Reference | FYI Jul 4, 2016

Modern needs, crowds outgrow historic Harajuku Station

by Kazuaki Nagata

Built in 1924, Harajuku is the city's oldest wooden station building and a very congested gateway to a major youth culture hub.

Reference | FYI Jun 27, 2016

Nursing care workers hard to find but in demand in aging Japan

by Mizuho Aoki

As the nation’s population rapidly grays, ensuring there are enough nursing care workers to meet growing demand has become a pressing issue. In 2025, 1 in 5 people will be aged over 75, and 1 in 5 seniors aged over 65 will have dementia, ...

Reference | FYI Jun 20, 2016

Regional papers reach out to voters in fight to stay relevant, solvent

by Eric Johnston

With the July 10 Upper House election just around the corner, politics is once again in the air as Diet members head back to their local constituencies to campaign and promote their party platforms. In the process, they have to deal with local views ...

Reference | FYI Jun 6, 2016

Ransomware making costly inroads into online Japan

by Shusuke Murai

Advances in technology always come at a price. Once just a hacker’s toy, the computer virus has evolved into something more sinister. Malware called ransomware, which can hold computer files hostage in exchange for a ransom, is increasing as a menace in Japan. According ...

Reference | FYI May 30, 2016

Japan shedding 1940s morality by relaxing rules on nightclubs

by Daisuke Kikuchi

Late-night dancing is just a step away after the revision of a law that forced nightclubs to close by midnight. New regulations that take effect on June 23 will allow the music to play on until the early hours under some conditions. The law ...

Reference | FYI May 23, 2016

Much to lose, little or nil to gain in 'Brexit,' says Japan Inc.

by Ayako Mie

Should the United Kingdom leave or remain in the European Union? With the world’s fifth-largest economy set to make a historic decision about its future next month, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed support for the U.K. to stay in the political and economic club ...

Reference | FYI May 16, 2016

Trump remarks prompt debate over cost of Japan-U.S. defense ties

by Reiji Yoshida

Donald Trump, who is now expected to be the Republican candidate for U.S. president, has made a number of disturbing remarks. Particularly troubling to Japanese officials is his threat to shake up the Japan-U.S. military alliance. Trump has argued Japan should pay all the ...

Reference | FYI May 9, 2016

JCP uniting with other parties, tries to lose chains of Soviet-era stigma

by Tomohiro Osaki

The Japanese Communist Party is riding high. With the public increasingly dismayed by the thin results of Abenomics and wary of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s aggressive stance on defense, the party has tapped into anti-Abe sentiment over the past few years. It more than ...

Reference | FYI May 2, 2016

New law bans bias against people with disabilities, but shortcomings exist, say experts

by Tomoko Otake

On April 1, a new law aimed at advancing the rights of people with disabilities took effect explicitly banning discrimination against them and requiring government bodies and private-sector businesses to pay greater attention to their needs. While the Law to Eliminate Discrimination against People ...

Reference | FYI Apr 25, 2016

First-time investors urged to turn to inexpensive 'robo-advisers'

by Kazuaki Nagata

It appears not many people are into investment in Japan. As of last December, only about 16 percent of Japan’s ¥1.7 quadrillion in personal financial assets was held in stocks, investment trusts or bonds. This is partly due to a general belief that investments ...

Reference | FYI Apr 4, 2016

Wild-card topics may trump main agenda in coming Mie G-7 summit

by Eric Johnston

On May 26 and 27, the leaders of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada, along with the presidents of the European Council and European Commission, will attend the annual Group of Seven leaders’ summit in the Ise-Shima district ...