Human Times

APAC Edition

2nd March 2026

THE HOT STORY

Mizuho to replace 5,000 clerical jobs with AI in a decade

Mizuho Financial Group plans to use artificial intelligence to replace approximately 5,000 administrative positions in Japan over the next ten years in an effort to enhance productivity. Affected employees will be transferred to other roles, the bank said. “We are planning to enhance our earnings capabilities by shifting human resources to our focus areas by fully utilising AI,” Mizuho said in a statement. “It is not a headcount reduction.” Mizuho chief executive Masahiro Kihara said in October: “I don’t think humans will lose their value . . . They can aim for more value-added work.”

Bloomberg

Japan Times

STRATEGY

Block cuts 4,000 jobs amid AI workplace shift

Fintech company Block has announced it will lay off over 4,000 workers, or nearly half of its workforce, as artificial intelligence transforms operational dynamics. Jack Dorsey, co-founder and head of Block, emphasized that the layoffs are not due to financial issues but rather a shift in how companies operate. “We're already seeing that the intelligence tools we're creating and using . . . are enabling a new way of working,” he said. Dorsey said he opted for immediate cuts to avoid prolonged uncertainty, explaining: “Repeated rounds of cuts are destructive to morale.” Block aims to complete the workforce reduction by the end of the second quarter of fiscal year 2026. Dorsey plans to address employees directly in a live session, keeping communication channels open for farewells.

The Times of India

Los Angeles Times

Straits Times

DoorDash to exit four Asian markets

DoorDash will withdraw from Singapore, Japan, Qatar and Uzbekistan, shutting down its Deliveroo and Wolt delivery services in those countries following a review of market conditions. The company said the move reflects its focus on investing in markets with the clearest path to sustainable scale and long-term leadership. DoorDash International head Miki Kuusi said the priority is to support employees and partners through an orderly transition while concentrating resources on stronger-performing geographies. In addition to the market exits, DoorDash is making limited operational changes in select locations, including investment in certain engineering roles in the UK. The company said the decisions will not materially affect its financial outlook or previously issued guidance.

Bloomberg

Wall Street Journal

REGULATION

South Korea fines Coupang $1.6m over supplier pressure and late payments

South Korea’s antitrust regulator has fined e-commerce group Coupang 2.2bn won ($1.55m) for pressuring suppliers to cut prices, forcing them to shoulder additional costs, and delaying payments to vendors. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) said Coupang violated retail business laws by demanding lower supply prices and requiring suppliers to pay advertising fees and other charges to meet the company’s margin targets. The regulator alleged that when suppliers failed to comply, Coupang used retaliatory measures such as suspending or reducing orders. For the fourth quarter, the company reported that net revenues rose 11% to $8.8bn, and that its lost one cent per share adjusted, compared with expectations for a 3.4 cent per share profit. Active customers increased 8% year on year to 24.6m, though this marked a slight decline from the previous quarter.

TECHNOLOGY

AI ‘pilots’ fall out of favour as companies push for real results

Large corporations are increasingly avoiding the term “pilot” when discussing artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, as the word has come to signal stalled progress rather than innovation. While companies continue to promote their AI ambitions, references to “pilots” on earnings calls fell about 18% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared with the prior quarter, according to AlphaSense. Once viewed positively by investors as a sign of experimentation and early adoption, AI pilots are now often associated with projects that fail to scale or deliver measurable financial impact. A 2025 MIT study found that 95% of enterprise AI pilots did not produce meaningful financial results, reinforcing scepticism and giving rise to phrases like “Pilot Purgatory” to describe initiatives that never move beyond testing. Executives at companies such as AT&T and Bristol-Myers Squibb say they prefer terms like “proof of concept” or “development plan,” emphasizing that their AI efforts are tied directly to business value and deployment rather than small-scale trials. They argue that pilots can become low-risk exercises that avoid meaningful change.

