Convenience Logistics: Seven-Eleven Japan and Yamato will roll out self-service shipping machines at stores, letting customers scan a barcode, print labels, and drop parcels into collection boxes—cutting checkout lines and staff workload. Energy Security: Japan’s cabinet-backed policy package targets Middle East risk by supporting crude-oil routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz and pushing nuclear power to reduce fossil dependence, with a new GX strategy due by year-end. Nuclear Cleanup Reuse: Japan will reuse treated Fukushima decontamination soil in flowerbeds at government facilities in Sendai and Saitama, aiming to reduce interim storage volumes ahead of a March 2045 disposal deadline outside Fukushima. Digital Competition: Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act faces backlash as a new industry survey says 9 in 10 app developers haven’t adopted alternative app stores or payment systems due to Apple/Google fees, prompting calls for tougher JFTC enforcement. Industrial Supply Chain: JFE Engineering will supply monopiles for offshore wind farm foundations domestically, a first for a Japanese firm and a step toward building a homegrown wind supply chain. Defense Procurement: Boeing won a $131.23B long-term F-15 “Eagle Crest” contract covering production, upgrades, and sustainment, with FMS scope naming Japan among other partners. Rare Earths: Lynas posted record revenue but flagged heavy rare-earth expansion capex overruns tied to China-made processing equipment, underscoring the difficulty of rare-earth supply independence. Startup Deal-Making: India’s Piyush Goyal pitched a “Shark Tank”-style India-Japan startup pitching series to move from pitches to pilots and investment.