Japan, Short on Babies, Reaches a Worrisome Milestone

In a speech to business leaders this week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a “national movement” to address Japan’s demographic challenges. The government has taken steps to keep older workers in their jobs longer, and to encourage staff-hungry ... ( read original story ...)

‘Huge potential’ for Irish companies in Japan

However, he noted that “Japanese consumers are very demanding”, but that “conquering the Japanese market enables business to obtain a global standard”. Speaking on his experience in the Japanese market, Joe Redmond, group executive of fintech ... ( read original story ...)

The young Japanese working themselves to death

Critics say the government is prioritizing business and economic interests at the expense of the welfare of workers. "The Japanese people count on the government but they are being betrayed," says Koji Morioka, an academic who has studied the karoshi ... ( read original story ...)

Japan’s big firms kick off job interviews with 2018 recruits

Major firms were allowed to start holding information sessions with university recruits at the beginning of March. The Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) the nation’s biggest business lobby, called on member firms to start information sessions with ... ( read original story ...)

Japan Post raises mail rates for first time in 23 years

Japan Post, a unit of Japan Post Holdings, raised mail rates Thursday in the first full-fledged hikes since January 1994, excluding markups on consumption tax increases. The rate for standard postcards has been increased by ¥10 to ¥62. Rates for other ... ( read original story ...)

Seismologist slams Japan’s preoccupation with prediction

Japan should stop kidding itself that it might be able to predict earthquakes and instead concentrate on improving disaster preparedness, according to a former University of Tokyo professor of seismology. “Japan must admit it can’t predict quakes” is ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo stocks up on Japan business spending boost

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.07 percent, or 209.46 points, to 19,860.03, while the Topix index of all first-section shares gained 1.13 percent, or 17.77 points, to 1,586.14. Tokyo stocks snapped a four-day losing streak Thursday after a survey ... ( read original story ...)