According to The Nikkei Asian Review, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group will launch a securities arm in Japan within the next few months, Group Executive International Farhan Faruqui tells Nikkei.
ANZ already has branches in Japan, but could not sell asset management products from Asia and Australia here with a banking license alone. It is now seeking membership in the Japan Securities Dealers Association with approval from the Financial Services Agency.
The new unit seeks to tap demand among Japanese institutional investors for overseas products, given the extremely low interest rates in Japan. It will cater to investors who want to expand their non-yen-denominated assets, Faruqui said.
Revenue at ANZ's banking branches in Japan totaled 17.8 billion yen ($US 162 million) for the fiscal year ended March 2017. Faruqui said the group aims to boost its revenue in the country by double digits every year with the new securities arm.
ANZ Group was founded in 1835 and is one of Australia's four biggest banks. It has exited from the retail sphere in Asia, but sees greater opportunities with institutional investors in Japan, where monetary easing continues.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/ANZ-to-launch-securities-business-in-Japan

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/anz 
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According to The Australian Financial Review, Australia's lack of electric vehicle charging points could hold it back as the cost of electric vehicles falls, a Bloomberg research group says.
While Australia had record numbers of electric vehicle sales – including plug-in hybrids – of around 2300 in 2017, they remain a measly 0.2 per cent of total vehicle sales, leaving Australia lagging well behind other countries like China where more than 2 per cent of sales are now electric.
Australia's failure to provide incentives to consumers to buy electric cars or subsidise charging stations – as well as the high cost of electric vehicles and relatively few available vehicle models–- are holding it back, a senior associate from the Bloomberg research group, Ali Asghar, told a briefing in Sydney on Monday.
While there are 371 car models available to buy in Australia, only 21 of them are electric. There are also relatively few electric sports utility vehicles (SUVs), a model favoured by many Australians, on the market. "There is a mismatch between consumer preferences and electric vehicle model offerings," Mr Asghar said.
However, the development of cheaper, "mass market" electric vehicles like the Tesla Model 3 and Nissan Leaf 2 as well as cars that can travel almost 500 kilometres without needed recharging is expected to increase sales of the cars over the next four-five years.

https://www.afr.com/business/ev-charging-points-to-become-as-important-as-a-parking-spot-is-today-20180618-h11j3x

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/ev4236847 

According to The Australian Financial Review, developer Morris Property Group has obtained dual development approval for a residential and a commercial development on the same site in the Brisbane CBD as it weighs up its plans against the cooling Brisbane residential market.
Brisbane City Council's seamless development approval process allowed Morris Property to quickly apply for a 27-storey commercial tower at 152 Wharf Street, Spring Hill, earlier this year, where it already had an approval to build a 197-apartment tower with ground-floor retail space.
The move serves as a natural "market correction" because it allows developers like Morris Property to opt out of the residential market, which is facing slower sales and oversupply concerns, and move on to profitable commercial developments that will service business demand particularly A-grade or premium office spaces, director Barry Morris said.
"Whether residential or commercial, it will be subject to market demand," Mr Morris said.

http://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential-to-commercial-conversion-regulates-brisbanes-residential-market-20180612-h11aky

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/8427467 
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According to The Nikkei Asian Review, Japan has recruited automakers Toyota Motor, Nissan Motor and Honda Motor into the country's rush to establish the core technologies for solid-state lithium-ion batteries, a potentially safer and more powerful alternative to the type currently used in electric vehicles.
Battery maker Panasonic also is among the 23 companies in the public-private project begun Friday by Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, or NEDO.
The research management group set a target date of fiscal 2022 for the core technologies, hoping to retain Japan's early lead in the field. NEDO previously engaged in solid-state battery research primarily with materials makers.
Current electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries based on liquid electrolyte. Panasonic was the longtime global leader of these batteries, but its market share is expected to fall to just 16% this year, down from 44% in 2014, according to Tokyo-based consultancy Techno Systems Research. The crown now belongs to China's Contemporary Amperex Technology, otherwise known as CATL, which has recruited top-notch engineers from abroad thanks to government aid.
Liquid-based lithium-ion batteries offer relatively limited driving ranges, and costs are higher.
Solid-state batteries have a higher output and are safer, in that they pose no risk of electrolyte leakage. They also are more compact, providing added design flexibility.
The Japanese project ultimately aims to lower the battery pack cost to the 10,000-yen level ($US 90) per kilowatt-hour by around 2030, or about one-third the cost for existing lithium-ion batteries. The research also targets a fast-charge time of 10 minutes, also around one-third of that needed for lithium-ion batteries.
Japanese companies hold an advantage in solid-state batteries. "A majority of patent applications on all-solid batteries are from Japanese companies," said Kei Hosoi, the NEDO project manager.
"As a battery maker, we cannot afford to let overseas rivals beat us in all-solid batteries," said Eiji Fujii, a Panasonic executive officer in charge of resource and energy research.
Toyota, which will play a leading role in the project, aims to commercialize the technology in the early 2020s. The company, which has the most patent applications in related fields worldwide, increased its development staff by around 50% since last fall to around 300.
"We want to have a big breakthrough and put this to practical use no matter what," Hideki Iba, who oversees the battery materials and technology research at Toyota, told reporters Friday.
Japan lost its early advantage to China in products such as semiconductors and liquid crystal displays. Speed will be key to retaining the lead in the new battery development.

