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Masako Tsubuku
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Aug 8, 2015
Japan's elderly boomers squeezed to pay more as care facilities struggle
The elderly nursing care industry is facing a perfect storm of problems as the ranks of elderly swell and subsidies from local authorities and central government shrink.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Aug 1, 2015
Your home may be your castle, but not all of it is yours
When we were thinking about buying a condominium some years ago, we looked at older units and brand new ones, and one of our least favorite features was pebbled or fogged window glass, which was ubiquitous. Early on, when we didn't know any better, we asked a real estate agent how much it would cost...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jul 25, 2015
America still rules the world of Japan's theme parks
The success of Tokyo Disney Resort and Universal Studios Japan has a lot to do with their business models and the way they've exploited their appeal to certain demographics in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jul 11, 2015
Consumers slow to embrace generic drugs
In May, the health ministry announced that it would set a new target for the use of generic pharmaceuticals. In 2013, 46.9 percent of the prescription drugs dispensed in Japan were generics, and at first the ministry said it wanted to raise this portion to 60 percent by 2017, but the Council on Economic...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Jul 4, 2015
Temblors in the home insurance business
When we were looking around for a financial institution for a housing loan, we found that the major ones didn't really want to talk to us, but there were plenty of other places that would.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 27, 2015
Home electronics market loses its spark
On May 25, Yamada Denki Co., the largest home electronics retailer in Japan, announced that it would be closing 46 outlets. Given that the stores had been losing money for at least a year and Yamada operates more than 1,000, the announcement wasn't surprising, though the swiftness of its actions was....
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 13, 2015
Suntory gains ground in battle of the machines
Suntory Beverage is buying a bigger piece of a shrinking but lucrative pie with its purchase of the Japan Tobacco's vending machine subsidiary.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Jun 6, 2015
Watch out for hidden hazards of buying land
When we were looking for property we consulted topographical maps prior to checking a particular piece of land in person. Understanding the elevation of a plot is important if you're buying land near the coast or along a river. In the event of flooding or a tsunami, it's obviously better to be located...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
May 23, 2015
Phone users in Japan still paying for plenty of stuff they don't need
Despite efforts to shake up competition in the cellphone market, consumers are paying more than ever for mobile services.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
May 9, 2015
Stores struggle to adjust in a shrinking Japan
From McDonald's to izakayas and konbinis, food outlets are learning the hard way that as Japan's population drops, so will consumption.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
May 2, 2015
Garden states: looking good on the outside
One problem with designing your own house is that you don't necessarily know what it's going to be like until it's finished. The company we hired to build ours doesn't make model homes the way some housing companies do. It's one of the reasons we chose them, since models add to the price of the product....
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 25, 2015
Cash shortfall among the elderly could push Japan over the edge
Last summer the welfare ministry reported that a record number of households were receiving government assistance, and 47.1 percent of these households were made up of either elderly people only or the elderly and unmarried family members under 18. The media has been reporting for years that an increasing...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 12, 2015
Yen for Living is moving!
Yen for Living has lived in this virtual space since August 2009. From today, new Yen for Living reports will appear in The Japan Times on Sunday on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. It will also be archived on the JT website.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 11, 2015
Outdated Otsuka Kagu business model is at the root of family feud
Retailers know that image maintenance is important for their bottom lines, as proven by Otsuka Kagu Ltd.'s 37.8 percent drop in sales last month compared to March 2014.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Apr 4, 2015
Japan's public housing system has a shelf life
One of the most desirable properties in Tokyo is Chateau Mita, located in Minato Ward within walking distance of several embassies and Tokyo Tower and less than 10 minutes from four subway stations. The apartment building was constructed in 1964 and by 2000 there were persistent problems with plumbing...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Mar 6, 2015
Cheap rural homes come at a price
Though the hollowing-out of population in regional areas in Japan has become a major issue for the central government, it's been a problem for regional governments for more than three decades. Twenty years ago there was a popular promotional method called "I-turn," devised as a supplement to the "U-turn"...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 23, 2015
Pusses galore: Cats dominate the pet industry
Though cats are cheaper than dogs to acquire, you may end up spending more money on them.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 16, 2015
Who benefits from the new overtime pay system?
On Feb. 13, a Labor Policy Council sub-committee submitted to the labor ministry a report with suggestions for a bill to revise the labor standards law. The revision, which the ministry plans to submit to the next regular Diet session, applies to the work of skilled white collar professionals and will allow them to 'work in a manner that demonstrates their achievements' more effectively, which is another way of saying that employers will no longer be required to pay these workers overtime for extra hours on the job, which in turn means that employers cannot be accused of pressuring them to work overtime for no pay, a system popularly known as saabisu zangyo, or 'free overtime.'
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 9, 2015
Retiring boomers make their last stand on the real estate market
An increasing number of retirees are opting for high-rise living in their twilight years.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Feb 6, 2015
Renting comes with guarantors, not guarantees
According to the most recent census, as of 2010 the population of Japan stood at a little less than 128 million, and if demographic trends continue at the current rate it will be 107 million in 2030 and 97 million in 2050. Despite this projected decline, 369,993 new rental units were built in Japan last...

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Wozme, founded by dancer and choreographer Wakaba Kohei, is composed of Kana Kitty, Ami Ishii, Akane Watanabe and Natsuki. Its aim is to inject elegance and beauty, traits traditionally associated with femininity, into the sometimes grotesque art form of butoh dance.
Wozme, an all-women dance troupe, wants to move the needle in butoh