By the mid-2010s, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry estimated that “Japanese SMEs accounted for 99.7% of all businesses, employing 34 million individuals” (including micro-enterprises). That number is still high today. Philip...
It can be difficult to imagine a zero waste cafe or restaurant, especially in Japan, where food waste amounts to more than 6 million tons annually. However, two zero waste cafe owners, who have achieved Zero Waste Accreditation from Zero Waste...
Are (That), Ano-hi (That day), Okyaku-san (Guest), Onnanoko-no-hi (Girl’s day), Tsukinomono (The monthly things)… these are all Japanese euphemisms for the word “period.” For a long time, girls in Japan have been taught that...
Climate change can upset the balance of ecosystems throughout the world. One aspect of an environment impacted by global warming can cause a chain reaction and several other effects that can be hard to control. Coral reefs are one of the most...
Early this year, Starbucks stores in Japan began their switch to operate using renewable energy. The first Starbucks store in Japan to operate using renewable energy is the newly opened Starbucks Sayama City Irumagawa Shop located in Saitama...
In Fujimi town, Nagano Prefecture, there is a comfortable coworking space under the name Fujimi Mori-No-Office located at the base of Yatsugatake Mountains. Since December 2015, the wooden complex building has attracted city workers looking for a...
One year ago, when Justin Giffin won an emergency temporary custody order in divorce proceedings in the Kyoto Family Court, officials there confided in him that such a decision was so rare that they weren’t sure how to execute it, he says. Giffin...
Japan’s delayed approval of birth control pills The pill became available on the market in 1960 in the U.S. Side effects such as headaches, nausea, weight gain and dizziness were common due to the high level of hormones that the pill contained. As a...
The world is facing many environmental problems, and Japan is no exception. The country’s rich biodiversity is at risk due to climate change and other human activities. In fact, as an island nation, it faces rising sea levels and more intense...
A revolution is rising in Sagiura, a quiet village northwards Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. Not of regime change, but one that promises humanity’s recall back into nature. Here, Atsuo Shiga is uncovering the secrets of the Camellia, also known as...