A string of death threats directed at the two leading candidates in the Tokyo gubernatorial race reflects the “latent anger” of the electorate and Japan could be on the brink of a return to the politically tumultuous 1930s era, analysts warn.

Even allegedly peaceful Japan is not immune from the worldwide dissatisfaction in the political status quo, which should have been obvious in the post-Abe world we inhabit. I think most people don’t realize that the peace that they think is normal in the order of the world is historically a mirage. Our species is a selfish one and is prone to conflict.

#2024Elections #Crime #Government #Japan #Tokyo

The ANA livery is unique in that it’s one of the simplest – yet one of the classiest – in the airline business. This is my opinion of course, but it’s hard to deny that the colors of All Nippon Airways are beautiful (no matter what aircraft type they are painted on).

Consisting of just 4 colors (white, gray, and two different shades of blue), this livery extends the entire width of the fuselage in a striking “directional” wedge. Most importantly, it’s far more creative than the JAL livery.

Following on from the post about JAL’s history a few days ago, here is one about ANA’s livery from the same author. I do love those stripes.

#ANA #Japan #Transport

Alberto Felice De Toni, the mayor of Udine in northern Italy, proclaimed a day of mourning on Wednesday in honor of Shimpei Tominaga, saying his loss represents “a serious and painful wound” for the city.

Local media reported that Tominaga, a Japanese businessman who ran a furniture trading firm in Udine, got beaten up while trying to break up a fight last Friday. He fell into a coma and had been put under intensive care at a local hospital but died on Tuesday.

#Crime #Italy #Japan

Digital Minister Taro Kono has informed a heavyweight of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that he intends to run in its presidential race in September, aiming to become Japan's next prime minister, a source close to the matter said Thursday.

It is not really too surprising that Konoちゃん is running as he has obviously wanted the PM chair for a long while. But the biggest roadblock for him (besides himself) is his less than stellar reputation as the minister in charge of digitalization and the various MyNumber fiascos. But, a literal tuna mayo onigiri could beat Kishida at this point so anything is possible.

#2024Elections #Digitalization #Government #Japan

The yen continued to fall against the U.S. dollar to the upper 160 range on Wednesday, hitting its lowest level in over 37 years in New York despite heightened vigilance about another market intervention by Japan to slow its rapid drop.

The bank accounts of a nation crying out together in pain...

#Economy #Government #Japan

At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Le Monde reports that athletes on Japan’s volleyball, track and field, and other teams will be competing in outfits made from a new fabric that can better absorb infrared light. Similar to stealth aircraft that avoid detection by deflecting radar signals away from detectors, the fabric absorbs and prevents infrared light from reaching cameras and infrared sensors.

Very interesting tech and a boon to keep the perverts at bay.

#France #Japan #Sport #Technology

Yet that single snapshot of Kabosu became the iconic "doge," capturing the hearts of millions with her quizzical expression that was then overlaid with an imagined internal monologue in broken English using multicolored comic book-style font.

After spending more than a decade as an unwitting symbol of internet absurdity, Kabosu died last month at the age of 18. But she has left a legacy unlike any other canine.

Pour one out for a good boy.

#Chiba #Culture #Japan #Sakura

Japanese police on Wednesday stressed to the public that riders of electric motorized suitcases must have a driver's license after a Chinese woman became the first person to be referred to prosecutors for unlicensed riding.

I have never heard of this kind of luggage but I think I need to invest in a fleet now.

#Crime #Government #Japan #Osaka #Transport

Despite how simplistic you might think that the Japan Airlines livery is, it’s a perfect example of a clean and classy design evolution. Not much has changed since the early 1950s, and that’s what makes it so great.

Some beautiful recreations of JAL aircraft from the past to the present day. Excellent blog for aircraft nerds as well.

#Japan #JapanAirlines #Transport

Japan has announced plans to construct a network of hi-tech, automated conveyor belts to transport goods more than 500km between Tokyo and Osaka as a solution to a looming cargo logistics crisis.

The proposed network of massive conveyor belts, dubbed the Autoflow-Road, would use tunnels beneath major highways that link Japan’s two largest cities, as well as above-ground tracks in the middle of the roads. it is the brainchild of a panel at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

This is such a cool idea and a great way to get a lot of freight traffic off of roadways. Whether it actually gets built is another matter. 回転貨物。

#Japan #Logistics #Osaka #Technology #Tokyo #Transport

A facial robot covered with "living skin" made from human cells has been developed by a team of researchers from the University of Tokyo and other institutions. The device will apparently help elucidate the process of wrinkle formation and reduce animal testing in cosmetics and drug development.

I'm sure this will have no negative consequences down the road.

#Health #Japan #Science #Technology #Tokyo

Alarmed by a new security deal between Russia and North Korea, Japan is poised to bolster its defensive alliances and ramp up multinational military drills in the months ahead – though analysts doubt the Moscow-Pyongyang pact will significantly alter Tokyo’s defence spending or posture.

The wall is getting stronger against the Russian sphere both in Europe and now in East Asia. This is either some kind of 8-dimensional chess by Putin or really grasping at the final straws.

#Japan #Military #NorthKorea #Russia #SouthKorea #UnitedStates

North Korea launched a possible ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, but the projectile has apparently gone down, the Japan Coast Guard and the South Korean military said Wednesday.

Thanks to Kim for not firing it directly at me and triggering very loud emergency alerts while I sleep.

#Japan #Military #NorthKorea

The King’s speech talked of the close friendship between the UK and Japan.

“Ours is a partnership with deep roots,” said the King, in areas of science, culture, defence and trade."

He also referenced some Japanese contributions to popular culture, including the Hello Kitty brand and mentioned the “Pokemon phrase ‘gotta catch ‘em all’”.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world...

#Culture #Gaming #Japan #UnitedKingdom

Nasu Animal Kingdom in east Japan's Tochigi Prefecture announced on June 24 that two Arctic wolf pups were born last month -- a first for a Japanese zoo.

Worth the click through to the article just to watch the video of the newborns.

