What Qualities Are Looked for in New Company Entrants This Year?
Humble Cheerful Adaptable Hardworking Modest Has drive to get ahead Has the power of endurance Dedicated Has guts Willingly takes on new challenges Looked at overall, an attitude of being flexible and listening to other people’s opinions is reflected in the top-placed rankings. Qualities such as “being calm,” “expressing one’s individuality,” and “innovation” seem […]
Lives of Coal Miners in Japan
Lives of Coal Miners in Japan On May 25, the paintings and diaries of Sakubei Yamamoto (1892 to 1984) who depicted the lives of coal miners in Fukuoka Prefecture were inscribed to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program, which aims to preserve and promote accessibility to the documentary heritage of humanity. The Director General of […]
Japanese Youth Compared with Youth in Other Countries, the US, India and China
Recognizing the Facts About the Youth It’s a question every parent and every marketer ask: “What motivates young people today?”In Japan there has been a great deal of angst in the last two decades about the growth of “freeters (young part-timers),” of talk of a lost generation of youth, of young people who are no […]
What is wabi-sabi in Japanese?
わび・さび “wabi-sabi” Wabi is an aesthetic principle originating in the lifestyle and thoughts of hermits in medieval times. It emphasizes mental serenity and austere beauty. The concept plays a substantial role in waka (classical Japanese poetry), haiku and the tea ceremony in conjunction with sabi. Sabi is the tranquil and restrained aesthetic sensibility which is also […]
Customer Service Japan Style: How to Become a Good Sales Person in Japan
The Japanese Greengrocer You have all seen him. Whether you live in Japan, or you go to Japan on business and happen to wander down to the basement of a department store, you have all met the greengrocer. He greets customers with a hearty “Irasshai!” (welcome) and shouts out his wares—all day long. He usually […]
World’s First! Offering Out-of-Print Manga with Ads for Free in Japan
World’s First! Offering Out-of-Print Manga with Ads for Free in Japan By Ryoji Shimada, staff writer The Jcomi site (now https://www.mangaz.com/), which is presided over by manga artist Ken Akamatsu known for such works as Negima! Magister Negi Magi and Love Hina, has become a topic of conversation for its free distribution of out-of-print manga […]
International Students Flock to Japan's Only School of Sushi
International Students Flock to Japan's Only Sushi School By Ryoji Shimada, staff writer "Now prepare and arrange the platter (14 sushi pieces and 2 hosomaki rolls) in 15 minutes!" At the sound of the cheerful order from senior instructor Ken Kawasumi, the 5 students set to work at once. Ian Valdivieso (age 27) is from […]
Business of Commercial Public Bath House in Japan
Public Bath Business in Japan Commercial public bath houses, called sento, are common in Japan. In recent years, however, the number of sento have gradually declined in number, mainly because more people now have bathing facilities at home. Nonetheless sento are indispensable to those who do not have baths at home, and they still play […]
5S in the Japanese Workplace (4) Seiketsu: Sanitizing
5S in the Japanese Workplace (4)Seiketsu: Sanitizing The 5S practices–Seiri (clearing up), Seiton (organizing), Seiso (cleaning), Seiketsu (sanitizing) and Shitsuke (training), is a system for reducing waste and increasing productivity by maintaining an orderly work environment. It was first developed in Japan and perfected by companies such as Toyota, who implemented it their production facilities. […]
What is "mottainai"?
The “MOTTAINAI” Campaign and Prof.Wangari Maathai The MOTTAINAI Campaign is an environmental project initiated by Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner, Wangari Maathai. She was highly impressed by the Japanese word “MOTTAINAI” when she first visited Japan in February 2005 and proposed that “MOTTAINAI” should be used as an icon and keyword for environmental protection activities […]