Will Miyazaki Yu’s Hiyori run away after Yamashita Koki’s Kujira makes a heartfelt confession? What will become of Hiyori and Kujira’s “second chance at love”? All episodes of “Bad Choice, Good Love” are streaming free on ABEMA, which has also released wrap-party photos
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
The vertical-and-horizontal hybrid drama “Bad Choice, Good Love” has made its final episode available for free on ABEMA and released photos of the cast after filming wrapped. The romantic comedy centers on time travel: Hiyori, the protagonist burdened by past trauma, travels back to her college days and struggles with a “second choice” involving her ex-boyfriend, Kujira.
Receives top rating in the “CDP 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment”
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Nippon Seiko (NSK) has been named a “CDP Supplier Engagement Leader,” the highest rating in the 2025 Supplier Engagement Assessment by the international nonprofit CDP. The company also received the top rating of “A” in CDP 2025’s Climate Change category and “A⁻” in its Water Security category. NSK is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its entire supply chain and has strengthened collaboration with suppliers since fiscal 2022. The collaboration now covers 58 companies and approximately 80% of the value of parts procurement.
Notice of publication of a sponsored research report about our company
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
To provide information useful for investment decisions, we have published a sponsored research report by Strategy Advisors Inc. on the financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending September 2026. The report is available in Japanese and English. For details, please see the designated link.
GiGO arrives in Shanghai for the first time! “GiGO Shanghai Bailian ZX Fun Plaza” grand opens on Friday, March 27, 2026!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
GENDA (Shanghai) CO., LTD., a group company of GENDA Inc., will open “GiGO Shanghai Bailian ZX Fun Plaza” in Shanghai, China, on March 27, 2026. The store is located inside the “Bailian ZX Fun Plaza” shopping mall and has a floor area of 110 tsubo (365 m²). In addition to 66 crane games, it will feature “GiGO Taiyaki,” a collaboration café and a merchandise area. GENDA was established in May 2018 and operates approximately 1,100 amusement facilities and other venues in Japan and overseas.
GENDA reorganizes its karaoke business: Shin Corporation and Melo Works to merge
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
株式会社GENDA announced that its group companies Shin Corporation and Melo Works will merge effective April 1, 2026. The karaoke store network will thereby expand to 461 locations nationwide, while the companies aim to improve operational efficiency by promoting digital transformation.
“Karaoke BanBan,” operated by Shin Corporation Co., Ltd., will reach 400 stores nationwide in April 2026. To mark the occasion, a special nationwide campaign will offer food, all-you-can-drink options and room fees for “¥400.”
Notice regarding the merger of Melo Works Co., Ltd. and Shin Corporation Co., Ltd.
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Shin Corporation Co., Ltd. will merge with its group company Melo Works Co., Ltd., effective April 1, 2026. The combined company will operate 461 karaoke stores nationwide, comprising 399 “Karaoke BanBan” stores and 62 “Waku Waku Group” stores. The brands will be retained while operational expertise and other resources are integrated.
[Toba National College of Maritime Technology] New fisheries model for the SDGs era: “Shirasēru,” a support system for whitebait fishing, takes 2nd place in an international competition
A new makeup box set in collaboration with hugely popular influencer “しなこちゃん” is here! Pre-orders begin at the official e-commerce site, CANDY A☆GO☆GO, Apita/Piago and SUGAR HIGH!
[Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture] Notice of acquisition of land for hotel development
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Kasumigaseki Capital announced that it has acquired land for hotel development in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. The company operates its “fav” hotel brand for groups, among others, nationwide, and the land acquisition is part of that effort. The transaction price was not disclosed, but the company said the impact on consolidated results for the fiscal year ending August 2026 will be minor.
About 30% of those who accepted job offers through “Timee Career Plus,” a full-time employment service, secured full-time jobs for the first time in their lives
Fuller renews official club partner agreement with Albirex Niigata
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Fuller Inc. has renewed its official club partner agreement with Albirex Niigata. Fuller, based in Niigata, has voiced its enthusiastic support for the team. The company’s mission is “Putting digital technology that is close to people in everyone’s hands,” and it operates with headquarters in Kashiwanoha and Niigata.
A long-awaited new addition to the KiSS base makeup series! Banish dullness and achieve pure, translucent skin like shiratama※1. A serum foundation that delivers “wearable translucence※2” is here!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Cosmetics brand KiSS will launch “Purely Serum Foundation” on April 10, 2026, combining translucence like shiratama with strong adherence. Formulated with beauty serum ingredients, it offers a skincare-like feel while wearing makeup.
GiGO opens its first location in Shanghai, China! “GiGO Shanghai Bailian ZX Fun Plaza” grand opens on Friday, March 27, 2026, as a new hub featuring GiGO’s diverse content
First among domestic restaurant companies! Watami signs a loan agreement with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank for “Nature Impact Finance” — promoting the “Watami Model” and contributing to sustainable social development
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Watami has signed a loan agreement with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank for “Nature Impact Finance.” This is the first such case for a domestic restaurant company. The agreement aims to support Watami’s nature-related initiatives by assessing the impact of its business activities on nature and encouraging disclosure based on recommendations such as those of the TNFD. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, ERM Japan and Japan Credit Rating Agency, among others, are involved in the assessment, with a framework in place to monitor progress on the established KPIs.
