TOKYO, March 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Kanto District Transport Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and the Greater Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau will officially launch an international promotion campaign this spring for the tourism project “Edo Shogun Roads.” To mark the launch, a kickoff event will be held on March 20 at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu as part of a regional promotional fair titled “Edo Shogun Roads Fest Experience & Gourmet.” This release introduces the overview of the kickoff event. We spoke with the event organizers to learn more, reported by Tourism Media Service.

The event will feature a wide range of traditional experiences, including historical activities, cultural performances, local cuisine, and stage presentations showcasing the heritage of the Edo-period highways.

The project aims to promote tourism by highlighting the historical, cultural, and culinary resources found along Japan’s historic highways.

The Edo Shogun Roads Project is based on the historic road network that connected Edo (present-day Tokyo) with regions across Japan during the Edo period. It centers on the five major highways known as the “Gokaido”—the Tokaido, Nikkō Kaido, Oshu Kaido, Nakasendo, and Koshu Kaido—as well as their related branch routes.

By connecting tourism resources located along these historic routes, the project encourages visitors to explore multiple destinations across the wider Kanto region while supporting regional economies and sustainable tourism development.

The international promotion campaign will introduce tourism experiences inspired by Edo-period culture and historic travel routes through promotional videos and a dedicated online portal showcasing attractions throughout the Greater Tokyo region.

In addition, the campaign will collaborate with GREEN×EXPO 2027 (International Horticultural Expo 2027) scheduled to take place in Yokohama, presenting model travel routes themed around gardens, seasonal flowers, and nature.

Key components of the promotion include:

• Release of promotional videos introducing the historic Edo highways
• Launch of the Edo Shogun Roads tourism portal website
• Presentation of 17 model travel routes highlighting seasonal flowers and nature
• Announcement of 15 Edo cultural experience programs designed for international visitors

Through these initiatives, the project aims to establish a wide-area tourism route centered on historic highway culture and strengthen global awareness of the region.

During the kickoff ceremony, the promotional video and portal website will be officially unveiled, and the selected Edo cultural experience programs will be announced.

Special guest Kojiro Shiraishi, a world-renowned ocean adventurer, will also deliver remarks at the ceremony.

The project is supported by 11 prefectures and metropolitan areas across the Greater Tokyo region:
Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Yamanashi, Niigata, Fukushima, and Nagano.

Kickoff Ceremony Overview

Date & Time: March 20, 2026 (Friday / National Holiday)
10:30 – 11:15

Venue:
Tokyo Midtown Yaesu – 1F Galleria
(3-minute walk from Tokyo Station)

Program

• Opening remarks (Director-General, Kanto District Transport Bureau)
• Guest remarks (Japan Tourism Agency)
• Introduction of the Edo Shogun Roads promotion project
• Announcement of Edo cultural experience programs
• Special guest speech (Ocean adventurer Kojiro Shiraishi)
• Flag-raising ceremony

Related Event

Edo Shogun Roads Cultural Travel Fair – “Strolling the Edo Highways”

A regional cultural promotion event showcasing the heritage of the Edo-period highways will be held at Tokyo Midtown Yaesu. Visitors can enjoy historical experiences, traditional culture, regional cuisine, and stage performances representing the Edo Shogun Roads regions.

Official Social Media

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/edokaido0320/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/edoshogunfest/

▼About Tourism Media Service:

An online news platform specializing in the tourism industry. It provides the latest news on regional development and travel information, as well as feature articles on topics such as trends and observations, contributed by over 100 experts, every day.

SINGAPORE, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Matrixdock, a Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization platform, today announced the launch of XAGm, an institutional-grade tokenized silver asset backed by fully allocated physical silver. The introduction of XAGm expands Matrixdock’s on-chain precious metals stack, bringing LBMA-aligned silver into programmable financial environments and introducing a silver-backed instrument suitable for collateralization, trading, treasury diversification, and DeFi composability.

As real-world assets continue migrating into blockchain-based financial systems, market focus is shifting from whether assets can be tokenized to which assets can operate sustainably on-chain over time. Silver, driven by both investment demand and industrial consumption, has long played a structurally important role in traditional markets. With XAGm, this widely utilized precious metal becomes accessible within on-chain financial infrastructure, expanding the range of institutionally structured assets available for on-chain financial applications.

