Abdulaziz Turkistani: Ambassador to Japan from The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (until 2015)
"We need to build a strategic partnership." “Oil and desert as far as the eye can see,” a Japanese man in his 50s once replied, after being asked to describe his image of Saudi Arabia. He was surprised to be informed that the desert occupies only one-third of that country’s total land area. A Japanese […]
Bicqlo Store Combines Clothes and Electronics to Boost Consumption
Bicqlo Store Combines Clothes and Electronics By Ryoji Shimada “It’s a wonderful hodgepodge!” raves one sign. “Home appliances evolve, and so do clothes!” says another. With such claims at the store front and eye-catching electronic bulletin boards displaying constantly updated information on products, one’s curiosity would naturally be piqued, and certainly expect to find something […]
Ninja Still Alive: Devoting One’s Life to Ninjutsu Training and Study
Ninja Still Alive: Devoting One’s Life to Ninjutsu Training and Study Ryoji Shimada, staff writer What is your image of ninja? Their image that comes to mind for most people is of someone clad in black clothes, sword strapped to their back, hurling shuriken throwing stars, and running across the surface of water or disappearing […]
Hierarchy in Japanese Companies
Hierarchy in a Japanese company One aspect of Japanese corporate culture that often is difficult for non-Japanese to understand is the importance of hierarchy. The status relationships among various different members of the organization is a key determining factor in how they interact with each other, and how they expect others to interact with them. […]
Japan's Rice Innovation: Prewash Rice (musenmai)
Drycleaning Rice: The Toyo Rice Center process retains flavor and nutrition The idea of washing rice may be alien to Western people who are used to getting rice out of a box. But in fact, from India to Korea, it is a pan-Asian practice. Rice grown and packaged in America go through a cleaning process […]
About Being a Foreigner Working in Japan
Being a Gaijin or Gaikokujin in Japan By D. McCaughan A foreigner living in Japan, like any expatriate experience, soon learns that working here has many behaviors that might seem strange “at home.” Not long ago I was in a meeting when . . . Differences Between Japan and Foreign Countries Of course there are […]
Changing Manners in Japan
Can Ads' Subtle Hints Elicit More Considerate Behavior in Japan? By Ryoji Shimada Depending on which dictionary you peruse, a variety of definitions can be found for the word “manner.” Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English for example defines the word first as “the way in which something is done or happens.” The second definition is […]
A Revolutionary in the Intercity Bus Industry: Japan’s Express Bus Industry
At the lounge one might find powder rooms, dressing rooms, resting rooms and even shower rooms. Internet connections are free, as are various drinks including nourishing miso (soy bean paste) soup. You can check in your luggage and sleep or watch your favorite movies…What is this business? A hotel? An airline? Indeed, its president has […]
The Magic of Leaves: Business of Selling Leaves in Japan
The producer who gave purpose in life and independence to senior citizens, and vibrancy to a depopulated area Even after turning 100 years of age, if people can find “the joy of having a role,” new flowers will continue to bloom throughout their lives. Once senior citizens understand that there are things that even […]
Impressions about Japan and Japanese People
Source: Dentsu Inc. survey of 9,212 valid respondents, ages 20-59, in the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, India, U.K., France, Germany, Russia, USA, Canada and Australia. In July of this year, the Dentsu ad agency released the results of its survey on “Japan Branding,” conducted in 16 foreign countries […]