Core Points - The trade deficit in the U.S. for June decreased by 16.0% month-over-month, reaching $60.2 billion, marking a reduction in the deficit for the second consecutive month [2][4] - The trade deficit with China fell to $9.5 billion, the lowest level since February 2004, indicating a significant reduction in trade imbalance [4] Group 1: Trade Deficit Overview - The overall trade deficit, including goods and services, adjusted for seasonal factors, decreased to $60.2 billion in June [2] - This marks a 16.0% reduction in the trade deficit compared to the previous month [2] Group 2: Trade with China - The trade deficit with China was reported at $9.5 billion, the lowest since February 2004 [4] - This significant reduction highlights a trend of decreasing trade imbalance between the U.S. and China [4]

Core Viewpoint - Epic Games is expanding its Epic Games Store to mobile platforms, particularly targeting the Japanese iOS market by 2025, amidst ongoing disputes with app stores like Apple and Google [4][6]. Group 1: Competitive Advantages - Epic Games Store has a competitive edge in social features and cross-platform compatibility [6]. - The user base for PC on Epic Games Store is projected to reach 295 million by the end of 2024, with an average monthly active user count of 67.2 million, making it the second-largest PC game store after Valve's Steam [6]. Group 2: Developer Support - The fee structure for game sales on Epic Games Store ranges from 0% to 12%, significantly lower than the typical 30% charged by competitors, which encourages more developers and publishers to join the platform [6]. - Since its launch, Epic Games Store has reportedly paid over $2.1 billion to developers and publishers [6]. Group 3: Market Expansion - Epic Games is planning to open iOS stores in Japan, the UK, and Brazil, indicating a strategic move to increase its presence in mobile gaming [7].

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government is initiating a nationwide childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan per year for children under three years old, but there are concerns that the amount is insufficient and the duration is too short, especially in the context of rising childcare costs due to educational pressures [2][4][6]. Group 1: Subsidy Details - The subsidy is aimed at families with children under three years old, with local governments starting to accept applications from late August [2]. - The central government has allocated approximately 90 billion yuan for this subsidy in 2025, with an estimated annual financial burden of around 100 billion yuan based on the projected population of over 28 million children under three [4]. Group 2: Comparative Analysis - Childcare subsidies in Japan and South Korea are higher than China's, with Japan providing approximately 8,786 yuan per year and South Korea around 6,200 yuan per year for children under eight [6]. - The proportion of childcare subsidies relative to GDP is similar for China and Japan at 3.8%, while South Korea's is lower at 2.4% [6]. Group 3: Rising Childcare Costs - Despite government efforts to control educational expenses through policies like the "double reduction" policy, the overall cost of raising children continues to rise, with average expenses reaching about 538,000 yuan by the time children graduate from high school, an increase of 11% from 2022 [7]. - Parents express dissatisfaction with the limited duration and amount of the subsidy, particularly as significant costs arise when children begin attending tutoring and extracurricular classes [6][7]. Group 4: Educational Pressure - The cultural emphasis on education in China leads to increased spending on private tutoring, often exceeding the costs of formal classes, as parents seek to ensure their children gain admission to prestigious universities [9]. - Expanding the subsidy to cover expenses until high school graduation would significantly increase the financial burden on the government, potentially reaching nearly 1 trillion yuan annually, which would account for 3% of the general public budget in 2025 [9].

Core Viewpoint - The 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima emphasizes the importance of understanding the truth about nuclear weapons and the need for global disarmament efforts [2][6]. Group 1: Commemoration and Participation - The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park held a memorial ceremony for the victims, attended by survivors and their families, marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing [2]. - The participation scale reached a historical high, with approximately 55,000 attendees from 120 countries and regions, as the city invited all nations with diplomatic relations instead of just those who expressed interest [6]. Group 2: Calls for Nuclear Disarmament - Hiroshima Mayor Matsui Kazumi called for a transformation of the desire to abolish nuclear weapons into a consensus within civil society, highlighting the urgency of dialogue-based security systems amid global military buildup trends [4]. - Prime Minister Kishida Fumio reiterated the need for accurate understanding of the nuclear bombing's truth as a foundation for achieving a world without nuclear weapons, referencing the Hiroshima Action Plan for nuclear disarmament [6]. Group 3: Recognition of Victims - The names of 4,940 individuals who died or were confirmed dead in the past year were added to the memorial list, bringing the total recorded victims to 349,246 [9].

