NEWSWORTHY
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 ...
Girl power! India's 'solar gal pals' light up Rajasthan's rural homes
Buffalo trampled over it? Rain drenched it? Child dropped it? No problem! This solar flashlight can endure it all, said Bassi in a pitch to her neighbors in rural India to convince them to power their homes with clean energy instead of polluting fuels. Bassi ...
The death of a Japanese countryside festival
Ancient rites bend to an aging, shrinking population, but how much longer can local traditions hold out?
One man's labor-of-love museum captures Seto Inland Sea island's storied stone history
Build a stone museum and they will come? That's the idea behind the K's Labo museum on Kitagi Island in Okayama Prefecture.
Itoshima: How a beach community is drawing newcomers amid rural depopulation
Swapping his dress shoes and business suit for flip-flops and swimming trunks, Shingo Takei starts the day by walking to the beach to go stand-up paddleboarding. Instead of commuting to the office, the co-founder of a human resources startup returns home for breakfast and spends ...
Japan's public policy is killing rural entrepreneurship
While big-ticket tourism projects in Japan thrive, those involved in smaller-scale projects can feel starved of government support.
A new medical system threatens to deprive residents in rural communities of the opportunity to receive proper medical care.
Airport hits sweet spot as honey proves to be runway success
Can sticky stuff stop the young leaving a small city in Shimane and bring in visitors too?
Missing our Thanksgiving feast in Japan, with all its bustle and chaos
A free-range turkey supplier in Ishikawa Prefecture offers nostalgic North Americans a taste of home.
The demographic challenges confronting the nation are indeed enormous, but the regional revitalization policy of the Abe administration has so far accomplished little.
Ministry looks to support high schools involved in fostering regional social businesses
The education ministry has started discussions on providing support for high schools that operate social businesses, aiming to solve problems in regional communities through business methods, Jiji Press learned Tuesday. The ministry plans to offer backups, such as collating successful cases of social businesses undertaken ...
