'Scattered hotels' offering village-type stays are taking off in rural Japan
A recent trend in the tourism sector that lets visitors stay in re-created traditional villages while experiencing local cuisine and cultural activities is growing in popularity in Japan. The "scattered hotel" business is believed to have originated in Europe, and Maruyama Village — a facility ...
New communications minister Sanae Takaichi backs 5G networks for Japan's rural areas
Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed her eagerness to promote active use of fifth-generation, or 5G, communications networks for rural areas. "I want to fully utilize the 5G technology ... in order for people to live safely and get high-quality welfare and ...
The government needs to review its regional revitalization efforts over the past five years to see if it's taking the right steps to achieve the intended goal.
House-flipper takes advantage of Japan's 8 million-plus empty homes
More than 8 million homes lie abandoned across Japan, a symptom of the declining population and people's migration to major cities. For one company, this isn't just an ominous demographic signal, it is also a business opportunity. Katitas Co. is a house-flipper, deploying a business model ...
Number of abandoned homes in Japan edges up to record high of nearly 8.5 million
Empty homes now account for 13.6 percent of Japan’s housing stock, with the bulk of them concentrated in Yamanashi and Wakayama prefectures, government data show.
Japan's cultured pearl farms still glisten, despite fears industry will fall victim to aging society
In picturesque Ago Bay, a couple sit in a little hut picking out oysters from a net, cleaning them carefully one-by-one before placing them gently back in the water. Their hope: in several months, these oysters will produce a glistening white pearl from a cultured ...
Shrinking Wakayama village cuts assembly to five, tying Okinawa council for fewest members in Japan
A mountainous village in Wakayama Prefecture will have the joint-smallest assembly in the country, represented by only five members, it said Tuesday, in the latest sign of the nation's declining population. The assembly of the village of Kitayama passed an ordinance to cut the number ...
Entrepreneur's message to Japan's forgotten non-college-educated youth: You can choose your life
It wasn't until he turned 18 that Daisuke Kuse saw businessmen dressed in dapper suits up close and personal. Until then, Kuse — having spent all of his childhood surrounded by working-class families and friends in a small town in Kyoto Prefecture — had ...
Japan to pull a U-turn on ride-sharing ban in bid to fill transport gaps in rural areas, Abe says
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the government plans to promote ride-sharing services that are currently banned in most areas to help improve the availability of transportation in rural areas. "It is necessary to review the current system from the standpoint of (transportation service) users," Abe ...
No Japan-wide minimum wage planned to tackle urban-rural gap ahead of foreign influx, says Suga
Earlier in the day, labor ministry officials had explained the idea to ruling lawmakers, but Suga said the ministry isn’t considering the move currently.
Japan government to boost support for rural experience programs for children
The central government will strengthen its financial support for programs in which elementary, junior high and high school students stay in the countryside in communities centered on farming, forestry and fishing. It hopes that such experiences will help urban children get interested in country life ...
Getting away from it all: More overseas tourists to Japan opt for a taste of the country life
An increasing number of foreign visitors are traveling off the beaten path and taking part in farm-stay programs to get a taste of the typical Japanese country life. It's hoped that the popularity of stays in traditional farming villages, which have helped attract overseas travelers ...