#Japan #Nature #Tochigi #Utsunomiya

The plane is Japan Airlines' second Myaku-Myaku jet designated to fly abroad from Japan. On the aircraft, drinks are served in paper cups with the Myaku-Myaku design on them. The plane will fly until August next year to promote the expo to the world.

It is worth it to look up photos of this nightmare fuel. I can't believe that this character design made it past any kind of committee.

#Business #Japan #Osaka #OsakaExpo #Transport

Naha prosecutors have indicted a U.S. Air Force member in Okinawa Prefecture for allegedly sexually assaulting and kidnapping a girl under the age of 16 in December, local authorities said Tuesday, with this latest incident involving military personnel likely to further inflame local opposition to their presence.

#Crime #Japan #Military #Okinawa #UnitedStates #Yomitan

These facilities will comprise areas for takeoff and landing, taxiways, parking zones, hangars, charging stations and passenger waiting lounges. The construction of these facilities is expected to be completed by the end of fiscal 2024, with trial flights scheduled for the following year.

#Government #Japan #Technology #Transport

"We try to be the most open race in the world by respecting the diversity and identity of all participants," the foundation said.

One more step...

#Japan #LGBTRights #Society #Tokyo

The European Union is seeking security and defence industry partnerships with Japan and South Korea aimed at joint development of military equipment, the Nikkei reported on Sunday, citing a senior EU commission official.

These would mark the EU's first such security and defence-related collaboration with Asian nations, the Japanese business newspaper said in a report from Brussels that did not identify the official.

More defense alliances forming...

#EuropeanUnion #Government #Japan #Military #SouthKorea

Leading Japanese retailer Aeon will take on 4,000 skilled foreign workers groupwide by fiscal 2030 amid severe labor shortages in Japan's food service sector, Nikkei has learned.

The Aeon group currently employs around 1,500 under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker program, which targets foreign workers with specialized skills in shorthanded industries. They work largely at food-processing plants that supply Aeon supermarkets.

#Business #Economy #Government #Immigration #Japan

Of the 71 toilets at Tawaramoto Elementary School in Tawaramoto, Nara Prefecture, nearly half, or 34, are the squat type. The elementary school has lagged behind other counterparts in the town in adopting Western-style toilets, and new students have voiced their dislike of squat toilets, saying that they are "dark and scary."

As a westerner that has had a few dark and scary moments in one of these, I side with the kids.

#Education #Japan #Nara #Society #Tawaramoto

Executives from South Korea’s Naver and Japan’s SoftBank Group said they would jointly own the operator of Line, a South Korean-developed messaging app popularized in Japan. They gave the project a code name that emphasized cooperation: Gaia.

But late last year, cracks started opening in the Naver-Softbank venture.

Paywalled, but a good retelling of a century of strained relations between Japan and South Korea through the tale of a little green app called Line. For me, the cute stickers are the only good part of the Line ecosystem. The messaging portion of the app remains much like it was a decade ago and competitors like WhatsApp and Messages are taking laps around it. But it is still the king of text communication in Japan and no one seems able to topple it.

#Business #Japan #SouthKorea #Technology

Unless the current situation in which Okinawa is forced to make sacrifices on the grounds of security is changed, the rift between the central and prefectural governments will only deepen. The national government must amend its stance of forcing decisions on Okinawa and engage in sincere dialogue.

This is a good explainer about the burden placed on Okinawa Prefecture by the central government and how the local people are basically powerless to stop it.

#Government #Japan #Military #Okinawa #UnitedStates

"An increasing number of people (within the LDP) are feeling a sense of crisis that if this situation continues, there will be a change of government," Suga, still a prominent figure in the LDP, said in an online program broadcast Sunday.

When Suga returns from the dead to shit on you, you know the game is up.

#2024Elections #Government #Japan

Japan stands ready to take appropriate steps against volatile yen moves at "any time," a senior finance ministry official said Monday in a fresh warning, as the currency neared levels at which authorities have previously intervened to slow the yen's decline.

#Economy #Government #Japan

“In classical music, you play what’s written on the music sheet. Onigiri is the same,” he says. “You don’t try to do something new.”

A delightful read on one of Japan's core food staples.

#Asakusa #Culture #Food #Japan #Taito #Tokyo

Only 10.4 percent of the Japanese public want Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to win the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race slated for September and continue serving as premier, the latest Kyodo News poll showed Sunday.

At this point, he should see if the number could go any lower just for the sport of it.

#Government #Japan

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, a sprawling 4.2-million square meter complex by the sea, was once the crown jewel in Japan’s strategy to boost atomic power to 50% of the country’s energy mix by 2030. Inside, a framed certificate from Guinness World Records acknowledges the facility’s potential output of 8.2 gigawatts as the most globally.

Right now that output — which would be enough to power more than 13 million households — is zero. The seven reactors at KK, as the facility is known, were shuttered after the 2011 tsunami and meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 plant in the Tohoku region that prompted the government to rethink its dependence on nuclear energy.

Fascinating article about this one plant in Niigata but also the general pulse of the population on nuclear energy, the total fecklessness of Tepco, and government officials avoiding being the one in charge of allowing power generation to resume.

#Energy #Government #Japan #Kashiwazaki #Niigata

"It is inadequate...that Japan has not established domestic laws to punish war crimes or crimes against humanity," ICC President Tomoko Akane said at a recent press conference in Tokyo. She is the first Japanese to lead the independent judicial body, which is based in The Hague.

Did not realize Japan was not a party to this treaty until I saw this article. Very surprising, curious, and troubling considering the nation's brutal treatment of Chinese during the Sino-Japanese Wars.

#Crime #Government #Japan

Residents of the Noto Peninsula in central Japan have been witnessing a curious surge in tourists, a mere five months after the region was severely damaged by a major earthquake.

While some see the boost in tourism as a positive -- a way for people to grasp the reality of the situation in the region amid growing concerns of a drop in visitors following the New Year's Day temblor -- others argue the trend of people traveling to the remote peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture is a form of "dark tourism."

There are people that are bringing supplies or other aid, as cited in the article. But the “dark tourism” is very real and a similar phenomenon to the proliferation of true crime stories and podcasts that flooded the market since the Serialification of the medium.

