confers with Social Insurance Agency consultant Kiyoshi Kawaguchi at an agency branch office last month. AP PHOTO

He's glad he did: The 74-year-old discovered the government had shortchanged him by ¥460,000 in benefits he accrued while driving a truck for three years in the 1950s and 60s.

Our Planet

The Gas Pavilion had welcomed around 500,000 visitors by the end of August, making it one of the most popular exhibits at the Osaka Expo.
At Osaka Expo, gas giants promote a greener future. But is it a lot of hot air?

Longform

The byzantine process for converting a foreign driver’s license into a Japanese one entails mountains of paperwork and significant stamina — unless you're a lucky license holder from a country or region where these requirements are waived.
Driving in Japan isn’t hard. Getting the license is.