HIROSHIMA, Japan, Apr 2, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - At the 2026 World Car of the Year Awards hosted by the World Car Awards (WCA), Mazda EZ-6/Mazda6e from Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) won the 2026 World Car Design of the Year (WCDOTY), one of the special awards. This marks the third time a Mazda model has earned this award, following the Mazda Roadster (known overseas as the Mazda MX-5) in 2016 and the Mazda3 in 2020.The awards were officially launched in January 2004 with automotive journalists around the world. For the 2026 award, the winner was selected from ninety eligible models through votes cast by 98 automotive journalists worldwide. The final results were announced by the World Car Awards (WCA) on April 1st local time in New York, USA.MAZDA 6e (European specification model)The Mazda EZ-6/Mazda6e represents a new challenge in Mazda’s journey toward electrification, pursuing both preservation and innovation of the distinctive design that Mazda has cultivated over the years. Under Mazda’s design theme, “KODO — Soul of Motion,” and based on the concept of “Authentic Modern,” the model combines vibrant, life-inspired f...

TOKYO, Japan, Apr 1, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) today announced that it has subscribed to new shares of Gachaco, Inc. (Gachaco) issued through a third-party allotment (“this transaction”), thereby making Gachaco a consolidated subsidiary of Honda.Gachaco was established in April 2022 as a joint venture of five companies in Japan — Honda, ENEOS Holdings, Kawasaki Motors, Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. — to provide a sharing service of standardized swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and to establish and maintain infrastructure for such sharing services.Since October 2022, Gachaco has been installing Gachaco battery swapping stations primarily in Tokyo, where electric motorcycle users with a Gachaco membership can efficiently swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one whenever needed, without any waiting time for charging. The company has rolled out the service in urban areas of Tokyo, starting with corporate customers and, in January 2024, the service was expanded to individual customers as well. Gachaco has been building out its infrastructure to create an environment where...

KARIYA, JAPAN, Apr 1, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - DENSO CORPORATION, a leading mobility supplier, held the “Mid-Term Management Plan Briefing: DENSO DIALOG DAY 2026” (hereinafter, “Dialog Day”) on March 31, 2026.At the briefing, DENSO provided an overview of its Mid-Term Management Plan “CORE 2030” (hereinafter, “CORE 2030”), which was announced on the same day. Shinnosuke Hayashi, President & CEO, Yasushi Matsui, Executive Vice President, and Yasuhiko Yamazaki, Executive Vice President explained DENSO’s vision for 2030 and the strategies, while also engaging in direct dialogue with investors, analysts, and the media.Through presentations and opportunities for dialogue, DENSO will continue to communicate the strategies set out in “CORE 2030” more concretely and work together with society, customers, and partners to create new value.For details of “CORE 2030,” please refer to the timely disclosure material announced on March 31, 2026, as well as the briefing materials, and Mid-Term Management Plan page on the corporate website.- Timely Disclosure MaterialNotice Regarding the Formulation o...

President Eisaku Ito welcomes new employees at the ceremonyTOKYO, Apr 1, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) held an entrance ceremony for the fiscal year 2026 at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Minato-ku, Tokyo. This year, as a new initiative, some of the new employees' families also participated in the ceremony online. President & CEO Eisaku Ito addressed over 1,100 new employees, offering words of encouragement and expressing his expectations that "each individual's diverse values and experiences will bring innovation to our Group."Summary of President Ito's MessageMaking the stable supply of energy and electricity and the establishment of strategic supply chains increasingly important, alongside heightened awareness of security. Labor shortages in developed countries and the aging of urban infrastructure also pose major challenges. Furthermore, the remarkable advances in AI technology are transforming industries. Against this backdrop, President & CEO Ito emphasized that "in times like these, it is essential to cherish the fundamentals of our company." He explained the origins of our Group and the three corporate prin...