Unlike gold, which primarily functions as a store-of-value asset, silver exhibits stronger cyclical sensitivity due to its dual role across monetary and industrial demand. In on-chain markets, this characteristic supports a broader range of trading, collateralization, and asset allocation scenarios. If gold anchors the reserve layer of wealth preservation, silver introduces additional market velocity and cyclical responsiveness, thereby expanding the functional spectrum of on-chain reserve assets.

As one of the few institutionally structured tokenized silver offerings currently available, XAGm is backed by fully allocated silver in the form of LBMA Good Delivery bars, held in professional, institutional-grade vaulting facilities. Through clearly defined allocation arrangements and disclosure mechanisms, the linkage between tokens and underlying silver holdings can be independently verified within an established framework, providing an auditable foundation for institutional on-chain silver exposure.

XAGm adopts Matrixdock’s Fungible Reserve Standard (FRS), a programmable token framework designed to transparently and programmatically align on-chain supply dynamics and each token’s representation with the real-world economics of holding the underlying asset. FRS preserves the economic integrity of the underlying asset while accounting for custody and audit costs over time, establishing a structurally sustainable model for long-duration RWA assets operating on-chain.

The asset will initially be deployed on the Ethereum network, with support for additional blockchain ecosystems planned in subsequent phases to enhance cross-market accessibility.

The launch of XAGm marks a continued expansion of Matrixdock’s Reserve Layer framework rather than the introduction of a standalone product. With both gold and silver now integrated, Matrixdock is advancing the foundation of on-chain precious metals infrastructure, incorporating assets influenced by different economic cycles to build a diversified reserve structure designed for long-term stability and functionality in on-chain finance.

“The market still lacks truly institutional-grade tokenized silver products,” said Eva Meng, Head of Matrixdock. “With XAGm, we are bringing fully allocated, professionally vaulted silver on-chain within a clear and verifiable framework. While gold primarily anchors wealth preservation, silver serves a complementary dual role shaped by both industrial demand and monetary dynamics. Together, they form a more complete and functionally resilient foundation for on-chain precious metals infrastructure.”

Matrixdock will continue expanding its suite of high-quality real-world assets, advancing the development of resilient, transparent reserve assets for the on-chain financial ecosystem.

About Matrixdock

Matrixdock is a leading real-world asset (RWA) tokenization platform in Asia, focusing on institutional-grade tokenized products designed to bring high-quality traditional assets into on-chain markets through transparent and verifiable structures.

The platform’s products include tokenized precious metals – Matrixdock Gold XAUm and Silver XAGm, which are fully backed by physical LBMA-accredited gold and silver bullions, respectively, and tokenized short-term U.S. Treasuries – STBT. Each asset is supported by leading blockchain rails, reputable custody, and rigorous transparency standards.

Matrixdock is the core tokenization partner for sovereign asset tokenization initiatives, and architected the TER gold token for GMC in the Kingdom of Bhutan.

By transforming assets such as precious metals and sovereign-grade instruments into transparent, verifiable, and credible tokenized form, Matrixdock is building the robust reserve layer for next-generation on-chain finance.

New enterprise workbench helps organizations design, build, evaluate, and operate domain-specific language models using open-source models and NVIDIA AI infrastructure.

NEW YORK, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fractal (www.fractal.ai), a publicly listed global enterprise AI company serving Fortune 500® organizations, today announced the launch of LLM Studio, an enterprise platform that helps organizations build and run language models tailored to their business. It is designed for teams that want more control over how models are governed, deployed, and managed in production. LLM Studio will be demonstrated at NVIDIA GTC 2026, the premier AI and accelerated computing conference by NVIDIA, taking place from March 16–19, 2026, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in California.

Enterprises are moving beyond one-size-fits-all, API-only large language models for high-value use cases. Today, business and technology leaders need clearer guardrails for governance, predictable costs, and reliable performance. At the same time, industry research points to growing adoption of smaller, purpose-built models that can be tuned to specific functions and domains.

LLM Studio enables businesses to design, build, evaluate, and operate domain-adapted language models using open-source models, powered by NVIDIA AI infrastructure and software stack. It brings together two modules:

• AutoLLM: Helps businesses create smaller, specialized models for specific tasks or industries. It supports open-source model selection, synthetic data generation, model customization, evaluation, and performance benchmarking.
• LLMOps: Helps teams manage the full life cycle after a model is created. It supports deployment, monitoring, and governance.

