NPO Nijiiro Diversity and NPO ReBit published the “Rainbow Safeguarding” in June, which includes guidelines and a code of conduct to protect LGBTQ+ children, youth and people around them in Japan. These guidelines assist organizations...
Japan’s world is changing quicker than some may realize. Although it was quite common in the past, there has been a reduction of adults who can care for the elderly, people with disabilities, and family members who become sick. It was once the...
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...
One may not think poverty is an issue in Japan. After all, Japan’s nominal GDP is ranked third globally. It is also advanced in both medical and technological aspects and is one of the world’s top consumption centers. Yet, poverty...
Even among the non-Okinawan Japanese, they may not be familiar with the Okinawa cuisine, Taco Rice. The unique dish is a stack of taco ingredients on rice, which is hard to imagine at first, but can be quite heavenly in an expert chef’s hands...
The holiday season is coming, and LEGO is rerunning its annual campaign this year. #BuildtoGive is a charity launched by the LEGO Group in 2017, where anyone can join the fun event by building a Christmas ornament with LEGO bricks at home. For every...
Here in a quiet neighborhood of Beppu city in Oita prefecture, a cyan awning shelters anticipating guests queuing in sunset. On it, writes the name of the ramen restaurant “Yume Wo Katare”. This is where 17-year-old manager, Ryoma Kamikubo, gives...
In Japan, midwives are usually solely based in hospitals, so women can easily lose touch with them after childbirth. This also means that although midwives are equipped with extensive knowledge about postnatal care, they can’t fully offer...
The COVID-19 pandemic has grappled the world and has sent global economies spiraling downward. Due to this, a majority of families around the world are feeling the burden, especially for children who may not come from homes with a safe or stable...
Spring is the beginning of a new school year in Japan. Traditionally in the beginning of April, small children wearing jackets and ties or dresses for a ceremony on the first day in elementary school. However, schools across the nation are closed...