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 16, 2013
Southern All Stars' latest hit delves into foreign relations
by Jun Hongo
A chart-topping song by the Southern All Stars is stirring talk over its political content as Japan experiences heightened tensions with both China and South Korea over historical and territorial disputes. “Peace and Hi-lite” debuted at No. 1, selling 207,000 copies in its first ...
Music | Strange Boutique Jul 24, 2013
Piña coladas on the beach? Your soundtrack has already been written
by Ian Martin
Writing a summer pop tune is easy. Just take an uptempo rhythm, add a catchy chorus, stir in some breezy lyrics and you have the soundtrack to a thousand summer romances and several lifetimes’ worth of wistful reminiscences. Making a summer album, on the ...