2016年，处于经营重组期的东芝公司将其冰箱、洗衣机等白色家电业务转让给中国家电巨头美的集团。 这笔交易中，美的以514亿日元获得东芝负责白色家电的子公司"东芝LifeStyle"约80%股份，同时获得了东芝品牌40年的全球授权及超过5000项白色家电相关 专利。当时这笔交易被外界视为美的推进全球化战略的关键一步，也为东芝剥离亏损业务提供了契机。 收购东芝白电是美的全球化战略的重要一环。美的集团在2025年第一季度报告中显示，公司营业总收入达到1284亿元，同比增长20.6%，净利润127.5亿元， 同比增长41.1%。其中智能家居业务增长17.4%，海外电商销售同比增长超50%。 此外，今年6月，美的曾主动召回在北美市场销售的170万台U型窗机空调，原因为贯流风轮叶片在极端潮湿环境中可能出现发霉现象。美的强调该问题 属"个别现象"，客诉率低于万分之一，且召回为主动行为，非强制要求。 不过但业务扩张的同时，其市场表现与消费者口碑存在分化。黑猫投诉平台显示，与美的相关的投诉超1.4万条，涉及产品质量、售后服务等问题，例如新 机瑕疵、电器故障等。 另有分析称，美的目前还未能将东芝的品牌价值全面转化为全球竞争力，反 ...

【环球网科技报道 记者 张阳】"德国哲学家黑格尔曾将美定义为'人本质力量的对象化'--当我们凝视一件作品时,若能从中窥见自身智慧、情感与记忆的投射, 便完成了与美共鸣。"近日，在东芝电视与北京声音艺术博物馆举办的国内首场影像声音艺术展上记者看到了这句话，这种哲学洞察,恰与东芝电视的声音进 化史形成跨时空对话。 声音也可以是时光的雕塑 从90年代惊艳中国市场，到如今依然在高端电视领域熠熠生辉，东芝电视的火箭炮音响系统用三十多年的时间探索如何用声音技术搭建起创作者与观众之间 情感共鸣的桥梁。这场展览也是东芝电视与北京声音艺术博物馆联合打造的国内首场电视声音艺术展，4位影像艺术家，突破传统创作框架，将声音元素作 为核心表达语言，依托东芝电视的影音能力，让观众体验声音艺术的魅力。 比如在《漂流纪念所》这部作品里，影像回顾他的过去，并将其与记忆进行对比，邀请观众们一起探索他的童年。影像在此不再只是叙述的手段，而像是时 光的雕塑一样，老录像带里褪色的夏日还原为可以听到的蝉鸣与看到的汽水泡沫；火箭炮环绕声场模拟出的巷口的风声、树梢的雨声，令人穿越到过去的 光。 提起东芝电视，就不得不提其标志性的"火箭炮音响"系统，其多声道 ...

Core Viewpoint - The acquisition of United States Steel Corporation by Nippon Steel Corporation for approximately $25 billion raises concerns reminiscent of Toshiba's past acquisition of Westinghouse Electric Company, suggesting potential risks and challenges in international mergers and acquisitions [1][2][25]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - Nippon Steel initially planned to acquire U.S. Steel for 400 billion yen (approximately $2.75 billion), but the final cost escalated to 3.6 trillion yen (about $25 billion), which is nine times the original estimate [1][9][12]. - The acquisition price per share was raised to $55, a 57% premium over a competing offer, leading to a 6% drop in Nippon Steel's stock price upon announcement [10][11]. - The total cost of the acquisition, including necessary investments for equipment upgrades, amounts to $25.2 billion, significantly higher than the initial budget [13][25]. Group 2: Historical Context and Comparisons - The acquisition price of Nippon Steel is notably higher than Toshiba's $5.4 billion acquisition of Westinghouse, which was already considered excessive at the time [5][9]. - Historical failures of Japanese companies in U.S. acquisitions, such as Toshiba's experience, create skepticism about the potential success of Nippon Steel's venture [3][25]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - Nippon Steel's acquisition is viewed as not just an economic move but also a strategic one influenced by international relations, particularly in the context of U.S.-Japan alliances [2][14]. - The new board structure post-acquisition will include significant oversight from the U.S. government, limiting Nippon Steel's operational flexibility [15][21]. - The investment aims to address domestic steel shortages in the U.S. and enhance production capacity from 23 million tons to 34 million tons annually [18][19]. Group 4: Future Outlook - Nippon Steel aims to leverage this acquisition to strengthen its position in the global steel market, particularly against competitors like China's Baowu Steel Group [22][24]. - The long-term goal is to achieve an annual production capacity of over 100 million tons, positioning Nippon Steel among the top global steel producers [24][26].

