Tag - normal

 
 

NORMAL

Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 13, 2022
Japan to restart travel discount program on Jan. 10 after year-end break
Under the revamped program, the maximum discount to be awarded to a tourist per night will be lowered to u00a57,000 from the current u00a511,000.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 13, 2022
Lingering COVID risk shifts Japan's end-of-year party culture
A recent survey found that 70% of respondents considered year-end parties unnecessary, and many that are happening are being held on a smaller scale.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 11, 2022
Izakaya pubs see spike in bookings for year-end parties
The situation for the 'izakaya' industry has improved drastically from the past two years, when such pubs were deserted amid the spread of the coronavirus.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 30, 2022
Education ministry eases guidance on coronavirus measures for school lunches
The ministry also asked local governments to give school lunch-related guidance and instructions based on the infection situation and other circumstances in each region.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 28, 2022
Maskless World Cup fans pose dilemma for Chinese broadcasters
State broadcaster China Central Television appears to be pulling back on footage of stadium crowds compared with other international networks.
Japan Times
LIFE
Nov 12, 2022
Can't sleep? Drinkable aids are booming in Japan
The demand for beverages that claim to help with sleep and alleviate stress is so high that some companies are having trouble making enough product.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Longform
Oct 31, 2022
Can Japan’s pandemic-hit amusement parks return with a bang?
Does the opening of Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture reflect a turnaround in fortunes for theme park operators in Japan?
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Oct 15, 2022
‘Undesirable consequences’ may await Japan’s well-meaning tourists
The return to full-scale tourism may be much more of a slog than previously thought — for tourists and Japan alike.
Japan Times
JAPAN / FOCUS
Oct 12, 2022
Japan's lifting of COVID-19 entry cap may keep citizens wearing masks
Some fear that the first inflow of visa-free foreign travelers in more than two years could increase the spread of infections at home.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Oct 9, 2022
From Kyoto to Hokkaido, it's the last call for tourist-free travel
The borders reopen from Oct. 11, but the floodgates will stay relatively closed until countries like China allow tourists to return en masse.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 1, 2022
Emperor and empress make first trip outside Tokyo since COVID-19 outbreak
Other than their visit to London for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, this marked the imperial couple's first trip outside Tokyo since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society
Sep 26, 2022
Long burdened by costly funerals, Japan embraces simple goodbyes
While much of the recent decline was due to people opting for small-scale ceremonies to avoid the spread of COVID, many say the change is both overdue and unlikely to be fully reversed.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 16, 2022
Almost 80% of remote workers think they’d be fired for declining to return to the office
A survey also found that nearly 60% of employers say they'd be content with employees resigning rather than returning to the office.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Sep 12, 2022
Many 'Abenomask' applicants rejected without notice
Some 370,000 applications for 290 million masks were made during a one-month period, against about 71 million masks left in inventory.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 31, 2022
Schools in China face third year of disrupted schedules and demanding COVID controls
Schools in major cities and across the country have postponed classes in an effort to get virus flare-ups under control.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / New Normal 2.0
Jun 28, 2022
Japan firms that embraced remote work rediscover value of the office
Despite recognizing the advantages of work from home, some are finding the benefits of in-person communication and collaboration hard to ignore.
Japan Times
JAPAN / New Normal 2.0
Jun 27, 2022
Japan prepares for bounce in tourism, but pre-pandemic demand still far off
Destinations such as Niseko in Hokkaido are gearing up for 'revenge travel' by domestic and foreign tourists, but caution over COVID-19 limits the expected rise in numbers.
Japan Times
JAPAN / New Normal 2.0
Jun 24, 2022
Japan begins return to business-as-usual at big events — but slowly
Recent trials of allowing cheering at soccer games are indicative of the approach toward large events in the coming months: a slow, highly cautious return to some aspects of normalcy.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Science & Health / Longform
Jun 13, 2022
As COVID-19 fears subside, Japan debates the future of masks
How much longer before the nation reaches a tipping point when people start ditching their masks en masse?
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 1, 2022
With flights still cut, Japan's airline workers make the best of jobs on the ground
Unable to perform their usual duties, many staffers have remained seconded, sometimes keeping them in a very different environment but enabling them to learn new skills.

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals