Business and Economy

A Popular Japanese Bakery Chain Disappears Overnight

All 28 stores suddenly closed. Lenders and employees left unpaid. Its CEO suddenly missing. What the heck happened to Japan's Bellbe?

Hikidashi-ya: The Shady Business Disguised As Hikikomori Rehabilitation Centers

Hikidashi-ya are self-proclaimed hikikomori “rehabilitation facilities” that claim to be able to treat social withdrawal in children and adults as well as provide mental support and help finding a job. While this sounds like an answered prayer to many parents of hikikomori, the reality is frighteningly different.

The Company NEET: Japan’s Employee Who’s Hardly Working

Not everyone is working hard in Japan. Meet the company NEET, a new species of employee who's flying under the radar.

Time to Pay Up: Campaign Puts Japan’s Uniqlo on Blast

UJ talks with the organizer of a campaign that seeks to make Uniqlo pay back wages to Indonesian workers whom they say the company abandoned.

Japanese Billionaire to Visit International Space Station in December

The billionaire former CEO of ZOZO will be the first Japanese civilian to visit the ISS

Is the Bubble Coming to Japan Again?

Japan might be seeing another economic bubble - but compared to the last one, this one is, as one user put it, "all fever and no disco."

Shrinkflation: The Truth Behind Japan’s Dwindling Combini Serving Sizes

A viral Twitter post sparks a conversation about dwindling sizes at Japan's convenience stores - but the trend, sadly, is nothing new.

Love and Rockets: Japan Sex Toy Company Aims for Space

A group of rocket enthusiasts is teaming up with one of the world's largest sex toy companies to shoot for the stars.

Japan is Quietly Facing an Energy Crisis

A spike in electrical usage and a dip in solar energy output is raising fears that Japan could soon find itself in a tough spot.

Business and Economy

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