Japanese internet and energy company SoftBank Group Corp. reported Wednesday a more than 11-fold surge in profit for the fiscal third quarter thanks to strong sales and to improved results from U.S. carrier Sprint. SoftBank, which also owns stakes in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba and British computer chip and software giant Arm, said its October-December […]
Toshiba, Bain Executives Join In Push For Memory-Chips Sale
At Toshiba’s flash-memory chip plant in Yokkaichi, the orderly quiet of the clean room, with its metal boxes zipping around on overhead rails, contrasts sharply with the messy feud between its owners over plans to sell this prized asset. Toshiba plans to sell its memory chip business to a multinational consortium led by Bain Capital […]
SoftBank Adding Technology Ambitions,with ARM, Robotics
TOKYO (AP) — Photo ops of SoftBank Chief Executive Masayoshi Son sometimes show him chatting happily with his company’s humanoid robot, the childlike Pepper, or grinning as President Donald Trump heaps praise on him for creating American jobs. It’s clear Son, Japan’s richest person, stands out in Japan Inc. He is no “salaryman” president, those […]
Toyota Shows Robotic Leg Brace to Help Paralyzed People Walk
Toyota is introducing a wearable robotic leg brace designed to help partially paralyzed people walk. The Welwalk WW-1000 system is made up of a motorized mechanical frame that fits on a person’s leg from the knee down. The patients can practice walking wearing the robotic device on a special treadmill that can support their weight. […]
Toyota Hopes Revamped Plug-In Sells Better Than First Model
Toyota has revamped its plug-in hybrid with a longer cruising range and quicker charging, including from a regular home plug, hoping it will sell better than the first model from five years ago that officials acknowledged had flopped. Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius PHV plug-in went on sale in Japan on Wednesday. Sales in […]
Japan’s SoftBank to Buy Fortress Investment for $3.3 Billion
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese telecommunications, internet and solar company SoftBank Group Corp. is buying U.S. investment company Fortress Investment Group for $3.3 billion. The deal was announced by both sides Wednesday. New York-based Fortress, which manages global investments, said its senior professionals will stay to keep up its fund performance. Tokyo-based SoftBank has been aggressive in […]
Toyota, Suzuki to Work Together in Green, Safety Technology
Japanese automakers Toyota and Suzuki, which began discussing a partnership in October, said Monday they would work together in ecological and safety technology — a rapidly growing area in the industry. Toyota Motor Corp., the maker of the Camry sedan, Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury models, and Suzuki Motor Corp., which specializes in tiny cars, […]
Cars Without Drivers Scoot Around Nissan Plant, Towing Cars
Nissan Motor Co. is testing self-driving cars at one of its plants in Japan that can tow vehicles on a trailer to the wharf for loading on transport ships. The Japanese automaker thinks the technology will, in the long run, save costs and boost efficiency. The tests also can add to knowledge needed to take […]
Toyota Says New Technology Means Longer Battery Life
Toyota Motor Corp. has developed a new way of observing the movements of tiny particles in batteries used to power electric vehicles — an advance it says will help boost their cruise range by 10 percent to 15 percent. Toyota engineer Hisao Yamashige explained to reporters Thursday at the Japanese automaker’s Tokyo office the complex […]
Nissan Hiring 300 to Develop Common Connected Car Technology
The top executive overseeing connected vehicles at Nissan and Renault believes the benefits of developing a common technology for connectivity within the Japanese and French auto partnership outweigh the risks of sustaining huge damage from a possible defect or cyberattack. Ogi Redzic, senior vice president at the Renault-Nissan Alliance, oversees such connected services, including staying […]