#Business #Ishikawa #Japan #Kanazawa #Tourism

A memorial service, attended by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, was held at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, the site of the final stage of the battle, where the names of 181 people were added to the list of the war dead inscribed on monuments, bringing the total to 242,225.

Attended by PM Kishida who stated that he was working on easing the burden of the presence of US military for the Okinawa people.

#Japan #Military #Okinawa

For generations, “nommunication” – or drinking with colleagues after work – has been credited with fostering corporate spirit in Japanese firms, releasing office tensions and building close professional relationships.

Now, a new study suggests that despite the well-documented risks to health, smoking performs a similar function in the Japanese workplace.

Having lived in Japan before and after the 2020 indoor smoking ban, izakayas are much much MUCH more tolerable to be in for long periods of time. Smoking will go out of style as the older generations leave the workplace. So, let's say, by the year 2100?

#Business #Culture #Health #Japan

As I am sitting in the ANA Lounge in Haneda, let’s look back over the past week. Nipponica started publishing last weekend so let’s debrief on how the first seven days has gone for my new baby.

My initial goal at this very early stage was just to get in the habit of publishing a reasonable number of link posts each day and to figure out the best workflow for getting that to happen with the least amount of friction. I think I have succeeded in accomplishing point 1 (62 link posts in total) and am continuing to work on point 2.

So far, I am reading and collecting stories from only a few main sources: The Mainichi, Japan Times, and Nikkei. This is due to these three being the only main news outlets with English language RSS feeds that I can ingest into my RSS client (Reeder, if you are interested). There are other English sources available from other Japanese publishers but no RSS which makes me sad.

While it would be great to find a way to bring those other non-RSS English news feeds into my workflow, I do not see this as a priority at the moment. Japan’s language is Japanese, and that is where the biggest trove of interesting news lies.

So the next big goal in the growth of Nipponica is finding ways of bringing news written in Japanese to an English audience. I have a few tricks that I can pull to make this work efficiently for a team of one (i.e. me) and that will be my goal for the next weeks.

One other project that I launched over the past few days is an automated bot that posts stories to Mastodon at our handle @nipponica@mastodon.social. There was a bumpy patch over the first night as two stories were repeatedly posted over and over every 15 minutes, but I think it has been worked out now after a long debugging session at an Akihabara coffee establishment (sorry). Mastodon integration was my first social media goal and I am interested in expanding posting to other networks when I have the time.

For those of you who randomly found Nipponica during this first week, thank you for being the web spelunkers that you are and looking at this work-in-progress. I am really enjoying the process of building out the site and I hope that reading it brings you some amount of value. My flight home is soon, off to the gate.

#Akihabara #Chiyoda #Chronicle #Haneda #Japan #Ota #Technology #Tokyo #Transport

Set in pandemic-era Tokyo, the film focuses on a young woman (Yukino Takahashi) whose boyfriend has absconded, leaving her broke and feeling broken. She drifts into sex work, taking the professional name Kotone.

She quickly transforms from a lost-looking waif wandering down Kabukicho streets to a wised-up sex worker who takes nothing and no one at face value. She works at a “cafe” where masked women sit staring at their smartphones while men on the other side of a large window make their selection, which a male employer conveys to the chosen woman. The newly formed couple then retires to a private room.

#Culture #Film #Japan #Kabukicho #Shinjuku #Tokyo

Currently, the Justice Ministry only allows online birth registration when submitted with a digitally signed birth certificate. Due to the additional complexity of processing documents with digital signatures, no municipalities have accepted digitally signed birth certificates, effectively requiring all birth registration papers to be submitted or mailed to local government offices.

Under the new system, local governments will be able to receive birth certificates in a digital form directly from medical institutions starting as early as fiscal 2026.

While I hope that this system will launch without issue, a rush of fake births registered to this system could be the solution to the population crisis.

#Digitalization #Government #Health #Japan

The minor "NHK Party" allowed anyone who donated to the party to use their space on the campaign boards for the July 7 election. The group's leader Takashi Tachibana stated in a regular press conference on June 21, "We were able to raise a very big issue. I consider it a great success."

I do find the large poster boards that go up at every election to be a bit archaic, but in their defense, it does give equal footing to all candidates in a contest. Perhaps it could be done better using a different medium while still maintaining the uniform presentation for each contender.

#2024Elections #Government #Japan #Tokyo

Flight JL2154 bound for Osaka was carrying 47 people — including five crew members — when it was forced to return to Aomori because of the message in the cockpit that suggested the left engine had caught fire, the carrier said. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Safety record maintained. Great job JAL.

#Aomori #Japan #Transport

Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, told Nikkei on Friday that a new unit established in November on the Japanese island of Okinawa is designed to "counter PRC [the People's Republic of China] aggression" in order to protect Japan and others in geopolitically sensitive areas.

"It's designed to provide long-range sensing and long-range fire, using mobile missile batteries that are capable of striking adversaries' ships in the strategic sea lines of communication," Smith said in an interview in Washington, adding the unit's purpose is "to protect the Japanese home islands, in order to protect the Philippines, in order to protect [South] Korea."

So, assuming this new unit (stated in the article to be comprised of 2,000 troops) is new deployments to Okinawa, the planned relocation of other US military stated for December will be quickly replaced in this new initiative. The circle of life continues.

#Japan #Military #Okinawa #UnitedStates

It might have felt counterintuitive to shun the bright lights of the capital in favor of a quiet, provincial city better known for its love of gyōza potsticker dumplings. But four decades down the line, Otowa is now the founder-patriarch of one of the best-regarded French restaurants in the country.

Housed in a striking modern, free-standing property a short drive from the city center, Restaurant Otowa is sophisticated and elegant, yet calm and relaxed. Its light-filled dining room is large enough to hold 80 people for special functions, though it usually seats about 50.

Time for a field trip up north.

#Culture #Food #France #Japan #Tochigi #Utsunomiya

“Japanese users have long preferred platforms like Twitter that allow you to be anonymous over something like Facebook that makes it mandatory to use your real name,” Moreno says. “Virtual reality experiences like VRChat are an extension of anonymity. Some users even use voice changers. They are able to create a representation of themselves that they want to show to the world.”

