PRE-MARKET JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCKS NEWS: SK Hynix Inc. (000660 KS) is to invest an additional KRW 21.6tln in its semiconductor cluster in Yongin

JAPAN

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (7012 JT) - Co. aims to launch a surgical robot in Europe this year. (Nikkei)

Kioxia Holdings Corp (285A JT) - Bain Capital has sold USD 3.5bln in shares of the company. (Nikkei)

Mitsubishi UFJ Group (8306 JT) - Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and public-private fund JICT are backing US autonomous-driving startup May Mobility. (Nikkei)

Omron Corp (6645 JT) - Co. electronic components unit has partnered with KS Technologies to develop an add-on Long Range (LoRa) communication module for its weather sensor, enabling low-cost data transmission. (Newswires)

Rakuten Group Inc (4755 JT) - Kenji Hirose to resign as director and group executive vice president effective March 27, 2026. (Newswires)

Sun Frontier Fodousan Co. (8934 JT) - Itochu Corp (8001 JT) to launch a share tender offer for the company. (Newswires)

Suntory Holdings Ltd (2587 JT) - Co. will reduce Scotch whisky production in the UK as US sales weaken under import tariffs. (Nikkei)

Aviation - Japan’s production of aircraft and aircraft parts surpassed JPY 2tln in value in 2025 for the first time. (Nikkei)

Tech - Japan’s government will build three facilities equipped with advanced design software and development tools for AI semiconductors, as part of efforts to establish a domestic production system centred on TSMC (2330 TT) and Rapidus. (Nikkei)

Other News

Japan’s planned CFIUS-style mechanism is to include screening of indirect foreign investments, aimed at preventing critical technology from falling into the hands of adversaries. (Nikkei)

Japan’s ruling LDP has called for lifting the ban on exports of lethal weapons and easing rules on defence equipment to boost shipments. (Nikkei)

SOUTH KOREA

Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co. (009150 KS) - Co. Busan plant wins Korea safety cooperation award. (Chosun Biz)

Samsung Electronics Co. (005930 KS) - Co. unveiled Galaxy S26 flagship smartphones with enhanced AI capabilities and a built-in privacy display on the Ultra model, while Samsung Display said its OLED with Flex Magic Pixel passed UL Solutions’ “Privacy Display” evaluation. (Yonhap)

SK Hynix Inc. (000660 KS) - Co. to invest an additional KRW 21.6tln in its semiconductor cluster in Yongin. (Yonhap)