government

LIVING IN JAPAN

Bad Benches: Shinjuku Uses Hostile Architecture Against Street Drinking

Has hostile architecture come to Japan? Social media users decry the rise of benches in Tokyo that seem designed to prevent the…

LGBTQ

Osaka Court Again Overturns Asylum Denial for LGBTQ Refugee

Is Japan warming up to refugees? An Osaka court has overturned a denial of a gay man's request for asylum - the…

LAW & CRIME

Japan’s Supreme Court Rules Forced Sterilizations Were Unconstitutional

Japan's Supreme Court says that the country's former eugenics law violated the country's Constitution, opening the door for compensation.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Will Toyota Implement a Four-Day Work Week?

As workers continue to struggle with work/life balance, Toyota may become the latest Japanese company to implement a flexible work schedule.

SOCIETY

Shinjuku and Shibuya Introduce New Street Drinking Bans

Shibuya will ban public drinking all year around, while Shinjuku will bar it during Halloween. Not everyone thinks it's a good idea.

SOCIETY

Tokyo’s New Dating App Wants All Your Personal Information

Would you disclose your annual income to find the love of your life? Tokyo's new dating app is betting a lot of…

TRAVEL

Is Tokyo’s Expensive Projection Mapping Tourist Draw Worth It?

Godzilla and others take center stage in a projection mapping exhibit in Tokyo that some say isn't worth its hefty price tag.

SOCIETY

Japan May Solve Elderly Population Problem by Redefining “Elderly”

How do you solve the problem of a rapidly aging population? Japan's government has a novel answer: change what "elderly" means. PM…