If you are a company owner or manager in Japan, what do you do to deal with the worker shortage? Options: Automate with robots and software, reorganize the business so that you need less workers, dabble in the gig economy.

We love the whole concept of fermenting so much that Japantravel.com is planning to start fermented food tours to artisanal factories (no automation and time worn facilities) around Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.

(1) A foreigner loitering in a car parked in a Japanese neighborhood would be quickly spied by a local or the police. (2) The Japanese are aware of the need to preserve some basic engineering capabilities in-country.

Last week the audio/car electronics manufacturer, Pioneer, announced that it was selling a large private placement to Baring Private Equity in Hong Kong. The placement will be for JPY60bn, and appears to give Baring control of the struggling firm.