Calbee to install a corn snack production line at its Hiroshima Hatsukaichi Plant, increasing production capacity for Japan Frito-Lay products such as “Mike Popcorn” by about 1.5 times
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Calbee Inc. will install a corn snack production line at its Hiroshima Hatsukaichi Plant starting in April 2027 and begin manufacturing Japan Frito-Lay products such as “Mike Popcorn.” This will increase domestic production capacity by about 1.5 times, improve logistics efficiency and establish a 2-site east-west operating structure. Japan Frito-Lay’s sales and logistics functions are scheduled to be transferred to and integrated into Calbee in October 2026.
The hugely popular fan event returns for a second installment! Popular merchandise and interactive content come together again at “Oshi-katsu goods @KOBE marui Vol.2”
Capcom Co., Ltd. signs partnership agreement with the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Capcom Co., Ltd. has signed a partnership agreement with the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and Asian Para Games Organizing Committee as a Tier4 Official Supplier for the 20th Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya 2026). Street Fighter 6 has been selected as an esports medal event at the Games. The agreement runs through December 31, 2026, and Capcom aims to contribute to the development of the esports market through the partnership. The company also announced that player Higuchi of ZETA DIVISION was selected as a candidate for the Japan national team.
“Chiikawa Pocket,” the first smartphone app for “Chiikawa,” celebrates its 1st anniversary today, March 27!!! A range of campaigns will mark the anniversary, and new features such as a sticker book are coming!
Japan Pet Hotel Association Inc. announced that it will open its 85th store nationwide, the Nishi-ku Meieki store, in early February 2026. Located near Nagoya Station, it is a convenient location for businesspeople. The company will enhance its pet care services.
“A Cabinet of Curiosities in Venetian Glass: The Creation of the World,” an exhibition of works from the collection, to be held at the Hakone Glass Forest Museum!
With more than 1.5 million followers across social media! Publishing picture book “Juri and the Star Bouquet,” a collaboration with popular YouTuber “こんじゅり”
[A new summer product to protect babies] Launch of a “Child Car Seat Heat Shield Cover” that attaches to hot child car seats. Developed by a car accessory specialist. It can be fitted in 3 seconds and provides heat protection to help make getting into the car easier in midsummer.
Japan Care-Fit Education Organization obtains the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ certificate for initiatives contributing to rural development
Henry Inc., provider of a cloud-native electronic medical record integrated with a receipt computer system, wins the Jury Special Award in the Financial Innovation category of the Tokyo Financial Award
158,792 trademark applications annually, including 21,781 individual applications, or 15% — AI trademark search service “Trademark Navi” adds similar-trademark risk diagnosis feature
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Mycat Co., Ltd. has added a new feature to its AI trademark search and application support service, Trademark Navi, that uses AI to assess the risk of similarity before a trademark application is filed. Trademark applications reached 158,792 in 2024, and applications by individuals are also increasing. The new feature provides AI similarity scoring, risk indicators by classification, and a pre-application check report, helping users without specialized knowledge understand the risks posed by similar trademarks.
[JPI Seminar] “Latest Developments in the Electricity Market System: Capacity Market, Balancing Market, Simultaneous Market, and Medium- to Long-Term Trading Market” to be held on April 14 (Tuesday)
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
JPI Co., Ltd. will hold a seminar titled “Latest Developments in the Electricity Market System: Capacity Market, Balancing Market, Simultaneous Market, and Medium- to Long-Term Trading Market” on April 14 (Tuesday).
Supporting civic groups along the Hankyu-Hanshin rail lines together with group employees: Recipients of grants from the 17th “Hankyu Hanshin Future Dream Town Fund” have been selected!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
The Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Group has selected 15 organizations to receive grants from the 17th “Hankyu Hanshin Future Dream Town Fund.” They were selected from 64 applicants and will receive a total of 9 million yen (4.5 million yen from employee donations and 4.5 million yen from company contributions). The grants were presented on March 25, 2026, bringing the cumulative total since fiscal 2009 to 136.06 million yen (228 organizations in total).
[AMPLEUR] Easy UV protection with a quick spray! The “AMPLEUR VC Sun Protect Spray,” suitable for hair and the whole body, returns as a limited-edition release this year.
Five new graduates with expertise in IT have joined the company to help realize the goal of enabling users to live life on their own terms and with agency until the very end, while allowing care staff to find fulfillment in their work and achieve financial well-being!
[Possibly a first in Japan!?] Zept LLC, which offers AI advisory services, has hired “4 AI agents” as full-time employees and announced that it will hold an induction ceremony.
[Hakata favorite meets the latest freezing technology] Just heat it in the microwave! Enjoy the authentic taste of “Motsunabe Ooyama” conveniently at Lawson.