Wall Street Journal

On opens 32-robot sneaker factory in South Korea

Swiss sportswear brand On has opened a new highly automated sneaker factory near Busan, South Korea, featuring 32 robots to produce its high-end running shoes, as it seeks to transform footwear manufacturing. The facility will increase On’s robotic production capacity 30-fold and marks the first large-scale rollout of its LightSpray technology, which creates shoe uppers in a single sprayed piece using robotic arms. Previously limited to small production runs in Zurich, the technology is now being scaled to produce thousands of pairs daily. On chose South Korea to leverage its advanced robotics ecosystem and existing regional partnerships. After refining processes at the Busan site, the company plans to expand LightSpray production to the Americas and Europe.

Bloomberg

LEADERSHIP

Amazon AI lab chief to depart amid leadership shake-up

David Luan, head of one of Amazon’s key artificial intelligence (AI) labs, is leaving the company after two years amid a broader shake-up of its AI leadership. Luan, who oversaw Amazon’s agentic AI service Nova Act, said he would depart this week to “cook up something new” and focus fully on developing new AI capabilities as artificial general intelligence (AGI) approaches. He previously led engineering at OpenAI and joined Amazon in 2024 with several senior colleagues from start-up Adept. His departure follows recent changes at the top of Amazon’s AI division. Former AI chief Rohit Prasad left in December, with Peter DeSantis, previously head of data centre engineering, taking over responsibility for AI model development, chipmaking and quantum computing research.

CNBC

Financial Times

RISK

Lawson opens disaster-ready store equipped with Starlink and emergency supplies

Japanese convenience store chain Lawson has opened its first disaster-response-focused convenience store in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, designed to support residents during emergencies. Developed in partnership with KDDI, the store is equipped with a Starlink antenna to provide free Wi-Fi if mobile and fixed-line networks fail. It also features a battery charger capable of powering up to 10 smartphones at once, a disposable toilet for use during water outages, digital signage for emergency updates, and a well supplying nonpotable water. Solar panels and storage batteries allow the store to operate during power cuts. While serving as a regular retail outlet, it will also prepare rice balls on-site for customers. Lawson plans to expand the concept to 100 stores nationwide by fiscal 2030.

The Japan Times

INTERNATIONAL

Colgate-Palmolive to defend diversity criteria for board appointments

Colgate-Palmolive intends to oppose a shareholder proposal aimed at removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria from its board member selection process. In a letter to the National Legal and Policy Center, the company said that "it is important that our directors bring a broad range of skills, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds" to the board, amidst growing pressure from conservative groups on companies to roll back DEI initiatives. Colgate highlighted that approximately two-thirds of its net sales come from international markets, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining DEI policies while other firms reconsider their approaches.

Reuters

New Louvre chief aims to restore trust

Christophe Leribault has been appointed as the new head of the Louvre, succeeding Laurence des Cars, who resigned in the wake of a jewellery heist and ongoing staff strikes. Leribault, an 18th-century art historian, previously directed the Palace of Versailles and has experience at the Louvre's graphic arts department. "Leribault's priority will be to strengthen the safety and security of the building, the collections, and ⁠people, to ⁠restore a climate of ⁠trust, and to carry forward, together with all the teams, the necessary transformations for the museum," the ⁠Culture Ministry said in a statement about President Emmanuel Macron's choice for the job.

U.S. News

OTHER

Fluffy robot ‘Mirumi’ aims to capture the West after Labubu craze

A fluffy pink robot bag charm called Mirumi is being positioned as Japan’s next global collectible sensation, as Tokyo-based Yukai Engineering seeks to tap into the booming “kidult” market that propelled Labubu to worldwide fame. Set to debut at Milan Fashion Week, Mirumi is a wide-eyed, baby-inspired robotic charm designed to clip onto handbags and subtly move its head, mimicking shy glances. Priced from about $149 and also available in grey and white, the robot blends plush toy nostalgia with light robotics, aiming to create an emotional connection rather than serve a purely functional purpose. Yukai Engineering has focused its expansion on Western markets, where attitudes toward adult plush collectibles have shifted in recent years. The company secured around 4,000 overseas preorders through crowdfunding and plans to manufacture 30,000 units by May, with shipments beginning in April. A UK pop-up at Harrods and fashion industry collaborations are part of its international push.

The Japan Times

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