LLM Studio helps keep model responses tied to an organization’s approved data and context. This reduces hallucinations and improves the quality of reasoning. The resulting models remain proprietary to the organization. Teams can then use these models in agents or other generative AI applications to deliver more reliable performance, often at a fraction of the cost of running larger foundation models.

LLM Studio, developed by the AI Client Services team at Fractal, is built on NVIDIA reference architectures, using NVIDIA NeMo for key model development workflow capabilities and NVIDIA NIM microservices for model hosting. This design helps businesses standardize how models are deployed and governed across major cloud environments, reducing the need for custom builds in each setup. Fractal is planning to use NVIDIA Nemotron open models for development.

“Enterprises are past the experimentation phase with generative AI. They need solutions that are governed, cost predictable, and reliable in production. With LLM Studio, we are giving organizations a practical way to build and operate domain-specific language models using open-source options, while taking advantage of NVIDIA AI infrastructure,” said Pranay Agrawal, Chief Executive Officer, Fractal.

LLM Studio supports a wide range of applications. It is built for enterprise users, including teams with limited or no coding experience. Businesses can tailor models to their content and train them to follow specific instructions or build models designed for tasks that need stronger reasoning.

For more information, visit: https://fractal.ai/solutions/llm-studio

About Fractal

Fractal (NSE: FRACTAL) is a publicly listed global enterprise AI company with a vision to power every human decision in the enterprise.

Fractal’s suite of businesses includes Asper.ai (enabling interconnected decisions for revenue growth) and Analytics Vidhya (among the world’s largest data science communities). Fractal spun out Qure.ai, a global healthcare AI leader enhancing the rapid identification and management of tuberculosis, lung cancer, and stroke. Fractal’s dedicated AI Research team is focused on foundational AI advancements, including knowledge-based foundational models, reasoning-based systems, and agentic systems. The team has launched successful products, including MarshallGoldsmith.ai, Vaidya.ai, Kalaido.ai, and the open-source reasoning model Fathom-R1-14B and tool-based reasoning model Fathom-DeepResearch.

Fractal employs over 5,000 professionals across global locations, including the United States, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Ukraine, India, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE, and Australia. It has consistently earned recognition as one of India’s Best Companies to Work For (Top 100, 2025), a ‘Great Workplace’ for eight consecutive years, and as one of ‘India’s Best Workplaces for Women’ for five years running by the Great Place to Work® Institute. Fractal was also named a Leader in the 2025 Forrester Wave™ for Customer Analytics Service Providers and earned leadership positions in the Everest Group Peak Matrix Assessment 2025 for AI and Analytics Services, and Information Services Group’s 2024 assessments for Data Engineering and Data Science Services.

Equipped with up to Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus series processors and up to NVIDIA^® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Laptop GPUs, the upgraded lineup delivers cutting-edge displays and advanced AI features

Editor’s Summary

• The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI, the Predator Helios Neo 16 AI, and the Predator Helios Neo 18 AI gaming laptops are powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus series processors and up to an NVIDIA^® GeForce RTX™ 5080 Laptop GPU, delivering top-notch performance capabilities to gaming enthusiasts.
• The slim Predator Helios Neo 16S AI comes under 18.9 mm thin^[1] and features a blazing-fast 240 Hz OLED HDR display with 1 ms response time, built for gamers who compete on the go.
• The Predator Helios Neo 16 AI offers a 1 ms response time on an OLED HDR display, paired with Intel Killer Ethernet E3100 and Thunderbolt 4 for high-speed connectivity.
• Along with desktop-class performance, the Predator Helios Neo 18 AI offers state-of-the-art visuals on an 18-inch 240 Hz display with Ambient Contrast Ratio (ACR) film to reduce glare and enhance contrast.

TAIPEI, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Acer today announced refreshed Predator Helios Neo series gaming laptops equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus series processors and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU, bringing the latest performance capabilities to gaming enthusiasts across a range of form factors and display options.

