Reference | FYI Mar 26, 2013

Curse or cash cow: Japan ready for casinos?

by Eric Johnston

Lawmakers are seriously considering legalizing casinos so Japanese can roll the dice without having to travel to gambling houses in the United States, East and Southeast Asia. Backed by the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc and smaller forces, including Nippon Ishin no Kai ...

Reference | FYI Mar 19, 2013

Ginza stage set for Kabukiza's fifth coming

by Jun Hongo

The venerable Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo’s Ginza district reopens April 2 after three years of renovations and the addition of a 29-floor attached office tower. A key venue for kabuki and other performances since 1889, the theater will retain its original ornate Japanese facade. ...

Reference | SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT Mar 19, 2013

White gloves

by Alice Gordenker

Dear Alice, I’m curious about the prevalence of white gloves in Japan. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, all sorts of people wear white gloves on the job here, including taxi drivers, police officers and elevator girls. I have no idea if this is true, ...

Reference | FYI Mar 13, 2013

In Abe's future, a nationalist rewrite of the past?

by Reiji Yoshida

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has kept a diplomatically low profile, particularly over historical issues, focusing instead on economic and other domestic matters ahead of the July Upper House election. But if his Liberal Democratic Party fares well in the polls and adds an Upper ...

Reference | FYI Mar 5, 2013

Down syndrome blood test draws interest and ire

by Masami Ito

Last summer, news that Japan was getting ready to introduce a new type of prenatal examination that requires only a simple blood test to detect whether a fetus has Down syndrome made headlines. News reports suggested hospitals were ready to start using the test ...

Reference | FYI Feb 26, 2013

Firms go abroad by hiring foreign students here

by Kazuaki Nagata

As Japanese companies continue to look overseas for opportunities to expand, an increasing number are trying to hire foreigners — or what they call “global human resources.” As part of this trend, it is growing more common for foreign students studying here to apply ...

Reference | Q&A Feb 21, 2013

Take care with ticks to avoid potentially fatal illness

by Jun Hongo

The health ministry confirmed Tuesday that the tick-borne disease thrombocytopenia syndrome, or SFTS, was responsible for the death of an adult male in Hiroshima last summer, bringing the number of known domestic fatalities to four. Nine other similar deaths are being investigated. Here are ...

Reference | FYI Feb 19, 2013

Abe's pick for BOJ chief coming soon

by Ayako Mie

With Masaaki Shirakawa stepping down as governor of the Bank of Japan on March 19, three weeks earlier than scheduled, the process to select his successor is accelerating.

Reference | SO WHAT THE HECK IS THAT Feb 19, 2013

Nori

by Alice Gordenker

Dear Alice, I was out for a walk with my camera the other day and came across a puzzling scene. I saw people putting what I thought were squares of dark paper onto easels in the sun, as if to dry. But when I ...

Reference | FYI Feb 13, 2013

Turning a wall into a moving canvas

by Hiroko Nakata

People who took in the evening celebrations marking the reopening of the Tokyo Station building in September saw a dazzling array of 3-D images on the outer walls.

Reference | Q&A Feb 8, 2013

Chinese smog bomb floats toward Japan

by Eric Johnston

Smog in China has reached alarming levels as its rapid industrialization spews ever-more toxic particles into the air. Over the past month or so, the problem has become particularly acute, raising health concerns in neighboring parts of Asia, including Japan. Following are questions and ...

Reference | FYI Feb 4, 2013

Cyclists who flout law face charges

by Mizuho Aoki

Traffic accidents have witnessed an overall decline in recent years, but the percentage of cases involving bicycles is on the rise. National Police Agency data show bicycles were involved in 20.8 percent of all traffic accidents in 2011, up 18.5 percent from 2001.