フィジカルAIで工場自動化 防災も目玉 デジタル見本市CEATEC開幕、NTTがアンソロピック向けデータセンター

CEATEC 2026 Opens — Physical AI Takes on Factories and Disaster Response

CEATEC 2026, Japan's major digital technology trade show, opened in Chiba on October 13 with physical AI as its headline theme. Physical AI refers to artificial intelligence deployed in real-world, physical environments rather than purely digital ones. Exhibitors showcased how the technology can tackle two pressing challenges: labor shortages on factory floors and the need for faster, smarter disaster response. As AI moves from the lab to the production line and the disaster site, the competition among manufacturers and technology companies has shifted to who can most effectively embed intelligent systems into the physical world.

NTT to Build Osaka Data Center for Anthropic

NTT has entered final negotiations to build a data center in Osaka Prefecture dedicated to American AI company Anthropic, with construction costs projected to reach up to ¥1 trillion. The facility's power-receiving capacity is expected to be the largest in Japan. It will also serve as Anthropic's first base in Japan, and the project is expected to give a significant boost to the country's AI infrastructure build-out. NTT's investment signals growing confidence in Japan as a destination for large-scale AI compute as global demand for data center capacity continues to surge.

Cyberattack Targets Refrigeration Systems in France

A cyberattack struck France on October 11–12, hitting hundreds of stores belonging to major supermarket chains. The attack targeted network-connected refrigeration and freezer equipment, causing temperatures inside the units to rise and forcing stores to discard large quantities of perishable food. Local media reported that authorities have launched an investigation. The incident stands out because the attackers went after critical food-supply infrastructure rather than data systems, illustrating how internet-connected physical equipment is becoming a new and vulnerable attack surface.

Mizuho Bank Issues First Corporate Bonds in 12 Years; Aeon Profit Up 3.3×

Mizuho Bank, a unit of Mizuho Financial Group, will issue domestic corporate bonds on October 16 for the first time since October 2014—a gap of 12 years. The total issuance of ¥281 billion is the largest in the bank's history. Corporate funding demand remains robust, but rising interest rates have increased uncertainty in financial markets, and the bank appears to be broadening its funding mix as part of its overall asset and liability management.

Aeon announced on October 13 that its consolidated net profit for the March–August 2026 period reached ¥13.3 billion, a 3.3-fold increase year on year. Strong performance at Aeon Mall and its drugstore operations drove the result, as did the fading impact of impairment losses and other one-time charges that had weighed on earnings in the same period a year earlier.

Tokyo's 23 Wards Consider New Public Crematoriums

Tokyo's 23 wards are studying the feasibility of building new small-scale public crematoriums. Private facilities dominate the current supply, and cremation fees in the 23 wards are higher than in surrounding municipalities. Officials are also considering revisions to zoning rules that restrict how close crematoriums can be built to residential areas. The review is driven by projections that demand for cremation services will tighten considerably in the years ahead, and policymakers want to ensure stable, affordable capacity before that pressure peaks.

Personal Talk — The Insight That Anger Is 'Intimidation'

Host Fujii Mirika (藤井みりか) shared a realization about anger that came to her while observing a conversation between a psychology professor and a group of children. The professor explained that animals also get angry—and that in nature, displaying aggression signals a warning to others to keep their distance, functioning as a form of self-defense. Hearing this, Fujii said she reflected on her own behavior: she could not deny that there was an element of intimidation in her own anger.

When you are in the middle of an argument, she noted, your head tends to fill up with your own grievances. But simply recognizing 'I am in intimidation mode right now' can create enough distance to see yourself objectively. Fujii was careful to add that anger itself is not wrong—there are moments when it is necessary to protect something you care about. The question is how you communicate that feeling to the other person. Shouting is one option, but she said she would rather express herself calmly and clearly.