Alliances & Technology Transfer

Sony looks to enhance next-generation robots from avatarin, a startup launched by Japanese carrier ANA Holdings, as interest grows in remote-control machines that can take the place of humans amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Shares of Japanese household goods maker Kao rose on Thursday after the company said it has jointly developed an antibody that suppresses new coronavirus infections.

Japan's private education providers are scrambling to go online as a prolonged state of emergency is set to paralyze brick and mortar classrooms.

About 20 Japanese companies, including Toyota Motor and Canon, will release patents and other intellectual property held in Japan and overseas for free to help fight the new coronavirus, Nikkei has learned.

Orsted, the world’s largest offshore wind farm developer, is concerned the coronavirus may delay auctions for offshore projects as it prepares to enter the market, the head of its Asia-Pacific unit said. “The pandemic will not influence investment decisions and general confidence in offshore wind, but it could delay the projects’ timeline,” Matthias Bausenwein, president of Orsted Asia-Pacific, told Reuters in an telephone interview.

BYD Company Ltd. (BYD) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced today that preparations have proceeded since they signed an agreement for the establishment of a joint venture company to conduct research and development of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on November 7, 2019, and registration of the new company has been completed. Operations are scheduled to commence in May 2020. The name of the new company is BYD TOYOTA EV TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. (BTET). Hirohisa Kishi from Toyota will serve as chairman, and Zhao Binggen from BYD will be the chief executive officer (CEO).

Five companies from Singapore and two from Japan have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore hydrogen as a low-carbon alternative to power Singapore’s energy future, the companies said in a statement on Monday.

Japanese cosmetics and household goods companies as well as alcoholic beverage makers are moving to increase production of hand disinfectant in response to a request by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to help alleviate shortages caused by heavy demand due to the coronavirus.

Japanese electronics company NEC has won a 20 billion yen deal ($190 million) to supply a radar satellite to Vietnam, highlighting an advantage traditional players have over startups in these times of economic crises.

Sony is considering joining forces with industry players to produce ventilators amid fears they will be in short supply due to the spread of the new coronavirus, Nikkei learned on Wednesday.