Business and Economy

Japan’s Not Eating Its Vegetables. Is The Economy to Blame?

Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says Japanese people need to eat more vegetables. The exhortation has led to an online backlash, with people responding that they'd love to - if they could afford them.

Can This Japanese Company Save Subway in Japan?

The Subway brand in Japan is dying. Over half of the store's chains have closed in the past 10 years. Japan's Watami, however, thinks it can turn the struggling franchise around. Why has Subway failed to catch on here? And can Watami succeed in making it "more Japanese"?

Port Store: When a Japanese Combini Isn’t a Combini

Ever seen a combini in Tokyo that looks sorta...fake? Congratulations - you've found a port store. Here's why some Lawson and Family Mart stores in the Tokyo Bay area hide their true identity.

Japan’s Best-Paying Hourly Jobs? Costco and IKEA

Real wages in Japan have remained pathetically low for several decades. Unless, that is, you work for Costco or IKEA. As the country debates raising its minimum hourly wage, some people are asking: why can't Japanese companies be more like these two chains?