Core Viewpoint - Toshiba, a multinational corporation with a 130-year history, announced its decision to delist from the Tokyo Stock Exchange, marking a significant decline for a company that once thrived in the Chinese market and was a symbol of technological innovation [1][27]. Group 1: Historical Context - Toshiba was once a leader in various sectors, including home appliances and computing, and was known for creating the world's first laptop and transistor television [1]. - The company faced a major scandal in 1987 involving illegal transactions with the Soviet Union, which severely damaged its reputation and market position [2][7]. Group 2: Financial Performance - Toshiba's revenue has seen a significant decline over the years, from $53 billion in 1996 to $28.8 billion in 2021, reflecting a downward trend in its business performance [9]. - Despite facing external pressures, Toshiba managed to maintain a strong presence in the semiconductor market, particularly in flash memory, which was considered its most competitive segment by 2018 [22]. Group 3: Key Events and Challenges - The Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, where Toshiba was a key supplier of nuclear equipment, led to a loss of reputation and a significant reduction in nuclear power orders, contributing to its long-term decline [12][13]. - Financial scandals, including accounting fraud in 2015, further exacerbated Toshiba's struggles, leading to severe financial losses and a tarnished image [15][18]. Group 4: Strategic Decisions - Toshiba attempted to recover by acquiring Westinghouse Electric in a bid to enter the U.S. nuclear market, but this decision ultimately led to further financial troubles, resulting in the sale of the subsidiary [21]. - The company has been selling off assets, including its medical and home appliance divisions, in an effort to stabilize its finances, but these measures have not reversed its downward trajectory [17][24]. Group 5: Conclusion - The decision to delist from the Tokyo Stock Exchange signifies the culmination of Toshiba's decline, attributed to both external market conditions and internal mismanagement [27][29]. - The company's failure to adapt to changing market dynamics and maintain ethical standards has led to its downfall, serving as a cautionary tale for other corporations [29].

Group 1 - Japan's government has committed $7.4 billion (approximately 1.05 trillion yen) to quantum technology this year, which is more than three times the total investment over the past five years [1][2] - This investment represents a strategic shift driven by deep-seated concerns about historical failures in technology leadership, particularly in the semiconductor industry [3][4] - The Japanese government aims to transition from basic research to industrialization, with a clear goal of making quantum technology a pillar of future economic prosperity and national security [5][10] Group 2 - The investment is seen as a "preventive and high-risk" intervention to avoid being left behind in the global competition for technology leadership [7][9] - The government hopes to stimulate systemic change, encouraging research institutions, large enterprises, and potential startups to engage in the quantum race [8][9] - Japan's approach is characterized by a "collaborative giant ship" model, where the government leads and industrial giants collaborate, forming a powerful alliance [12][14] Group 3 - Major Japanese corporations like Toyota, NEC, and Fujitsu are expected to benefit significantly from government contracts and participation in core research projects [43][44] - The focus on building a self-sufficient supply chain for quantum technology components is a key aspect of Japan's strategy, aiming to avoid reliance on foreign suppliers [20][23] - The mixed quantum-classical computing strategy is seen as a pragmatic approach to leverage existing capabilities while aiming for quick results in various applications [17][18][19] Group 4 - Japan's commitment to quantum technology is likely to provoke responses from other major players, including the U.S. and China, potentially escalating a new round of "quantum arms race" [39][40][42] - The success of Japan's strategy will depend on overcoming challenges such as fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem and effectively translating research into marketable products [25][29][31] - Attracting and retaining top talent in the competitive global landscape is crucial for Japan to realize its quantum ambitions [32][34][38]

