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Masako Tsubuku
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 20, 2010
Who pays for sumo?
Sumo wrestlers don't make huge salaries but they can get a lot of yen in other ways.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 18, 2010
Matsuzakaya finds a reason to have a sale
Do department stores need a reason to sell discounted goods across the board? They do now, and it's called wakeari.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 14, 2010
Tap water gains for economic not environmental reasons
Tokyo has gone to great lengths to make its tap water more drinkable ... so why do most people still buy bottled water?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 10, 2010
Annals of cheap: UR apartments to die for
With UR rentals, you can land an apartment for half the price ... as long as you're not easily spooked.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 6, 2010
Beyond belief: Graveyard business expands
Thinking ahead to reserving a cemetery plot in Tokyo? It's a gravely serious business.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jun 3, 2010
Car sharing becomes more practical
In a pinch and need to borrow a BMW for 15 minutes? Your car is waiting, sir, via Times Plus, which takes car-sharing to a whole new level.
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 30, 2010
Summer gift season tests Miyazaki meat rep
Dept. stores worry that Miyasaki's foot and mouth disease outbreak could put a chill on chugen sales.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 26, 2010
Lottery administrators get their comeuppance (so what?)
A government reform unit says money gathered from the lottery might be have been misused but should the Takurakuji itself take the blame?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 23, 2010
The Japan-Swiss EPA means nothing to cheese lovers
The euro has dropped and an agreement with Switzerland has been signed, so why does the price of cheese in Japan still do high?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 22, 2010
Tower of power: What's a view worth?
As the value of real estate in Aoyama, Azabu and Akasaka drops, a room with a view of Tokyo Sky Tree might be a worthy investment.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 18, 2010
Why doesn't national health insurance pay for maternity care?
With high life expectancy and a declining birth rate, you'd think there would be more government money invested in maternity care.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 14, 2010
Strawberry hothouses forever
We know we should eat what the season's harvest give us, but in the case of hothouse strawberries, that's almost year-round.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 10, 2010
Communal living: It isn't just for foreigners anymore
Renters are coming together for cheap, secure and fun communal living.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 5, 2010
Local governments try to make it a little easier for you to pay them
Sign up to have your local government tax paid by bank withdrawal and qualify to win seaweed or rice!
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
May 1, 2010
Not easy being green: Eco-point system tests patience
Got Eco-points? Great, but cashing them is going to take more than a little paperwork.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 29, 2010
Crash test dummies agree: Legacy is the one!
Subaru's Legacy won top marks in the 2009-2010 New Car Assessment Program but will that translate into higher sales?
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 24, 2010
Commuting by bicycle benefits more than just your health
In an attempt to reduce Japan's carbon footprint, more government and corporate initiatives are encouraging commuters to cycle to work.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 21, 2010
Be good to your vacuum cleaner and it will suck, if you're lucky
There's not a lot of turnover in vacuum cleaners, but manufacturers are doing their best to change that with new bells and whistles.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 19, 2010
Hair restoration and the economics of great expectations
Reportedly 8 million men in Japan 'worry' about thinning hair, which adds up to a lot of customers . . . and lab rats.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 13, 2010
Lawson 100 and the evolution of the convenience store
As a rule you don't go to a convenience store for value. The new exception to the rule is Lawson Store 100.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?