Ref: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Trends/Battery-wars-Japan-teams-up-for-next-gen-electric-cars

 If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/4478547

According to The Australian Financial Review, the BHP board approved $US2.9 billion ($3.8 billion) worth of spending on the South Flank iron ore project on Thursday evening, with costs set to rise to $US3.4 billion once contributions from partners Mitsui and Itochu are included.
South Flank looms as BHP's biggest single project spend (excluding mergers and acquisitions) since it committed $US6.6 billion to the Jimblebar iron ore project in 2011, and the approval came barely three weeks after Fortescue announced it would spend $US1.27 billion on a new mine at Eliwana.
Rio Tinto is also expected to approve construction of a new mine at Koodaideri before the end of 2018, meaning Australia's three biggest iron ore miners will be building mines in the same region at the exact same time.

https://www.afr.com/business/mining/bhp-approves-45b-south-flank-iron-ore-mine-in-western-australia-20180614-h11eqg

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/bhp8187457
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According to The Nikkei Asian Review, concerns over the safety and price of produce imported from tropical countries are driving Japanese farmers to increase production of crops normally found in warmer climes.
Though yields are still well below the volumes of imported crops, the homegrown varieties have a sunny future in Japan as their origins can be easily traced, easing consumer fears over food safety. Domestic crops also help hedge against sudden price surges of imports due to inclement weather or other factors.
D&T Farm in western Japan began selling greenhouse-grown bananas in March last year. The company plans to ship 500 tons this year, and wants to partner with other growers to sell 100,000 tons a year in the future.
Japan imports about 1 million tons of bananas annually, with more than 80% coming from the Philippines. But overseas growers typically spray crops with chemicals to protect against pests and mold during shipment -- a practice that increasingly worries health-conscious Japanese.
D&T director Setsuzo Tanaka has engineered a cold-resistant banana by storing seedling cells in extremely cold temperatures. The greenhouse-grown bananas, dubbed "Mongee Bananas," are chemical-free and can be eaten in their entirety, including peels. Despite their pricey tag of around 650 yen ($5.92) each -- imported varieties usually cost about 150 yen or so a bunch -- the bananas sell well, according to the farm.
Another Japanese company joining the growing trend is Hiratsuka Confectionery, a manufacturer of chocolate and other sweets. Hirastsuka began cultivating about 500 cacao trees indoors on a 5,000-sq.-meter farm on the southern island of Ogasawara in 2010. The confectioner aims to roll out chocolate products made from its own cacao beans in autumn next year.
Countries inside the so-called "Cacao belt" -- a tropical band 20 degrees north and south of the equator -- control most global cacao bean cultivation. Japan imports about 50,000 tons of the beans annually, with Ghana accounting for 70% to 80% of the volume.
"We aim to secure the safety of our products by supplying the ingredient ourselves," said a spokesperson for the confectioner.
Hokkaido-based confectioner Ishiya is producing vanilla beans, an essential flavoring ingredient for its signature "Shiroi Koibito," or white lovers, biscuits. The company plans to harvest about 100kg of beans in autumn next year.
In order to grow in Hokkaido's cold climate, Ishiya partnered with a greenhouse-design specialist to create a tropical environment conducive to vanilla beans.
More than 90% of vanilla beans used in Japan come from Madagascar. But due to poor harvests caused by typhoons as well as soaring demand from Europe, prices have risen roughly 20-fold over the past six years.
The Japanese-grown beans align with the trend toward eating locally produced foods, and hedge against extreme price fluctuations, according to Ishiya.
But growing tropical produce in Japan is expensive. Before considering mass production of the crops, costs must come down. Ishiya is trying to use Hokkaido's ample geothermal resources to help heat its greenhouses rather than relying solely on expensive fossil fuels.
And there is a future. Kiwi fruit has been a successful tropical transplant to Japan, where its harvest supplements imports from overseas, making the fruit available the year round and providing an example for the agriculture sector in its push to produce similar crops.

