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July 16, 2024
 

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Masako Tsubuku
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy / YEN FOR LIVING
Apr 8, 2017
'Nekonomics' does its bit to keep Japan's economy purring
In our last column we talked about the economic effectiveness (keizai kōka) of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Keizai kōka is often used as an indication of how much money a given scheme or phenomenon adds to a particular economy. As we pointed out, the number only takes into consideration the positive effects...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Apr 2, 2017
Temporary disaster housing has an unforeseen permanence
The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake left 110,000 people in three prefectures without shelter. Most of these people moved into emergency evacuation centers while the authorities prepared temporary housing for them.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 25, 2017
Reassessing the negative impact of hosting the 2020 Olympics
The estimated cost of the 2020 Olympic Games has increased astronomically since Tokyo won the right to host it. On Dec. 22, Asahi Shimbun reported that the estimated price could be as much as ¥1.8 trillion. The original bid estimate for constructing new Olympic venues was ¥499 billion and that is now...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 11, 2017
Measuring the economics behind a shift to streaming
An article in the Feb. 17 issue of the Asahi Shimbun describes a restaurant in Osaka where diners can watch J. League soccer games. The restaurant has three TV monitors hooked up to Sky PerfecTV, one of Japan's satellite broadcast services. At the end of January, however, the J. League shifted its exclusive...
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Mar 4, 2017
Will we ever see no obstacles in our way?
Infrastructure in Japan is up to world standards in most areas, and in terms of public transportation it often surpasses those standards — but there's one field it falls way behind: utility poles and overhead cables that carry electrical power and telecommunications.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 25, 2017
Popularity of card loans add to financial woes
Supreme Court records show that there were 64,637 filings for personal bankruptcy in 2016, an increase of 781 cases over 2015, thus marking the first increase in 13 years.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 11, 2017
Resorting to adoption to avoid inheritance tax
Revisions to the inheritance tax went into effect in 2015, and related statistics for that year were recently made public by the National Tax Agency.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Feb 4, 2017
New housing options get smaller in the city
...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 21, 2017
Stress mounts as fees fall in Japan for home deliveries
The rise of online retailers has led to a race to the bottom for home delivery firms desperate to hold on to the huge amount of business these shopping sites provide.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Jan 7, 2017
Can the financial roadblock to marriage ever be dismantled?
On Dec. 20, an advisory panel assembled by the Prime Minister's Office drafted a final proposal for a bill that has a long-term goal of increasing the country's sagging birthrate.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Dec 31, 2016
Getting too cozy to the next-door neighbors
In its Dec. 20 issue, Asahi Shimbun reported on a couple in their 60s living in Saitama City. Two years ago their neighbor installed an Eco Cute system that uses heat pump technology to heat water more efficiently and, thus, reduce electricity costs. But since the system was installed, the older couple's...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Dec 24, 2016
Industry divided on government's casino gamble
In its zeal to ramrod some bills into law before the New Years holiday, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party finally legalized casino gambling, a matter that has been in legislative limbo for a number of years. However, the problems that always prevented the bills from advancing in the past have not gone...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Dec 10, 2016
Japan's humble school lunch: social leveler and sacred cow
Beyond the inculcation of good eating habits and an appreciation of wholesome food, Japan's school lunch program stresses the importance of community and helps children understand their responsibilities within the group.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Dec 3, 2016
Abandoned buildings still house problems
Japan's vacant house problem will become worse before it becomes better. According to government estimates there are 8 million residences in Japan with no one living in them, a number that Bloomberg reports will increase to 20 million by 2033, representing a third of all the homes in Japan. A good portion...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Nov 26, 2016
Where to burn aging Japan's growing numbers of dead?
A sideshow of Japan's demographic crisis is that there aren't enough facilities available to 'process' these bodies.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Nov 12, 2016
Japan's laundromat bubble shows no sign of bursting
Almost every Japanese household has a washing machine, so why are so many of them using laundromats that cost them extra money?
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos / HOME TRUTHS
Nov 5, 2016
Earthquake standards are on shaky ground
No one died in the recent earthquake that struck Tottori Prefecture, but the temblor was strong enough to cause extensive damage. Several thousand people are still in evacuation centers, which means it is not safe for them to live in their homes. Most of these houses were probably built before the latest...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Oct 22, 2016
Shocking blog post forces debate on the financial drain of dialysis in Japan
About 0.25 percent of the population requires dialysis, but this group is responsible for one-30th of the country's medical costs.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Oct 8, 2016
New pension ceiling meant to help low-paid workers may hit housewives
A lowering of the eligibility cap for the ku014dsei nenkin pension plan leaves housewives working part-time with a choice: cut their hours to stay below the new ceiling or work more to offset the pension payments they will now have to make.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / HOME TRUTHS
Oct 1, 2016
Tokyo faces declining condominium prices
In Japan's housing market, there has always been one verity: Certain parts of Tokyo will always be popular and, therefore, profitable for developers. However, according to various media reports, that verity may have collapsed, at least when it comes to new condominiums.
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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