National / Media | BIG IN JAPAN Jan 23, 2021
Wisdom often fails the test of time
National Dec 15, 2020
Along with the scrapping of some services, the firm expects to make annual cost savings of some ¥620 million yen from the move.
General Oct 8, 2020
Semiautonomous vehicle breathes life into remote Akita village
by Kazuya Ando
As part of a government program, the village of Kamikoani in Akita Prefecture is benefiting from some modern public transport.
National | Regional Voices: Hiroshima Sep 25, 2020
Rules on buying farmland eased in rural Hiroshima amid depopulation
Smaller plots are being made available in a bid to attract younger people from the cities to the countryside.
Business Sep 19, 2020
As COVID-19 persists, Japan looks to send in the robots
by Alex K.T. Martin
A new wave of service machines has emerged amid the coronavirus pandemic to help maintain safety and social distancing.
Commentary / World Jul 22, 2020
by Gwynne Dyer
There is reason to hope that the global population could drop to 4 or 5 billion by 2200.
National / Social Issues Jul 18, 2020
Call of the wild: The challenges of rural migration in Japan
by Kathryn Wortley
The surge in new COVID-19 cases in urban areas has had some residents weighing opportunities in more isolated communities. But what sort of life can they expect?
World Jul 15, 2020
World population in 2100 could be 2 billion below U.N. projections, study shows
Sharp declines in the number and proportion of the working-age population will pose huge challenges in many countries, including Japan
Editorials Jun 25, 2020
The COVID-19 crisis should prompt renewed action to address the overconcentration of people and business in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Business May 5, 2020
Japan to launch model project for land banks to manage plots left unused
The land ministry will begin a model project for so-called land banks this fiscal year, aiming to appropriately manage land plots that are left unused and find new ways to utilize them through regional cooperation. Local governments and nonprofit organizations will act as coordinators for ...
National Apr 14, 2020
The population fell 276,000 to 126.17 million as of Oct. 1, declining for the ninth straight year.
National Mar 10, 2020
In Fukushima, a 'village' aims to lure young people back to disaster-hit town
by Masumi Koizumi
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 ...