Core Viewpoint - Several former TSMC employees are suspected of attempting to obtain key information related to the development and production of the advanced 2nm technology, leading to strict disciplinary actions and legal proceedings by TSMC [2][4]. Group 1: Incident Details - TSMC discovered unauthorized behavior during routine monitoring, which indicated potential commercial secret leaks [4]. - The case has garnered significant attention due to TSMC's 2nm chip production technology being the most advanced globally, with mass production expected to begin later this year [4][6]. - The investigation is ongoing to determine the specific use of the information sought, whether it has been leaked, the extent of the leak, and if others are involved [5]. Group 2: Legal and Regulatory Context - The case falls under the scope of Taiwan's National Security Law, which aims to prevent sensitive technology from flowing abroad, particularly in the semiconductor industry [6]. - The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office confirmed that this is the first case investigated under this law involving core key technology business secrets [6]. - Prosecutors have applied for detention orders for three involved individuals, which have been approved [6]. Group 3: Industry Implications - The development of smaller semiconductor processes is increasingly complex and costly, with TSMC planning to launch its 2nm technology by the end of this year [6]. - Currently, only TSMC, Samsung, Intel, and Rapidus are actively developing such advanced technologies, while other chip manufacturers have exited the competition [6]. - TSMC's chairman and CEO, C.C. Wei, emphasized that the company's technology is difficult to replicate due to the complex expertise and extensive experience accumulated in production and R&D [6].

Core Viewpoint - The user base of ChatGPT is rapidly increasing, with expectations to surpass 700 million users this week, marking a fourfold increase compared to the same period last year [2][4]. User Growth - ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, and by approximately one year later, the weekly active users exceeded 100 million. As of early August 2023, the user count was around 175 million, and by March 2025, it is projected to reach 500 million [4]. - The growth rate of users is accelerating, with Japan's user count expected to exceed 6 million by the end of 2024. Additionally, the number of commercial user accounts utilizing ChatGPT for business purposes has surpassed 5 million globally [5]. User Composition - The total user count of 700 million includes free users, paid users starting at $20 per month, and enterprise users. OpenAI defines active users as those who use the service at least once a week [4].

Core Viewpoint - Hitachi is considering selling its domestic white goods business, including refrigerators and washing machines, as it shifts focus towards more stable and profitable sectors like power and railways, leveraging digital technologies through its Lumada platform [2][4][5]. Group 1: Business Strategy - Hitachi's white goods business has been underperforming compared to its core growth areas, prompting the company to explore potential sales to various interested parties, including Samsung Electronics [2][4]. - The expected sale price for the white goods business could range from 100 billion yen to several hundred billion yen [2][4]. - The company aims to transition towards a business model that emphasizes long-term profitability through digital solutions and maintenance services, rather than one-time sales [5][8]. Group 2: Market Context - The Japanese white goods market is projected to grow by 2.4% in the fiscal year 2024, reaching 2.5838 trillion yen, driven by pandemic-related home demand and high-value products [6]. - Historically, Japanese manufacturers excelled in the white goods sector, but since the 2010s, they have faced intense competition from Asian companies like Haier and Midea, which have gained significant market shares globally [7]. - Hitachi's previous acquisitions, such as ABB's power distribution business and GlobalLogic, reflect its strategy to strengthen its position in social infrastructure and digital sectors [7][8]. Group 3: Future Outlook - While Hitachi is moving forward with the sale of its domestic white goods business, maintaining the business remains a potential option to enhance brand recognition among consumers [6][8]. - The company's president has indicated that the restructuring process is ongoing, with further reforms aimed at growth expected in the future [8].

