News On Japan

NTT Docomo to invest $415 mil. in metaverse business

TOKYO, Sep 29 (NHK) - Major Japanese mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo says it will spend 60 billion yen, or about 415 million dollars to fully enter the metaverse market.

The metaverse is a virtual space where users interact in a computer-generated environment.

A new subsidiary, NTT Qonoq will provide entertainment-related services such as virtual live performances. It will also offer metaverse space to other companies.

NTT Docomo aims to make the projects a key new revenue source. Growth in the mobile phone business has been sluggish due to Japan's declining population.

The company plans to work with a range of partners to provide a variety of content.

Source: ANNnewsCH

POPULAR NEWS

A protest was held at the University of Tokyo on Thursday, coinciding with "Nakba Day" on May 15, with about 500 students advocating for Palestinian liberation and condemning Israel's actions as "massacres."

An explosion in central Kyoto on Thursday morning has left two injured and caused significant disruptions. The scene immediately after the fire was captured on video, with loud sirens blaring and the area filled with thick smoke, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters.

Two men have been arrested for throwning a friend off a pier causing him to drown during a birthday party in Yaiz, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The president and seven employees of The Grand Shield, previously featured in Japanese media due to financial troubles with dental braces, have been arrested for selling high-yield bonds without registration, promising annual returns of 20%. It is believed that two women among the suspects collected 4.6 billion yen alone.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has issued a warning about the dangers of consuming alcohol and energy drinks together.

FOLLOW US
         

MORE Business NEWS

The president and seven employees of The Grand Shield, previously featured in Japanese media due to financial troubles with dental braces, have been arrested for selling high-yield bonds without registration, promising annual returns of 20%. It is believed that two women among the suspects collected 4.6 billion yen alone.

Japan's real GDP growth rate for the first quarter of this year, from January to March, was announced by the Cabinet Office to be an annualized minus 2.0%.

Businessman Yusaku Maezawa has filed a lawsuit against Meta, the company operating Facebook, seeking 1 yen in damages in response to a series of investment scams involving impersonation of famous personalities on social media.

As the Japanese government begins discussions on the basic policies for its energy strategy, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has constructed a new substation and other infrastructure in Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture, to address the increasing power consumption of data centers.

Honda Motor says it will invest 10 trillion yen or roughly 65 billion dollars in electric vehicles and software for self-driving technology through fiscal 2030. (NHK)

The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China has released the results of a survey targeting Japanese companies operating in China, revealing that over half of them report worsening sales trends.

The Corporate Goods Price Index (CGPI) for April, which indicates the price level of goods traded between companies, rose by 0.9% compared to last year, marking the fifth consecutive month of record highs.

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) announced on May 13 that it will reduce the amount of its bond purchases, causing long-term yields to rise to their highest level in six months.