10月15日（木）メタが新型AIモデル 「ミューズ・ワンダー」、9月のビール類販売 2%増

Meta Announces New AI Model "Muse Wonder"

Meta unveiled a new AI model called "Muse Wonder" on October 12. The company itself claims that Muse Wonder's capabilities — including high-level software development generation — have caught up with the industry's frontrunners, narrowing the development gap with Anthropic and OpenAI. The announcement is the latest sign that competition in generative AI is intensifying further.

Beer Sales Turn Positive for First Time in Three Months

The four major beer companies announced on October 13 that combined sales volume of beer and beer-like beverages in September rose 2% year-on-year, turning positive for the first time in three months. The primary driver was a surge of last-minute purchases of quasi-beer (happoshu), which is subject to the liquor tax increase taking effect in October. Third-category beer, also subject to the hike, fell 5%, however, as Suntory restricted shipments of its Kinmugi brand ahead of its planned reclassification as standard beer in October.

Uber Eats, Toei, and TV Broadcasters

Uber Eats Japan's dominance in the food delivery market is becoming increasingly clear. Marking its tenth year since entering Japan, the company is on track for its fifth consecutive year of operating profit, even as rivals continue to struggle. It is further solidifying its business base by expanding merchant partnerships with supermarkets and drugstores.

Toei announced on October 13 that it has formed a partnership with a company under South Korea's Lotte Group to enter the Vietnamese film market. In addition to co-producing new films, Toei plans to create remakes leveraging the intellectual property (IP) of its back-catalog titles, aiming to build global content.

Nippon Television, TBS Television, and Fuji Television announced on the same day that they will establish a new joint venture to operate a system allowing television commercial slots to be bought and sold flexibly — similar to how internet advertising works. The cross-network ad-buying framework is planned to launch in February 2027.

10-Second Business Term: TSE Reform

TSE Reform refers to the Tokyo Stock Exchange's reorganization of its market segments to encourage listed companies to improve corporate value. In April 2022, the previous four-segment structure — First Section, Second Section, JASDAQ, and Mothers — was replaced with three segments: "Prime" (centered on large companies with global operations), "Standard" (mid-sized companies), and "Growth" (companies with high growth expectations).

Pope Leo XIV Undergoes Successful Lung Surgery

The Vatican announced on October 13 that Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery to remove part of his right lung and has been diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. Before the operation, Leo XIV himself disclosed that "the nodule found in the lung is localized and was detected at a very early stage," and expressed gratitude for the emotional support of those around him. The surgery was performed at a hospital in Rome and was successful. He has indicated his intention to rest afterward, with a hospital stay of approximately one week expected; official engagements through October 20 have been cancelled. He is due to visit three South American countries, including Peru, in November, and his recovery progress is drawing close attention.

Leo XIV is 71 years old. Elected at the 2025 papal conclave, he is the first American-born pope in history. Since taking office, he has increasingly spoken out against the use of military force, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and armed conflicts in the Middle East in mind. An outdoor Mass he held in Paris in September drew approximately 800,000 people, reflecting his energetic engagement with visits to countries around the world.

Personality Shares Her Experience with Ancestry DNA Testing

Show personality Kanako Sato (佐藤かな子) introduced her experience with Ancestry, a genetic testing service that analyzes a user's ancestral roots from a saliva sample. A test she took while studying in the United States was recently updated: a previous result of "95% Japanese roots" became more detailed, revealing "roots in eastern Japan and the Chugoku region (Okayama Prefecture)." She noted that the breakdown aligned quite closely with her actual family lineage.

New categories covering physical traits and characteristics were also added, with results such as "relatively morning-oriented," "adapts easily to new environments," and "needs more strength training to build muscle" — all matching what she already sensed about herself. A feature for finding relatives among other test-takers revealed that she has several distant relatives in the United States. Sato, who majored in cultural anthropology in university, said she found it romantic that people sharing her ancestry were living overseas. At the same time, she cautioned that "you may casually look something up and discover things you didn't want to know," recommending that users think carefully before proceeding.