Economy | ANALYSIS
Households to take hit from tax hike
by Tomoko Otake
The consumption tax increase will hit every household in Japan hard, with many people’s financial future hanging on whether their wages rise enough to offset the hike's impact.
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P/SUNNY
Craig Exton is a music-obsessed Australian who has been living in Tokyo since 2002. He runs the website Tokyo Gig Guide, writes, plays music, takes photos and makes films.
For Craig Exton's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Six long years after their first two enjoyable albums, Tokyo band Yucca made a welcome return in June 2012 with the even more impressive “Our Journey (to anywhere we want).” It may not be the most innovative album of 2012, but because of its ...
On their first full-length album, Kobe’s Mamadrive prove pretty good at capturing the energy and power of their live shows. Masako Shibuya’s strong voice leads the songs and her distorted bass lines work with Maika Sasakawa’s guitar riffs to weave counter-melodies around the vocal ...
Next week will mark Brooklyn, New York-based synth-pop duo Chairlift’s first gig in Japan, but it won’t be the first time here for Caroline Polachek. The singer and synthesizer player lived in Japan in her early childhood and says the experience had a lasting ...
Support from government bodies and nonprofit organizations helps develop and promote artists and musicians internationally. Japan sees various events such as Nordic Music Night, Finland Fest and British Anthems thanks to financial assistance from the embassies of the countries involved. Australian support will bring ...
Lemon’s Chair — “[I Hate? I Hope?]” I saw Osaka’s Lemon’s Chair at one of the excellent Total Feedback gigs at High in Tokyo’s Koenji neighborhood and was mesmerized by their loud waves of sonic guitar. This year’s album “[I Hate? I Hope?]” captured ...