# 9月28日（月）ソニー半導体社員8000人 原則出社に回帰、ドンキ プライベートブランドビール値下げ - Show: ヤング日経（サクッとわかるビジネスニュース） - Published: 2026-09-27 - Canonical: https://podc.club/en/episode/1542073848_8edb400afa7e.html - Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NRBC9659072979.mp3 - Source: Edited from a machine transcript of the first 30 minutes of the episode. Not an official summary. Sony Group will require approximately 8,000 employees at its semiconductor subsidiary to return to the office as the default from October, adding private workspaces and lunch subsidies to support the shift. Don Quijote will cut its private-brand beer to ¥153 per can on October 1 in step with Japan's liquor-tax reform. The episode rounds out with stories on a FamilyMart coffee-machine ad service, a JR Kyushu disaster-relief rail pass, a scholarship fund for new film directors, and a quiz on which gyudon chain is opening first in Singapore. ## What this episode answers ### Why is Sony Group requiring semiconductor employees to return to the office? Sony judged that face-to-face collaboration across multiple departments is more effective for generating new business. Roughly 8,000 employees at the semiconductor subsidiary are affected from October, and private single-person workspaces and lunch subsidies will also be introduced. ### When and at what price will Don Quijote cut the price of its private-brand beer? The price drops to ¥153 per can—among the lowest on the market—on October 1, timed to Japan's liquor-tax revision. Pan Pacific International Holdings, the operator of Don Quijote, announced the cut on September 25. ### What kind of advertising service is FamilyMart launching on its coffee machines? Starting in October, ads for products and services will play on the LCD screens of coffee machines while coffee is brewing, turning customers' wait time into an advertising touchpoint. The service is intended to expand FamilyMart's ad inventory beyond print and digital formats and become a new revenue stream. ### What are the fares for JR Kyushu's three-day unlimited rail pass, and how does its Kumamoto earthquake recovery donation work? Adults pay ¥23,000 and children ¥3,000 for unlimited rides on Shinkansen and conventional lines for three days; ¥1,000 from each adult ticket is donated to Kumamoto Prefecture to support recovery from the July earthquake that registered a seismic intensity of 7. ### Which of the three major gyudon chains will open its first Singapore location this year? Matsuya is the answer. Hoarding boards have already appeared at a mall in central Singapore, generating buzz on social media and in local media; once it opens, all three major gyudon chains—Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya—will be represented in Singapore. ## Article ## Sony Semiconductor to Require 8,000 Employees to Return to the Office Sony Group has announced that roughly 8,000 employees at its semiconductor subsidiary will be required to work in the office as the default from October. The company's reasoning is that face-to-face collaboration across multiple departments is more effective for generating new business. Sony's move aligns with a broader trend among Japanese companies pulling back from remote work, and the announcement comes with concrete support measures for employees making the return: private single-person workspaces and lunch subsidies will both be newly introduced. ## Don Quijote Cuts Private-Brand Beer to ¥153 per Can Pan Pacific International Holdings (パン・パシフィック・インターナショナルホールディングス), the operator of Don Quijote (ドン・キホーテ), announced on September 25 that it will reduce the price of its private-brand beer to coincide with Japan's liquor-tax revision taking effect October 1. The new price of ¥153 per can places the product among the lowest-priced options in the market. The move is a deliberate effort to sharpen the chain's price competitiveness by capitalizing on the regulatory change. ## FamilyMart to Launch Coffee-Machine Ad Service Starting in October, FamilyMart (ファミリーマート) will begin delivering advertisements through the LCD screens built into its in-store coffee machines. While a cup is brewing, ads for products and services will play on the display, converting the brief wait into an advertising touchpoint. The retailer intends to grow this as a new revenue stream, extending its ad inventory beyond traditional print and digital formats. ## JR Kyushu Launches Three-Day Unlimited Rail Pass for Kumamoto Earthquake Relief JR Kyushu (JR九州) announced on September 25 the sale of a three-day unlimited pass covering its Shinkansen and conventional lines at a sharply reduced price: ¥23,000 for adults and ¥3,000 for children. The pass is aimed at supporting recovery from the Kumamoto earthquake, which registered a seismic intensity of 7 in July of this year. For every adult ticket sold, ¥1,000 will be donated to Kumamoto Prefecture. ## Pia Establishes ¥300 Million Scholarship Fund for First-Time Film Directors Pia (ピア) announced on September 25 the creation of a scholarship fund dedicated to nurturing new film directors. Named after a particular film director, the fund launches with initial capital of ¥300 million. The company plans to invite multiple contributors to join the initiative, with an eventual target of ¥1 billion. ## Today's Business Term: Policy Interest Rate The policy interest rate is the rate a central bank raises or lowers to stabilize the economy and prices. Higher rates restrain corporate investment and household spending, making them an effective tool against inflation. When growth is sluggish and inflation is low, rates are cut to stimulate economic activity. ## Quiz: Which Gyudon Chain Is Opening First in Singapore? This episode's quiz asks which of Japan's three major gyudon chains—Sukiya (すき家), Yoshinoya (吉野家), and Matsuya (松屋)—will open its first Singapore location before the end of the year. The answer is Matsuya. Hoarding boards have already appeared inside a mall in central Singapore, drawing attention on social media and in local media. Once the location opens, all three chains will have a presence in Singapore simultaneously for the first time. ## Personal Talk: Mai Kamishita's First Relay For Life Monday host Mai Kamishita (神下舞) shared her experience attending the Relay For Life event held in Ueno over the weekend—her first time participating. Relay For Life is a charity event that brings together cancer patients, their families, and supporters to walk, visit organization booths, watch stage performances, and fundraise for cancer research. In the evening, a luminaria ceremony lit up the venue with candlelight. Kamishita said she was moved by how many people want to support those facing cancer, and reflected that the simple existence of such spaces is itself a source of hope for someone. ## Takeaways - Sony Semiconductor's decision to bring 8,000 employees back to the office from October is a striking symbol of the return-to-office trend accelerating across Japanese companies. - Don Quijote's price cut to ¥153 per beer can and FamilyMart's coffee-machine ad launch reflect back-to-back strategic pivots in Japanese retail as both chains seek new competitive edges. - Matsuya plans to open its first Singapore location this year, meaning all three of Japan's major gyudon chains—Sukiya, Yoshinoya, and Matsuya—will soon be present in the city-state.