Japanese are not averse to austerity as they have traditionally been accustomed to get by with little

"Japanese are not averse to austerity, and indeed it is considered a virtue — practically a goal in itself. ... Japanese people remain as they have traditionally been, quite at home with less. Paucity itself and the stark absence of adornment have always been at the heart of this culture"

Source:Color me upbeat despite the pessimism now sweeping this land
By ROGER PULVERS
The Japan Times: Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20101107rp.html

Japanese emplyees seeking work abroad in China as conditions in local market change

"The peculiarities and rigidity of Japan Inc. had been tolerated by employees when companies were raking in money and the economy was steaming ahead.But now, with the economy struggling to emerge from stagnation, Japanese workers are flocking to the thriving city of Shanghai, where they can work free of the obstacles that had limited their potential at home."



Source:Japanese rushing to Shanghai for better jobs
2010/11/23
Hiroki Mukai and Kentaro Koyama
Asahi Shimbun
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201011220259.html

Japanese trading companies keen to get young workers overseas to gain more foreign experience

Large trading companies .."Mitsubishi Corp and Marubeni Corp are among the major trading houses that will require all personnel in their 20s to gain some experience working abroad..
As their focus shifts overseas, especially to emerging markets, these firms hope to encourage new ways of thinking through having their employees absorb new experiences "


Source: Trading Houses To Mandate Overseas Stints For All Young Workers
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20101121D21JFF02.htm

In 2009, Facebook ranked the top 39th most searched term in Japan according to research

"Facebook was the 39th most searched term in Japan in 2010, according to Yahoo Japan."


Source: YouTube, Mixi, Twitter Top 2010 Web Searches
November 25, 2010
WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/11/25/youtube-mixi-twitter-top-2010-web-searches/

Sony's e-reader returns six years later after consumers have changed & now ready for downloads

"Sony Corp.’s digital e-book reader....is the rare example of a consumer product being reintroduced in Japan after an initial flop at home and then finding success abroad...Sony kicked off today’s e-reader boom in 2004 with its introduction of the LIBRIe electronic reading device for the Japanese market. The product never quite took off because consumers, at the time, were less familiar with downloading content. "


Source: Once Tossed Aside, a Homecoming for Sony’s E-Reader
Who says you can’t go home again?
November 25, 2010
WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/11/25/once-tossed-aside-a-homecoming-for-sonys-e-reader/

New survey shows over 10,000 Japanese firms operating in the Chinese marketplace

"More than 10,000 Japanese firms are operating in the Chinese market, with small and medium-sized companies taking up the largest share, due to shrinking Japanese markets and the yen’s surge, a private credit research agency said in a survey released Friday."




Source:Over 10,000 Japanese firms operating in China: credit research firm
Sunday 24th October,2010
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/business/view/over-10000-japanese-firms-operating-in-china-credit-research-firm

Number of Japanese students studying in the US dropped by 15% in 2009 & 14 % in 2008 as studying abroad declines

"The number of Japanese students who enrolled in U.S. universities dropped a whopping 15% for the 2009 academic year, following a 14% fall off the previous year, according to a report released this week. It was one of the biggest country declines noted.


Source: Home Schooling: Fewer Japanese Head to U.S. Universities
WSJ:
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
By Yoree Koh
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20101118D18NY153.htm

Muji - The book by Jasper Morrison

"The company launched the MUJI line of products, ranging from food items, stationery and clothing to furniture, in 1980 as a private brand of major retailer Seiyu Ltd....Since opening its first branch outside Japan in 1991 in London, Ryohin Keikaku currently operates more than 100 MUJI stores in 18 countries and regions around the world, with three of them located in New York."


Source:Retailer publishes MUJI book to mark brand's 30th anniversary
Sunday 21st November, 2010
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/book-reviews/view/retailer-publishes-muji-book-to-mark-brands-30th-anniversary

Japanese Nobel peace winners change the perception of science in Japan

"The awarding of the Nobel Prize for chemistry to Akira Suzuki and Ei-ichi Negishi, alongside co-winner Richard Heck of the U.S., brings to 10 the number of Japanese scientists to win Nobels since 2000, and might be a good occasion to rethink further Japan’s postwar history."


