Imagine if you could put an ultra-thin, transparent solar sheet on your window to generate energy, not just from sunlight but also artificial lights from inside your room? Seen as the most promising next-generation solar cell, this technology, called perovskite, is exactly what Japanese start-up Enecoat Technologies is trying to develop. Start-ups such as this are called "deep tech". They are small firms who are merging high-tech engineering innovation with scientific discovery. The hope is that it will lead to the development of transformational products.

Japan's sluggish economy, already weakened before the pandemic, faces the possible collapse of its national currency. The Japanese government is walking back years of harsh travel restrictions as the yen collapses in value due to a stagnant economy and weak trade. Japan until recently has all but completely rejected foreigners seeking entry or re-entry into the country. What can it do to get back on its feet? "Amid the weakening yen, [incoming tourism] will have the greatest effect," Kihara said, according to the Japan Times. "And there are the autumn leaves and powder snow. There are many foreign visitors who want to come visit Japan."

Just as the yen's eye-popping plunge against the dollar grabs the world's financial market spotlight, investors will get a closer look on Thursday into the underlying state of the Japanese economy. Revised second quarter GDP data, and trade and current account figures for July, will give an insight into the yen's economic fundamentals, and offer clues to whether the level and pace of the currency's depreciation are justified.

A new wave of big private equity players is moving in on Japan's property market, drawn by attractive yield spreads with Japan's low interest rates and by prospective deals with companies that hold under-utilized assets. "The Japanese market presents a huge opportunity," David Cheong, managing director at KKR, told Reuters. He noted wide scope to help corporations bolster their property-related operations and boost returns on property assets. "Investment demand is strong but the number of properties for sale is relatively limited..."

Japan is set to more than double the number of people it will allow into the country and may scrap the need for a negative Covid-19 test to enter, as the last rich economy with stringent entry requirements still in place looks to join the rest of the world in easing pandemic curbs.

A question that arises as often as the sun is… “Can I get a loan for real estate investment in Japan?” Many first-time hopeful investors become very frustrated due to the severe lack of financing options for foreigners without residency. For cash buyers wishing to invest in a low-stress, fully secured and reliable deal, there may yet be hope! We propose a solution to this dreaded obstacle for wishful lenders and seasoned cash buyers to make the best of it!

The end of pandemic restrictions on businesses in late March helped spur the economy. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than half of Japan’s economic output, led the growth, as did capital expenditure. The relaxing of Covid rules resulted in increased spending at restaurants and hotels, as well as on clothes, according to the Cabinet Office.

You want to profit from the weaker yen and invest in Japan, but don't know where to start? Before diving into the market here, you’ll need a general investment strategy, something that will help you decide on where, how, and what to invest in! For those that have never stepped foot into the country, it may seem like an extra challenge with finding the best locations and criteria. Let’s break it down to make better sense of it... Follow these rules!