What have a species of lizard, Japan's border disputes and a small chain of islands got in common? Terrie perceives political motives in an NHK natural history documentary.

With prices rises across the board, has frugality affected higher end markets? Terrie uncorks the wine industry in Japan and discovers that while current economic conditions may put off the less discriminating consumer, wine appreciation is deeply entrenched among the more affluent and urbane sections of Japanese society.

The activities of sovereign wealth funds have attracted a lot of attention recently. One such fund, Mudabala Development has recently partnered with the Kobe International Frontier Medical Center. Terrie questions the motivation behind this investment and raises some serious concerns about the viability of the business model.

US retail giant Wal-Mart entered the Japanese market after it bought into Japanese supermarket chain Seiyu in 2002. However, the company have a rough ride -- Terrie considers some of the problems with its branding and asks how it might be able to take advantage of the current economic climate. Read Now

In mid-March, 2008, a company called Nihon Uni introduced a new t-shirt which is made of toughened polyethylene fibers to make it knife resistant. What is the shape of the market for these products? How much do media reports of stabbings affect consumer perception? For the full story, Read Terrie's Take Now

Considered entering the Japanese market? Terrie takes a look at the different dimensions of embarking on a joint venture with a Japanese company and explains how current demographic and economic conditions might be favorable. Read Now

Japan is known as a haven for disaffected Japanese spouses who, in getting divorced, abscond with their kids back to Japan. However, in a breakthrough agreement, Japan has announced it will sign a Hague treaty whereby children who are illegally removed from their country of habitual residence must be returned, and the jurisdiction for subsequent court decisions is taken out of the hands of the Japanese courts.To find out why this is a huge step forward for Japan, Read Terrie's Take Now

Question: outside of California, which US state is home to the greatest number of Japanese companies in the USA? The answer is Ohio, a mid-Western state tucked right below Lake Erie, which is probably better known for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team, than it is for its 380+ Japanese corporate citizens. For the low-down on the Ohio-Japan connection Read Terrie's Take Now

The long holiday Japanese traditionally have looked forward to, Golden Week, just isn't as "golden" as it used to be. This week Terrie takes a look at the various factors contributing to this holiday lull. Read Now

Taking a look at Japan's "Hatsumode economy;" how much are blessings worth to temple and shrine visitors? Religion can be a booming--and tax free-- business. Read Now