ON PODCAST 141…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

The AI Sector gets weird in Japan’s Normie World, Tokyo metro to setup new missile shelter, and facial recognition continues to expand in Japan’s medical fields. Strap in, you are living in Interesting Times.

Show Notes

ODD

Tokyo to create missile shelter in Azabu-Juban subway station  

JAPAN BUSINESS

BOJ discusses an end to negative interest rates

Honda Unveils Japan's First Plug-In Rechargeable Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle

Pushed into corner, Yamaha set to return to domestic production

SOCIETY 5.0

Artificial intelligence generates sentences from messages received...Yu Kashii reads out an unstoppable ``love AI novel'' JN

Ishikawa/Kaga City completes admission to hospitals using MynaCard and facial recognition JN

My Number Card: Experience the use of insurance cards using facial recognition at a shopping mall

CHINA

Chinese Scientists Implant First Pig Liver Into Brain-Dead Human

China building giant hypersonic railgun for space launches

SUPPLY CHAIN WAR

Xinhua Commentary: China-Europe rail route stabilizes global supply chains amid turmoil

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PHOTOS

Japan Wut 135 "Kyushu AI"

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ON PODCAST 135…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We deep dive on Facial Recognition Tech in Kyushu, Japan re-emerging as a chip hub, and how China’s scorched-earth policy in its real-estate market could be part of the Supply Chain Wars. Strap in. You are living in Interesting Times.

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TOPIC LIST

IT'S OMGWTF!

Watch that melted during atomic blast over Hiroshima sells for more than $31,000

SOCIETY 5.0

Marubeni tests facial recognition payments on local transportation on Kumamoto city streetcars

Trial/NEC collaboration “face recognition” demonstration experiment

Facial recognition cash register is efficient as you can pay by looking into the camera for 1-2 seconds...Trial HD and NEC

Facial recognition for unmanned hotels Hotels are opening one after another in central Miyazaki City

JAPAN BUSINESS

Japanese investors raise a glass to Nikkei record

Outbound tourism still low after COVID-19, inbound recovers

CHINA

China's central bank buys 10 tonnes of gold, extending its buying spree to 15 straight months

China to spend US$1 billion to revamp Tanzania-Zambia railway to move minerals

Is the CCP Deliberately Undermining China's Economy?

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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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Official Website: matthewpmbigelow.com

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…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… 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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Official Website: matthewpmbigelow.com

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…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… 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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Official Website: matthewpmbigelow.com

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 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 108 "Brain-Bio Digital Twins"

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ON THIS INSTALLMENT…

DONATE: PAYPAL.ME/JAPANWUT

… We cover how Japanese telecoms plan to turn your brains into digital twins, why the weak yen is attracting trashy tourists, and how the UN turns would be brilliant people into weirdos who want to make us eat bugs.

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SHOW NOTES

NEW PRODUCT

• Yamaha adopts wood-based reinforced resin for watercraft

SOCIETY 5.0

• Centaurs and Cyborgs on the Jagged Frontier

• Quantum Computing Startup-Nanofiber Quantum Technologies Secures $8.5m Funding

• Japan to develop brain bio-digital twin technology 

• Japanese school students see how AI can help farming

Japan/DEMOGRAPHICS

• Shibuya mayor says 'Don't come' for Halloween

• Japan labor market set for change as huge worker shortage looms

• EDITORIAL: College student quota shortfalls threatening the nation’s future

• Chinese in Tokyo (Japanese Article)

• 86% of municipalities across Japan want more foreign workers: survey

• One in 10 Japanese are older than 80: gov't data

WAR

• Xi’s security obsession turns Chinese citizens into spy hunters

• Ukraine will ask Japan to help with anti-drone technology

• Japan-Britain defense cooperation pact to take effect in Oct

EAT THE BUGS

• Could crickets be the "optimal solution" to avoid food shortages? [Part 1] / Mr. Seiya Ashikari, representative of cricket food “Ecology”

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PHOTOS FOR SHOW 108