TOKYO, Apr 1, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) announced that, as previously disclosed on November 7, 2025 announcement(1) and the February 10, 2026 announcement(2), MHI had entered into a legally binding agreement to transfer its domestic onshore wind power business (Target Business) to Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-Power). We are pleased to inform you that the transfer procedures have been completed as of April 1.This transfer of the Target Business—including engineering and after-sales services, but excluding certain continuing businesses, such a joint business with Vestas Wind A/S of Denmark—will strengthen and further expand J-Power's foundation as a wind power developer by integrating MHI's accumulated wind power expertise. This collaboration is expected to accelerate the future expansion of J-Power's wind power development activities and the strengthening of its technical and maintenance capabilities, leading to further growth. MHI is convinced that this will not only provide customers with greater value but also offer new opportunities for growth and development to employees engaged in this business.(1) ...

TOKYO, Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Leinfelden Echterdingen and Kirchheim u. Teck, Germany / Gothenburg, Sweden / Tokyo, Japan―Daimler Truck AG (Daimler Truck), the Volvo Group (Volvo), cellcentric and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) have signed a non-binding agreement to cooperate in the fuel cell system joint venture cellcentric. The three companies intend to collaborate based on an equal shareholding with Toyota as the third joint venture partner to cellcentric. The combination of the parties' complementary experience and know-how will support and advance their joint objective to develop, produce and commercialise fuel cell systems for heavy-duty vehicles and other heavy-duty applications with comparable requirements. Additionally, Toyota and cellcentric intend to jointly manage the development and production of fuel cell unit cells―the core component of fuel cell systems―and directly linked architecture and control elements with the aim of creating competitive products based on the technologies of both companies.By combining Daimler Truck and Volvo's extensive commercial vehicle expertise with Toyota's fuel cell development, production t...

TOKYO, Japan, Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda) today announced the establishment of PathAhead Co., Ltd. (PathAhead), a startup business venture originated from IGNITION, Honda’s new business creation program.PathAhead has developed Rising Sand, the world’s first artificial aggregate made from desert sand. Going forward, the company will work to establish mass-production technology and conduct demonstration testing to verify its workability and durability in asphalt road construction. After these steps, the company aims to begin mass production of Rising Sand at its own production plant, scheduled to be built in Republic of Kenya in 2028, and establish a system and capability to ensure stable supply to construction companies in Africa.Rising Sand, artificial aggregate developed by PathAheadOfficial website of PathAhead: URL:https://pathahead.jp/ (Japanese)https://pathahead.jp/en (English)In recent years, African countries have seen a rapid expansion of their economies in line with rapid population growth. At the same time, insufficient construction and maintenance of infrastructure such as roads has been a major co...

DALLAS,TX Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Hitachi Digital Services today announced it is strengthening its operational technology (OT) and informational technology (IT) integration via the use of a comprehensive Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) platform. The technological advancement enables Hitachi to accelerate the transformation of discrete manufacturing sites into resilient, sustainable smart factories. Further, the MOM platform is slated to expand Hitachi’s HMAX Industry solutions portfolio, serving as a strong foundation for industrial AI–driven modernization.Built on an open, modular integration architecture, the MOM platform ensures interoperability with diverse product lifecycle management and OT systems. This capability enables wider application across a broad range of asset-heavy sectors such as Energy, High Tech, Manufacturing, and Transportation. The advanced MOM platform also delivers:A continuous digital thread enabling real‑time, end‑to‑end traceability from design through to manufacturing and quality management.Data-driven decision making by analyzing field data to optimize quality, cost, and delivery (QCD).S...

KAWASAKI, Japan, Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Fujitsu Limited today announced that it has signed a comprehensive industry-academia collaboration agreement with Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences (OUHS) to create social value and develop human resources through digital transformation (DX) by leveraging cutting-edge technology in the sports performance field. Based on this agreement, both parties will begin joint discussions on fostering top athletes in various sports, including gymnastics, and exploring other applications using skeleton recognition AI.OUHS aims to further enhance its authentic education, research, and social contribution as outlined in its OUHS Vision 2031. To achieve this, the university has launched the DX/AX (AI Transformation) Promotion Project to advance the utilization of digital technology and artificial intelligence. Through education, research, and social contribution, OUHS seeks to contribute to societal change and new value creation based on sports.As part of this initiative, Fujitsu's skeleton recognition AI, which precisely and instantly digitizes human movement in 3D, developed through its gymnastics judging support syst...

