By Anna Kitanaka -- Political risks that could affect businesses in Japan. -- Japan’s past is full of political instability and military unrest. However, since the war Japan can be seen as a mainly peaceful country. Unable to engage in anything other than defensive military action under the constitution, Japan has been limited when it comes to involvement in wars and conflict. Yet the country is still at risk of political volatility and economic uncertainty. Here, we take a closer look at just some of the political risks the country faces today that have the potential to affect those with Japan-related financial or business interests.

By Hirokazu Mukai -- Some guidance for real estate investment. -- Making an investment in real estate or another asset category as a foreigner can be a tough process. One of the most frequent questions I get asked by foreigners thinking of investing in assets in Chiba, or in other areas for that matter, is ‘how do I get the funds?’ If you don’t already have capital available, slowly but surely, it is actually getting easier to borrow money in Japan.

VietnamBy Peter Harris -- J@pan Inc’s column concerning business opportunities outside of Japan. -- One of those to praise Vietnam’s entry into the WTO was Masayuki Karasawa, Chief Representative of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation in Vietnam who heralded the accession as a positive moment for global commerce. And little wonder given that Japan is one of the largest foreign investors in the country with its FDI totaling over US$8.8 billion and bilateral trade between the two countries reaching up to US$10 billion.

Nick ReeveBy Nick Reeve -- Obtaining patent protection in Europe is currently an expensive proposition. A single European patent can cost between ¥2,500,000 (€15,000) and ¥7,000,000 (€45,000) to file and take through to grant. The final figure depends on many factors, particularly the European states where protection is required, with the fees for translations often taking up the lion’s share. Recent changes in the European Patent System promise to drastically slash these costs. For Japan, the top patent filing nation in the world, these savings could be a huge benefit.

By Adam P Liff -- Implications of recent domestic political developments for the US-Japan alliance -- The political drama ensuing from the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)’s historic takeover of the House of Councillors this past summer continues to dominate newspaper headlines nearly six months later. The poster child for the consequences of the nascent power split between the upper and lower houses, which the Japanese media have creatively christened a ‘twisted Diet,’ has been none other than controversy surrounding the extension of the so-called Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law (ATSML).

By Chris Cleary -- Portable Pension Plans and Rogue Advisers -- Portable pensions plans are a means for people working abroad to build up a lump-sum for their retirement when their employment circumstances will not automatically provide them with a pension. This article looks at who such plans are suitable for and how they work. It also considers the pitfalls of such plans and the unfortunate issue of rogue advisers, along with the questions you should ask when considering taking out a portable pension plan.

Jennifer ChangBy Joseph Greenberg -- The wireless industry in Japan has proved a treacherous place. Most notoriously, it was the Japan market that tripped up global giant Vodafone and device makers such as Nokia and Motorola have also had difficulties here—mainly because of their inability to win over demanding, and even ‘fussy,’ consumers. The former also got into trouble last year as a result of handset overheating problems while the latter has suffered in Japan as its market share has declined globally, as well as facing a patent infringement lawsuit related to its Razr handset from Fujinon, a Japanese optical equipment manufacturer.

By Antonia McLaughlin -- The Japanese housewife is an iconic and integral part of the Japanese populace. She holds much domestic power, often autonomously, while her husband is working all hours of the day and night. She also holds the purse strings of her husband’s salary which, according to some analysts, is an estimated ¥12.5 trillion in household savings. The Japanese housewife has recently taken on a whole new level of meaning, and is redefining the very concept of domestic housework in the form of online currency trading.

Dan ThomasBy Joseph Greenberg -- Since its foundation in 1928, the Tokyo American Club (TAC) has been an institution of the expatriate community living in Tokyo. It has, from its original US based membership of around 200, grown to a membership of 3,700 representing over 50 different countries. Japanese members account for 40% of the membership.

TAC’s legal status and structure differentiate it from other similar institutions: it is a shadan houjin (government chartered, Non-Profit Organization) and almost 300 of the club’s members participate in its governance, either on the board or through committees.

Skull HandbagBy Simon Shiida -- Kumiko Onuma’s road to becoming a top designer -- Unconventional work has always been a trademark of Onuma’s, one of them being a giant birdcage in the middle of a building which also functions as a convenience store. Her other piece of art, a 1 ton bronze suspended sculpture in the Fukuoka Diamond Building won the Fukuoka prefecture ‘Urban Beautification Award’ in 1995. Although her company was a relatively small operation (it only had five permanent staff), she had a network of 20 artists which she could pick and choose from depending on the project. This enabled her to work with a whole host of artists, from woodwork craftsmen in Calcutta to world-famous Japanese metalwork sculptor Empo Okajima.