SelfStaking

Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, and Japan responds cautiously. The Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that it has not been recognized as a major impact event or a crisis of existence, a concept originating from the 2015 security law.

On January 7th, Trump directed the U.S. government to withdraw from 66 international organizations and treaties, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, further indicating America's departure from multilateralism and shifting towards a policy of establishing order through strength.

President Trump’s demand for Greenland has sparked tensions with eight European countries, potentially leading to the disbandment of NATO. Expert Ian Bremer believes that Trump’s actions stem from personal vanity and lack of domestic support. If pressure continues, Europe may turn to cooperate with China.

Toyota has unveiled three ultra-luxury sports cars in "Woven City," a technology validation city in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with plans to launch around 2027. Among them, the "GR GT" will be the first to feature a 4-liter V8 engine, while the hybrid "Prius" introduces a large-displacement engine under environmental regulations, aiming to create a top-tier sports car.

Due to the tense situation in the Middle East and rising crude oil prices, the yen has depreciated further, and the market is no longer actively buying yen. The yen against the US dollar once depreciated to a low of 157.90, with investors expressing concerns about future trade deficits.

The integration of data and artificial intelligence in manufacturing sites is driving a surge in robot development competition. SoftBank's acquisition of ABB's robotics business has prompted collaboration between Yaskawa Electric and Fanuc, helping Japanese companies revive their robotics industry. Masayoshi Son stated that integrating AI with robotics technology will achieve an epoch-making evolution.

Chinese AI semiconductor companies are rapidly developing, with companies like Moore Thread actively entering the market to increase domestic self-sufficiency, aiming to reach 80% by 2026. Zhang Jianzhong emphasized that new products can meet the needs of local developers and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

SoftBank Group's Vision Fund has increased its total investments to $163.2 billion since its launch in 2017, with pre-tax investment gains of approximately 3.7 trillion yen. Despite challenges, the fund's improved performance has strengthened the group's financial position and promoted investments in the AI sector.

The price of semiconductor memory DRAM increased by 40% between November and December 2025, mainly due to strong demand from data center AI servers, leading to supply shortages in the livelihood sector. The tight supply has caused a rare phenomenon where large-volume transactions cannot establish market prices, with DDR5 and DDR3 products experiencing significant price hikes, indicating a risk of a bubble in the memory market.

By 2025, China will have three companies among the top 20 global semiconductor manufacturing equipment firms, with the domestic production rate expected to increase to 20%~30%. Despite the US implementing export restrictions, China is still building an independent supply chain, which may pose a threat to Japan and the US in the future. North Huachuang Technology Group expects a 21% increase in sales.

The Chinese yuan continues to appreciate, with the exchange rate against the US dollar rising to 6.97 on January 5th, reaching a new high in over two years. Influenced by factors such as trade surpluses, Chinese authorities have maintained a restrained stance on the currency's appreciation. In 2025, the yuan briefly broke through the 7 yuan mark and rose again to 6.9770 yuan.

China is gradually increasing its power generation capacity in the field of artificial intelligence research and development. By 2025, it is expected to add 470 gigawatts of power generation capacity, seven times that of the United States, further widening the gap with the U.S. Low-cost electricity will become an important advantage for China in the US-China AI competition.

In the 2025 international commodities market, precious metal prices are rising. Silver has surpassed oil prices for the first time, reflecting China's decarbonization and economic deflation risks. A Bank of America Securities report shows that the silver-to-oil price ratio is below 1, with silver reaching a record high while oil prices drop to their lowest in nearly five years.

The dream of owning a home in the city center of Japan is gradually fading due to rising housing prices and an increase in single-person households. The mayor of Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo warned that ordinary people cannot afford neighborhood housing prices and called for the introduction of resale restrictions. Although some developers have taken measures, there are still no signs of housing prices stabilizing.

By 2025, China's car sales are expected to lead the world for the first time, surpassing Japan with approximately 27 million units, becoming the top car exporter. Countries may strengthen protective measures to counter Chinese companies' competition.

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) has developed a new technology to produce 1.4-nanometer semiconductors with one-tenth of the power consumption, with plans for mass production in 2027. This technology could reduce the manufacturing costs of AI semiconductors and break the market monopoly of Dutch company ASML.

In regions outside Tokyo, Japan, the prices of newly built residential buildings have risen significantly, with average housing prices exceeding 10 times the local annual income, making it difficult for ordinary salaried families to buy homes. The national price-to-income ratio is 10.38 times, indicating that single-income families find it hard to afford new homes. Experts point out that a more realistic range for house prices is within 5 to 7 times annual income.

Jim Rogers stated that China has the potential to become the next hegemonic power and recommended accelerating market opening. Meanwhile, he pointed out that Japan's high debt levels will lead to long-term economic recession.

Yangtze Memory Technologies has emerged in the NAND storage field, with sales share exceeding 10% globally for the first time. Its technological level is close to Samsung Electronics, with decreasing production costs. The market share is expected to continue growing, impacting the competition among Japanese, American, and Korean manufacturers.

GAC Group plans to officially enter the Japanese market in summer 2026, launching the pure electric vehicle brand "AION," with a target of 2,000 orders by 2027. Initially, they will sell the compact car AION UT and SUV AION V, targeting corporate clients and enhancing competitiveness in Japan's EV market.