Group 1 - The event organized by Japanese companies in Shenzhen aimed to enhance cooperation between the Shenzen Guangming District and Japanese enterprises through investment environment assessments and industry-specific matchmaking [1][3] - Participating Japanese companies included Toshiba (China) Co., Ltd., Mizuho Bank (China) Co., Ltd., and others, covering sectors such as semiconductors, high-end manufacturing, smart home appliances, urban design, finance, and consulting [3] - The delegation visited leading companies in Guangming District, including Betterray New Materials Group, a top global supplier of lithium-ion battery anode materials, and Nuoan Intelligent Co., Ltd., a specialized manufacturer of gas sensors and detection instruments [3] Group 2 - Guangming District has previously hosted a delegation from the UK-China Trade Association, which included representatives from notable institutions and foreign enterprises, indicating a growing interest in the district's innovative technologies and strong industrial foundation [4] - In the first half of the year, Guangming District actively sought connections with foreign companies, including Panasonic and Victoria's Secret, to strengthen its international presence and attract foreign investment [5] - The district has engaged in various promotional activities, resulting in over 70 foreign enterprises visiting and establishing strategic partnerships, including with Alstom and the Australian Doner Group [5]

Group 1 - The article highlights Japan's precarious position in the semiconductor supply chain, particularly due to U.S. restrictions on exports of critical materials and technologies [1][3] - Japan is home to 23% of the world's semiconductor raw material factories, particularly in Kumamoto, which produces high-purity fluorinated polyimide essential for 3nm chips [1] - The U.S. has imposed conditions on Japan's exports, including the requirement for EUV lithography machines to have geofencing systems, effectively monitoring Japan's semiconductor capabilities [3] Group 2 - Japan's reliance on the U.S. for raw materials is increasing, with 43% of its high-purity rare earth production directed to North America, raising concerns about becoming a technology dependency nation [5] - Toshiba's 2023 financial report indicates a 12% drop in yield for silicon carbide chips due to a lack of domestic etching equipment, while Shin-Etsu Chemical faces rising wafer costs from using U.S. substitutes [6] - The average age of semiconductor engineers in Japan is 51, with a 38% decrease in young professionals over five years, indicating a talent crisis in the industry [6] Group 3 - Japan is exploring alternative technologies, such as quantum computing and hydrogen energy chips, as part of a strategic pivot in its semiconductor approach [8] - Panasonic has developed a miniaturized hydrogen production reactor, and advancements in hydrogen fuel cell technology have been made at the University of Tokyo [10] - Hitachi has created a "three-layer protection" verification system to enhance security in semiconductor material transport [11] Group 4 - Chinese manufacturers are benefiting from Japan's technological constraints, with new domestic etching machines utilizing expired Japanese patents and lower-cost rare earth extraction methods [13][14] - In 2023, Japan was compelled to relax 63 expired patent licenses, leading to a significant outflow of semiconductor talent to China [14] - The article suggests that the ongoing semiconductor conflict is a reflection of broader resource competition and emphasizes the need for Japan to rebuild its innovation ecosystem independently [16]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the ambitious vision behind the development of the Cell processor by Sony, IBM, and Toshiba, highlighting its potential to revolutionize computing architecture and its eventual shortcomings in the market [1][3][21]. Group 1: Development of Cell Processor - In 2000, Sony, IBM, and Toshiba announced a collaboration to develop the Cell processor, aiming for a computing architecture that could achieve unprecedented performance levels, targeting 1 trillion floating-point operations per second [3][4]. - IBM committed to investing $400 million to establish design centers and manufacturing facilities for the Cell processor, while Sony and Toshiba contributed their respective technologies [4]. - The Cell processor was designed to integrate multiple computing units on a single chip, with the goal of creating a highly parallel computing environment [4][5]. Group 2: Technical Specifications - The Cell processor features a 64-bit PowerPC core (PPE) and up to 32 synergistic processing elements (SPEs), achieving peak performance of 1 TFLOPS in its initial prototype [11][12]. - The architecture includes a unique memory structure where SPEs cannot directly access system memory, requiring explicit data management, which increases programming complexity but enhances efficiency [9][12]. - The interconnect bus (EIB) allows for high bandwidth communication between processing units, crucial for maximizing the processor's performance [9]. Group 3: Market Performance and Challenges - Despite its theoretical performance, the Cell processor faced significant challenges in mass production due to high power consumption and complex architecture, leading to a reduced number of SPEs in the final version [11][12]. - The PlayStation 3, which utilized the Cell processor, struggled in the market due to its high manufacturing costs and the difficulty developers faced in optimizing games for its architecture [13][14]. - Competing products, such as Microsoft's Xbox 360, offered simpler architectures that were easier for developers to work with, further hindering the PS3's market performance [13][14]. Group 4: Legacy and Conclusion - Although the Cell processor did not achieve mainstream success in gaming, it found applications in high-performance computing, notably in the Roadrunner supercomputer, which was the first to exceed 1 PetaFLOPS [16][18]. - The innovative design of the Cell processor influenced future computing architectures, particularly in parallel processing and GPU computing [21]. - By 2012, IBM officially discontinued support for the Cell architecture, marking the end of an era for a processor that had once held great promise [19].