#Culture #Gaming #Japan #Society #Technology

A source close to the matter said the cyberattacks are believed to have been perpetrated by Chinese-affiliated hackers, adding a huge number of files may have been viewed, including information on external companies and organizations under nondisclosure agreements with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Friendly reminder to change your passwords regularly.

#Crime #Japan #Science #Technology

Moves are underway to introduce a lodging tax on hotel and inn guests in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island and home to many spots popular with international tourists, including renowned ski resorts and hot springs.

Unlike the temple tax that I wrote about the other day in Himeji, I think this is a more appropriate way to profit off of tourism, especially for the smaller towns like Kutchan and Niseko.

#Business #Economy #Government #Hokkaido #Japan #Kutchan #Niseko #Sapporo #Tourism

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that the government will compile fresh inflation relief steps around this fall, providing cash handouts to low-income households struggling to weather the cost-of-living crisis.

I know Japan isn’t known for being speedy when its bureaucracy is involved, but saying we will get around to helping you out in 3 to 4 months is just another nail in the coffin of the Kishida administration.

#Economy #Government #Japan

Japan's top court on Friday recognized a transgender woman as the "father" of her 3-year-old daughter conceived using her frozen sperm and born to her female partner after legally transitioning, in the first such ruling.

One step closer.

#Government #Health #Japan #LGBTRights #Society

The Nippon Foundation and the University of Tokyo together found deposits of some 230 million tonnes of manganese nodules on the seabed around Minami-Torishima, located roughly 1,900 km southeast of Tokyo, in a survey conducted between April and June.

#Economy #Japan #Minamitorishima #Nature #Ogasawara #Science #Technology #Tokyo

European countries are sending more air and sea forces to Asia for defense exercises with Japan, bringing them closer to what remains a distant security challenge: China.

A destroyer from Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force held an exercise with a Turkish navy corvette on Sunday. Earlier this month, a Dutch frigate participated in the Netherlands' first joint exercise with an MSDF destroyer before heading to the upcoming U.S.-led international Rim of the Pacific exercise off Hawaii.

Regardless if anyone will say it out loud, but Japan is clearly a hub for a greater Pacific alliance of western nations against China, Russia, and North Korea. The real question is if Abe's dream of expanding the SDF into a military will become reality within this framework.

#Australia #France #Germany #Italy #Japan #Military #Netherlands #NewZealand #Turkey #UnitedKingdom #UnitedStates

Argentina has decided to withdraw its participation in the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, the third country to do so among those who were set to build their own pavilions, Japan's minister in charge of the global event said Friday.

This is following Estonia and Mexico’s withdrawal to build pavilions previously. As a fan of World Expos, it is disappointing to see countries pull out, but things like this are huge investments with no guarantee of return. Still though, the soft power gains could have been worth it. Osaka EPCOT will still live on.

#Argentina #Culture #Japan #Osaka #OsakaExpo

A Tokyo gubernatorial candidate has been warned by police over his election posters displaying an almost naked woman, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned from sources close to the investigation.

Stay classy.

#2024Elections #Government #Japan #Tokyo

It is the first time since June last year for Japan to be on the "monitoring" list. In its biannual report to Congress, the department also placed six other economies on the list -- China, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Back on the naughty step.

#Business #Economy #Japan #UnitedStates

On this week’s Deep Dive, we speak to Alex K.T. Martin who has done a series of pieces exploring what lies beneath the surface of Tokyo. Hidden rivers, ancient artifacts and crumbling infrastructure are just a few of the discoveries he made during his reporting. And while it’s important to know how we’re going to manage these things as climate change — or more importantly, the possible flooding that comes with it — worsens, sometimes it’s just fascinating to learn about the world under our feet.

Very interesting episode on one of my favorite subjects: urban infrastructure. To keep a city the size of Tokyo running (mostly) smooth, a lot of systems are needed to manage the services we all take for granted.

#Japan #Logistics #Technology #Tokyo

A group of four high school students recently received letters of thanks from police here after helping a woman who was being harassed by a stranger.

According to the students, they spotted what appeared to be a couple arguing on the street at the JR Kisarazu Station east exit on the evening of May 26. Because the 20-year-old woman appeared bothered, they asked her what was going on, to which she replied that she didn't know the man. They intervened between her and the man to stop her from being harassed. The group also surrounded the 38-year-old man so that he would not run off and asked a passerby to call the police. The man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of engaging in indecent acts without consent.

This is just one of those stories that you need to see more of in a country (or world, for that matter) that seems to encourage people to ignore those around us. Good that they stepped up and hope their actions spur others to help those in need.

#Chiba #Crime #Japan #Sodegaura

In simplest terms, Japan’s problem is sclerosis. The country’s economic policymakers have opted for stability, halting the “creative destruction” that promotes innovation and delivers prosperity. “Among all rich countries, it is Japan where new companies find it hardest to get the external funding that is needed for growth. Consequently, the birth and death rate of companies has plunged and is now one of the lowest among 27 rich countries.”

A book review of The Contest for Japan’s Economic Future by Richard Katz. In my own personal experience in the country, this tendency towards risk-aversion and stability is very real.

#Business #Culture #Economy #Japan

The leaders of Japan and New Zealand effectively agreed Wednesday on a pact to enhance their classified information sharing, as the regional security environment becomes more severe amid China's growing military assertiveness.

Japan is very much becoming the sixth eye in the Anglosphere alliance.

#Government #Japan #NewZealand

Regarding the expulsion, the university stated that the students had "disturbed university order and acted against the duties of a student." The administration explained that "participating in the anti-war protest with a banner without submitting the required event notification and off-campus name usage permission created the appearance of an official university activity." Concerning the tuition fee protest, the university stated that "despite clarifying there would be no fee hike, the protest caused unnecessary anxiety and confusion among students and their guardians."

Typical Japan, death by bureaucracy. The student's argument is much more tangible.

One of the former students remarked angrily, "Is it the role of an academic institution to use authoritarian power to suppress inconvenient truths? This is an unacceptable act of censorship." Nishizawa explained, "For university administrators to tamper with mail addressed to individuals undermines the reliability of the postal system. It constitutes censorship and infringes on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression." The ex-students are considering filing criminal charges, including violation of Article 263 of the Penal Code for concealment of letters.

