Bureaucrats are to blame for copy-happy hotel clerks
With data privacy being a huge issue, you may feel uneasy about hotels photocopying your passport. However, Colin P.A. Jones says the rule is more about bureaucratic culture than privacy.
Japanese society warms to asylum-seekers despite the government's cold shoulder
Hilmneh Tegegn came to Japan from Ethiopia 11 years ago seeking refugee status here and seemed to do everything right. After more than a decade of waiting, he finally got a visa — to the United States.
Parents in Japan use YouTube to teach bilingual baby talk that's good for any age
Mothers raising their kids in Japan head to YouTube to create a community that goes beyond basic parenting tips.
Remain calm when stopped by the police in Japan
Non-Japanese residents face a pretty high chance of being randomly stopped by the police. Make sure you know your rights ahead of time.
Living in Japan during a time of climate crisis
Substantial action needs to take place in order to deal with the environmental problems on our planet. Still, don't discount the little things you can do just yet.
Carlos Ghosn and the 99.9% who don't escape Japan
If I had to identify one event in the Carlos Ghosn case indicitave of concern for foreign perceptions of Japan's criminal justice system, it would be the decision to grant him bail.
Of the issues non-Japanese had to deal with in the past year (and even the past decade), some were major news stories and some fell quietly into the cracks.
The Reiwa Daijosai: Pomp, circumstance and litigation
The separation of church and state in Japan comes under scrutiny in the new era. However, we've been down this road before.
Uighurs living in Kansai try to deal with the stress of a crisis back home
With more and more news coming out about the situation in China's Xinjiang region, a group of Uighurs worried about relatives living there open up about the toll it's taking on their lives in Japan
Building bridges with Islam at Tokyo Camii
With hoodies and scarves covering their heads, a group of Japanese high school students point and whisper in awe upon entering the main hall of Tokyo Camii as Muslim worshippers prostrate beneath a glittering dome set against a bright sky. Located just five minutes from ...
Tackling writer's block at the Japan Writers Conference
Now in its 13th year, the Japan Writers Conference aims to provide a place for creative thinkers to meet their peers, learn a few tricks and get motivated to finally start on that novel.
The Tepco verdict is predictable but not insignificant
Three Tepco executives are acquitted of criminal negligence in the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant disaster. Did the court recognize the unfairness of holding only three people responsible for a crisis that had much broader causes?
