Category: Society
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Characteristics of the Japanese observed 150 years ago: strengths and weaknesses
It is said that the Japanese are diligent, and that image remains despite the passage of time. If you ask a Japanese or perhaps a foreigner what are the characteristics of the Japanese, the answer is probably the same: diligence. Undoubtedly, there is some truth in this generalization, but then , what are the negative characteristics Read more
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Meet the first girl to hit fungoes at the Koshien School Tournament
Yuna Nagano walked to the plate holding her bat to thunderous applause at Koshien Stadium here on March 22. One after another, she hit balls during pregame field practice, making history as the first girl to serve as a fungo hitter (warm-up for receiving balls) in the national high school baseball tournament. The third-year student Read more
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Custom of running in Japan
One serious runner told me that his interest really picked up after Naoko Takahashi won the Olympic marathon gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Games. But many trace current fashion back to the launch of the Tokyo Marathon in 2007. I was lucky enough to be a part of that event and to be one of Read more
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Japanese city mixes up plan to recognize foreigners as citizens
A Japanese city is considering not including foreigners in its definition of citizens, officials said Wednesday, after receiving public comments opposing a possible revision of the ordinance to that end. The city of Kumamoto in southwestern Japan, which currently only defines its citizens as residents and people who study there, had planned to add the Read more
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Nintendo thinks long-term about its businesses
The Nintendo heirs family office says patience is a superpower. The investment firm that manages nearly $1.5 billion (about ¥204 billion) of assets for members of Nintendo’s founding family is willing to play the long game when it comes to portfolio companies and can expect more than one decade to see a change. The long-term Read more
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Nagi Town Reveals Its Secret To Having More Babies In Japan
NAGI, Japan—Mayor Masachika Oku is concerned about the exhaustion of children in this remote town. “They are being chased by visitors with cameras every day,” he said. Visitors, including Japan’s leader, are making the journey in search of a valuable secret that may lurk here: how to make more babies. Women in Nagi, a town Read more
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Message to foreigners in “konbini” sparks controversy online in Japan
The attempt to reduce customer rudeness comes off as incredibly rude. Japanese convenience stores are known to be wonderful havens, where you can get everything from cat buns to steamed pancake buns at any time of the day or night. With such a glowing reputation attached to them, it was a bit surprising to find Read more
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The Ainu seek to integrate their folklore into urban areas of Japan
The Ainu , an indigenous people living predominantly in northern Japan. This indigenous people has a unique culture and language and rich cultural traditions. Until the 19th century their main activities were hunting, fishing, gathering plants and agriculture. They also had trade and other forms of exchange with the surrounding regions. During the Meiji era in the Read more
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Majority of voters in favor of legalizing gay marriages in Japan
72% of voters believe Japan should legalize same-sex marriages according to a poll by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper conducted on February 18-19, 2023. In recent years, support for the legal recognition of same-sex marriages has increased. In March 2021, 65% were in favor The proportion in favor was 65 percent in a poll in March Read more
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Saitama high schools will allow girls to wear pants
High schools run by Saitama Prefecture that still have dress codes that require female students to wear skirts as part of their uniforms will soon allow girls to choose pants instead. The change is designed for transgender students whose gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth. Tatsuya Furudo, 30, of Read more