Latest news with #Japanesegovernment
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Japan 40-Year Bond Auction Sees Weakest Demand Ratio Since 2011
Japan's 40-year government bond auction saw its weakest demand since 2011 amid concerns over government spending and after the US and Japan reached a trade deal. The bid-to-cover ratio, a measure of demand, came in at 2.127, compared to 2.214 at the previous auction.
Elle
18-07-2025
- Business
- Elle
How the Woman Behind Casa Dragones Built a High-End, Celebrity-Favorite Tequila Brand
In ELLE's series Office Hours, we ask people in powerful positions to take us through their first jobs, worst jobs, and everything in between. This month, we spoke with Bertha González Nieves, the CEO and co-founder of Casa Dragones, a small-batch tequila company beloved by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart. González Nieves's journey started in college, when she visited Tequila, Jalisco, in Mexico, and promptly fell in love with the spirit. 'I felt so excited since day one that I found a subject matter that truly seduced my intellect,' she says. 'Every day, [I've] wanted to learn more.' After more than a decade of working in the industry, González Nieves launched Casa Dragones in 2009, with the intention of crafting a premium sipping tequila. She's since become Mexico's first female maestra tequilera. 'We see ourselves as explorers,' she says of her and her team. 'We represent the tequila lover, and we go out there and come back with great news of things that have never been done before.' Below, she describes the serendipitous forces behind her business, including how she met her co-founder and why her wife became part of the team. Plus, she shares how, through tequila, she's able to tell a nuanced story of 'an extraordinary country.' When I was 10 or 11 years old, my parents got a call from the school saying, 'Hey, your daughter is selling products at recess. She can't do that.' My mom was like, 'Well, what's the problem? She should learn how to sell.' I grew up in a family where my father and my grandfather were in the cosmetics business. I was very enthusiastic about their business, and I was selling their perfumes at school. So that's how I got started. I wanted to do it. No one convinced me. And I'm glad no one stopped me, because learning how to turn an idea into something—and enjoying that process—is really important. I really don't [have one]. I worked throughout college, and I remember being part of this firm that was doing some telemarketing. I didn't find it that exciting—more the subject matter than the job itself. It's good to do a lot of things you may not enjoy, so you can find the things that you truly enjoy. And the only way of finding that is by putting yourself out there. Those jobs that are not that great could be more insightful than you think. When I was studying business administration in Mexico City, I was selected by a program sponsored by the Japanese government to study in Japan and represent Mexico. They sponsored me to travel to different states in Mexico to learn about our key industries. One of the trips was to Tequila, Jalisco. I spent three days visiting different distilleries and agave fields. It was transformational to be able to see the process, the plants, the agricultural side of it, the production. And the finished product just captivated me. After, I called my parents and said, 'I know what I want to do. I want to go into the tequila industry.' And my parents were like, Oh god. It's been more than 30 years that I've been in this industry, and I love everything about it. It is truly part of the social fabric of our culture. When people think of Mexico, [tequila] is one of the top five things people around the world mention. So it's a way to tell our country's craftsmanship story and innovate in a category that's more than 250 years old. [Working in the tequila industry is an] opportunity to tell this story of Mexico that I have in my heart, that I grew up with—a Mexico not everyone knows about. We're sometimes pigeonholed into a cliché. And it's an extraordinary country. We have a very rich and varied culture. [I love] the opportunity to tell that story through this beautiful craft of Mexican spirit. That [title] was from one of the first articles written [about me] in the LA Times. It felt like a big responsibility more than anything else—and a great distinction. I take that very seriously and just want to make sure we are building a great business. And, at the same time, really contributing to our appellation of origin. For example, I was one of the founding professors of the first university courses at Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara designed for people who were already working in a distillery, but who needed to round out their expertise and learn about the entire production process. It's about making sure that we're leading with excellence and leading by example. It's about being a cheerleader for women in leadership. But it's tough. I never wanted to be defined by my gender. I want to be defined by my leadership and by what I contribute. Yes, I'm a woman in the tequila industry. Yes, they gave me the first title as a female maestra tequilera, but to me, it's more about what you do with that and how you contribute. How do you shed some light [on the fact] that leadership really has no gender? Leadership is about a skill set. Leadership is about preparation. Leadership is