#Aichi #Crime #Education #Japan #Society #Toyohashi

This is the first bank note update since 2004. Now adorning the 10,000-yen (about $63) notes is Shibusawa Eiichi, an industrialist considered to be the father of capitalism in Japan. On the new 5,000-yen (some $32) notes is Tsuda Umeko, founder of Tsuda University in the Japanese capital. Lastly, honoring the 1,000-yen (roughly $6.30) notes is Kitazato Shibasaburo, a microbiologist who established a treatment for tetanus.

This is very much an "evolution, not revolution" design change for the yen banknotes as they still maintain the general look of the previous set while incorporating new imagery and security features.

#Economy #Government

The Lower House voted down a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday amid widespread disaffection with the Liberal Democratic Party-led government and dismal approval ratings.

The motion — submitted earlier in the day by the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan — was voted down by the LDP and its junior coalition partner Komeito, which, combined, hold a supermajority in the chamber.

There was no chance this would pass but it is still one step closer to the cliff for Kishida.

#Government #Japan #Tokyo

Australia's Qantas Airways has joined a number of carriers forgoing scheduling flights to and from regional Japanese airports as Japan faces a ground airport staff shortage and an acute fuel shortage also looms.

Earlier this year, Qantas had been assessing recommencing seasonal flying to Sapporo for the next ski season in Hokkaido in the north. But a specific plan did not materialize due to supplier constraints at the airport, including labor shortages. Qantas had discussions with local airport stakeholders but did not enter the government filing process, and thus did not schedule any flights.

The article cites closing domestic oil refineries and trucker shortages as the reasons for these decreases in service. Once those are addressed, one would hope that these carriers return, but there is no guarantee. For Sapporo and other destinations in Hokkaido especially, it would be a huge blow to tourism and connectivity for residents.

#Asahikawa #Australia #Business #Hokkaido #Japan #Obihiro #Sapporo #Singapore #SouthKorea #Transport

A psychiatric evaluation of the man accused of fatally shooting former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has determined him mentally fit to be held criminally responsible for his actions, sources close to the matter said Wednesday.

He had a clear stated motivation to commit the murder from the start and never wavered from it. He knew exactly what he was doing. And the government actions against the Unification Church after the fact also show that his motivation to commit this crime was based in some realm of reality.

#Crime #Government #Japan #Nara

The Japanese health ministry announced that it found no substantial proof of "black rain" that dozens of people reported witnessing in the area around this southwest Japan city shortly after it was hit with an atomic bomb in August 1945.

The national government defines Nagasaki's "hibakusha," or atomic bombing survivors, as those who were in a specified zone within a 12-kilometer radius of the blast, and provides them with relief. Those who were outside the zone, but still within the 12-km radius, are considered "hibaku taikensha" -- people who "experienced the A-bomb," but who are not certified as hibakusha.

Who exactly wins by denying these already elderly people with extra benefits? It seems quite petty to be so strict about who can be hibakusha or not. These people, regardless of them being within 12km of the blast or not, were witnesses to one of the worst atrocities in human civilization. That alone should merit some compensation.

#Government #Health #Japan #Nagasaki #Nagasaki

Google LLC said Wednesday it will collaborate with the University of Tokyo to launch an initiative that uses generative artificial intelligence to address challenges faced by local communities in Japan, such as a shrinking workforce, with successful models to be rolled out nationwide by 2027.

This reeks of a solution looking for a problem. AI is not going to be the savior for anything issue that society face. Could it help in very specific ways, sure. But these collaborations and announcements are for the press releases only.

In Osaka, the focus will be on resolving employment mismatches due to skews in the types of professions that job seekers prefer. A successful model, for example, would be able to suggest positions that job seekers themselves may not have realized were suitable, or illustrate ideal career paths leading to a desired job.

Replacing the job counselor and recruiter, the true scourges of society. I'm sure the usefulness of this program will definitely offset the environmental damage training this AI model will take.

#Hiroshima #Japan #Osaka #Technology #Tokyo

The story of a group of young women who were drafted from high school to the front lines of the Battle of Okinawa as Imperial Japanese Army nurses is being told through a traveling exhibition, with the many who tragically died serving as a lesson on the horrors suffered by Japanese civilians in the conflict.

Personal stories about civilians in a horrendous battle overshadowed by the atomic bombings just a few months later.

#Culture #Japan #Museum #Okinawa #UnitedStates

"I will concentrate on making achievements on issues that cannot be postponed," Kishida said during a parliamentary debate among party leaders, adding that he is "not thinking about anything else."

Sure buddy.

#Government #Japan #Tokyo

As the number of children with foreign citizenship in Japan grows rapidly, a tool enabling teaching staff to display their translated speech in real time has been introduced for the first time in the country by this city's education board.

This is great news to inclusivity for foreign students not versed in Japanese. The article states that the numbers of foreign students without language skills is over 600 in Kobe so this is a total game changer for their education in an already restrictive system.

#Education #Hyogo #Japan #Kobe #Technology

Japan's parliament passed amendments to its political funds control law on Wednesday, cracking down on lawmakers who fail to appropriately report political income.

The amendments are part of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's efforts to restore faith in his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which is facing record-low approval ratings and local election losses amid an enduring political kickback scandal.

This is a good explainer to the new law as well as the bottomless pit of disapproval that Kishida and his government are currently in.

#Government #Japan #Tokyo

Students at a junior high school here are now able to set their own class rules apart from school rules in an initiative intended to address issues in school life. However, while the system reflects some students' input, others find it confusing, and parents are questioning the entire project, the Mainichi Shimbun has discovered.

This entire story is worth a read simply to see how feckless the school was from preventing students from abusing each other with the regime they created. A personal favorite to demonstrate the monster that was created:

Meanwhile, there are also rules that the school is unaware of, such as, "Gym short drawstrings must be the same color as when purchased." The male student said, "There was an uproar in the class when someone changed their drawstring color." His mother wondered whether the students had adopted the mindset of binding people with rules.

