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Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 2, 2023

Japan workers are shifting from lifetime employment, LinkedIn's country head says

Firms also need to adapt to changing attitudes among workers who value family life and flexibility more than they did in the past, the company's first female country chief has said.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
May 8, 2023

'In Nojiri, I have never felt like a foreigner'

Secluded and serene, the summer spot for many expat families faces challenges that aren't unique to other rural townships in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE
Feb 12, 2023

Fukui’s dwindling washi makers hold on to paper-thin margins

As a product, washi's beauty is unassailable. As an industry, it's future is in doubt.
Japan Times
People / 20 QUESTIONS
Jul 8, 2023

Azumi Yamanaka: 'You can have a colorful, fashion-conscious style while also being vegan'

A love for animals got Azumi Yamanaka to switch to a vegan lifestyle. She was delighted to discover the lifestyle had healthy side effects and was better for the planet.
Jacob Curry puts some finishing touches on a sandwich spread at a Lizzo show.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jul 23, 2023

The personal chefs feeding today's global tours

Many tours for A-list artists now include a vegan chef and place a priority on physical and mental well-being as well as lessening environmental impact.
A recent report showed that the number of career bureaucrats leaving government to join startups had quadrupled over the two years through fiscal 2022.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Aug 8, 2023

Japan’s young civil servants are growing disillusioned

Big companies remain the most popular career option, attracting 34% of those who change jobs.
Get a taste of Hokkaido’s playfully named chan-chan yaki — or griddle-cooked salmon.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Sep 11, 2023

Recipe: Hokkaido-style griddle-cooked salmon

This dish reflects a combination of Ainu food traditions from Hokkaido.
Paternity leave has not taken root in Japan due to concerns over decreases in income and disruptions to the work side of life.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 24, 2023

Japan local governments working to encourage paternity leave

From Saga to Yamanashi, local officials are trying a variety of policies to give their male employees a chance to better participate in family life.
Ayatana's hand-pounded curry paste is just one example of what chef Bo Songvisava calls her revival of traditional Thai cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Oct 8, 2023

Ayatana elevates Thai comfort food to gourmet cuisine

Japan has no shortage of Thai food, but this new Kyoto restaurant aims to transcend its reputation of a casual bite.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 6, 2023

A year after borders fully opened, tourism vocab is also back

After tourists fully returned to Japan last October, so did a term we hadn't heard since before the pandemic: overtourism.
This stir-fry is a staple of many Japanese meals, and the techniques used to make are also commonly used throughout traditional cuisine.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 5, 2023

Recipe: Carrot and burdock root stir-fry

When selecting "gobō," choose ones that are straight and relatively thin — the thicker, the older.
By the finale, I had completely bought into Samurai Restaurant Time's spectacle — a neon-lit festival with chants and cheers.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 12, 2023

Samurai Restaurant Time gives kitschy thrills fit for Kabukicho

To replace the defunct Robot Restaurant, the neon-soaked streets of Kabukicho are serving up a kitschy second course.
The shortage of a class of diabetes drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists is being driven in part by healthy people looking to use them for dieting purposes.
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
Nov 14, 2023

Japan tackles surge in off-label diabetes drug use for weight loss

Officials are aiming to ensure that the medications are prescribed for people with diabetes, and not for those seeking weight loss.
A squeeze of fresh "sudachi" citrus is the final element in this earthy, warming dish perfect for cooler temperatures.
LIFE / Food & Drink
Nov 19, 2023

Here’s the tea on traditional dobin teapot-steamed mushrooms

Dobin mushi pairs well with meat, fish, tofu, omelets and other vegetables. You can also serve dobin mushi in lieu of soup at any meal.
Chef Masato Nishihara chose Nara as the site for his restaurant, Tsukumo, for its antiquity, its proximity to nature and its ancient connections with overseas cultures.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Dec 3, 2023

Tsukumo: Japanese cuisine inspired by Nara's ancient roots

Like the treasures housed inside Nara's Shosoin repository, it may be years before chef Masato Nishihara reprises some of his exquisite dishes at Tsukumo.
Japan's 'itameshi' (Japanized Italian cuisine) has as many detractors as proponents, but you can elevate your pasta beyond the criticism with this edamame-infused dish.
LIFE / Food & Drink / The Recipe Box
Dec 3, 2023

Recipe: Edamame 'mollicata' pasta

Known in Basilicata as 'mollicata,' this rustic preparation can be served with or without cheese.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 15, 2023

