Joji Sakurai

Writer and Editor

Japan

Joji Sakurai is an experienced journalist and content writer whose work has appeared in The Financial Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, New Statesman, Chatham House and others. As the London-based Enterprise Editor for The Associated Press, he covered major stories on four continents, including the European financial crisis, the Fukushima disaster, the Indian Ocean tsunami and the Brazil World Cup.

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Pirelli
Weird Curves and Remarkable Results

Organisational boundaries in business and academia were cemented in the 20th century – now digital technology is breaking them down and unleashing new and surprising forces for innovation, writes Joji Sakurai

FT
Staying ahead of the criminals

Financial criminals are becoming more daring and sophisticated. Global finance must pursue advanced strategies such as AI-based encryption and anomaly detection to stay ahead of the hackers. Partnership with NTT Data.

FT
Opportunity in the new age of ESG reporting

A host of new disclosure standards and frameworks brings greater clarity and convergence to a murky field. With proactive approaches, enterprises can unlock competitive advantage and global business opportunity. Partnership with Workiva.

FT
Bond-inspired London Black Book

It's dinner time and you consider your options. Will you head to Boodle's, the storied Mayfair club founded in 1762? Heavens no. What could be more tedious than to be trapped there with the home secretary and forced to talk shop. Or call an old flame for a tête-à-tête at Clos Maggiore? Partnership with Michael Kors.

Back to Blue - An initiative of Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation
Lessons from Minamata: Japan's chemical past and ambiguous future

Japan's chemical industry has been shaped by a marine pollution tragedy. The lessons garnered from this transformed the nation's view of environmental protection-but how much have they been truly absorbed?

FT
Montréal - vive la différence

Explore the delights and dynamism of a city ranked the top destination in the Americas for international events and conferences. Partnership with Montreal Business Events.

WSJ
Paid Program: The Life Sciences Revolution

An A.I.-powered life sciences transformation driven by precision medicine promises to usher in an age of unprecedented health, longevity and wellbeing. Partnership with TCS.

WSJ
Paid Program: Wastewater to Drinking Water

Global materials innovator Toray is working with specialist partners to transform municipal wastewater into purified drinking water. Find out how. Partnership with Toray.

New Statesman
The Italian bank job: modern sins at ancient Monte dei Paschi

The people of Siena call it La Rocca or the Castellare, the fortress or castle. The 14th-century building that serves as the headquarters of the world's oldest working bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, commands the centre of this medieval Tuscan city more like the stronghold of a feudal lord than a modern-day financial institution.

FT
NFTs - the metaverse economy

How non-fungible tokens enable the growth of societies within immersive virtual worlds. Partnership with Crypto.com

NOMA in KYOTO
Izakaya Culture

Japan's culinary soul, the izakaya stands as testament to a profound love of food, drink and camaraderie. What sets this unique institution apart from its counterparts? Joji Sakurai reports from the counter.

Trust _ The investment trust magazine from Baillie Gifford
Japan's Growth Ninjas

What do recent investments tell us about the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust’s style? Matthew Brett, manager of the trust, talks to Joji Sakurai about four newcomers

NYT
A Journey Into the Heart of Tokyo's Food Culture

Follow Yoshiharu Doi, a legend of Japanese gastronomy, on a tour of the hidden spots where a centuries-old Edomae tradition respecting nature’s cycles comes to vibrant life. Partnership with Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Trust _ The investment trust magazine from Baillie Gifford
Pole position

Road transport is set for radical disruption. How will Japan’s Bridgestone cope? Matthew Brett, manager of The Baillie Gifford Japan Trust, talks tyres with Joji Sakurai

FT
Banking on cloud 9.0

The cloud revolution empowers financial services players with the agility, resilience and innovation toolkit to succeed in a time of unprecedented uncertainty and creative competition. Partnership with NTT Data.

FT
Accessories to Success

Every business traveller might yearn at times for a James Bond gadget, as legions are likely to soon rediscover. Stuck in traffic before an all-important flight, who wouldn't wish for the jet pack 007 used in Thunderball? Fighting jet-lag in an endless meeting might induce daydreams of the pen-grenade Bond kept handy in GoldenEye. Partnership with Michael Kors.

FT
The Winning Spirit

Walk into the secret, underground space of Matera's Enoteca dai Tosi - a hyper-stylish bunker built into a cliff - and you will likely come face-to-face with Aglianico del Vulture. It's not the name of the next Bond villain but the superb local red wine made on the slopes of Mount Vulture, an extinct volcano. Partnership with Michael Kors.

WSJ
Paid Program: The Future of Wind Power

Find out how innovative carbon fiber is transforming wind power into a viable commercial industry and energy source, helping curb greenhouse gas emissions. Partnership with Toray.

Pirelli
Solitaire ∞ Solidaire

A common experience of isolation and hardship has opened new ways to seek meaning, discover inner riches and achieve fulfilment - alone and together, writes Joji Sakurai.

WSJ
Paid Program: Catalyzing Clean Energy's Future

Singapore investment firm Temasek combines catalytic capital with innovation and radical partnership to drive clean energy transition for the planet's future. Partnership with Temasek.

Google Cloud
Gamaya Case Study | Google Cloud

Gamaya reduced cloud computing costs, achieved tenfold gains in operational efficiency, and unleashed transformative GPU solutions with Google Cloud.

