A Japanese toilet maker and seasoning giant are unlikely winners of the AI boom

AI demand is boosting unexpected Japanese companies — including a toilet maker and a seasoning giant.

Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

• A toilet maker and seasoning giant are Japan's unlikely winners in the AI boom.
• Toto, famous for its bidets, has drawn investor attention because it makes key components for memory chips.
• Food giant Ajinimoto produces an insulating material used in advanced semiconductor packaging.

The AI boom isn't just lifting chipmakers and Big Tech.