For those serious about launching a startup in Kansai: Major expansion to 3 sessions a year! “SIO BASIC 2026” offers short-term study of startup fundamentals and practical skills
OBC to hold free monthly online seminars for small and medium-sized businesses: “Overcoming the cost barrier to implementing an attendance management system with subsidies!”
【Reprinted immediately amid the boom in strange phenomena and yokai】“A Guide to Yokai: Learn Their Roots and Love Them More,” perfect for summer ghost stories, now on sale to popular acclaim!
【Tiger Corporation survey on attitudes toward rice and rice cookers】While more than 90% feel food prices have risen, 60% say rice prices have stabilized; more than half of them say they have chosen rice as their staple food more often
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
As many as 90.4% feel that food expenses have risen in recent years
More than half (60.5%) said rice has become more affordable compared with the same period last year
Among those who noticed price stabilization, 56.2% said they “have chosen rice as their staple food more often”
83.5% said they “want to enjoy the rice they eat every day especially deliciously”
The most popular choice was a “rice cooker,” at 54.9%
Original2025年産米の５月の価格は60kg当たり33,164円
Down ¥3,894 (about 10%) from the peak in October 2025
【Event report】Omotesando’s SPICA unveils limited-edition food pairings for the first time, highlighting wine from Yoichi, Hokkaido, and seasonal ingredients!
Half of restaurants that accept cashless payments have contracts with “just 1 company”; 60% had “never considered” the risk of a payment processor going bankrupt
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Among restaurants that accept cashless payments, 50.0% use just “1” payment processing company or service
60.3% had never considered the operational risk posed by the bankruptcy or troubles of a payment processing company
64.7% recognize the need to review payment processing companies and payment methods and diversify risk
The adoption rate for cashless payments is 96%
46.5% have switched payment processing companies
Awareness of payment processing company failures stands at 97.3%
73.0% cited “low payment processing fees”
65.0% cited “the management foundation and reliability of the operator”
“Suica Penguin Fluffy Insulated Drawstring Tote and Rice Ball Set” on sale in limited quantities at Omusubidokoro Honoriya! Sales begin at 21 stores on July 24 (Fri.)! Special price when paying with Suica!
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
On sale at 21 Omusubidokoro Honoriya stores
Starting July 24 (Fri.)
Retail price: 2,480 yen (tax included)
Special Suica discount price: 2,380 yen (tax included)
To celebrate “ONE PIECE Day,” TikTok is launching a global campaign for the anime “ONE PIECE” on “TikTok Spotlight.” The largest-ever posting campaign for a Japanese work will be held!
【AI Persona Analysis Case Study】Decoding the ideal features sought in drum-style washing machines with CotoEL: Dissatisfactions, ideals and improvement ideas revealed by AI personas
Turning outings in sweltering heat into cool memories with thoughtful hospitality. 東急ホテルズ launches a nationwide “sustainable parasol lending service” for hotel guests, bringing comfort beyond the guest room
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
The “sustainable parasol lending service” for hotel guests will begin rolling out from July 23, 2026 (Thu.).
Service rollout begins sequentially from July 23, 2026 (Thu.) through September 30, 2026 (Wed.)
High light-blocking performance, with a UV protection rate of 99% or more
60 domestic locations / 4 other domestic and 3 overseas “partner hotels”
The HTT siblings reunite again this year to promote HTT initiatives! A new campaign themed around karuta begins July 22 (Wed.), with a new commercial featuring 堀越 麗禾 and チョコレートプラネット
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
About 400,000 yen in subsidies
Annual electricity bill savings of about 90,000 yen
【Naresome Research Institute survey】Men give up with no dating experience, while women feel marriage is a hassle. About 70% of both men and women have wondered, “Maybe I’ll be single for the rest of my life”
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
About 70% of both men and women have at some point in their lives thought, “I might be single for the rest of my life”
66.5% of men, including married and unmarried respondents
65.2% of women
54.7% of men cited “having no (or little) experience dating the opposite sex”
“I tried looking for a partner but it didn’t go well” (30.8%)
“I’ve been rejected by many people of the opposite sex” (29.9%)
30.5% said, “I came to feel that marriage was a hassle”
32.8% also said, “I wanted to spend time on other things, such as work or hobbies”
【小麦の奴隷】Two products win gold at the “Curry Bread Grand Prix® 2026” at the same time! Shusaku Toba-supervised “Toba-i Keema Curry Bread” wins for the 2nd consecutive year, while Hitachiota store-exclusive “Superfood! Garlic Sprout Curry Bread” achieves a remarkable win on its first try
Is air conditioning alone not enough? A new summer habit for restless nights: “changing your sleep routine with the seasons.” — Limited-time campaign underway to help you sleep well this summer
Gion to hold a work-experience program for students graduating in 2028, featuring 2 hands-on workshops that offer a taste of “the realities of logistics”
Japanese-style sweets for adults: 羽衣茶寮 makes its debut! New Sakura Zenzai made with cherry leaves from Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Black Sesame Zenzai with a rich sesame aroma. Made with 100% Hokkaido azuki beans, offering new flavors and the pleasure of choosing.
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
A pouch sized for 1 serving (140g).
