CULTURE
The Hidden Culture Behind Japan’s Bag-Charms Craze
Experts say "oshi-katsu" and this age-old religious trend have helped fuel the rise of character dolls dangling from bags and backpacks.
psychology
CULTURE
JAPANESE LANGUAGE
In Gen Z Japan’s Hot New Slang, Princes Become Frogs
When does a prince become a frog? For Gen Zers in Japan, it can happen over something as small as a declined…
SOCIETY
In Japan, Rental Family Services Let You Hire Actors to Play Family Roles
Would you hire a stranger to be your spouse or your parent? For some in Japan, the rental family is the answer…
LAW & CRIME
Upskirts Cases Skyrocket in Japan
Nonconsensual photography is becoming a big problem in Japan. Who are the perps - and what can be done to curtail it?
CULTURE
The Anatomy of Stereotypes: Japan and the “Amae” Myth
Dependence, or "amae", is by no means unique to Japan. So how - and why - did it become viewed as a…
CULTURE
A Disconnected Phone in Japan Connects Survivors to the Departed
How a lonely "wind phone" in Japan's Iwate Prefecture provides a sense of solace to survivors of the 2011 tsunami.
SOCIETY
After High-Profile Killings, Japan’s Hikikomori Fear Being Stigmatized
Why two separate sets of killings have Japan's recluses fearing that what little space they have in society will be taken from…
SOCIETY
May Blues: Will Japan’s Regularly Scheduled Depression Be Worse in 2019?
Will the Japanese workforce's annual battle with depression be even worse after a 10-day vacation?