Source: What Nobel Prizes Say About Japan
October 7, 2010
WSJ
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/10/07/what-nobel-prizes-say-about-japan/

Japanese railway operators need to work closely with customers to design rolling stock Japan

"In Japan, ... the tracks are owned by railway operators, which also have a strong say in the development of train cars. Rolling stock makers have to manufacture cars according to customer specifications. The need to work closely with railway operators makes it difficult for foreign firms to enter the market. Indeed, none has ever supplied cars for a high-speed railway in Japan."


Source: Protectionism Charges Hit Japan Railcar Firms
Friday, October 22, 2010
Translated from an article by Nikkei staff writer Toyoki Nakanishi
Nikkei Business Daily
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20101022D22HH565.htm

New Book : The Revolutionary Century: Art in Asia by Alison Carroll

"This book, with nearly 200 colour plates, aims to introduce the major themes and practices of art in Asia over the year 1900-2000. While national art histories have been written, there has not been an overview across the whole region - exposing the major themes that affected the art of individual countries within the whole geographic context."


THE REVOLUTIONARY CENTURY: Art in Asia 1900-2000
Carroll, Alison
Melbourne, Palgrave Australia 2010 208pp.
ISBN 978 1921 394717

The average Japanese family now spends an estimated 37.6% of income on education expenses in 2010

"Average Japanese families are estimated to spend 37.6% of their income on the education of children in the 2010 school year, a record-high since comparable data become available in 2000, a governmental financial institution said Saturday."



Source:Education burdens on rise among Japanese families
Sunday 21st November, 04:57 AM JST
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/education-burdens-on-rise-among-japanese-families

Japanese customers largest for Coal provider company in Australia

" Japan is our largest customer"

Bill Champion

Managing Director,

Coal & Allied Industries,

NSW, Australia

Source: Australian Financial Review

Monday 18/4/11

Page 14

Demographics set to change in Japan, total population estimated to shrink 30% by 2055 according to research

"Japan is facing a demographic time bomb. By 2055, the total population will shrink by around 30%. Due to the country’s harsh immigration policies, its percentage of foreign workers is the lowest of any OECD country, at less than 2%."


“Womenomics 3.0: The Time is Now.”

Source:Women: Japan’s Secret Economic Weapon
WSJ
Mariko Sanchanta
October 7, 2010
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/10/07/women-japans-secret-economic-weapon/

Percentage of Japanese high schoolers enrolling in university now exceeds 50%

"The percentage of high school students enrolling in universities now exceeds 50 percent, up from 25 percent two decades ago.Despite this new diversity of students in universities, Japan's job market has not adjusted to the change."




Source: EDITORIAL: 'Ice age' for job-hunters
2010/11/26
The Asahi Shimbun
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201011250305.html

Japanese mobile phone makers overseas market share in 2009 estimated at 3% down from 20% in 10 years

"According to IDC Japan, Japanese mobile phone makers as a whole accounted for about 20 percent of the overseas market in 1999. However, they were later beaten out by lower-priced phones from foreign rivals and had largely pulled out of foreign markets by the mid-2000s.In 2009, Japanese mobile phone makers' combined overseas market share was less than 3 percent."





Source: Cell phone makers go abroad / Manufacturers aim to conquer foreign markets with smartphones
Yu Toda
Yomiuri Shimbun
Nov. 27, 2010
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T101126004109.htm

New York Pizza Burger from Burger King set to launch in Japan from December 8th, 2010

Video by GodsBurden



"Burger King Japan... will soon begin marketing its largest-ever pizza-like hamburger..
The New York Pizza Burger, 22cm in diameter, will contain popular pizza ingredients such as cheese and tomato sauce. It can be divided and shared just like a pizza....The megasize burger will be available for 1,680 yen at all 36 Burger King Japan outlets from Dec. 8 to Jan. 11."




Source: Burger King To Offer Huge Pizza-like Burger
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20101117D17HH134.htm

Pet market in Japan estimated at 1.2 trillion yen in 2009

"The value of the pet market was estimated at about 1.2 trillion yen in 2009. Pet food makes up one third of the market, with diet food and health conscious “premium food” selling well, according to Fuji Keizai."