Despite a taxing year, 2023's top kanji still draws questions

In a year of major crises around the world, Japanese voters pick the kanji for "zei," meaning "tax," based on a plan yet to be implemented.
This savory-sweet cake can be made with either fish paste or shrimp — whichever you think will best guide you into 2024.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Dec 17, 2023

Recipe: Good luck egg and fish rolls

The trickiest part of making “datemaki” is rolling it up — the rolled form is supposed to resemble a paper scroll, representing wishes for the new year.
Shiv Kumar (left) and Nirmal Singh say they are learning a lot about living and thriving in Japan while taking part in the Technical Intern Trainee Program. Their case, however, seems to be an exception to the norm.
COMMUNITY / Issues / The Foreign Element
Dec 18, 2023

Beating the odds on Japan's controversial foreign trainee program

Nirmal Singh and Shiv Kumar beat the odds on the Technical Intern Training Program, but luck shouldn't play such a key role in a government initiative.
What's old in Tokyo libations is new again at Heiwa Doburoku Kabutocho Brewery, where sake's cloudy, rustic predecessor takes center stage.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Kanpai Culture
Dec 24, 2023

At 2023’s close, Tokyo bars enter a new golden age

This year’s cocktail trends offer a spirit-forward reflection on the past as well as glimpses of the future.
Erin Lim, CEO of baby products company Konny, in front of her company's new office in Seoul. Early starts and late finishes to workdays are routine in South Korea, a country notorious for its hard-driving corporate culture, but Erin Lim knew she wanted to do things differently at her business.
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 28, 2023

South Korean mother's office-free firm sparks hope amid birthrate woes

South Korea has some of the world's lowest birth rates, and despite government incentives many women choose not to become mothers.
The Sapporo Snow Festival offers outdoor dining, markets, sports, ice sculptures and more across three event sites.
LIFE / Travel
Jan 6, 2024

Asia's winter festivals: Snow, fire and spectacle galore

The ancient city of Nara wards off the wintertime darkness with an unusual tradition: lighting a local mountain on fire.
The recipe combines daikon with pork belly for a traditional style simmered dish with a twist.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Jan 21, 2024

Recipe: Simmered radish with pork

More than 100 varieties of daikon were once grown around Japan, but now only 10 dominate the market.
JAPAN
Feb 7, 2024

Japan to allow bureaucrats to work remotely in principle

The government will release guidelines on remote work as part of an effort to encourage more diverse ways of working among its employees.
Chef Natsuki Suzuki opened Naz in the fall of 2020 on the rural fringe of the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Destination Restaurants
Feb 11, 2024

Naz: Bounty from landlocked Nagano's rivers and pastures

Dining at Naz is like sitting down at a bespoke dinner club for a meal catered exclusively for you. And what a meal it is.
Chorus supported A Space for the Unbound by publishing the console versions of the game, which meant working closely with platforms like Nintendo for the eShop and physical versions while also providing additional Japanese localization for the game.
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Feb 24, 2024

How a small publisher links Japan to global indie gaming hits

Chorus Worldwide was founded in 2014, but the combined games pedigree of its core team goes much further back.
This simple bento recipe is perfect for meal prepping, school lunches and any other meal where you want maximum flavor for minimum effort.
LIFE / Food & Drink / JAPANESE KITCHEN
Feb 25, 2024

Recipe: 'Rainbow' bento lunch box

The idea of making a bento every day can seem daunting, but there are a few tricks that you can add to your arsenal that will make the task go smoothly.
During cherry blossom season, lunchtime thoughts turn to outdoor picnicking, and savory sakura-flavored rice bundles are the perfect choice.
LIFE / Food & Drink / Washoku Essentials
Mar 23, 2024

Cherry blossoms are just as beautiful on a plate as a branch

With Tokyo’s cherry blossom season imminent, the tree takes center stage in sweet and savory dishes alike.
BASKETBALL
Mar 25, 2024

Basketball star thrives on court again after putting herself first

Evelyn Mawuli is helping to normalize career breaks for reasons other than physical health.
Pakistan finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad on March 22
WORLD / Politics
Apr 9, 2024

Pakistan’s finance minister leaves behind banker's life and pay to fix economy

The country has Asia’s fastest inflation, anemic growth and one of the lowest tax-collection rates in the world.

Longform

A man offers prayers at Hebikubo Shrine in Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward. The shrine is one of several across the country dedicated to the snake.
Shed your skin and reinvent yourself in the Year of the Snake