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Yomiuri Shimbun
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Array of Tokyo-Made Gins Exude Scents of Local Nature; Island Flowers, Mountain Wood, Urban Citrus Add Flavor
The production of 'Tokyo-made craft gin' using fruits and water sourced within the metropolis is gaining momentum. As gin is growing in popularity as a spirit that can be used in various cocktails, gin makers also hope to draw attention to Tokyo's natural environment. At the bar counter of the Janu Tokyo hotel in the Azabudai Hills complex in Minato Ward, a refreshing aroma of citrus fruits filled the air when Toshio Imai, the assistant director of the hotel's food and beverage division, poured his original gin into a glass filled with ice. He added tonic water to it, making a gin and tonic, the bar's most popular cocktail. 'The aroma of the fruit fills your mouth, and the taste is refreshing,' he and kabosu grown at Azabudai Hills are used to make the gin. There is an orchard where about 20 types of fruits, such as mandarin oranges and herbs, are grown on the sunny slope in Azabudai Hill's central square. According to Mori Building Co., which manages the complex, they have made efforts to create an environment conducive to crop growth by mixing leaf mold into the artificial soil. After learning about the orchard at Azabudai Hills, Imai and others decided to create a gin using these fruits. They collaborated with The Ethical Spirits, a craft gin maker in Taito Ward, to produce an original gin. The gin was produced with even more time and care than usual, resulting in a stronger fruit aroma. Chikara Ono, chief executive officer of the company, said, 'We want people to enjoy the aroma of fruits grown at Azabudai Hills, right in the heart of Tokyo.' According to Suntory Spirits Ltd. in Minato Ward, gin is easy to make because there are fewer restrictions on ingredients and manufacturing methods than for whiskey and tequila. There are more than 140 facilities to produce gin in Japan, which is more than the number of whiskey distilleries. The domestic market is also growing, reaching ¥25 billion last year, about 3.5 times greater than in high degree of freedom in production methods makes it easy to create 'local gin' using local specialties, and production within Tokyo is also expanding. Toranomon Distillery at Toranomon Hills in Minato Ward has produced over 20 types of gin using ingredients such as passion fruit from Hachijojima Island, gardenia from Izu Oshima Island and osmanthus harvested in Tokyo. Teppei Ichiba, a distiller at the distillery, said, 'I want people to learn about the rich nature of Tokyo through gin and convey the charm of Tokyo to people overseas.' Haneda Brewery, which makes beer and gin in Ota Ward, produces a unique gin using thinned cedar and cypress wood from Ome in western Tokyo for flavoring. This also contributes to environmental protection. Shunsuke Noro, chief of the company's sales department, hopes that 'the scent of the wood will help people relax and encourage them to think about protecting the forest.' Yutaka Okada, senior researcher at the private think tank Sompo Institute Plus Inc., notes that such craft gins 'have the added value of being 'made in Tokyo,' which makes them probably more appealing and popular. It is also expected to contribute to enhancing the image of the region and revitalizing it.'
23-05-2025
- Business
Talks on U.S. Steel Deal in Final Phase: Nippon Steel COO
News from Japan Economy May 23, 2025 22:25 (JST) Tokyo, May 23 (Jiji Press)--Talks between Nippon Steel Corp. and the U.S. government over a proposed acquisition of United States Steel Corp. are reaching "a final phase," Tadashi Imai, president and chief operating officer at the Japanese steelmaker, said Friday. "We're waiting for the final decision by U.S. President Donald Trump," Imai told reporters in Tokyo, adding, "We hope that the deal will be approved." Imai reiterated that the U.S. steelmaker will benefit from the deal, saying that U.S. Steel "can secure competitiveness in the medium and long term" through Nippon Steel's investment and transfers of its cutting-edge technology. Speaking at a press conference as chairman of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation, Imai said it would be difficult to rebuild U.S. manufacturing only with tariffs. Japan and the United States should work together to strengthen the manufacturing industry, he said. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
The Mainichi
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Nippon Steel expects FY 2025 net profit to sink 43% on tariff woes
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nippon Steel Corp. said Friday it expects its net profit for fiscal 2025 to sink 42.9 percent to 200 billion yen ($1.38 billion) as uncertainty grows over tariffs imposed by the United States. The Japanese steelmaker, which has been facing hurdles in its plan to acquire U.S. Steel Corp., said its net profit for fiscal 2024, which ended this March, fell 36.2 percent to 350.23 billion yen as inflation dampened demand for its products and the Chinese economy slowed down. President Tadashi Imai voiced caution at a press conference in Tokyo, saying he does not expect conditions to improve this business year and that it is "extremely difficult to read the effects of U.S. tariffs, as the tariffs themselves change from day to day." In March, Trump enacted 25 percent tariffs on aluminum and steel imports. While the Japanese government has been seeking the full removal of the levies alongside so-called reciprocal tariffs and those on cars, Washington has rejected the requests. "We have a lot of hope for the Japanese government, and hope that it will continue negotiations without compromise for as long as it takes," Imai said. Regarding the U.S. Steel buyout plan, the company largely declined to comment after U.S. President Donald Trump last month directed the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to submit a recommendation on the deal within 45 days. "Our starting point to make (the U.S. steelmaker) our subsidiary has not changed. We are currently in negotiations with the U.S. government and are unable to talk about the details, but our basic stance remains unchanged," Imai said. Trump has set a June 5 deadline for the recommendation and is expected to make a decision within 15 days of receiving the proposal. While welcoming investment in U.S. Steel, he has consistently expressed opposition to Japanese ownership. Executive Vice President Takahiro Mori, who also joined the press conference, said Nippon Steel would "endeavor to conclude things there." In December 2023, Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel announced that the Japanese firm would acquire its U.S. counterpart for $14.1 billion and make it a wholly owned subsidiary. But the companies have struggled to secure approval from the U.S. government. Former U.S. President Joe Biden issued an order in January to block the sale on national security grounds, which prompted the Japanese and U.S. steelmakers to initially file a lawsuit. Nippon Steel's operating profit for the just-ended business year decreased 29.6 percent to 547.96 billion yen, with sales down 1.9 percent at 8.70 trillion yen.
