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July 17, 2024
 

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Philip Brasor
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Mar 26, 2010
Back to those gold soundz
Last fall, when the American rock band Pavement announced it would reunite for a series of concerts in New York's Central Park one year hence, nobody seemed surprised. Though the group stopped touring and recording 10 years ago, it never officially called it quits. The feeling was that Stephen Malkmus,...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 22, 2010
Old eco points vs. new eco points: Where's the savings?
A new eco-points standard for TVs means buying before March 31 could be the ticket to a bargain.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 21, 2010
Japan's press play the food card in bluefin tuna row
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is in Qatar discussing proposed regulations covering certain plant and animal species. The main media focus is on bluefin tuna from the Atlantic.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 18, 2010
Driving schools cope with an auto-immune generation
Driving schools used to be on easy street but they're struggling these days and trying to get control of the wheel.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 14, 2010
Risk separates stars from actors
People in the same business slapping one another on the back should hardly be of interest to anyone outside that business, but to paraphrase "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" the business called "show" is an entirely different animal. That's why we display a disproportionate fascination with the Academy Awards,...
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 12, 2010
The road to nowhere leads to Ibaraki Airport
Rumors of a third airport in Tokyo have been greatly exaggerated. It's two hours away, in Ibaraki.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 8, 2010
Tax deductions and the myth of the "no-donation culture"
With few incentives to give to charities and few that qualify as NPOs, it no surprise that Japan has a bum rap as a 'no-donation' culture.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Mar 7, 2010
DPJ needs schooling on equality
When the Democratic Party of Japan swept to power last year, many people expected Japanese politics to become more rational. The Liberal Democratic Party had maintained a status quo that stifled meaningful change, and the DPJ supposedly won by promising to move forward.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 4, 2010
Annals of cheap: Tokyo Metro kaisuken
Smart cards such as PASMO and Suica are convenient for traveling in Tokyo but there's hidden value in the Metro's kaisuken (multiple tickets).
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Mar 1, 2010
Do your part and take a vacation
Japan tends to vacation en masse at the same times annually, which isn't great for an ailing tourism industry.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 28, 2010
Gold against the soul: The media and the Olympics
When Japan Newsweek editor Keigo Takeda said that it was all over during the live broadcast of Fuji TV's Sunday night newsmagazine "Journal" on the second day of the Vancouver Winter Olympics, he was talking about Japanese news coverage of the games.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 25, 2010
Soccer lottery BIG in Japan
The payout of the BIG soccer lottery promises to be a biggie: u00a5600 million to the lucky ticket owner.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 22, 2010
Government housing allowance ignores market realities
To aid laid-off workers, the government has been offering rent subsidies, but clearly the money isn't reaching the right people.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 21, 2010
Consumer safety should come before pride
It's difficult to get a balanced perspective on the public-relations crisis surrounding Toyota Motor Corporation's current global recall, which mostly involves its popular Prius hybrid.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 18, 2010
Tracking the recession with the Moyashi Index
The Moyashi Index: When bean sprout consumption goes up, it means grocery spending is down. And yes, families are eating more moyashi these days.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 15, 2010
Getting paid for doing the right thing
Spurred by the death of a child-abuse victim, police have begun offering incentives for anonymous tip-offs.
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 14, 2010
Foreign trainees easily exploited as bosses take advantage of system
Several weeks ago, TV Asahi's nightly news show "Hodo Station" ran a special report on the uncertain future of Japanese agriculture.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 10, 2010
The other New Year: Can Chinese prop up J-retail?
Inbound tourism has taken a hit recently, with the exception of Chinese tourists who collectively spend a lot of yen.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / YEN FOR LIVING
Feb 8, 2010
Consumer finance regroups: Promise to be good?
Dinged with lawsuits and government scrutiny, the consumer loan business is having to play it a bit cautious.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / MEDIA MIX
Feb 7, 2010
Film series reveals more than just foreign take on Japan
Many people still think Japan is inscrutable. It's a cliche reinforced on the Japanese side by another cliche that says Japan is "unique," and which is further reinforced by the tendency to explain cultural aspects as if they were museum exhibits. Much of NHK's English language content falls into this...
Who needs AI when you have Hatsune Miku?
Over the first six months of 2024, a handful of songs using Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku’s voice have enjoyed widespread attention, underlining a global interest in the character and the technology she represents.
Yen’s woes seem too big for even a BOJ hike this month to solve
The Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo
Japan finds a 'stealth' cure for zombie businesses: Let them fail
A worker at Sakai Seisakusyo prepares to transport metal rods at its factory in Kakamigahara, Gifu Prefecture, on July 8.
Trump makes his grand RNC entrance with a bandaged ear and a VP pick
Former U.S. President Donald Trump during the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday
China’s economic growth comes in worse than expected
Pedestrians in the Wangfujing shopping area in Beijing on July 11, 2024. China's economic growth in the second quarter was lower than forecast, adding pressure on Chinese leaders to lift confidence at the Chinese Communist Party's third plenum this week.
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.
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.

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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