#Education #Japan #Okegawa #Saitama #Society

The complaint filed with the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office the same day alleges that Koike's persistent lies about graduating from Cairo University in Egypt constitute false disclosure, Toshiro Kojima said at a press conference in Tokyo.

She denies it as expected, but if true, how did this stay under wraps until now?

#2024Elections #Government #Japan #Tokyo

Japanticket Inc., one of the partners in the project, said it started to sell tours in which travelers will fly on HondaJets to Toyama, Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures. These tours are aimed at foreign tourists, with ticket prices starting at 1.5 million yen ($9,500) per person.

Definitely out of my price range and definitely not the market for the common traveler. But this could be a first step to build out a domestic aircraft manufacturer that could complete with some markets.

#Business #Hiroshima #Japan #Toyama #Transport #Yamaguchi

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and her biggest rival, opposition-backed lawmaker Renho, clashed over how to tackle the declining birthrate as they finally unveiled their pledges for next month's gubernatorial election on Tuesday, just two days before official campaigning starts.

Policy aside, it is refreshing to see no old men in the election for the top job in the capital.

#2024Elections #Government #Japan #Tokyo

In Japanese summers, the most common type of web, ones that are found ALL AROUND US, are in fact, horizontal “shelf” or “funnel” type webs. Though they are usually much more densely woven than the iconic “suspended” spider-creations, they often go unnoticed, lost in the greenery of the shrubbery in which they are set – and hard to see because of their horizontal “flatness”. But in the morning, when the dew has set in, after a rare summer-rain, or when the sunshine hits them just right, you can see that these webs cover almost every inch of the hedges and shrubbery (where left alone and untrimmed) – a veritable mine-field for unsuspecting insects who want to have a rest in the bushes.

From a local blog, a reminder from home. Do not click if spiders aren't your thing.

#Ibaraki #Japan #Nature #Tsukuba

Tanegashima, closer to Shanghai and Seoul than Tokyo, has fewer than 30,000 people and is best known as the home of Japan's answer to Cape Canaveral, the rocket launch center of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The next launch is scheduled for June 30.

But with launches few and far between, the center hasn't spawned a broader industrial base, leaving fishing and sugarcane farming by an aging workforce as the backbone of the island economy. With Japan's fertility rate at a record low, speeding population decline, success in regenerating Tanegashima's economy could serve as a blueprint for regions across the country seeking rural revival.

Communities across rural Japan are experimenting with many different models on how to pull people in and have them stay. The JAXA draw for Tanegashima could be huge but there does looks to be a lack of investment on their part to assist the island to grow.

The digital nomad angle could work but it is still quite remote for many. And then there is the marketing problem. How does such a small island promote itself out in the wider world? A difficult proposition but hoping they will find success.

#Business #Japan #Kagoshima #Minamitane #Science

Heavy rain battered wide areas of Japan on Tuesday, disrupting bullet train services between Tokyo and Osaka and prompting the weather agency to urge caution for landslides and floods.

#Japan #Kagoshima #Kochi #Miyazaki #Nature #Okinawa #Osaka #Shizuoka #Tokyo #Wakayama

People living in Japan will likely recognize "Hotaru no Hikari," a song based on the Scottish folk song "Auld Lang Syne" which has become the standard tune played at shops in the country just before closing. Outside Japan, the folk song is often sung by crowds who gather on New Year's Eve to mark the turn of the year.

"When 'Hotaru no hikari' plays, Japanese people understand that it is time to close the store. However, in recent years, the number of foreigners has increased, and more people are present who do not understand its meaning. It's difficult to announce that the store is closing without spoiling the enjoyment of shopping. Therefore, we have come up with new closing music that casually announces the closing, but still allows shoppers to leave comfortably."

This is classico Japan taking an element from overseas and transforming it into something befitting local culture.

#Business #Culture #Japan #Music #Tourism

Japan's restaurant industry is deploying a two-tiered pricing system in tourist spots as eateries look to cash in on an influx of foreign visitors without alienating local customers.

Compared with the castle pricing for tourists below, I do have a problem with this if it starts to become common outside of tourist areas. For foreign residents wanting to have a meal, an identity check should not be part of the ordering process.

#Business #Japan #Koto #Tokyo #Tourism #Toyosu

"We would like to charge around $30 for foreigners and around $5 for residents," Kiyomoto said at the symposium on cultural heritage and natural disasters.

When asked about his reason for the $5 fee, Kiyomoto told reporters Monday that he wants "to avoid raising the admission fee for local residents."

For cultural sites like castles, I think a higher admission fee could be appropriate for certain tourists from higher wealth countries. But grouping all tourists in a single high-cost bucket is unfair for people from less developed nations. But the challenge is obvious in devising a pricing strategy like this. You can't expect a passport check at a ticket window.

#Architecture #Business #Culture #Himeji #Hyogo #Japan #Tourism

A once-bustling shopping district in the city of Gifu which boasts a 135-year history and inspired a hit song that defined its heyday will see the withdrawal of department store mega-chain Takashimaya Co. at the end of July.

Takashimaya's departure from the Yanagase shopping arcade in the central Japan city is a portent of a more worrying trend sweeping the country, as commercial districts that have coexisted with major department stores lose customers amid Japan's declining birthrate and aging population.

I have seen multiple shopping arcades fall into disrepair around Japan in recent years and it really is a sad loss. There are still many that are vibrant, but the rural areas are hit the hardest.

#Business #Culture #Gifu #Gifu #Japan

Japan's parliament on Friday enacted revised laws to replace the controversial foreign trainee program, which has been criticized as a cover for importing cheap labor. Japan seeks to ensure foreign workers will stay on longer in a bid to address an acute labor shortage in a rapidly greying society.

Under the new system, workers will be able to move after working in a job for one year provided their Japanese language and professional skills meet certain requirements.

Businesses in Japan that employ immigrant labor are getting a wake up call and hopefully exploitative practices start to die out. Props to the national government for passing immigration reform for this classification of visa but there is still work to do to raise all workers up to a better overall standard wage to catch up to the rest of the world.

#Business #Government #Immigration #Ishinomaki #Japan #Miyagi

More than half of people in Japan are not comfortable with the recent trend of emphasizing "time performance" in leisure and other daily activities, such as watching movies at double speed, a recent survey by watchmaker Seiko Group Corp. showed.