Source: Dinner is served - for your dog
By Chris Betros
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/executive-impact/view/dinner-is-served-for-your-dog

Residents in Tokyo pay more for fiber optic than other countries according to report

"Tokyo's fiber-optic service fee for single dwellings was third-highest at 6,200 yen, but the figure for multidwelling complexes was second lowest at 3,300 yen, next to Stockholm's 3,289 yen."



Source: Tokyoites Pay More For Cell Phone Service, Less For Broadband
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100818D18JFN03.htm

Mail order cosmetics market in Japan estimated at around 250 billion yen according to newsreport

"The mail-order cosmetics market is estimated to be worth at least 250 billion yen."




Source: Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Shiseido To Glam Up Online Cosmetics Sales
(The Nikkei Aug. 17 morning edition)
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100816D16JFA09.htm

Tokyo residents pay lower broadband connection fees DSL 59-72 yen for 1 megabit per second

".. residents in Tokyo paid relatively lower broadband connection fees compared with the other cities, with DSL services charging 59-72 yen for 1 megabit per second." " Tokyo's fiber-optic service fee for single dwellings was third-highest at 6,200 yen, but the figure for multidwelling complexes was second lowest at 3,300 yen, next to Stockholm's 3,289 yen."


Source: Tokyoites Pay More For Cell Phone Service, Less For Broadband
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100818D18JFN03.htm

Japan's gross agricultural output around $81billion in 2009 or about 0.8 percent of GDP according to research

"Agriculture today accounts for just 3.6 percent of employment in Japan and it contributes only about 0.8 percent to gross domestic product. Gross agricultural output in 2009 was about $81 billion, which is about 40 percent of Toyota's sales.."



Source:Kan ducks the rice problem
By KEVIN RAFFERTY
The Japan Times
Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20101117a2.html

In Japan "The customer is god" - Dean Rogers

"In Japan, “The customer is God” is a common customer service phrase drilled into waiters and waitresses and presented in just about every training session given to a new employee."



Source: In Japan, the customer is not king
By Dean Rogers
Japan Today
http://www.japantoday.com/category/commentary/view/in-japan-the-customer-is-not-king

Japanese customers increase power usage by 9.5% from year before to more than 27 billion kilowatt hours

"Japan's Federation of Electric Power Companies says 10 power firms sold more than 27 billion kilowatt-hours to households last month, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier."




Source: August household power usage up 9.5% year-on-year
NHK WORLD
2010/09/17
http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/17_28.html

Japanese customers seeking more high end veterinary services for pets, clinics investing in high resolution scanners

"The Japan Animal Referral Medical Center has installed a 250 million yen PET-CT (positron emission tomography-computerized tomography) diagnostic imaging machine for more precise identification of tumors...Its cancer treatments for dogs and cats include chemotherapy and radiation...the center boasts a high-resolution 1.5-tesla MRI magnetic resonance imaging) machine."




Source:Veterinary Center Installs Y250mn PET Scanner For Pets
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Nikkei Business Daily

New book- The Quest for Japan's New Constitution by Christian Winkler

"This book examines the many attempts over the last three decades to revise Japan’s constitution. As the book shows, these attempts at revision have been relatively conservative, aiming to embed in the constitution visions of a different future for Japan. Specific reforms advocated include: enabling Japan to have a more proactive foreign policy, more independent of the US-Japan alliance; strengthening the role of the Emperor, and excluding female succession to the throne; and emphasising more citizens’ duties, rather than their rights, in order to strengthen community and societal cohesion.

By far the most comprehensive analysis of constitutional reform debate in Japan to be published to date, it offers translations and analysis of more than two dozen amendment proposals. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the details of the reform proposals, charts the so far unsuccessful attempts to bring about the reforms, discusses the different groups arguing for reform, and assesses the nature of the proposed reforms. It categorises different versions of the vision for Japan’s future and shows that only a few campaigners are advocating anything like a return to Japan’s pre-war constitution."





About the Author
Christian G. Winkler is currently Visiting Researcher in the Faculty of Policy Studies, Chuo University, Japan.

Source: Amazon

Title:THE QUEST FOR JAPAN'S NEW CONSTITUTION.
An analysis of visions and constitutional reform proposals 1980-2009
Author:Winkler, Christian G.
Publisher: Abingdon, Routledge
Date: 2010
Pages:240pp.
ISBN: 978 0415 593960