In April, for the first time since records were kept in 1996, inbound tourists outspent Japanese ones. That's no small feat, given that there are about 25% more Japanese going abroad versus foreigners coming in.
The average Japanese company stores (and pays for) about five times the number of documents that the average U.S. or South Korean company does. However, that is set to change in favor of digitally stored company records.
Ten thousand people taking part in the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Taikai descending on the small host city of Imbari is a real challenge logistically, and we suspect is the main reason why they shut off applications this year at 6,500 people.
One of the easiest ways to reduce medical costs for the elderly, as proven in studies around the world, is to increase the physical fitness of the target population.
What sectors will be hot in the upcoming travel boom? There are many, and all have to do with servicing the tourists or servicing the folks who service them.
Most Japanese senior managers, no matter how entrepreneurial, are educated and conditioned to work in groups, and the idea of working alone in their Country Manager role doesn't feel to them like a "real" company.
The Tokyo District Court ordered Google to remove search results that implied a man was connected to a criminal organization ten years ago. This case appears to be echoing the finding in a European court earlier this year.
A teenager was reportedly bitten by a mosquito at Yoyogi Park, and shocked local officials took immediate action and closed the park the next day, subsequently undertaking an intensive mosquito eradication campaign.