I haven't heard of タイパ before and the idea of watching a film at double speed is crazy. However, I am guilty of doing the same thing for podcasts and audiobooks so perhaps I am just as culpable for not slowing down and enjoying art.

#Society

The transfer of U.S. Marine Corps troops stationed in Japan's Okinawa to Guam will start in December, a Marines official said Sunday, the latest development in a long-agreed Japan-U.S. forces realignment plan aimed at reducing the southern island prefecture's base-hosting burden.

The plan to move 4,000 of the approximately 19,000 Marines currently in Okinawa, agreed upon in 2012, is set to be completed by around 2028, according the Congressional Research Service and other sources.

About 50 years too late and it is only a small portion of the total military based in Okinawa, but it will be a welcome improvement.

#Government #Japan #Okinawa #UnitedStates

When viewed from an angle, the building resembles a ship without the bow and stern, forming a U-shape with gentle curves. According to the company, it is thought that the design was in fact inspired by a ship, since the headquarters was built on the site of a former shipyard.

I love the ugly concrete buildings that seem native to modern Japan and the unique design choices made to make them stand out. This is one example with an interesting curved base to keep fumes from coming into open windows.

#Adachi #Architecture #Culture #Japan #Tokyo

The owner of a ramen restaurant in the city of Nara appeared frustrated as they described their search for a new hire. In January, they registered their business on a major job search site to hire a part-timer, but received few inquiries. Finally, in March, they got a nibble, but still couldn't fill the position. "Three people were supposed to come in for interviews, but they all pulled out. And only one of them notified me. Young people's thinking is off the rails," they said.

Interesting article about a phenomenon happening elsewhere around the world that is surely linked to a wide dissatisfaction with wages and the expectations of the worker/company relationship. The article also posits that inefficiencies in the application process turn away qualified applicants which also rings true. But they place part of the blame of workers submitting multiple simultaneous job applications as a problem when, in reality, it is a necessary part of job hunting.

#Business #Society

After registering their face photo data and credit card information in advance on a dedicated website, passengers can board trains, without buying tickets, via cameras installed at the ticket gates at stations that recognize their faces. Passengers with commuter passes can also use the system.

No mention of privacy concerns here at all. Also, with FeliCa-based cards so prevalent in the country, this seems totally unnecessary.

#Chiba #FacialRecognition #Japan #Sakura #Technology #Transport

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and IBM aim to develop a quantum computer with 10,000 quantum bits, or qubits, which would be 75 times more than current quantum computers have. In quantum computing, a qubit is the basic unit of information -- just like a binary bit in conventional computers -- and gives a rough idea of performance.

The most advanced quantum computers currently have 133 qubits.

Speedy.

#Japan #Technology

Japan played an important role throughout Calder’s life — a destination that he himself never physically visited but that presented itself from the very start. A seed planted by his parents’ collection of Japanese art and objects in the late 19th century, later clearly reflected in the unmistakable Japanese-inspired aesthetics integrated into many of Calder’s own artworks.

#Azabudai #Culture #Japan #Minato #Museum #Tokyo

Holders of an all-access pass will be able to use facial recognition by registering their photo and a payment method in advance. The system will enable them to enter the event and make purchases at shops and cafes by just scanning their faces.

The organizer expects the registration of about 1.2 million accounts, making the Expo one of the largest events to use the technology.

If it works, it is interesting tech. I remember the first time I boarded an airplane in Hong Kong with just my face and it felt that I was cheating by not booping my paper ticket on the laser machine. But, as with any biometrics, privacy is the killer app. It takes almost to the end of the article before the p-word is mentioned.

#FacialRecognition #Japan #Osaka #Technology

The restaurant, located in the bustling Akasaka area of Tokyo, offers a unique “Okinawan kaiseki” — a fusion of Ryukyuan court cuisine and the traditional Japanese kaiseki multicourse dinner. It was opened in 1998 by culinary researcher and author Rin Takagi, who came up with a modern interpretation of the Ryukyu dynasty's cooking method, known as a secret to people’s health and longevity in the region.

In more positive Ryukyu news, a lovely survival story about a Michelin star Okinawan restaurant in Tokyo.

#Akasaka #Culture #Food #Japan #Minato #Okinawa #Tokyo

In the 48-seat prefectural assembly election, candidates who supported Gov. Denny Tamaki obtained 20 seats, while 27 were occupied by those who opposed him and the remaining one went to a neutral candidate. Before the voting, each side had 24 seats.

A blow to Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki's push against the Henoko base construction. The Okinawan people will continue to bear the defense burden of the country.

Voter turnout was the lowest on record at 45.62 percent, according to the local election committee.

Also worth noting considering Japan's overall low turnout rates in elections.

#2024Elections #Government #Japan #Okinawa

The Gamagori Municipal Government in central Japan's Aichi Prefecture is investigating a whistleblower's report that the scores of women sitting its employment exams were lowered to prioritize their male counterparts, apparently at the mayor's instruction, multiple sources told the Mainichi Shimbun on June 14.

Absolutely shameful but no real surprise here. The mayor is states later on in the article that the reason for the exam tampering is due to staff shortages for maternity leave.

#Aichi #Gamagori #GenderInequality #Government #Japan #Society

...researchers in western Japan's Ehime Prefecture have developed a new type of paper material that's cooler to the touch.

The developers are also considering cutting the paper into fine threads to be processed into towels and other textile products.

This kind of thing is where Japan really does excel: taking the normal materials of life and improving them by small margins over time.

#Ehime #Imabari #Japan #Science #Technology

Central Japan Railway kicked off a farewell tour for the "Doctor Yellow" diagnostic shinkansen bullet train on Friday at Tokyo Station, where enthusiasts gathered to pay their respects to the perennial favorite.

Any place where being a train nerd can be somewhat mainstream is a good place to be.

#Japan #Tokyo #Transport

Following in the footsteps of the European Union, Japan has now passed a law that will restrict Apple and Google from blocking third-party app stores for Japanese users on their platforms. The legislation is expected to come into force by the end of 2025 and aims to reduce app prices and create a more equitable market by forcing the tech giants to compete with smaller challengers.