about results. I was at this party in Brooklyn, and suddenly, I'm speaking to the founder of MTV [Bob Pittman]. He's like, 'What do you do?' And I give him my background. He's like, 'Really? Well, I've always wanted to start a tequila company.' And I'm like, 'Really? Well, I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur in the tequila industry.' I didn't know if it was bar talk or not, but we exchanged cards, and the next day, his secretaries said, 'Mr. Pittman can meet with you on this date.' I put my best suit on, and I went to the meeting, and it was not bar talk. We realized early on that we had a very similar vision of where we could go, what the opportunity could be. Bob really believed in me, and I really believed in him. You need to have a very organic connection. It's going to be important what they're bringing to the table, but also that it's someone you can play ball with strategically—someone you can talk shop with for hours on end, who has different skill sets, different perspectives. Hopefully, by the time you choose a [business] partner, you've chosen partners before, so you have a bit of experience doing so. It's really critical. You're going to be spending, sometimes, more time [with them] than with your family. So you have to look at the right values, the right experience, and more importantly, [consider whether] you can actually do something together. Like [how] musicians jam and create great music; it's as complex and as natural as that. When I started [Casa Dragones], she was already running her own agency in New York, and I needed to start writing the story of our brand. She was like, 'Don't worry about it. I'll hire you a writer.' And I was like, 'There's no budget for that, so you're going to help me.' She helped put some stuff together, and I presented it to Bob, and Bob was like, 'Who did this?' I said, 'Mishele.' He was like, 'Well, she's hired.' I think that life is a project in itself. So you end up working with your partner, whether you're in the same business or not; you're working in the business of life together. So, it's worked for us. You need to know how to draw the line, and sometimes it's tough to do it. At the end of the day, this is such a big part of our lives that I cannot imagine doing it without her. I was on my way to the airport, and suddenly, my phone was burning up. Oprah was with Sheryl Sandberg for the launch of Facebook Live. They were doing a fireside chat and answering questions like 'shoes or bag,' 'this or that.' So they asked 'wine or spirits,' and she's like, 'Tequila.' Then Sheryl's carrying on, and Oprah's like, 'Don't you want to know what my favorite tequila is? Well, I just tried this new tequila called Dragones, and it comes in a blue box with a crystal decanter. Dear god.' After that, she put us on Oprah's Favorite Things [several] times. She really believes in supporting entrepreneurs. That was a big moment for us—and will forever be a big moment for us. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
GMA Network
09-07-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Japan extends assistance to BARMM's fisheries sector
The Japanese government provided support to the development and sustainability of the fisheries sector in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). In a press release issued Wednesday, the Embassy of Japan in Manila said the aid was through the Development of Sustainability Fishery Value Chains in BARMM Project. According to First Secretary Akasaka Hidenori of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, this program aims to help fisherfolk improve their livelihoods through technical assistance. 'This project will improve the efficiency and sustainability of aquatic food value chains, strengthening market linkages and building the capacity of small-scale producers through entrepreneurship, alternative species, and value-added processing in BARMM,' Akasaka said. During an inception and planning workshop, Akasaka focused on empowering fisherfolk with resilient aquaculture and post-harvest technologies. The Japanese official also proposed enhancing fish stock monitoring and management. 'We look forward to a BARMM fishery sector that thrives on local ownership, independence, resilience, and long-term self-reliance—even beyond the duration of this intervention,' he said. Funded by the Japanese government, the project is implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of the BARMM Government. Recently, Japan also promised to help the region in promoting the digital birth registration of individuals. —VBL, GMA Integrated News
Business Wire
16-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Wisk and Japan Airlines Engineering Sign Memorandum of Understanding with The City of Kaga to Accelerate Advanced Air Mobility in Japan
