5S in the Japanese Workplace (5)—Shitsuke: Sustaining through Discipline
5S in the Japanese Workplace (5)—Shitsuke: Sustaining through Discipline The final "S" in the 5S series looks at Shitsuke (sustaining). In a nutshell, it means keeping the previously introduced 4S as your daily routine. Shitsuke (しつけ or 躾) Shitsuke is usually written with Japanese hiragana syllables rather than the kanji characters derived from Chinese. The […]
What Is the Cultural Aspect of Soba in Japan?
What is cultural aspect of “soba” noodle? When comparing Tokyo and Osaka, it is said that Tokyoites prefer soba or buckwheat noodles while Osakans prefer udon or flour noodles. Nevertheless, if we talk only of the last day of the year, both Tokyoites and Osakans probably go for toshikoshi soba (New Year’s Eve’s buckwheat noodles) […]
Japanese Food Going International: Sushi, Ramen, etc.
(The photo is Osechi Ryori*: Japanese New Year Feast) Japanese Food Going International: Sushi, Ramen, etc. The world as it concerns food in the 21st century is an extraordinary spectacle. On the one hand are the famine and food shortages among developing nations, on the other is gluttony and obesity. Heightened global interest in Japanese food […]
Women's Social Advancement in the Japanese Business World
Female Social Advancement in the Japanese Business World Current Status of Women in Japan The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are international development goals for sustainable development, consisting of 17 global targets, and are also concrete guidelines for the period up to 2030. One of the 17 goals is to "achieve gender equality and empower all […]
Percentage of total electricity generated in Japan by power source
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) announced on July 21 the draft of the new basic energy plan. The plan is to increase the ratio of renewable energy to the total amount of electricity generated in FY2030. The ratio of renewable energy The ratio of renewable energy will be increased to 36-38%, and […]
Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy in Japan
Pros and Cons of Nuclear Energy in Japan On July 12, 2021, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) presented an estimate that the cost of solar power generation in 2030 will be in the upper 8 yen to lower 11 yen per kilowatt hour, cheaper than nuclear power (upper 11 yen or more). […]
Urushi （うるし 漆）, Japanese Lacquer Wares
What is Urushi of Japan? Maki-e, Raden, Lacquer trees and their saps "Shikko" (漆工) is a genre of craft which uses sap from the Anacardiaceae family of trees. Lacquer trees mainly grow in South East Asian countries, and depending on the species of tree, there are three main different ingredients in their sap: urushiol, laccol […]
What is Mentaiko (Karashi Mentaiko)?
It is said that the opening of the Shinkansen or the bullet train service to Hakata or Fukuoka in Northern Kyushu, Japan was what made Karashi Mentaiko (spicy Alaska pollock roe), a local specialty of Hakata, well-known throughout the country of Japan. That is, the Shinkansen passengers having bought the Karashi Mentaiko sold as a […]
Japan in Einstein’s Eyes
By Masaomi Ise Japan has a lot of old sayings such as “Bushi wa kuwanedo takayoji (samurai are people who conspicuously use a toothpick even when they have not eaten)” that describes the samurai’s way of life in which they put honor and pride above everything else, and “Boro wa kitetemo kokoro wa nishiki (rags […]
How to Cut CO2 Emissions by 95% in Japan by electric cars
By Hiroshi Shimizu, professor of Keio University The 20th century, for the people of the nations that use a great deal of electricity, was a world of extreme comfort and convenience. But the end result has been the people of the 21st century facing grave environmental issues. The global warming crisis will not wait. The time is […]