According to The Australian Financial Review, Suzuki Motors has taken a strategic stake in Melbourne-based vehicle maker Applied EV, paving the way for the Japanese automobile giant to use the Australian technology as part of Suzuki’s push into the global electric- and autonomous-vehicle markets.
Applied EV, which builds “software-defined vehicles” that can be used as a platform for human-driven or driverless cars, had been planning an initial public offering (IPO) this year, but pushed it back when Suzuki came on board as part of a $21 million funding round, said Applied EV co-founder and CEO, Julian Broadbent.

https://www.afr.com/technology/aussie-ev-start-up-scraps-ipo-plans-as-japanese-giant-invests-20220908-p5bghz

 

According to The Australian Financial Review, residential auction volumes jumped by 14.2 per cent over the week to 2190 nationwide to its highest level since late June, as vendors sought a faster way to sell, data from CoreLogic shows.
Preliminary clearance rates also rose slightly to 62.5 per cent, up from 61.7 per cent in the previous week, amid early signs the auction market may be stabilising.
Tim Lawless, CoreLogic research director, said more vendors were choosing to go to auction to ensure a faster sale and were now more willing to meet the market’s expectations.

https://www.afr.com/property/residential/sydney-house-beats-reserve-by-800-000-as-rate-panic-eases-20220918-p5biy7 

 

According to The Australian Financial Review, Latitude’s Japanese shareholder, Shinsei Bank, which has been quietly inching up its register buying stock off stranded institutional investors.
Shinsei has been bidding for Latitude stock for the past few weeks via Credit Suisse, sources said, quietly going from 9.95 per cent of the company to 12.85 per cent.

https://www.afr.com/street-talk/japan-s-shinsei-inches-up-latitude-financial-s-register-20220908-p5bggl
 

According to The Nikkei Asia, the Japanese government is considering moves to jump-start demand for domestic tourism, along with plans to further open Japan's borders to international travelers, to boost the economy.
Plans are also underway to allow individual travelers from overseas to enter Japan by October and to ease border controls, such as by allowing short-term visa-free stays for visitors from the U.S. and other countries. The government hopes to boost the economy by stimulating both domestic and international tourism.

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Travel-Leisure/Japan-eyes-domestic-tourism-boost-as-border-reopening-nears

 

According to The Australian Financial Review, France’s Engie has pressed the button on construction of an $87 million green hydrogen project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, representing the country’s first commitment to an industrial-scale plant in the fast-emerging industry for the carbon-free fuel.
The plant, which is backed by Japanese trading giant Mitsui, will be 10 times bigger than the largest renewable energy-powered electrolyser now in operation in Australia but still a fraction of what would be required to support an export-scale hydrogen operation.

https://www.afr.com/companies/energy/landmark-green-hydrogen-go-ahead-in-pilbara-20220916-p5bill
 

According to The Australian Financial Review, Indian giant Reliance Industries is considering a plan to build a green hydrogen manufacturing plant in Australia, a project that could crystallise deeper economic ties between the two countries.
The plan would take the Indian conglomerate’s multibillion-dollar push into renewable power and fuel offshore, using its growing expertise in solar panel manufacturing to establish a solar farm in Australia to produce carbon-free hydrogen for export.

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/indian-giant-reliance-eyes-green-energy-project-in-australia-20220906-p5bfyd

According to The Australian Financial Review, Sydney developer Astute Property has capitalised on strong momentum in the build-to-rent sector to sell an entire apartment development in Marrickville off-the-plan to a private investor.
The sale came just ahead of the official launch of the 43-unit development on a 1500sq m site at 265-273 Illawarra Road in the inner west suburb, which Astute purchased from the Hatziplis family for $16.7 million last year.
While the price paid by the portfolio investor was not disclosed, it is understood a deal was negotiated below the $60 million end value of the project.

https://www.afr.com/property/residential/investor-snaps-up-entire-sydney-apartment-project-20220907-p5bg2a

 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, entry restrictions on foreign tourists were further relaxed on Sept. 7 in Japan, but a sudden surge in such visitors is not expected because some unpopular border rules still apply.
The government now allows small groups of tourists to arrive in Japan without a guide, but individuals must arrange their visits through a travel agency.
Moreover, all tourists still must obtain visas before entering Japan.
Restrictions abroad have also reduced the number of tourists to Japan.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14713955
 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, they may move at a crawl, but electric golf buggies could prove to be the answer to transportation issues that increasingly plague depopulated areas with elderly residents and elsewhere.
Aside from the obvious benefit of making life easier, Yamaha Motor Co., which is pitching the idea, says tourists also would be able to make use of the low-speed vehicles, which are eco-friendly and provide an easy-to-access transit system.
Working with the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), which operates roadside assistance hubs nationwide, Yamaha Motor anticipates a sharp increase in sales if its proposal is accepted.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14697901
 

According to The Australian Financial Review, a flying vehicle start-up run by a husband and wife team has scored $23 million in funding from some of the country’s most established investors.
The company has designed an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, capable of reaching speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour.
The helicopter-esque electric aircraft called Vertiia, which can travel up to 250 kilometres using battery power, is also equipped to use hydrogen as a fuel source, giving the aircraft the potential to exceed 1000 kilometres of flying at a cost per passenger equivalent to a ride-sharing service.

https://www.afr.com/technology/flying-vehicle-start-up-gets-23m-boost-from-st-baker-hostplus-20220905-p5bfgs