money

SEX & NIGHTLIFE

New Law Would Restrict Japan’s Host Clubs From Pushing Customers Into Prostitution, Adult Films

The law would also raise penalties for both individuals and businesses, making it easier to shut down manipulative clubs for good.

SEX & NIGHTLIFE

Self-Styled “Eternally 16-Year-Old” Host, 35, Arrested for Taking Fraud Money

Kanai Yasutoshi, who went by the name Ibuki Reno, even bragged he wouldn't get caught because he "wasn't leaving evidence."

SOCIETY

This Japanese Village is Furious About Its New Million-Dollar Toilet

How did a toilet on a road leading into a village of 1,300 people in Nara Prefecture end up costing close to…

ENTERTAINMENT

Is “Oshikatsu” an Addiction? Survey Shows Dark Side of Japan’s Fan Culture

Oshikatsu is a booming business in Japan. But data shows many fans are concerned about the toll supporting their faves takes on…

TRAVEL

Expo 2025 Can’t Sell Tickets, Might Need Japanese Taxpayer Bailout

Will the World Expo 2025 in Osaka be a financial bust? It's trending that way - and Japanese taxpayers might be on…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Half of Japanese Businesses Say 1500 Yen Hourly Wage “Impossible”

Prices continue to climb in Japan while wages remain stagnant, putting many in a rough spot. The government says it wants to…

JAPANESE LANGUAGE

2024 Kanji of The Year Is, Once Again, All About Money

The people have spoken: The Kanji of the Year for 2024 is, once again, 金 (kin, kane), meaning money or gold -…

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

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…