Japan

Intelligence for Better Decision Making

Apple’s Strategic AI Spending Reshapes Market Leadership and Investor Sentiment

Dec. 11, 2025 | Competitiveness

In 2025, investors have closely watched how leading technology companies allocate resources to artificial intelligence.

**Apple’s shares fell 18 percent in the first half of the year amid criticism of its unclear AI strategy.**
However, a 35 percent rally in the second half outpaced AI-focused peers such as Meta, Microsoft and Nvidia, lifting Apple’s market capitalization to about $4.1 trillion and making it the S&P 500’s second-largest constituent—overtaking Microsoft and closing in on Nvidia.

**Amid widespread concern over runaway AI spending, Apple has kept tight control of its investments and steered clear of the high-cost arms race.**
Investors see that restraint as a defensive stance that could reward shareholders once AI technology reaches mass adoption.

**Yet despite its strong late-year performance, Apple now trades at roughly 33 times projected earnings for the coming year—well above its 15-year average valuation of under 19 times.**
Analysts warn that this premium may be excessive and question whether investors are overpaying for perceived defensiveness in an uncertain AI landscape.

**Apple’s enduring consumer brand and the potential for AI to enhance its devices and high-margin services underpin its appeal.**
In a market where heavy AI budgets face scrutiny, the company’s measured approach offers a lower-risk path for investors seeking exposure to AI without the costs associated with aggressive spending.

Japan Moves Forward with Maiden Name Usage Reforms for Married Couples

Dec. 11, 2025 | Governance & Law

Japan’s government is advancing proposals to allow married individuals to retain and use their maiden names in both social and official settings.

**Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to submit a bill in the 2026 ordinary Diet session that would let spouses continue using their former surnames, while preserving the requirement for married couples to share a legal surname.**
Under her proposal, individuals could use their maiden names as “common names” in everyday life, and those names would appear in parentheses on official documents such as passports.

**This initiative stems from the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Nippon Ishin no Kai.**
Despite that partnership, some LDP members—who favor an optional separate-surname system—are expected to challenge the plan, and opposition parties continue to push for a more comprehensive framework that fully legalizes separate surnames. Takaichi, holding to a traditional view of family unity, has consistently resisted proposals that would grant married couples full surname autonomy.

**In May, Nippon Ishin no Kai introduced its own legislation to allow former surnames to be recorded either alone or alongside current surnames on public records.**
Government and ruling-party officials are still negotiating how those entries would function across administrative databases, official registries and various legal forms.

**Critics argue that merely permitting maiden names in parentheses fails to address deeper concerns about personal identity and social recognition.**
Business groups such as Keidanren continue to lobby for an optional separate-surname system, citing gains in international competitiveness and workplace efficiency. Amidst this pressure, internal resistance within the LDP suggests it will be difficult to reach a broad consensus on the scope and mechanisms of surname reform before the 2026 session.

**Takaichi has vowed to coordinate closely with coalition partners and relevant ministries as they conduct technical reviews and draft the legislation.**
On December 9, 2025, during a House of Representatives Budget Committee session, she drew on her experience as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications to stress the importance of removing the disadvantages spouses face when mandatory surname changes follow marriage.

Monitored Intelligence for Japan - Dec. 12, 2025

News
Media
415

Government
Releases
51

City/State
Releases
132

Embassy
Releases
1

Foreign
Service
Advisories
0

Academic/
Think
Tank
16

Podcasts
0

Videos
0

Social
Media
0

Business
Releases
0

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Takaichi Keen to Meet with Trump Soon amid Chinese Pressure

Nippon | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Shifting Geopolitical Alliances

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her desire to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump as soon as possible amid escalating pressure from China. She made this statement during a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting, responding to opposition leader Yuichiro Tamaki's call for stronger Japan-U.S. cooperation.

Tamaki noted that Trump is expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January and suggested this as a potential meeting opportunity. Takaichi responded by saying the meeting is not limited to Davos and could take place in Washington or during any of Trump's overseas trips.

The increased Chinese pressure follows Takaichi's November parliamentary remarks that China’s possible use of force against Taiwan could be considered a survival-threatening situation for Japan, justifying Japan's right to collective self-defense.

U.S. may require tourists to disclose social media history to customs

Japan Times | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Privacy

U.S. authorities plan to require foreign tourists from visa-exempt countries, including Japan, Australia, and South Korea, to disclose five years of social media history when applying for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) online.

The proposal by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) follows a January executive order aimed at enhancing terrorism and national security screening. The application process will become more detailed, requiring additional information such as telephone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, metadata of submitted photos, family member names, contact details, dates of birth, and biometric details.

Trump demands on mining and China snarl U.S.-Indonesia trade deal

Japan Times | English | News | Dec. 12, 2025 | Geopolitical Conflict and Disputes

Indonesia is resisting demands from the U.S. trade deal that it fears would limit its sovereignty, particularly regarding critical minerals and energy sectors. These demands pose risks to Indonesia’s relationships with China and Russia, key foreign partners for the country.

Since reaching a trade framework in July, which set a 19% tariff rate, the Trump administration has pressured Jakarta to accept terms that could constrain its ties with China, one of its largest foreign investors. This pressure has created friction between the two nations and threatens to derail the existing agreement.

U.S. officials have accused Indonesia of retracting on previous commitments, raising concerns that the trade deal may collapse. The situation remains tense, with unresolved issues around strategic sectors and geopolitical relationships influencing the ongoing negotiations.

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