美国微软已决定裁员9000人，占全体员工的4%。正推进经营重建的英特尔也将裁员。削减 雇用的浪潮也蔓延到了中坚企业，美国的相亲应用"Bumble"裁员240人，占员工总数的 30%，荷兰交通信息企业TomTom 也宣布裁员300人。 实际上，相关企业的业绩并没有恶化。从4~6月的财报来看，美国Alphabet、微软、苹果、亚 马逊、Meta这5大企业全部实现营收和利润增长，季度净利润合计达到1151亿美元。 在此情况下企业仍急于裁员是因为可通过引进AI更加积极地削减成本。各家企业需要重点投资 使用昂贵半导体和服务器的AI基础设施，正在调整人工费结构。除了亏损部门的工程师之外， 还在裁减间接部门和销售相关的员工。 版权声明：日本经济新闻社版权所有，未经授权不得转载或部分复制，违者必究。 日经中文网 https://cn.nikkei.com 美国华盛顿州的微软总部 企业的业绩并未恶化，急于裁员是因为可通过引进AI更加积极地削减成本…… 以一直主导人工智能（AI）开发的美国为中心的科技企业正在加速裁员。1~7月约9万人成为 解雇或裁员的对象，同比增加近4成。科技企业持续快速增长，但随着AI代替工程师等的工 作，过 ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the rapid advancement of China's AI capabilities, particularly in open-source models, which are increasingly being adopted both domestically and internationally [2][4][7]. Group 1: AI Model Development - The number of AI models registered in China has increased by 40% in the past six months, with a total of 439 models as of June 2023 [4]. - A report from Stanford University indicates that the performance gap between Chinese and American AI models has narrowed significantly, from 9.26% in January 2024 to just 1.7% by February 2025 [5]. Group 2: Global AI Conference - The World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai saw participation from approximately 800 companies, an increase of about 300 from the previous year, showcasing over 40 AI models and 60 robots [4]. - Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized the need for global cooperation in AI governance, addressing issues like chip supply shortages and restricted talent exchange [4]. Group 3: Open-Source AI Adoption - Chinese companies are increasingly adopting open-source models, which facilitate service integration and attract more developers for improvements [7]. - Alibaba's "Qwen2.5-Max" ranked 12th among 124 AI models tested, outperforming Meta's open-source model, which ranked 28th [7]. Group 4: International Implications - Japan is also utilizing Chinese AI models, with the National Institute of Informatics' "LLM-jp-3.1" ranking first in Japan and using Qwen for data enhancement [8]. - Despite advancements, China still relies on U.S. semiconductor products for AI computing capabilities, which poses challenges for further development [9]. - The U.S. government has implemented strategies to maintain its AI technology advantage, indicating a competitive landscape between the two nations [9].

Core Viewpoint - The Japanese government has decided to raise the national average minimum wage to 1,118 yen per hour, marking the largest increase in history and continuing a trend of annual increases for 23 years [2][4]. Group 1: Minimum Wage Increase Details - The new minimum wage standard represents a 6.0% increase from the previous rate of 1,055 yen, with a specific increase of 63 yen [4][6]. - The proposed guidance for the 2024 fiscal year is set at a 5.0% increase, the highest since the minimum wage was converted to an hourly rate in 2002 [4]. - The government aims to achieve a national average minimum wage of 1,500 yen by the end of the 2020s [4][5]. Group 2: Regional Wage Adjustments - The wage adjustments are categorized into three tiers based on economic conditions across different prefectures: A, B, and C [6]. - Six prefectures, including Tokyo and Osaka, fall under tier A, while 28 prefectures, including Hokkaido and Hiroshima, are in tier B, both receiving a 63 yen increase. Thirteen prefectures, such as Akita and Okinawa, are in tier C, receiving a 64 yen increase, marking the first time lower-tier regions have a higher adjustment than higher-tier regions [6][7]. Group 3: Future Considerations - All prefectures will see their minimum hourly wage exceed 1,000 yen if the guidance standards are followed [7]. - The chairperson of the advisory council has submitted formal recommendations to the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, indicating that prefectures will reconvene to determine actual adjustment amounts based on the national advisory council's guidance [7].