In Fukushima, a 'village' aims to lure young people back to disaster-hit town
In a deserted part of Fukushima Prefecture dotted with vacant lots, a sleek modern building stands out. In a workshop inside, a woman with a ponytail wearing purple protective eyeglasses carefully melts a tiny glass tube into the shape of a plum blossom. Behind the ...
IMF urges gradual consumption tax hike in rapidly graying Japan
The IMF said the tax would need to be lifted to 20 percent by 2050 to finance swelling costs due to an aging population.
Japan's problem? Too much competition
If you thought Japan was a prime example of socialism that works, think again.
Tokyo area logged net population inflow of 148,000 in 2019 as migration to capital continues
The greater Tokyo area registered a net inflow of residents in 2019 for the sixth straight year since 2014, when the demographic survey started to cover foreign nationals as well as Japanese, the internal affairs ministry said in a recent report. The number of people, ...
There are no quick remedies for the rapid aging and shrinking of Japan's population, but inaction will only make matters worse.
For 2020, a Japan that dares to take risks
Looking ahead, what Japan needs is to capitalize on that stability and take risks to address the very real longer-term challenges.
Fewer newborns means the nation's population will be aging and declining faster.
Nagano highlands fertile ground for Filipino interns
A Filipino technical intern picks strawberries from elevated beds as he backs down an aisle on a swivel chair in a greenhouse — a common scene in this mountainous area of central Japan known for highland agriculture. Farmers from Benguet, an upland province on Luzon ...
A decision by the internal affairs ministry raises questions from the viewpoint of local autonomy and the decentralization of administrative powers.
The world is watching as Japan deals with severe population decline and rural flight
When it comes to the nation's economy, there's actually two of them. In "Japan A," an urban-industrial corridor stretching about 300 miles (483 km) from Tokyo through Osaka, you'll find cutting-edge businesses and world-class wealth. In "Japan B," which is just about everywhere else, small ...
This dirty word is driving economic change in Japan
Japanese businesses are starting to recognize the need to import more labor, but there's still reason to be wary of the 'I' word.
Abe vows to improve Japan's social welfare as population grays
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Friday to step up efforts to reform social security as Japan faces a multitude of challenges stemming from its rapidly graying population and low birthrate. "Reform toward social security for all generations is the biggest challenge," Abe said at the ...