FT
Global banking's AI leap

The pandemic jolted the financial industry into recognizing the growing need for artificial intelligence and big data transformation. The next chapter in the story? Embracing opportunities opened up by the AI leap. Partnership with NTT Data.

FT
Life sciences - Montréal's open vision for the future

Montréal is ranked the top city in the Americas for hosting international conferences. 30 per cent of those held at the iconic Palais des congrès de Montréal, the city's convention centre, are dedicated to the life sciences and health sector. Montréal's robust conference schedule includes some of the most significant gatherings in the life sciences world. Partnership with Montreal Business Events.

FT
Montréal: where AI meets humanity

A unique blend of groundbreaking research, diverse perspectives and ethical vision turns Montréal into a leader in the future of Artificial Intelligence, making it a destination for global AI events and conferences

Chatham House
Robots and pensioners to the rescue

A greying population finds a silver lining to the economic storm clouds. Joji Sakurai looks at how Japanese society is adapting to changing times

TRUST _ The investment trust magazine from Baillie Gifford
The Bright Side of Japan's Labour Crunch

Innovation is often born out of necessity. Praveen Kumar, manager of Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon and deputy manager of the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust, tells Joji Sakurai that Japan’s staff shortages have sparked creativity and investment opportunities.

FT
5 best practices for building ESG trust

The new era of sustainability reporting demands bold action and strategic acumen. With clear-sighted approaches, enterprises can soon find themselves on the path to success. Partnership with Workiva.

FT
How to drive ownership in ESG reporting

As clarity comes to global sustainability disclosure, establishing clear lines of leadership in ESG becomes a must. Ultimately, dynamic, cross-functional teams are the key to successful outcomes. Partnership with Workiva.

Google Cloud
Reposit Power Case Study | Google Cloud

Reposit Power launched a "No Bill" energy service, increased solar devices tenfold & forged an AI-based global expansion strategy with Google Cloud

FT
Clinical trials of the future

The Covid-19 crisis has brought virtualized clinical trials into the spotlight as a powerful enabler in the quest to bring tomorrow’s game-changing therapies to the world today. Partnership with Medidata.

FT
A new green finance paradigm

The pandemic has spurred a reset in values regarding social and environmental stewardship. Capital markets will help drive a new stakeholder capitalism that underwrites a healthy planet for future generations. Partnership with Nomura.

FT
Ecosystem for a healthy China

China’s journey to a healthy society by 2030 holds historic opportunities alongside daunting challenges. A healthcare ecosystem that connects stakeholders across a digital value chain will bring the dream within reach. Partnership with Ping An.

Foreign Policy
Japan's Summer of Women

Three women have recently risen to high political positions in Japan's famously closed society, but is the country really ready to embrace openness and inclusion?

FT
Bridges to health for China's people

As China demands better health, online medicine opens opportunities to integrate all stakeholders in the healthcare pyramid — and to put patients at the top. Partnership with Ping An.

FT
Underwriting China's health transformation

In China’s mission to build a healthy society by 2030, digital strategies will ensure that society can afford the ambitious medical ecosystem upgrade required. Partnership with Ping An.

FT
Insuring Tomorrow in a Volatile Age

A conversation with Tokio Marine Holdings president & group chief executive officer Satoru Komiya about the keys to unleashing a positive cycle of social value and business growth in uncertain times. Partnership with Tokio Marine.

WSJ
Paid Program: Science trailblazer

Are brilliant minds that can harness a billion genomes how China will power its new biotech and healthcare industries? Partnership with UBS.

Google Cloud
UP42 Case Study | Google Cloud

UP42 built an empowering "geospatial platform," won planet-scale data crunching power, and developed an innovative data analytics dashboard on Google Cloud.

WSJ
Paid Program: Green city innovation

China's getting rid of its bad reputation as a global polluter. Check out how sustainable building solutions are helping. Partnership with UBS.

FT
Insuring a legacy

The rapid rise in Asian private wealth has hit a storm of pandemic uncertainty, making insurance solutions a sound strategy for achieving goals of legacy and estate planning optimisation. Partnership with Sun Life.

TCS
05/10/2022
Paid Program: Unleashing the Talent Cloud

The talent cloud enables a borderless workplace based on a Workforce 4.0 philosophy driven by four pillars: empowerment, connectedness, diversity and talent.

New Statesman
How Japan is preparing for the great flood

Just north of Tokyo, a network of gigantic subterranean cisterns, tunnels and industrial engines helps to protect the world's largest metropolitan area from extreme flooding, the threat of which is rising because of climate change.

FT
Partnerships for a brighter future

In the race to save the planet, imaginative partnerships are critical to a successful outcome. Through synergies of diverse talents, innovation itself has become humanity’s greatest partner. Partnership with MS&AD.

FT
Seizing the global niche top with unique approaches in uncertain times

Nitto is proactively developing solutions for sustainability and social inclusion. One example of an eco-friendly product is Nitto's low VOC double-sided tape that achieves outstanding adhesion without using harmful organic solvents, such as toluene and ethyl acetate. The adhesive's low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions minimize exposure to harmful fumes. Partnership with Nitto.

New Statesman
How a 217.1 kilometre run became a national bonding ritual in Japan

Under Mount Fuji's gaze, the runner from Meiji University collapses into his teammates' arms, sobbing as he retches, legs flailing like a new-born colt's. Kyota Yabushita, delirious from wringing strength from his seven stone body, is more than ten minutes slower than the winner of the punishing mountain stage of the Hakone Ekiden university relay race.