Nipponica

Overseas assignments are often seen as prestigious and a fast track to promotion, but a recent survey found that more than 90% of companies have experienced cases where expatriates returned to Japan before completing their term abroad.

The most common reason for early returns was "failures in adapting to local culture," according to a September survey by Bizmates Inc., a Tokyo-based provider of programs including business-focused online English conversation services. The survey targeted 400 human resource development managers at companies with 500 or more employees that offer overseas postings. While pre-assignment training typically focuses on safety and language skills, the survey noted a "potential mismatch between training content and actual needs."

Interesting to see the opposite view of a Japanese person working abroad and the struggles they face. Perhaps this will help increase mutual understanding of how foreign workers in Japan feel. Or, more likely, perhaps not.

The continuing development of Tokyo's railway infrastructure is fueling further growth of the capital's sprawling metropolitan area, solidifying its status as the world's largest with 37 million people -- about a third of Japan's total population.

The railway network growth has facilitated Tokyo's outward spread, attracting more people from rural regions to urban centers. The ongoing development includes investments in railways and redevelopment projects, with the future completion of the super fast Linear Chuo Shinkansen maglev line promising even faster commuting options, such as from Nagoya in central Japan to Tokyo.

Since the 2000s, redevelopment has led to a resurgence of migration to central Tokyo. The Greater Tokyo area, encompassing Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, continues to expand both outward and inward.

Love the shoutout to Tsukuba and the Tsukuba Express commute as the example of urban growth in the Greater Tokyo region. TX forever!