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Kid with a randoseru style Japanese backpack sitting in a field with his back to the camera and looking very depressed

Why Is School Refusal On The Rise in Japan?

More kids in Japan than ever are refusing to go school, even as instances of bullying are falling. What's keeping them home?
Standees of a cartoon boy in a white t-shirt with a "T" logo as he puts his hands to his face in shock upon seeing a standee of himself in a state of decomposition, looking like a cartoon zombie, at the showroom floor at ENDEX.

Japanโ€™s Booming Death Business: ENDEX, The End Of Life Exhibition

Japanโ€™s rising death rate is good business For ENDEX: The End Of Life Exhibition. We discover that itโ€™s more than just Hello Kitty urns!
Couple pictured on Buddhist altar

Why Post-Death Divorce is Popular in Japan

Why do some people - particularly women - go out of their way in Japan to divorce their spouse's families after death? Learn why shigo rikon has been on the rise since the 1980s.
Modern Girl of the Taisho Era

Moga: Japan’s “Modern Girl” of the Taisho Era

She was a symbol of prewar prosperity - and controversy. How the "modern girl" of Japan's roaring 1920s defined a new path for women.
Girl playing with a computer-controlled toy car

How Gender Bias Keeps Japanese Girls Out of STEM

Why are there so few women in STEM fields in Japan? Yuko Tamura argues that the bias starts before girls even turn seven.
Actors portraying a Japanese family - much like rental family members.

In Japan, Rental Family Services Let You Hire Actors to Play Family Roles

Would you hire a stranger to be your spouse or your parent? For some in Japan, the rental family is the answer to avoiding awkward social situations.
A michi no eki in Aomori Prefecture.

‘Michi no Eki’ Offer More Than A Place to Park Your Car!

Michi no Eki are Japanese roadside stations that offer more than parking and toilets. They also engage in various support initiatives!

Sex Ed in Japan: TV Doing More for Teens than the Government

The Japanese government is finally revising its approach to sex ed in Japan. But media and online creators are still filling in major gaps.
Child abandoned

Why The Mukoseki is Japanโ€™s Deadliest Legal Trap

People without a family registry can die without access to essential services. Divorce law and Japan's koseki system explain why.

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