By Gavin Blair -- Innovative new device to help with language barriers -- Every foreigner in Japan has encountered the same brick wall at some time or another—the unknown kanji character. It could be a key word in a newspaper article, an important phrase in a business document or an instruction on a form, but the snag of even a few small kanji may render an entire sentence or paragraph unintelligible.

Seiichi ShimadaBy Sarah Noorbakhsh -- J@pan Inc talks with President Seiichi Shimada about the current state of Japan’s housing and real estate markets -- Once a government organization, in April 2007 the Japan Housing Finance Agency (JHF) was established as an Incorporated Administrative Agency under then Prime Minister Koizumi’s plan to privatize government services. The organization is now the first to offer Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) in Japan.

By Dr Florian Kohlbacher and Dr Cornelius Herstatt -- The aging society and its market potential -- The current shift in demographics around the world, with increasingly aging and shrinking populations, presents a major challenge to companies and societies alike.

Winning Team from JMEC 14By Beckie Cassidy -- Bringing a new set of eyes to companies looking to improve their business in Japan -- Developing a viable business plan for the Japanese market can be a daunting task for foreign companies unfamiliar with the local market and culture. With a set of challenges specific to the nation, incorrect assumptions can prove disastrous. While businesses work to develop their own plans, they often remain oblivious to fresh and innovative strategies that students at business schools are developing, possibly even for their own companies.

By Brett Bull -- The bizaar case of yakuza, property rights and fraud -- Given Tokyo’s well-earned reputation as a metropolis of concrete, vacant lots typically do not stay empty for long. But the 3,800-square-meter site halfway between Roppongi Hills and Tokyo Midtown might remain fenced off and covered with dirt for some time.

By Brad Frischkorn -- Taking a look at Japan’s survival after the subprime disaster -- Now entering its second full year, the global banking industry meltdown continues to messily unravel on the back of the subprime mortgage market collapse. While Japan Inc has avoided the worst of the mess, the nation’s financial industry has not been left unharmed. However, any silver lining, if indeed there is one, may still look better from Tokyo than from abroad.

By Dominic Carter -- Is Japan ending its designer brand obsession or will fashion houses just have to change their tactic? -- Notorious for its appetite for designer goods, Japan has always been at the forefront of market importance in the luxury brands sector, even being dubbed “the world’s only mass luxury market.” Yet there are signs that sales are declining. As the market matures, what’s in store for the luxury sector?

Jesper KollBy Jesper Koll -- The first installment of a new regular column on the Japanese economy and why it is a powerful force in shaping our global futures -- In the summer of 2008, the global economy faced unprecedented challenges. Torn between the threat of asset deflation in the US and rampant commodity price inflation in emerging markets, something had to give. A global slowdown seemed inevitable. For forward-looking investors, the really interesting question is which country and which market is likely to emerge as the winner once the downturn-dust settles.

By Gordon Jones -- A regular column concerning business in an emerging market, and its relationship with Japan -- The Kingdom of Cambodia, wedged uneasily between its larger and historically expansionist neighbors, Vietnam and Thailand, has a beauty and smile which belies its dark past. But scars remain and recent decades have been a difficult struggle to promote recovery and reconciliation.

By Sarah Noorbakhsh -- Where is the best of Japan’s wine produced? -- Acres of vineyards await in Japan’s answer to Napa Valley -- Only about 200 kilometers from central Tokyo is a lush and green country that feels thousands of miles away in spirit. The region is auspiciously known as the fruit basket of Japan, a title hailing from the variety of produce farmed here. Lying contentedly in the shadow of Mt Fuji is Yamanashi Prefecture, a mountainous landscape cradling a basin that has been blessed with a relatively mild and dry climate.