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 […]
Elements necessary for fully functioning members of society in Japan
The people working to resolve the problems caused by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, as a result of the huge earthquake and tsunami on March 11, are people who work for a company in the private sector. Without a strong sense of responsibility, they would be unable to continue to do […]
Necessary things in order to enjoy life in Japan
Japanese people tend to have gloomy expectations for the future. According to a poll done by Japanese Trade Union Confederation, 90 percent of respondents said they had misgivings about their current life and future, with only 8.5 percent replying that Japan will be better off in one year's time. Similar trends can be seen in […]
Decals for Four Types of Drivers in Japan
Decals for Four Types of Drivers Based on Japan’s Traffic Law, four types of drivers are obliged to indicate their status by attaching a decal to their vehicle. These are new permit holders (used during the first year after obtaining their license); drivers with hearing disabilities; drivers with physical handicaps; and seniors aged 70 and […]
Japan -- a Nation of Vending Machines!
Japan’s First Sliced Apple Vending Machine Inside the Kasumigaseki subway station in the very center of Tokyo, a one-of-a-kind vending machines selling sliced apples catches the eye of passers-by. “We want people to be able to enjoy eating them as a breakfast substitute, or for snacks,” says the operator. The apples, cut into easy-to-eat sections, […]
Japanese people are good at "Reading the Atmosphere"
Japanese people in general tend to be somewhat reserved and prefer to avoid drawing attention to themselves. This appears to also be the case for those who just reached 20, Japan's age of adulthood. A recent poll by research firm MACROMILL found that 90 percent of the respondents believed it important to “read the atmosphere” […]
A Go-by-the-book Society in Japan
Some regard Japanese people as being rather inflexible. A major reason for this, it’s been said, is an educational system that does not encourage free thinking but it could also be argued that Japanese even from long ago had a penchant for seeking the safest and surest way of doing things. That may be the […]
Where Did Its Aim of “Protecting Children” Go in Japan?
Debate over the Ban on Child Porn Comics in Japan It has Been Turned into a Political Issue at the Convenience of Adults On June 16, 2010, when the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly’s regular session in June was closed, an amendment bill to the metropolitan ordinance for the sound development of youth was voted down by […]
Obscure Obsequies: Japan's Changing Funerals
Japan's Changing Funerals In 1993 actress Takiko Mizunoe held a “living funeral.” She was 78, the end could come any time. Meanwhile she was healthy, vivacious, fun-loving – so why not? Why be a corpse at your own funeral when you can be its host, saying farewell to your nearest and dearest in your own […]
What do you do to relieve stress at work?
Stress related to work is common in all countries. Japan is said to be particularly stressful at work. What are the ways to relieve stress in Japan? I think it's different between women and men, so let's see the answers of women this time. What do you do to relieve stress at work? 1. Eat […]