The Man Who Saved the Country, Japan and the World
Masao Yoshida Who Defied Company Orders to Save Japan from Fukushima Nuclear Disaster By Ryusho Kadota (journalist) and Soichiro Tahara (journalist) Securement of a Line to Deliver Seawater Was Crucial Tahara: Mr. Kadota, the book you wrote, “Shi no Fuchi wo Mita Otoko” (“The man who saw the abyss of death”, published by PHP Institute) […]
Mitsuyo Maeda (1878-1941): Promoting Judo Abroad
Mitsuyo Maeda (1878-1941): Promoting Judo Outside Japan He was undefeated in some 1,000 mixed martial arts matches --- an impeccable fighting record. A fighting match can’t avoid the influence of luck --- as is often the case in a mixed martial arts match. Yet he never lost even once. In the early 20th century, a […]
Number of Japanese companies that have been around for more than 100 years
Japan is home to the world's longest-living companies, with nearly 30,000 companies that have been in business for more than 100 years. Although there are some big companies like Panasonic, most of them are actually small companies with less than 9 employees. The more you expand your business, the more difficult it becomes to steer […]
The Truth About JAPANESE Consumers
By D. McCaughan Shopping is a complicated business. Balancing different elements including price, convenience, personal preferences, sources of information, trust and special offers. No more complicated than in Japan where variety, new offerings, crowded stores and endless on-line and mobile advice are overwhelming. I have written before about some of the shopping options and decision […]
Why There Is No Job Descriptions in Japan?
Job Description Is Not Stipulated in a Japanese Company By R. Kopp In many Japanese organizations operating in the U.S., American employees complain that job descriptions are non-existent, or are outdated and irrelevant. Indeed, I have encountered many Japanese companies that do not have any job descriptions, or only have a set that was created […]
Fair Trade market and movement in Japan
Low awareness about fair trade in Japan By Florian Kohlbacher and Sara Schmitz Awareness of Fair Trade Among Youths On a Sunday morning at 9 am, Sumika Mogi was already up for a while and making her way through Tokyo’s subway system, heading to the weekly meeting of her club, the Fair Trade Students Network […]
Interview with Makoto Shinkai, Animation Director
Astonish the World with the “Japan’s Landscape” Perhaps one of the distinctive characteristics of the animated movie director Makoto Shinkai is that for all the movies he has been involved in to date, including his best-known work “5 Centimeters Per Second” (2007), he has doubled up as original creator, script writer, editor, cinematographer, and director […]
Confidentiality and Information Exchange in Japanese Companies
How to Use Email Properly in a Japanese Business Email is an indispensable tool for business. However, its usage may be a little different in Japan than in other countries. Do you use reply for all? In Japan, replying to everyone is the norm. Why do you think that is? By P. Pringle Recent News […]
Long-seller Products in Japan
Beloved by Japanese Consumers for a Long Time Each December in Japan, the previous year’s most popular and successful examples consumer marketing are introduced as hitto shohin (“hit products”) in the Nikkei Ryutsu Shimbun (Nikkei Marketing Journal) and other media. While it’s great publicity to have one’s company credited with having generated a new hit […]
Transforming Closed Schools into Data Centers in Fukushima, Japan
Utilizing Abandoned School for PC Education By Ryoji Shimada, staff writer Nestled on a forested hillside about 100km distant from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, the former Akasawa primary school in Aizumisato Town, Fukushima Prefecture, no longer resonates with the lively voices of children. Instead, a bank of computer servers emits hums from […]