Back in 2003 I wrote about how you might want to start your own company as a future career path option - especially if you're in a job where there is very little opportunity for upwards promotion. Of course it's easier and lower risk to just go find a new job with another employer - all you need to do is update your resume, practice your presentation, and do some interviews. But if you're moving up in age (over 40), or are in an industry where pricing has been commoditized, or you've been pigeon-holed in a particular position and you don't want to take a big pay cut to reset your career, then starting your own business can be a viable alternative.

With Japan's richest holding billions of yen in savings, what is happening to the gap between rich and poor? Terrie compares the wealth divide in Japan with that in the US and breaks down the totem pole of Japanese affluence. Read Now

This week's newsletter considers the love/hate relationship that many of us have with convenience stores including a full consideration of the pros and cons. Read Now

If you are a long-term or permanent resident foreigner in Japan, from November 20th, you're going to be in for a shock at Immigration. Like many others, after a long trip back to Japan, I have always appreciated the right to be able to pass through the Japanese immigration lines with my re-entry permit. At the same time, I look at the long lines for the Foreigners immigration line, and thank my lucky stars that I don't have to get caught up in that for an hour or more.