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2026 R&D investment Plan Prioritizes Smart Ag
Akihiro Komuro South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs 2026 research and development investment plan for the agricultural sector reveals a policy to allocate budget resources primarily to the “smart agriculture” field, centered on robots, drones, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The plan aims to address structural challenges in Korean agriculture, such as an aging population and severe labor shortages, while achieving increased productivity and labor savings.
A key feature of the plan is its emphasis on developing field-implementable technologies, such as autonomous agricultural machinery, data analysis for precision farming, and unmanned pest control drones. The plan also envisions advancing the sophistication of agricultural management through the development of standalone technologies, and by establishing data integration platforms and agricultural ecosystems.
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2025-Year Motorcycle Sales Rank 2nd in SE Asia
Akihiro Komuro In 2025, the Vietnamese motorcycle market experienced strong growth, with sales increasing by 14.9% year-on-year to approximately 3.4 million units. This made it the second-largest market in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia. Indonesia maintained its top position as the region’s largest market with 6.55 million units sold, though its growth rate was limited to 0.6%. Meanwhile, the Philippines recorded 2.37 million units (+2.8% year-over-year), Thailand recorded 1.73 million units (+9.8% year-over-year), and Malaysia recorded 613,893 units (+3.5% year-over-year).
In Vietnam, the rapid expansion of electric motorcycles is reshaping the market structure. Alongside domestic companies, Chinese firms are accelerating investment in electric motorcycles, aided by stricter environmental regulations. Hanoi’s plan to restrict internal combustion engine vehicles starting in mid-2026 is further accelerating the shift towards electric vehicles.
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Marine Hydrogen Engine Project Aims for 2028
Akihiro Komuro The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Yanmar Power Solutions, and Japan Engine Corporation have announced the installation of new liquefied hydrogen fuel supply equipment for demonstration purposes, as well as the start of land-based operation of marine hydrogen engines.
This is part of a project commissioned by NEDO’s Green Innovation Fund/Next-Generation Ship Development Project. Three purely domestic engine manufacturers have formed a consortium: Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Yanmar Power Solutions, and Japan Engine.
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South Korea’s Domestic Machine Tool Orders Cut 50%
The South Korean media outlet Korea Economic Daily reported that domestic machine tool orders in the second half of 2025 were about half of what they were in the same period last year.
Through November 2025, domestic orders totaled US$474.93 million (697.4 billion won), nearly a 10% decrease from the previous year. In the second half of the year (July–November), orders amounted to US$117.20 million (172.1 billion won), a 47.5% decrease compared to the same period last year US$223.30 million (327.9 billion won).
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Construction Machinery Demand Could Hit 25,000 Units
Akihiro Komuro The Indonesian Heavy Equipment Distributors Association (PAABI) forecasts an expansion in construction machinery demand in 2026, with a potential total of 23,000 to 25,000 units. This represents an estimated growth of 5% to 8% compared to 2025, with a projected total market size of around US$3.62 billion.
According to the PAABI Chairman, the increase in demand in 2026 will be driven by the nation’s Strategic Infrastructure Projects (PSN), the ongoing construction of the new capital, IKN, and mining activities at major nickel and coal sites. These projects are expected to increase demand for heavy machinery, such as hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, and bulldozers.
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Delays in Agricultural Equipment Delivery Worsen
Akihiro Komuro The increase in 2025 rice prices has provided Japanese farmers with more financial flexibility, leading to a surge in demand for upgrades to agricultural machinery. However, farmers are reporting longer wait times for machinery orders, sometimes up to a year. They are expressing concerns such as, “We can’t plan next season’s operations,” and “If delivery is delayed until next year, can we really count it as an expense for this year?”
Many small- and medium-sized farms had delayed replacing machinery due to prolonged low rice prices, opting instead to repair old equipment or purchase used machinery. The 2025 rice harvest, however, saw more farmers gain financial leeway, increasing the demand for replacing or purchasing new machinery.
While agricultural machinery manufacturers have been increasing production of high-efficiency models, such as smart farm equipment, targeting large-scale agricultural corporations, the supply-demand balance has shifted. This has created a situation in which supply cannot keep pace with the sudden surge in demand.
Source: JA.com
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EV Motorcycle Market Rapidly Expanding
According to statistics from the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) and other motorcycle data, gasoline motorcycle sales are slowing while electric two-wheelers are expanding rapidly. In the third quarter of 2025, the five VAMM member companies (Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, Suzuki, and SYM) sold a total of 620,000 units, which is a 9.37% decrease compared to the same period last year. Cumulative sales from January to September remained nearly flat compared to 2024, totaling 1.91 million units.
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J-ENG Launches Marine Engine Fueled by Ammonia
Akihiro Komuro Japan Engine Corporation (J-ENG) has announced the completion of its first full-scale ammonia-fueled engine. The engine is due to be shipped to Japan Marine United (JMU)’s Ariake Works for installation on an ammonia-fueled ammonia carrier (AFMGC) which is currently under construction at the facility. The vessel is scheduled to enter service in November 2026.
Source: Kaiji Press Online
PSR Analysis: J-ENG’s first domestically produced ammonia fuel engine is a significant milestone as Japan strives to lead the way in marine decarbonization technology. Ammonia emits no CO₂ during combustion, making it a strong candidate for alternative fuels under the stricter IMO GHG regulations.
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