As Japan's government clings to nuclear power even after the Fukushima crisis, the private sector is moving ahead with greater use of renewables to power their operations amid growing international awareness of climate change. For instance, in March Daiwa House Industries Co. became a member ...

Takamitsu Yoshino, 57, a former curator at the town's historical museum, collects loads of items like makeshift tables and changing rooms made of cardboard boxes, along with counseling notices and even a volunteer reception sign. At first glance, they appear to be a jumble of ...

The company has renovated 13 outlets across the country to cater to seniors, offering earlier opening hours and services that encourage asatomo (morning friends) get-togethers.

Japan has long been one of the world's most reliable markets for luxury brand Louis Vuitton, with only New York matching Tokyo in number of stores. But smartphone apps have caused an evolution in the industry, with many consumers increasingly inclined to borrow luxury items. ...

With more foreign travelers keen on renting Japanese private homes amid an inbound tourist boom, residents in high-rise condominiums are doing the opposite of what one might expect: forbidding vacation rental website services due to concerns about security and living conditions. Daisuke Shimada, 54, leads ...

Katsura Sunshine has come quite a way from his days listening to Japanese rakugo comic tales at a local yakitori skewered chicken restaurant where he was introduced to the ancient traditional art form almost 20 years ago. One might never guess that the 47-year-old Canadian ...

Convoys of go-karts reminiscent of Nintendo Co.'s "Mario Kart" video game series have been turning heads in Tokyo's traffic, but the rental companies behind them, which cater mostly to foreign tourists, are facing growing scrutiny over their safety records. Tourists dressed as Mario and other ...

A documentary television program and the death of a number of close friends led Takashi Uya to find his calling in life — to give Japanese dignity in death. Uya, 40, saw three of his close friends die while he was still in his teens ...

Japan's rapidly aging society is spurring technological innovation, including the use of a tracking system designed to help families and nursing facilities locate people suffering from dementia when they lose their way or go missing. As the country with the most aged population, Japan is ...

Around 1,500 people visit an industrial waste treatment facility in central Japan each year to see up close how the operator can recycle more than 99 percent of the solid garbage it receives from a variety of manufacturers and municipalities. Nakadai Co., which covers the ...