Japan’s BIH and Beijing Hoshikawa to mass-produce semi-solid batteries for BAIC hybrids in 2026

Japanese startup BIH and Chinese automotive battery firm Beijing Hoshikawa New Energy Battery Technology announced on November 26, 2025, the successful implementation of semi-solid lithium-ion battery technology in the mass production of batteries for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). Beijing Hoshikawa has highlighted that the new batteries will be deployed in new vehicle models launched by BAIC in early 2026.

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Japan plans 600-kilometer quantum communication network by 2027

Following the lead of China, the European Union (EU), and South Korea, Japan has unveiled plans to build its own long-distance quantum communication network. The first phase will link the country’s three major cities—Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka—covering a distance of 600 kilometers. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2027, with field testing planned later that year. The initial rollout will focus on sectors where confidentiality is critical, such as healthcare and finance, to establish a Japan-specific quantum communication standard by 2030.

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Google’s TPU shakes up ASIC market, challenging Nvidia’s lead

Google’s push to expand its Tensor Processing Unit platform is drawing renewed attention across the AI chip sector, prompting debate over whether the company intends to challenge Nvidia’s dominance or secure a strong position as the market’s second supplier. Industry insiders say Google’s system-level strategy, which emphasizes full-stack integration over chip-only sales, could reshape competition for application-specific integrated circuit developers.

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