[New release] An idling-stop canceler designed for the Dayz/Roox. Simply replace the factory switch! No need to operate the switch every time. Heating and cooling keep running, and you can pull away smoothly. An easy-to-follow installation video means you can fit it as soon as it arrives!
[New spring sweet] A rich rum flavor adds a distinctive touch. Made generously with carefully selected almond powder, the new “Kamakura Manmaru Bouche (Rum Raisin)” has a light, moist texture and goes on sale at a special price starting April 1, 2026!
“Pocket Change” foreign-currency e-money charging machines installed at MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives, a new museum opening in Takanawa Gateway!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Pocket Change Co., Ltd. has installed its foreign-currency exchange service, “Pocket Change,” at MoN Takanawa, a new museum being established by the JR East Group in the Takanawa Gateway area. This brings the total number of installations at the group’s facilities to 18. The service will launch on March 28, 2026, the museum’s opening day. It allows foreign visitors to Japan and people returning from overseas to exchange foreign currency in 10 currencies for e-money such as Suica.
[Survey on perceptions of non-life insurance companies] Tokyo Marine & Nichido is seen as “trustworthy and reassuring” by just under 30%, followed by Kenmin Kyosai and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance. For “product development capabilities” and “originality,” a high proportion said “none of these.”
[Taking place tomorrow (3/28)] Registration opens for “EGG JAM Fest,” an AI festival planned and run by middle and high school students (first 100 applicants)
Sotas, which develops an information platform for the chemical industry, has won the 11th JEITA Venture Award, presented by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). The company was recognized for its platform supporting the management and research of chemical substance information and its database of 300,000 chemical regulations, which reduce the workload of chemical manufacturers and improve information sharing across supply chains. It currently offers Sotas Chemical Research and Sotas Database, and plans to advance collaboration with the Chemical Management Platform (CMP), aiming to enhance the information infrastructure of the industry as a whole.
[A new idea for summer] A new way to cool your car and solve the problem of “seats too hot to sit on.” The “Air-Conditioned Seat Cooler,” which circulates air from your back to your hips, is now on sale.
Yamanashi Prefecture and Life is Tech report results from the 2nd year of the “Yamanashi DX Talent Development Ecosystem Creation Project,” which aims to establish a locally driven regional DX model
Junior Chihara: “The best location shoot of my life!” A deep dive into hidden gems! A 2-hour-30-minute spring outing special on “Aichi Atarimae World☆”
Can “seiro cooking” help couples cope with rising prices and dual-income lifestyles? Logical cooking makes sharing household chores easier, and a gender-neutral recipe book is here
[Documentary 7] Bringing ice hockey to western Japan. The president leads top sales efforts, while a medical student balances studies with a career as a professional player in an unprecedented arrangement... Meet the challengers forging a path where none exists
About 70% of overseas business representatives at companies operating in China see limits or risks in business models that depend on “inbound spending” from China! Allwill Co., Ltd. conducts a survey on Japanese companies’ expansion into the Chinese market!
For those involved in overhead line work, line stringing, and plantation transport! AXIA Co., Ltd. is revolutionizing operations with the introduction of new drones. We offer flexible solutions tailored to on-site needs using drones to transport heavy loads.
[Free admission] Celebrating the release of the all-Ehime-location, fresh-take horror film Invisible Half! “Nishiyama Masaki Exhibition,” by the up-and-coming director from Matsuyama, opens at the Matsuyama Castle Ropeway station building on April 23
JAL Digital begins offering mSonar, a corporate information and business card management app from User Local, built on one of Japan’s largest corporate databases
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
JAL Digital Co., Ltd. has signed a sales agency agreement with User Local Co., Ltd. and begun offering mSonar, a corporate information and business card management app built on LBC, one of Japan’s largest corporate databases. mSonar integrates corporate information search and browsing, business card management, and communication features, and is also used at JAL Digital. The app helps improve sales efficiency and facilitate internal collaboration.
—Sharing the importance of helping one another and striving to build a better society—The final episode of the anime “tasukeai story” premieres 3/27 (Fri.)!
A “Community Development Methods Guide” for use in local communities has been created
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
The Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry has created a “Community Development Methods Guide” to promote sustainable community development. The booklet analyzes the case of Kamikawa, Hokkaido, where the number of people moving in has increased amid population decline. It consists of two parts: a visual guide and a detailed analysis report. The report identifies the Kamikawa Town Office and private-sector operator EFC as key players and analyzes their public-private collaboration. The booklet is available for download from the bureau’s website.
#2 Announcement of player contract (new signing) with Aoi Matsumoto
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
KAWAGOE BC has announced a new player contract with Aoi Matsumoto for the 2026-27 season. Matsumoto, who wears number 2 and plays forward, was born on July 3, 2002, and is from Saitama Prefecture. Speaking about her first-ever challenge in 3x3 basketball, she said, “I’ll give it everything I’ve got so that everyone watching can feel the appeal of 3x3.”