Mayuko Toyota scandal brings to light how working as a Diet secretary can become a living hell
In the past few months, hardly a day hasgone by without a news story popping up on Japan's tabloid TV shows replaying Diet member Mayuko Toyota's now infamous rant. Toyota was taped heaping verbal abuse on her male secretary over mistakes he made. She can ...
High tech, IT and robots are at forefront of Japan's funeral industry boom
From a sutra-chanting humanoid robot to automated cemeteries, technological innovation is changing how Japanese deal with funerary rituals. As traditional family ties erode, people are opting for more affordable and convenient alternatives to conventional ceremonies and burial services. Here's a peek into how mourning the dead ...
Japan's free ambulance services stretched by aging population, nonemergency overuse
The sirens are going off about the state of ambulance services. Demand for ambulances, which respond to calls made to the emergency hotline, 119, has grown rapidly along with the population's pace of aging. As ambulances have been mobilized with greater frequency, emergency services are ...
Japan's anime pilgrimages give untrod real-world locales economic boost
The popularity of the blockbuster anime film "Your Name." went beyond movie screens, with fans flocking to the real-world locales depicted in the romantic fantasy. Gifu Prefecture has seen more tourists since its sites appeared in the movie. The city of Hida attracted more than ...
Is Japan's annual student achievement test worth the cost?
Japan's elementary and junior high school students have strong basic academic skills but struggle to solve complex questions, according to this year's nationwide achievement test results, which were released Monday by the education ministry. Since its launch in 2007, the test has been drawing attention ...
On July 28, the central government released what it called a scientific, specialized map of the country highlighting areas where highly radioactive nuclear waste from the nation's power plants might, or might not, be safely buried underground for as long as 100,000 years. The multicolored ...
Some Japanese brand legacies stand to profit from geographical indication; others, not so much
In the not so distant future, Kraft Parmesan, a household name for grated cheese with its distinctive green package sold by a Japanese dairy company, may disappear from shelves in Japan or reappear bearing a different name. That is one example of what may happen ...
Japan working hard to douse fire ant invasion
Fire ants, a venomous, highly invasive nonnative pest, have been spotted over the past few months in various parts of Japan, prompting the Environment Ministry to both warn the public to seek immediate treatment for stings and take measures to prevent further infestation. First detected ...
Loopholes let records pertaining to Abe's scandals slip through the cracks
The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in crisis, stung by scandals that have bitten into his public approval ratings in recent weeks. At a glance, these scandals look like separate events with little connecting them. But experts say they have one grave problem ...
Abe's push for more veterinary schools seen as quantity over quality of education
The way the government tells it, Japan is in dire need of veterinarians. In a speech in Kobe last month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reportedly announced his intention to spearhead an effort to create new veterinary departments in universities across the nation. The announcement may have ...
Smart speakers powered by voice agents seen ushering in era of AI
Major tech firms have been keen to sell speakers equipped with voice-based artificial intelligence agents recently. The debuts of smart speakers are seen as the prelude to an AI era, ushering in a new technological age in which virtual assistants are expected to become as ...
Government mulls 'Kids Week' holiday to prompt overworked Japan to take paid leave
The government is considering plans to create a holiday called "Kids Week," in an ongoing effort to change the country's workaholic culture and allow more time for families. The hope is that the proposed holiday will boost private consumption and encourage workers to use their ...