Yomiuri Shimbun
04-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Grilled beef Gives Mapo Tofu a Special Flavor
The Yomiuri Shimbun Ryo Imai's recipe for mapo tofu uses beef rather than pork. Cooking expert Ryo Imai offers a recipe for popular Chinese dish mapo tofu in his own original style, developed through trial and error to make it especially tasty. Typical Japanese recipes for the dish use pork, but his version uses beef instead. Using beef in mapo tofu — also sometimes called mabo tofu or mabo dofu in Japan — is common in Chinese formulations of the dish. But while those recipes usually call for the meat to be minced, Imai instead dices and then grills it, bringing out its delicious flavor. To make the most of the sweetness of the beef's fat and the sweetness of the tofu, Imai also does not use soup stock in his mapo tofu. 'Year after year I tried developing my recipe in various ways, and I finally landed on this,' Imai said. 'It's a simple mapo tofu with everything unnecessary taken out.' Stir-frying the beef until it becomes fragrant really brings out the fat, which is key to the recipe's flavor. The stir-fried beef also pleasantly accents the mouthfeel of the dish. Douchijiang, a paste made from fermented black soybeans and other ingredients, is often used to season mapo tofu. However, Imai's recipe instead calls for the cook to start with whole fermented beans — called douchi — and chop them. This means that they do not dissolve and give off a savory taste when chewed, providing a unique flavor to the whole dish. After stir-frying the beef, he adds the seasonings and keeps mixing. Then he adds tofu and a mix of liquid condiments, brings it all to a boil and simmers over low-medium heat. 'Mapo tofu isn't a stir-fried dish but a simmered dish. Simmering brings out the flavor of the tofu,' Imai said. He lets it simmer until the tofu absorbs the flavor of the mix, using its changing color as a yardstick. Simmering helps remove the water from the tofu, making it less likely to break apart when eating. Imai adds in katakuriko potato starch mixed with water; once this thickens, he brings it to a simmer over high heat. This is an important part of the process, as it makes the sauce more aromatic. When eating the dish with a renge Chinese spoon, you can really feel the flavor of the beef. This version of the dish is less greasy and easier to eat than pork mapo tofu. The pieces of diced beef are highly satisfying to eat. Imai's recipe may change your perception of mapo tofu. *** Make salted tofu as well The Yomiuri Shimbun Salted tofu with condiments Another tofu dish that Imai recommends is salted tofu. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on a block of momen firm tofu, wrap in a paper towel, place in a shallow tray and leave in the refrigerator for half a day. Combine 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, sesame oil and sake and 1 tablespoon each of sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan, and then bring to a boil. Cut 1 bunch of nira garlic chives into small pieces, then place in a heatproof bowl with 1 knob of finely chopped ginger and the heated seasonings. Mix, then let cool and pour over the tofu slices. *** Mapo tofu with beef Ingredients (serves 2):
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Queen's uses robotics, AI to combat lung cancer for Hawaii residents
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Lung cancer is the most common cancer for men and women in Hawaii and in recent years, the state has ranked last in the nation when it comes to finding it early. Can't get a doctor appointment? You're not alone In an innovative approach to improve this ranking, Queen's Health Systems launched a new team of experts to not only find lung cancer early but also treat it with advanced technology. The Queen's Advanced Lung Institute features multiple advanced technology nodules to 'reduce the timeline from diagnosis to surgical treatment from an average of eight weeks to less than four hours.' The institute uses assistance from AI to detect lung cancer in its early stages. It also utilizes an ION Navigational platform to create a minimally invasive procedure for the evaluation of lung nodules. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'Why not use robotics? Why not use AI and push the frontier and be at the forefront of innovation?' said Dr. Taryne Imai, Thoracic Surgery Program Director at The Queen's Health Systems. 'I truly feel that innovation belongs here in Hawaii and we should be leaders in that space.' Since implementing these new innovations two years ago, Queen's reported they have performed 650 biopsies and helped diagnose and treat 325 lung cancers in an earlier stage. 'The Queen's Advanced Lung Institute is a game-changer for early detection and treatment for our community and offers hope for a cure,' Dr. Imai added. For more information about Queen's Advanced Lung Institute, visit their website or call (808) 686-LUNG (5864). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