A positive move following similar legislation coming into force this year in the European Union.

#Government #Japan #Technology

The renewed exhibition room is located on the fifth floor of Mori JP Tower, Japan's tallest building, which opened in November 2023. It includes a special section featuring materials related to Chiune Sugihara (1900-1986), who issued "visas for life" to Jewish refugees during World War II while serving as a vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Lithuania, and on Shigeru Yoshida (1878-1967), a diplomat who served as foreign minister and prime minister.

Admission to the new exhibition room is free, and unlike the prior facility, it is open on Saturdays, too. It remains closed on Sundays and public holidays.

#Culture #Government #Immigration #Japan #Minato #Museum #Tokyo #Toranomon

The new training and employment system that is expected to take effect in 2027 aims to foster foreign workers to achieve the specified skills visa level over three years once they've entered the country. Meanwhile, more attention will be paid to their rights as workers, and rules on job-changing are being eased to allow transfers over the course of one to two years. The retention of this workforce is an issue that will persist under the new system.

This is a good on-the-ground story about the actual lives of foreign workers trying to integrate into local communities. Also a good example of how local governments are picking up the slack from Tokyo and actually doing the hard work of making a flawed immigration system work for new immigrants and for local businesses.

#Government #Immigration #Japan #Nagano #Ueda

Kazuya Saito, a 34-year-old Tokyo resident, admitted to the theft, with police quoting him as saying, "Collecting women's uniforms is my hobby. I smelled it and wore it myself."

#Crime #Ishigaki #Japan #Okinawa #Transport

Logistics companies in Japan are trying to come up with ways to reduce parcel redeliveries as they face serious shortages of truck drivers due to new overtime regulations that took effect in April.

In contrast with floppies in government, the package delivery sector is Japan is surprisingly advanced compared to other places I lived (as long as you read Japanese as English interfaces are minimal or nonexistent). Any improvement is welcome but maybe loan some of your engineers to the Digital Ministry.

#Japan #Logistics #Technology

Some 70% of the target procedures have been revised. Of 1,034 that originally required floppy disks, the requirement for the use of the format invented in the 1970s has reportedly been abolished in all but one -- where the Ministry of the Environment is in the process of revising an ordinance.

As a first link post here at Nipponica, this seems appropriate and an accurate way of countering the myth of Japan being a hub of future technology. The biggest problem that plagues government and business processes here are rigid to the point of being almost impossible to change. It took a global pandemic to mostly phase out the use of physical hanko personal seals as legal signatures on official documents.

"Digitization has made considerable progress. We would like to proceed with necessary reviews, including the use of faxes."

Ambitious, Konoさん.

#Digitalization #Government #Japan #Technology

Three thousand, nine hundred and thirty days ago I ended my life.

The way I told this part of my story up until now was that I was bored, wanted to see the world, or just did not see a path forward in life. All true but not the truth. The real reason I decided to end things was much more basic. I just needed to run.

The most important part of becoming an adult is writing your own user manual. We are all machines with roughly the same basic functions and mechanisms inside the case. But our software can vary widely. As children, teenagers, and young adults each of us is a beta tester for our own stack, learning what works, what to avoid, and what needs further development.

By the time we approach the end of this testing period and release ourselves into genpop, we all should have a good idea of how to operate our machines. At least that is the ideal. What seems to be more common is that the less curious among us just fork the template manual and release that with their name written on the cover in crayon. And, to be fair, that works for those who do not deviate far from the spec.

The author is a deviant.

During the process of composing of my own manual, I quickly realized that the template was not a friend. Like anyone who knows nothing, I started following it as that was what I was supposed to do (right?). But every time I followed the standard procedure, I felt miserable, trapped, and always wanting for a life that I was not living. Was this normal?

My instinct was to throw a cartoon bomb into the world I was chained to and escape into the black void that the explosion would expose in the façade of life. But there was nothing about cartoon bombs and personal terrorism in the template.

• Should I trust the procedure or myself?
• Should I follow the steps or run into the abyss?

We all ask these questions at some point in our lives and the choice we make will determine the path we take. After a lot of stress, deliberation, and strife, I chose to disregard the template and make my own way. I chose to run.

• Dead-end Job: quit.
• Finances: shambles.
• Friends & family: alienated & confused.
• Prospects: bleak.
• Future: unknown.

It was an insane thing to do. Even from my position further down the timeline, it was a gamble that had very little chance of paying off. But it did. More about that down the line.

But this decision solidified a key procedure I wrote into my manual from then on: self destruction is necessary. When given a chance to tear everything to the ground and run, always choose to run. It doesn’t always work out, but when it does, it is life-changing. The safe path may lead to certain comforts, but solving for comfort in the equation of life rarely creates anything worth living for.

Run. Always run.

I am writing this weblog’s first post in a chain mermaid-based coffee dispensary in my adoptive hometown of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. My compatriots in this particular caffeine trap house are the usual mix of students and the elderly that inhabit this city, taking a quiet minute to avoid what they fear most about the future. I am here mostly out of habit as this is one place that I found in my own beta that I can focus on creative pursuits and actually get something done. The drugs are secondary.

This weblog is to be something that I wish I had when I first thought of replanting myself in this strange land. Not as a user manual for Japan (you got to write that yourself) but as a guide for what is happening here beyond the myth handed to you as you deplane. Many people that I know that have come here and gone just bounce off the cultural atmosphere and fly back into the comfortable blackness without going through the effort of making a proper landing. Part of that is laziness (not wanting to write your manual) but part of it is being overwhelmed by the difficulty of understanding the basics of this world. Language is a major hurdle. As is comprehending and translating the norms of society. Finding your first step is often the hardest part. This is where I think I can help.

Nipponica is not going to hold your hand to understand Japan as I am still working on that myself three thousand, nine hundred and thirty days into my own voyage. But what Nipponica can do is to catalog my journey and present it to you, the reader. I will post links to news I find interesting and occasionally write longer pieces like this where I try to make a larger point. My success may vary.

So here we are. 走ろう。

#Chronicle #Ibaraki #Japan #Tsukuba