December 1, Friday, 2023

1. Japan is facing the growing challenge of promoting solar panel recycling. Large numbers of panels will need replacing by the late 2030s. Renewable energy is one of the topics in the COP28 climate conference now underway in Dubai. In Japan, solar power accounted for 9.2 percent of the power supply in fiscal 2022 – the highest figure among renewable energy sources. Japan’s government plans to raise that to around 16 percent in fiscal 2030. 2. Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings has announced it will purchase the largest convenience store chain in Australia. The move is part of an effort to expand the firm’s business outside of Japan and North America.
3. Japan’s job market looked a little more positive in October. The jobs-to-applicants ratio was up for the first time in 10 months. The labor ministry says there were 130 openings for every 100 people seeking work. That’s an uptick of 0.01 point from September.