Core Points - Toshiba plans to cut up to 4,000 jobs in Japan as part of a restructuring program following its delisting in September after being taken private by a consortium [1][5] - The job cuts will be achieved through voluntary early retirement for employees aged over 50 who meet specific criteria, with the aim to restore the company's growth trajectory [2] - Toshiba targets an operating profit of 380 billion yen ($2.5 billion) and a return on sales of 10 percent by fiscal 2026, along with relocating its head office functions to Kawasaki by the first half of fiscal 2025 [3] Company Background - Toshiba has faced multiple crises in recent years, including a significant accounting scandal in 2015 and substantial losses from its US nuclear subsidiary Westinghouse [4] - The company was taken private in March 2023 through a takeover bid worth around $14 billion, leading to its shares being delisted after over 70 years on the Tokyo stock exchange [5]

Financial Performance - Net sales increased by 128 billion yen, from 7279 billion yen in FY2021/Q1 to 7407 billion yen in FY2022/Q1[7] - Operating income decreased by 193 billion yen, from 145 billion yen in FY2021/Q1 to -48 billion yen in FY2022/Q1[7] - Net income increased by 79 billion yen, from 180 billion yen in FY2021/Q1 to 259 billion yen in FY2022/Q1, due to higher non-operating income[7] - Free cash flow decreased by 617 billion yen, from 1553 billion yen in FY2021/Q1 to 936 billion yen in FY2022/Q1[7] - The company maintains its FY2022 full-year operating income forecast at 1700 billion yen, released on May 13, 2022[7] Segment Performance - Energy Systems & Solutions net sales increased by 23% (+231 billion yen), from 987 billion yen to 1218 billion yen[32] - Electronic Devices & Storage Solutions net sales decreased by 10% (-194 billion yen), from 2009 billion yen to 1815 billion yen[32] - Building Solutions net sales remained relatively flat, increasing by 03 billion yen, from 1420 billion yen to 1423 billion yen[32] Forecast - FY2022 net sales are forecasted to be 33 trillion yen, a decrease of 1% (-370 billion yen) compared to FY2021[63] - FY2022 operating income is forecasted to be 1700 billion yen, an increase of 111 billion yen compared to FY2021[63] - The company forecasts equity attributable to shareholders to be 128 trillion yen, an increase of 734 billion yen[61]