TOKYO, Japan, Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NTT DOCOMO, INC. and SK Telecom(SKT), a leading AI and telecommunications company based in Korea today announced the release of a white paper on the key enabling features for vRAN(*1) evolution and the path to AI-RAN(*2) (the white paper), as the latest outcome of their ongoing technical cooperation.Joint White Papers by DOCOMO and SK TelecomThe white paper reviews the prospects for further enhancement and advancement of vRAN and AI-RAN—which refers to intelligent RAN utilizing AI capabilities, also known as AI-Centric RAN or AI-native RAN—for mobile operators, as well as the associated technical requirements and enabling technologies based on the companies' combined experience in mobile network construction and operation. It aims to promote the evolution of vRAN and AI-RAN by encouraging closer collaboration between mobile network operators and equipment vendors in the development of vRAN software.The white paper analyzes three key technical requirements that are essential to maximizing the benefits of advanced vRAN and AI-RAN.1. Strict separation of hardware and software to accelerate new feature introduc...

TOKYO, Mar 31, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) -  NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701), a leading global IT and network transformation services provider, today announced the deployment of high-performance next-generation firewalls for Ooredoo Algeria, one of Algeria’s largest mobile operators. The modernization enhances enterprise network security while improving operational efficiency, scalability, and energy conscious performance. This initiative strengthens Ooredoo Algeria’s internal network environment while accelerating its digital driven innovation and supporting the company’s long term business growth through more agile and sustainable operations.Ooredoo Algeria delivers mobile voice, data, and digital services to both consumer and enterprise customers. As digital transformation has advanced, the company has faced increasing demands on its internal network infrastructure, making modernization essential for operational efficiency and manageability. To sustain service quality and enable future business growth, Ooredoo Algeria was seeking a scalable, sustainable, and high performance enterprise security platform capable of supporting expanding tr...

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto; Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo), Hitachi, Ltd. (Hitachi; President & CEO: Toshiaki Tokunaga; Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), and Hitachi Systems, Ltd. (Hitachi Systems; President & CEO : Takehiko Watanabe; Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) today announced the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) for the development, operation, and commercialization of a “Floating Data Center (FDC) converted from a second-hand vessel.” (**) Based on this MOU, the companies will conduct demand verification, review basic specifications and operational procedures, and carry out feasibility studies for commercialization of an FDC, with a view to commencing operations in 2027 or later. The project will focus primarily on Japan, where the Hitachi Group already has operational experience in land-based data centers, as well as Malaysia and the United States, where there are proven track records in providing services related to land-based data centers.CG rendering of an FDC converted from a used shipIn recent years, demand for data centers has contin...

Tokyo and Kawasaki, Japan, Mar 30, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Resona Holdings, Inc., BrainPad Inc., and Fujitsu Limited today announced the signing of a basic agreement for collaboration. The partnership aims to advance financial operations through the utilization of data and AI, and to develop next-generation data utilization models with a view toward expanding into regional areas and diverse industries. Purpose of the collaborationAs uncertainty surrounding corporate management increases due to fluctuations in business flows, natural disasters, and supply chain disruptions, financial institutions are called upon to provide more advanced corporate support, as well as enhanced credit assessment and monitoring services. The Resona Group and BrainPad have been working to advance the Resona Group’s operations by leveraging data and AI in financial practices, including through the provision of Data Ignition [1] (an AI business support software for regional financial institutions). With the addition of Fujitsu—which possesses advanced technical capabilities and extensive expertise in real-world implementation within the data and AI fields—to this co...

TOKYO, Mar 30, 2026 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Kyoto University will operate an industry-academic laboratory, MHI Innovative Combustion Dynamics Laboratory, from April 1, with the aim of building world-class GTCC (gas turbine combined cycle) power plants with efficiency of over 70% and carbon-neutral combustion technology along with developing next-generation talent in deep-tech fields.With global demand for electricity trending up and data centers being expanded due to advances in electrification and the popularization of generative AI, balancing a stable supply of electricity with decarbonization is a critical issue worldwide. These circumstances have seen an increase in demand for gas turbines as a core power source due to their high efficiency, highly adjustable output, and ability to supplement renewable energy while contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. In the future, it is expected that gas turbines will be central in supporting the realization of a carbon-neutral society due to their compatibility with clean, zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen.Combustion technology is a core element. Combustion control tha...