PARIS & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wisk Aero, a leading Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company and developer of the first all-electric, self-flying air taxi in the U.S., today announced it has signed a three-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The City of Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan, and Japan Airlines' subsidiary, JAL Engineering Co., Ltd (JALEC). This unprecedented partnership will establish opportunities for introducing autonomous air travel in Japan. Wisk deepen commitment to Japan with Kaga City MoU Share Building on Wisk's existing partnership with Japan Airlines (JAL) and JALEC, the new scope of the collaboration with Kaga City will focus on several key areas, namely: Regulatory and airspace system development Market analysis and development Social acceptance of AAM and autonomous aviation Supply chain support and manufacturing opportunities Kaga City has been designated by the Japanese government as a national strategic special zone. It has also paved the way for mobility initiatives within the city by establishing the Next-Generation Air Mobility Consortium in Japan. These efforts make Kaga City an ideal location for the development, testing, and validation of autonomous air mobility. 'We are excited to deepen our commitment to Japan and further our partnership with JAL through this new collaboration with Kaga City,' said Sebastien Vigneron, CEO of Wisk. 'Japan is a key market for the introduction of AAM, and Kaga City's forward-thinking approach to future mobility, coupled with its special zone designation, provides an ideal environment for us to explore and demonstrate the benefits of our Gen 6 aircraft. This partnership is a significant step towards building the necessary ecosystem for autonomous flight in Japan.' 'This three-way partnership will play a central role in realizing autonomous AAM in Japanese society,' said Hiroki Haraikawa, Vice President of Marketing & Sales, JALEC. 'JALEC, together with Wisk and Kaga City, leverages this opportunity to demonstrate the emerging technology and build the nationwide trustworthiness about the safety of autonomous operations.' Riku Miyamoto, Mayor of Kaga City, said, 'As the first step in Wisk's business expansion into Japan, Kaga City will strongly support the establishment of an operations base and support the construction of an AAM operation model in collaboration with JALEC. Kaga City is a local government with a population of approximately 62,000 people, but because the city has been selected as a national strategic special zone, we are able to carry out bold regulatory development in Japan. The advantage of not being a big city like Tokyo or Osaka is that there is a high degree of freedom as a research and development field, and one-stop arrangements are possible.' About Wisk Wisk is an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) company dedicated to creating a future for air travel that elevates people, communities, and aviation. Wisk is developing the first autonomous, passenger-carrying electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi in the U.S. Wisk is a wholly-owned Boeing subsidiary and is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with locations around the world. With over a decade of experience and over 1750+ test flights, Wisk is shaping the future of daily commutes and urban travel, safely and sustainably. Learn more about Wisk here.
Yomiuri Shimbun
30-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
As Sudan Enters Its Third Year of Civil War, the Japanese Government Is Teaming up with Agencies to Support Women Refugees Who Are Victims of Sex Crimes.
The Yomiuri Shimbun Rei Doi, right, talks to a refugee woman using kitchen utensils brought through a project funded by the Japanese government in Port Sudan, Sudan, on May 5. PORT SUDAN, Sudan — The government is striving to support women facing hardship in Sudan as the northeast African country enters the third year of a civil war. The meticulous measures include setting up facilities that serve as a safe haven to victims of sex violence and other offenses. The civil war began in April 2023 and the state military forces are still battling hard against the opposing paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces. The war has been described as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, producing more than 11 million refugees. The nature of gender-based violence is getting more serious as well, with 6.7 million cases of such crime reported by December 2023. The Japanese government has invested a minimum of about ¥663 million in the enterprise on support for mainly women affected by the civil war and has extended aid through international organs and local nongovernmental organizations. A project by U.N. Women supported by Japan bore fruit in December last year with the completion of Safe Space, a shelter and meeting place in the state of Gedaref in eastern Sudan where only women can get together and safely have discussions with each other. The women refugees include victims of sex crimes who are traumatized by the violence but are unable to talk about their horrific experiences to anyone. The project aims to offer such women opportunities to encourage each other and gain some momentum to get back on their feet. As refugees generally do not interact with residents and tend to be isolated, Safe Space helps them integrate into the local community. The Japanese government is also working on raising awareness in women on how to avoid falling victim to gender-based violence. The government is also providing them with vocational training on making things such as soap and bread so that they can improve their standard of living. 'Sudanese women are ready to help others even though they have troubles themselves,' said Rei Doi of U.N. Women, who oversees support activities at Safe Space. 'This country is promising because there are personnel resources as well as rich agricultural resources. I'd like to offer as many opportunities as possible to women who are willing to do something.'
