JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Why Does Japan Have So Many Last Names Compared to China and Korea?
Why does Japan have hundreds of thousands of surnames while China and Korea rely on a handful? The answer lies in a…
china
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
LIVING IN JAPAN
“Katakana Hell”: The Culture Shocks Japan’s Asian Immigrants Actually Face
What surprises Asian immigrants in Japan? From corporate jargon to the country's famously indirect "no," there's a lot to navigate.
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
Kanji Forever? Why Japan Still Uses Chinese Characters, But Korea Mostly Doesn’t
Japan spent a century trying to abolish kanji, from an 1866 petition to the shogun to a postwar novelist who wanted Japan…
POLITICS
Uniqlo Pulls Pokémon Collab in China Over Yasukuni Shrine Controversy
The incident, along with another anime-related collab controversy, is a sign of increasing tensions between Japan and China.
TRAVEL
Osaka Ramen Shop Threatens to Ban Chinese Customers After Two-Tier Pricing Dispute
Social media users in Japan have accused the store of discrimination and of "embarrassing" Japan with its blatant double pricing.
INSIDER
Chinese Tourism Cancellations Are Hammering Japan’s Travel Industry
The numbers are clear: China's call for its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan is making a dent in the country's…
INSIDER
China Warns Citizens to Avoid Japan. Here’s How Both Countries Are Reacting
Why is China using tourism to Japan as a political cudgel? And how are ordinary Chinese citizens reacting to it?
TRAVEL
Japan Tourism Sees Busiest October Ever as Municipalities Strategize on Overtourism
As inbound tourists are poised to cross the 40 million mark a year, locations such as Nagano's Kamikōchi wage war against bad…