JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Keigo Overload? Why Being TOO Polite in Japanese Can Backfire
Why some Japanese people are tired of hearing "sasete itadakimasu": changing attitudes toward keigo and the backlash against over-politeness.
business
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
SOCIETY
This New Japanese Service Will Ditch Your Partner For You
Want to break up with someone, but are afraid what their reaction might be? Japan has a service for that.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Genericide, Japan Edition: How Japan’s Famous Names Slipped Into Common Speech
Like escalator and aspirin, Japan has its own list of trademarks that have succumbed to popular usage. But while some companies aggressively…
SOCIETY
Japan Chain’s Women-Only Gyms Spark New Debates Over Safety vs. Fairness
A gym chain in Japan has come under fire from women for not enforcing gender restrictions - and from men for having…
SOCIETY
Why Some Big Japan Brands Are Quitting Baby Products
The two companies say the decisions have nothing to do with population decline. Indeed, there are signs the baby business in Japan…
WOMEN
Solo Weddings: Why Japanese Women Are Saying “I Do” to…Themselves
Japan's marriage rate has tumbled to a postwar low. But the country's bridal industry isn't shrinking: it's pivoting.
SOCIETY
Japan’s New Visa Rules Are Forcing Tokyo’s Immigrant-Run Restaurants to Close
The new capital requirement for the business manager visa is too high a hurdle for many legitimate, profitable, and law-abiding businesses.
TRAVEL
Uber’s First Japan Taxi Partnership Will Give (Only) Tourists More Options
If you use Uber in Japan, you may find it easier to hail a ride soon, thanks to a new partnership with…