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Ritsuko Ando
For Ritsuko Ando's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jun 25, 2021
Ugandan team member arriving in Tokyo had delta coronavirus variant
The case adds to concern that the games — less than a month away — may trigger a new wave of infections.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 2, 2021
Suzuki halts production in Myanmar after coup as Japan firms scramble to assess fallout
Major Japanese firms including Kirin Holdings have pushed into Myanmar since Suu Kyi's party won a landslide election in 2015.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Nov 11, 2020
Change of tune: Japan's music fans move from CDs to streaming services
The decline in CD sales signals the streaming market's growth potential.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 12, 2020
Death knell sounds for Japanese department stores
The shops, which have struggled to modernize and adapt to new shopping styles, have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 4, 2020
Japan's fussy food shoppers finally go online amid pandemic
Although the nation's e-commerce development lags behind that of its peers, COVID-19 has prompted a rise in buyers ordering from home.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2020
Robust sales in China keep Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing on top amid pandemic
With much of Asia having subdued the spread of COVID-19, Fast Retailing is seeing trade return to its Uniqlo stores.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Oct 24, 2019
Diaper rush: Conquering a $9 billion incontinence market no one wants to talk about
The time may not be far off when more adults need diapers than babies as the population grows older, potentially a huge opportunity for manufacturers of incontinence products — if they can lift the stigma that has long constrained sales.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Sep 16, 2019
Japan paternity leave suit spotlights workers' rights
A male employee is suing sportswear maker Asics Corp. for alleged mistreatment after taking paternity leave, a case that has cast a spotlight on gender equality and workers' rights in Japan.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 11, 2019
Documents show Ghosn's Renault lieutenant drew extra salary via holding; board unaware of payment
One of Renault boss Carlos Ghosn's senior executives received an additional six-figure salary unknown to the carmaker's board via the Dutch joint venture overseeing its alliance with Nissan, according to sources and documents seen by Reuters.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jul 31, 2018
Already in decline, Japan's pachinko industry now braces for gambling-addiction regulations
Like many pachinko parlors throughout Japan, Naomi Suzuki's establishment on the outskirts of the city of Fukushima was once full of energy, with the din of bouncing steel balls and garish lights flashing to indicate winnings.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 19, 2015
Sony, Panasonic cling to TVs, betting on halo effect of premium sets
Japan's once-mighty electronics-makers have lost billions of dollars from TVs, but Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. won't quit, saying retreating from the world's living rooms would close the door to more promising businesses.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 15, 2015
Sony still faces tough hurdles despite CFO's successes
Despite Kenichiro Yoshida's successes as Sony CFO, the company is still facing tough hurdles.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 25, 2014
Tsunami-hit Miyagi mulls casino to hasten recovery
Business and political leaders in the northeast bet on a casino as the brightest hope to speed reconstruction in a region battered by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 25, 2014
Women fight maternity harassment in the shadow of 'Abenomics'
When Sayaka Osakabe returned to work after a second miscarriage, one of the first questions her boss asked was whether she was having sex again.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores