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Thursday, October 15, 2026English edition
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The Geopolitician

Country risk, from the local press

Japan · Country watch

Agriculture Minister Resigns, US-Japan Chip Factory Plan

Japan's agriculture minister resigns amid scandal, and a US-Japan agreement leads to a major semiconductor factory project in New York.

· · 4 sources

The picture Deteriorating

Business conditions in Japan are deteriorating due to political instability from the agriculture minister's resignation, impacting policy implementation. However, the US-Japan semiconductor factory project offers some positive prospects for technology and manufacturing sectors.

In this briefing EY · GlobalFoundries · New York · Sanae Takaichi · Yasutaka Yana · Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan)

Regulation

Nothing significant reported today.

Disruption

Nothing significant reported today.

Internal tension

Nothing significant reported today.

Safety & health

Nothing significant reported today.

Companies

  • technology
  • finance

EY to hire 10,000 as AI business grows 49%

EY, one of the Big Four accounting firms, plans to hire 10,000 employees as its AI-related revenue surged by 49% in the latest fiscal year, Business Insider Japan reports. The firm attributes this growth to executing large-scale projects that align with clients' business transformations. This expansion reflects the increasing demand for AI solutions across various industries, positioning EY as a significant player in the AI consulting market.

Impact EY's expansion affects technology and finance sectors, boosting AI consulting capabilities.

Sources: Business Insider Japan ↗

Markets

Nothing significant reported today.

Trade

  • technology
  • manufacturing

GlobalFoundries to build $3 trillion chip factory in NY

GlobalFoundries, a leading US semiconductor manufacturer, announced plans to construct a new chip factory in New York, in collaboration with Japanese firms, NHK reports. The project, valued at up to 3 trillion yen, is part of a bilateral agreement between Japan and the US reached last year. This initiative aims to bolster semiconductor supply chains and enhance technological cooperation between the two nations. The factory is expected to create significant employment opportunities and strengthen the semiconductor industry.

Impact Technology and manufacturing sectors benefit from enhanced US-Japan collaboration and supply chain resilience.

Sources: NHK ↗

Politics

  • agriculture
  • public-sector

Agriculture Minister Yana resigns amid scandal

Japan's Agriculture Minister Yasutaka Yana has resigned following a scandal involving his ministry, according to JapanTimes. His departure is a setback for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration, as key agricultural bills are currently being debated in parliament. The resignation could delay legislative processes and impact agricultural policy implementation. The opposition is expected to pursue accountability for Yana's appointment, which may lead to further political challenges for the government.

Impact Agricultural policy implementation may face delays, affecting stakeholders in the sector.

Watch Prime Minister Takaichi is expected to decide on Yana's successor by 15 October. · 15 October 2026

Sources: JapanTimes ↗

Also today in Japan

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

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The same day elsewhere