The new Intel Core Ultra 200HX Plus series processors power a new class of gaming laptops with significant performance gains over the previous generation. These devices are built for split-second responsiveness, rock-solid FPS, smart tuning, and battery life that keeps players locked in across an extensive selection of games and apps.

Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 and generate images at unprecedented speed.

Predator Helios Neo 16S AI

The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI (PHN16S-I71) is the slim option in the lineup, designed to offer portability for gamers who need to compete on the go. Housed in a chassis starting at under 18.9 mm thin, the device offers up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU. An OLED HDR display offers a blazing-fast 240 Hz refresh rate, WQXGA resolution, and a 1 ms response time for ultra-smooth visuals and instant reactions, backed by Calman Verified 100% DCI-P3 color accuracy. To supply maximum cooling, the device is equipped with a Predator AeroBlade 3D Fan and liquid metal thermal grease.

Predator Helios Neo 16 AI

The Predator Helios Neo 16 AI (PHN16-I71) brings desktop-class performance and feature-rich AI gaming to a 16-inch form factor. It is powered by up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU. Its standout feature is an OLED HDR display with a 1 ms response time, WQXGA resolution, and Calman Verified color accuracy with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, delivering blistering speeds and bringing gaming worlds to life in lucid detail. For optimized heat dissipation, the device features the Predator AeroBlade 3D Fan, liquid metal thermal grease, and vector heat pipes. For connectivity, Intel Killer Ethernet E3100 enables fast, stable, and intelligently prioritized network performance — ideal for gaming and streaming — while Thunderbolt 4 delivers ultra-fast data transfer.

Predator Helios Neo 18 AI

The Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) is the 18-inch counterpart, offering up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 290HX Plus and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Laptop GPU. Along with a 240 Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 coverage, the device’s WQXGA display offers the new Ambient Contrast Ratio (ACR) film, which reduces glare and enhances contrast for vivid imagery and clear details — even in bright environments. To sustain top performance, the device is equipped with a Predator AeroBlade 3D Fan, liquid metal thermal grease, and vector heat pipes for efficient cooling power.

The three new Predator Helios Neo gaming laptops also offer several advanced AI features. In addition to real-time control over performance modes and fan speeds, PredatorSense enables gamers to personalize their device with a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard and illuminated cover logo. For seamless co-op gaming and livestreaming, Acer PurifiedVoice and PurifiedView utilize AI to reduce background noise and improve video quality, while the smart hub of AI tools in Acer Intelligence Space^[2] includes Game Assistant for aiming support in first-person shooter games and ProCam to auto-capture key gameplay moments.

Availability

The Predator Helios Neo 16S AI (PHN16S-I71) will be available in North America from July 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from July 2026.

The Predator Helios Neo 16 AI (PHN16-I71) will be available in North America from July 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from June 2026.

The Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (PHN18-I71) will be available in North America from July 2026; in EMEA from June 2026; and in Australia from July 2026.

Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.

Specifications

About Acer

Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world’s top technology companies with a presence in more than 160 countries. The company continues to evolve by embracing innovation across its offerings, which include computers and displays, while branching out to new businesses. Acer is also committed to sustainable growth, exploring new opportunities that align with its environmental and social responsibilities. The Acer Group employs nearly 12,000 employees that contribute to the research, design, marketing, sales and support of products, solutions, and services that break barriers between people and technology. Visit www.acer.com for more information.

© 2026 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.

© Intel, the Intel logo and other Intel marks are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries.

• HTWO, Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen brand and business platform, makes its Japan debut at H2&FC EXPO
• The Group showcases comprehensive hydrogen technologies across the entire value chain, from production to utilization
• Japan-spec model of the all-new NEXO on display, with test drives available for registered participants
• The Group to join a conference session, presenting its fuel cell development history and comprehensive fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) line-up

SEOUL, South Korea and TOKYO, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Motor Group today introduced the Group’s dedicated hydrogen brand and business platform, HTWO, at the H2&FC EXPO. At the exhibition, the Group showcases its vision for a hydrogen-powered future through a comprehensive display of technologies spanning the entire hydrogen value chain.

The Japan-spec all-new NEXO, Hyundai Motor Company’s flagship fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), is also on display at the event.

What is HTWO?

