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.
National Aug 29, 2013
Foreigners make up 1.5% of populace
There were 1.98 million foreign residents in Japan as of March 31, accounting for 1.54 percent of the population, with 84.28 percent of them between the ages of 15 and 64, according to the latest government figures. The data were released for the first ...
Our Lives | JAPAN LITE Aug 23, 2013
'Senior moments' for foreigners — they could start in your 20s
by Amy Chavez
“How do you know if you have Alzheimer’s?” said the front of the pamphlet. The answer inside was: “If you can’t remember what you ate for lunch, you don’t have Alzheimer’s. If you can’t remember whether you ate lunch or not, that’s Alzheimer’s.” But ...
National Jul 25, 2013
Municipalities not issuing non-Japanese disaster guides
by Kazuaki Nagata
Many municipalities across the country don’t offer disaster prevention guidebooks or maps in foreign languages and have no plans to do so, according to a recent survey. Okayama-based Learn-S Co., a maker of school textbooks and informational brochures for foreigners put out by local ...
National Jul 23, 2013
Guide for foreigners outlines Japanese immigration law
A nonprofit organization in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, has published a guidebook written in simple Japanese aimed at helping foreigners living in Japan understand the latest revisions to immigration regulations. Mieko Suzuki, 66, leader of the organization Tochigi Times, published the book in May to ...
How-tos | LIFELINES Jun 4, 2013
Hunting for big-foot: Large shoes tough to track down in Tokyo
by Louise George Kittaka
Buying large shoes in Japan is a bit like trying to find a prime-time TV show that doesn’t feature at least one past or present member of AKB48: You know they exist, but it often takes perseverance and a measure of luck to track ...
Crime & Legal May 17, 2013
Overstayers need speed, lawyer says
by Tomohiro Osaki
Since debuting in October as Japan’s first law office catering to foreign nationals, Tokyo Public Law Office Mita Branch — Foreigners and International Service in Minato Ward has been deluged with appointments. And lawyer Masako Suzuki believes there are more non-Japanese in dire need ...
Issues | JUST BE CAUSE May 14, 2013
Police, media must consider plight of those caught in linguistic dragnet
by Debito Arudou
A national media exerts a powerful influence over the lives of members of its society. For example, rumors or untruths disseminated through print or broadcast can destroy livelihoods and leave reputations in ruins. This is why judiciaries provide mechanisms to keep media accountable. In ...
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Apr 30, 2013
Samurai moms and the art of brood maintenance: a mother from the West's lessons from the East
by Kris Kosaka
May in Japan is the perfect month for mothers. Wreathed in the fertile blooms of spring, bolstered by days of absolute perfection, May is also a month of muddy contradiction.
Voices | VIEWS FROM THE STREET Apr 30, 2013
Tokyo: What are the best and worst things about living in Tokyo?
by Mark Buckton
I love how Tokyo is a big, chaotic mess, unlike my hometown, and I also enjoy getting lost when I am out and about, but the best thing is that I can eat and drink 24/7.
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Apr 23, 2013
Student seeking Kyoto flat told: No foreigners allowed
by Simon Scott
After spending 2½ years living the quiet life in Shiga Prefecture, Ryukoku University student Victor Rosenhoj was looking forward to moving to Kyoto, where things promised to be more lively and international.
How-tos | LIFELINES Apr 23, 2013
Fujuri todoke: a valuable insurance policy if your marriage is on the rocks
by Mikiko Otani
A reader asks: “What is the name of the form used to ‘block’ a kyōgi rikon (divorce by mutual consent) proceeding? Do they have these forms at the local city office or do you have to go to a lawyer’s office and have them ...
Issues | THE FOREIGN ELEMENT Apr 23, 2013
Renter guarantor system a headache for foreigners
by Charles Lewis
Things were going well for Patrick after a year in Japan. He had found a job he liked, met a girl he planned to marry and was ready to move out of the small room his older brother, a longtime resident, was letting him ...