Trade & Industry: Japan logged a fourth straight monthly trade deficit in August as imports rose faster than exports, underscoring pressure on corporate margins and demand planning. Energy Security: Inpex says strong buyer interest is building for its Abadi LNG project in Indonesia, as Middle East tensions and Hormuz disruption risks push buyers toward supply routes that bypass the strait. AI Infrastructure in Japan: Rebellions and ai& will deploy Rebellions RebelRack for inference services in ai&’s Tokyo data center, aiming to scale quickly and support Japan’s “sovereign AI” compute needs. Finance & Investment Tech: Tokai Tokyo Securities is rolling out a portfolio advisory support system powered by Quantifeed’s QEngine to visualize risk and tailor recommendations for clients starting September 2026. Shipbuilding Push: Japan approved about $635M in new investments for five shipbuilders, part of a broader plan to boost capacity through automation and dock upgrades through 2034. Logistics & Food Tech: VX Logistics is using AI to transform fresh fruit and vegetable cold-chain visibility, targeting better control from port to retail. Aging Society: Japan’s centenarians topped 100,000 for the first time, reaching 107,677 as of Sept. 1. Health & Wellness Food: New research links higher mushroom intake with better memory test performance in middle-aged and older adults, while noting the findings are correlational. Cyber & Data: Japan’s Digital Agency says 246,000 records may have been exposed after a cyberattack.