HTWO is Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen brand and business platform to deliver end-to-end solutions across the entire hydrogen value chain. The brand integrates the Group’s extensive capabilities, serving as an open platform for collaboration, partnership and investment. HTWO’s introduction in Japan at the H2&FC EXPO underscores the Group’s commitment to advancing the global transition toward a sustainable hydrogen society.

What is the Group Presenting at the H2&FC EXPO?

From March 17–19, visitors can experience the Group’s hydrogen leadership at its booth at Tokyo Big Sight (West Exhibition Hall, W17-31).

The exhibition features:

• The all-new NEXO: The fully redesigned, Japan-spec model of the Group’s next-generation FCEV.
• Test Drive Program: Registered participants can test-drive the all‑new NEXO and experience its upgraded design, spacious interior and enhanced driving performance.
• HTWO Technologies: A broad lineup from Hyundai Motor Group affiliates demonstrating the depth of the HTWO platform, including hydrogen refueling solutions including packaged hydrogen refueling station concept, hydrogen tram, hydrogen burner, hydrogen fuel cell electric bus and truck, hydrogen fuel cell system and the Automatic Charging Robot–Hydrogen (ACR‑H).
• Conference Participation: On March 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., Duckwhan Kim, Vice President of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Engineering Design Group 1 at Hyundai Motor Group, will deliver a lecture titled “Electrification Solution Powered by Fuel Cell Technology” as part of the International Special Lecture Session.

More information about Hyundai Motor Group can be found at: http://www.hyundaimotorgroup.com or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai, Kia Global Media Center (kianewscenter.com), Genesis Newsroom

TAIPEI, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) Chairman & CEO Sherman Lin led a delegation to New York for meetings with exchanges, global asset managers, institutional investors and index providers as part of efforts to strengthen Taiwan’s position as an Asian Asset Management Center and deepen engagement with international financial markets.

The delegation met with representatives from more than ten institutions, outlining TWSE’s latest initiatives to enhance market quality and strengthen corporate value creation, while responding to investor interest in Taiwan’s ETF market development, exchange initiatives and measures aimed at maintaining a supportive investment environment.

The discussions also centered on the forthcoming “Power Up Plan 2.0,” which aims to encourage Taiwan-listed companies to provide more transparent disclosure on capital deployment and how it supports sustainable shareholder returns.

“Power Up Plan 2.0 places a strong emphasis on greater transparency in strategy disclosure and more disciplined capital allocation,” Lin said. “We encourage companies to demonstrate how their capital decisions support long-term business objectives and deliver sustainable shareholder returns.”

Under the initiative, TWSE will refine its disclosure guidance and strengthen its corporate governance evaluation framework to enhance consistency and comparability across the market.  

“Taiwan is home to many high-quality companies with significant potential,” Lin added. “Through improved trading support, clearer disclosure and enhanced market visibility, we aim to help these companies attract broader institutional participation.”

Taiwan’s equity market is the world’s seventh largest by market capitalization, with foreign investors accounting for almost half of total holdings, underscoring strong international participation.

The ETF market was another key area of discussion. Taiwan now ranks as the third-largest ETF market in Asia Pacific, supported by product diversification, an inclusive regulatory framework and collaboration across the wider ecosystem. The market has expanded to include both active and passive multi-asset ETFs, providing investors with a broader set of allocation tools.

ETF participation continues to rise, with more than 14 million investors now active in the market. TWSE noted that mechanisms such as regular investment plans and odd-lot trading have played an important role in attracting younger investors.

TWSE also highlighted the upcoming Taiwan Weeks 2026 initiative, which will showcase Taiwan’s strengths in diversified financial products, sustainable governance and financial technology.

Leveraging Taiwan’s position as a global supply-chain hub and the depth of international capital flowing into its markets, TWSE said it will continue to maintain close engagement with global investors and financial institutions while promoting cross-border cooperation to support Taiwan’s development as a leading regional asset management center.

About TWSE

The Taiwan Stock Exchange (the TWSE) started operations on February 9, 1962. The TWSE is responsible for operating and advancing the Taiwan securities market. The TWSE’s primary business operations include listing, trading, settlement, and surveillance. These comprise listing promotion and review, post-listing supervision and corporate governance, maintaining market trading and order, securities firms’ services, investor protection, clearing and settlement operations, safeguarding against market defaults and the monitoring of illegal transactions. The Exchange provides comprehensive services to the securities market.