A total of 280 thousand units of Sakura Zenzai and Black Sesame Zenzai
[Seminar] It’s not too late to learn! Online seminar to mark the publication of “２３ Ideas for Generative AI Use by Tax Accountants,” on generative AI applications for tax accountant offices
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Seminar: 7,700 yen (tax included)
Reference book: 4,290 yen (tax included)
Companies mentioned：第一法規株式会社、Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Turning tradition into value for the future. Winners of the Grand Prix and special awards in each category of the 2nd Fermentation Awards Grand Prix announced
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
A vinegar brewery founded in 1710
Approximately 300 varieties of yeast held in its collection
A 75-day-old male first-generation crossbred Hinai chicken
A nursery school becomes a concert venue. Children experience live performances by professional musicians — “100万人のクラシックライブ” to be held at つなぐ認定こども園 in Okinawa Prefecture
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Approximately 150 children, staff and parents attended
Kachitas, the No. 1* buyer and reseller of pre-owned homes, designated as a “vacant house management and utilization support corporation” by 松浦市, Nagasaki Prefecture
Industry first: New face-recognition card reader for medical institutions and pharmacies streamlines reception with a built-in eligibility verification terminal and supports smartphone-based My Number health insurance cards
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Price: 379,500 yen (tax included; purchase price on the product sales website)
Price: 18,700 yen (tax included; purchase price on the product sales website)
On sale starting August 24, 2026
Scheduled to go on sale in October 2026 (orders accepted starting August 24)
コンクルーAI launches conversational “AI agent for quotation creation and budget management” — AI handles the entire workflow, from preparing quotes to managing budgets, based on chat instructions
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
A total of up to 1,500 credits will be given away
Fee: ¥9,900 per month
Small and midsize construction companies with 15 or fewer employees
Reprinted immediately after launch! “A Practical Guide to Success After Retirement,” completed over a lifetime by a giant of intellectual thought, makes a huge impact!
U20 Japan Ultimate team wins bronze medals, placing 3rd in the world in both the Open and Women’s divisions! [WFDF 2026 World Junior Ultimate Championships]
[Take home memories of the food, too] For the first time since its founding, 八仙閣’s original keychain capsule-toy machine makes a limited-time appearance at 天神スカイビアガーデン!
A 45.6cm-long, approximately 5kg “mechanical humpback whale” springs to life with lights. BLDB announces the third installment of its “Sea God Project”
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
45.6cm long
Approximately 5 kg
78 metal parts
Estimated assembly time: approximately 3–5 hours
Up to approximately 4 hours of continuous operation
Japan-Europe technology startup event “TechBIZKON X: LifeTECH+ Innovations for a better life” to be held in Tokyo on October 9, 2026 (Friday)
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Original欧州市場（約 4.5 億人規模）参入に向けた専門コンサルティング
More than 200 people attended, and the event concluded successfully.
Last year’s TechBIZKON IX featured 24 startups from Japan and Europe
11 pitches were presented.
4 companies with outstanding pitches received prizes, including opportunities to exhibit at European trade shows and participate in acceleration programs
Companies mentioned：TechBIZKON、オーストリア大使館商務部、ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Tokyo、在日ドイツ商工会議所、AHK Japan、ベルギー・フランダース政府貿易投資局、FIT、Swissnex、Plug and Play Japan、日欧産業協力センター、ドイツ 科学・イノベーション フォーラム 東京、DWIH東京、Austrain Business Agency、ABA、Zero Project、一般社団法人 新経済連盟、一般財団法人 海外投融資情報財団、厚生労働省委託 医療系ベンチャー・トータルサポート事業、MEDISO
Martial arts legends 桜庭和志 and 須藤元気 join forces! 吉田秀彦 to appear as guest commentator for “QUINTET,” the first professional martial arts event at Kyoto’s historic 武徳殿, the spiritual home of Japanese martial arts, streamed live exclusively on Lemino!
“令和の虎” ALL-acquisition tool gets an upgrade! “tolidol,” a tool creating “フォトコミ®,” a new market for Google reviews for restaurants, opens pre-registration
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
Search views at 200% of the same month last year
User responses (such as route searches and calls) also reached 216% of the same month last year
Monthly fee: 6,600 yen (tax included) ※Half the regular price
“LASTFRAME,” where Japanese traditional techniques meet contemporary design, to hold a POP-UP STORE at 伊勢丹新宿店 to launch its new Autumn/Winter 2026 collection
[Bankruptcies among dispensing pharmacies hit a record high] Free online seminar on “Building a Pharmacy Patients Choose,” by a business owner with 16 consecutive years of growth
Published ・ Source Japan | PR TIMES
Summary not yet available
Facts
38 dispensing pharmacies went bankrupt in 2025
Up 35.7% from the previous year
An increase of more than 3,000 prescriptions in 1 year
“You don’t have to give up colored contacts.” New multifocal colored contact lenses, “エルーミャワンデー マルチフォーカル,” to refresh the eyes of mature consumers, set to launch!
[Survey of game engineers and creators in the AI era] More than 90% fear their skills will become obsolete! Reskilling practiced by the majority of mid-career professionals, and career strategies that vary by generation