Ref: https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Trends/Farmers-in-Japan-warm-to-tropical-produce

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https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/6081198 
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According to The Australian Financial Review, the health jobs boom has also lured former carpenters and even accountants into the sector. Experts say the boom is virtually immune to the economic cycles that can flatten growth in, say, mining or tourism jobs - two other sectors driving growth. Since labour costs are about 70 per cent of total healthcare costs, that means jobs.
Technology has also become more ubiquitous in health care but face-to-face assistance and hands-on care are still required. Australia's booming population is driving demand for healthcare that governments are straining to meet - and the whole phenomenon is helping to propel economic growth.
Jobs in healthcare and social assistance - which also includes aged care and caring roles picked up by the National Disability Insurance Scheme - jumped 10 per cent in the year to February to 1.708 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
By contrast the workforce as a whole grew 3.5 per cent to 12.49 million workers - which is generally regarded as a pretty good clip.

https://www.afr.com/news/health-jobs-boom-lures-travel-agents-carpenters-accountants-20180608-h11596

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/5736026
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According to The Asahi Shimbun, The HondaJet compact plane has already proved a winner in North America and Europe, and now Japanese high-flyers will also have the chance to travel in the comfortable, fuel-efficient jets.
Honda Motor Co. announced on June 6 that it has begun taking orders for the aircraft that can accommodate up to seven people and is characterized by its engines sitting above the wings.
It has a flying distance of 2,661 kilometers, meaning business travelers can fly from Tokyo's Haneda Airport to Beijing or Taipei without refueling.
Manufactured by Honda Aircraft Co., a Honda Motor subsidiary, the HondaJet will be priced at $US 5.25 million (about 577 million yen).
Time will tell if the aircraft can take off among Japan’s business community as it has in the West.
According to the Japan Business Aviation Association, there are about 90 small jets operating in Japan in both the private and public sectors. In contrast, the United States, the world's largest market, has about 13,000 small jets.
Honda Motor founder Soichiro Honda declared in 1962 that his company would develop a light aircraft.
Production of the HondaJet began at a U.S. plant in 2012, and the first aircraft was delivered in 2015.
Forty-three of the plane were sold in 2017, making it the best-selling aircraft weighing 5.7 tons or less.

Ref: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201806070053.html

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/3400985 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s rail operators are on track to developing the next-generation Shinkansen that aim to break speed records, improve safety and are more energy efficient.
East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) started creating a test bullet train to eventually produce the world’s fastest commercial train, which will be able to run at 360 kph, though it once failed to break the record.
Meanwhile, Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Tokai) in March began trials toward introducing its first fully remodeled N700-series Shinkansen in 13 years.
An end car of JR East’s Alfa-X prototype Shinkansen, under development, will have a long nose, while the end car on the opposite side will boast a roundish design. The two structures were devised to compare their capabilities to rein in pressure waves that are produced when entering tunnels and causing loud noises.
The prototype train is being developed at JR East’s Research and Development Center in Saitama so that the new prototype will be completed by next spring.
It will be the first time in 14 years for JR East to make a new test train.
Fastech 360, the predecessor of the Alfa-X, was created with the aim of increasing the Hayate train’s maximum speed of 275 kph to 360 kph to coincide with the Tohoku Shinkansen Line’s extension in fiscal 2010 to cover Shin-Aomori Station in Aomori Prefecture.
Although the Fastech 360 operated at up to 398 kph in trial runs, the commercially introduced model had to run at the maximum speed of 320 kph as the noise issue could not be resolved.
The Alfa-X project is intended to produce a Shinkansen that can operate at 360 kph by fiscal 2030, when the Hokkaido Shinkansen Line will be extended to Sapporo Station.
Koji Asano, director of JR East’s Advanced Railway System Development Center, said raising the maximum speed is significant for the company.
“The mission of the Shinkansen is sending passengers to their destinations more quickly,” Asano said.
A new pantograph and brake disc that will not readily produce wind noise, along with the specially designed end cars, in an effort to solve the noise issue in the latest project.
Research on features to conserve energy will also be conducted, according to JR East officials.
Based on lessons from the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, JR East is working to introduce quake-resistant cars that will not be easily derailed even when running at high speeds.
The railway operator is looking to equip the next-generation Shinkansen with not only an ordinary brake but also an aerodynamic braking system to stop the train more promptly with air resistance.
“We will also carry out research on features to improve comfort, such as lighting devices and functions to eliminate noise inside cars,” Asano said.

Ref: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201806080003.html

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​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/go
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According to The Australian Financial Review, house-building grew at its fastest pace in three months in May, creating more work for the tradies and their utes servicing the detached home sector and keeping the construction industry in growth for a 16th straight month.
"The construction industry is busier than ever in 2018, with strong demand across most major segments of the market," said Julie Toth, the chief economist of industry body Ai Group, which produces the monthly index with the Housing Industry Association.
"Residential construction activity remains elevated but it is clearly slowing from recent peaks, with house construction now taking the lead over apartments. Engineering construction continues to expand, as it works its way through a very large pipeline of transport and other major infrastructure projects."

Ref: https://www.afr.com/real-estate/plenty-of-work-for-tradies-and-their-utes-construction-grows-faster-in-may-20180606-h112l0

If you want to read this article in Japanese, please see the following link:
​https://www.j-abc.com/jp-blog/57120880
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