By Ken Worsley -- Nuggets of economic wisdom -- Looking for new customers... -- ...and new gamblers -- Trains for iPhones... -- ...and greater sales for foreign firms in Japan -- Privatization meets musicians... -- ...and oil money meets China

Last Thursday, Japan’s largest independent distributor of foreign books and magazines, Yohan Inc., went bankrupt. The company has shutdown completely, firing all of its staff, closing the office, and leaving a reported ￥6.5billion of debt. We take a look at what possibly went wrong and what could’ve been done better.

By Ken Worsley -- Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories. -- Fukutoshin line opens up ... -- ... and department stores are ready ... -- ... Sales boosted in the opening weekend ... -- ... and that’s without the butter! -- A new summer flavor? -- Better put off that funeral until oil comes down

By Ken Worsley -- Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories. -- Higher costs, falling profit... -- ...and hotels look at consolidation, overseas operations... -- ...while Seven-Eleven rolls the dice in China... -- ...and Steel Partners swings its hair -- Overtime pay? Is nothing sacred anymore? -- Whale meat imports; where’s the butter?

Ken Worsley's nuggets of economic wisdom -- Domestic mobile handsets just not worth it... -- ...but TVs and camcorders are -- Toshiba reeling... -- Beware the Internet Service Providers -- Cut out the credit... -- Down the pan

By Ken Worsley -- Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories. -- Tough first month... -- ...and tougher translators -- Oops! -- Not Oops? -- Re-branding of the year... -- Blindness might set in before on-demand content finally gets here...

By Ken Worsley -- Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories.

Prices on the rise - Taxi Tax - Michelin sells out - Ratings agencies in trouble? - More junk for sale! - Media Watch

By Ken Worsley

Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories.

By Ken Worsley
Ken Worsley’s nuggets of economic wisdom.

Back and Forward is a new column that takes (a slightly irreverent) look back at some of Japan’s largest business stories while thinking forward about what they may mean for the future.