1+ mon, 2+ week ago (226+ words) The internet has become the main source of daily news in Japan, overtaking commercial television for the first time, a survey by the Japan Press Research Institute has shown. When asked about which news source they use on a daily basis, a question added in fiscal 2018, 46.5% of respondents chose the internet, according to the latest survey, released Saturday. Commercial TV broadcasters, which had previously held the top spot, came second, at 46.1%. The proportion of those who picked TV services by public broadcaster NHK stood at 35.8%, while newspapers logged 33.4% and radio 9.2%. The newspaper subscription rate fell 3.7 percentage points from a year earlier to 50.1%, continuing to decline since marking 88.6% in fiscal 2008, when the survey began. Meanwhile, 42.5% of respondents said that commercial television influenced their voting decisions for an election of the House of Councilors, the upper chamber of the country's parliament, this…...

10+ mon, 4+ day ago (164+ words) The Finance Ministry hopes that selling character goods such as stuffed toys and stationery will make customs more familiar to people. The Finance Ministry will allow companies to make and sell goods related to Custom-kun, an official mascot character of Japanese customs. The ministry hopes that selling character goods such as stuffed toys and stationery will make customs more familiar to people. Born in 1993, Custom-kun is modeled on drug-sniffing dogs working at customs. He is popular for his rounded figure. Custom-kun goods were once distributed for free at public relations events, but they ended up only in the hands of people who are interested in customs. "If Custom-kun goods are sold at airports and ports as a souvenir, we will be able to increase contact with people we have never been able to approach before," a ministry official said. "We…...

4+ mon, 7+ hour ago (172+ words) After a series of major scandals in recent years, Japan's TV industry appears to be growing more sensitive to issues of harassment and misconduct. How the Japanese TV industry is changing Compliance violations and misconduct in Japanese entertainment had long been overlooked, with the sector placed on a pedestal and many dismissing issues as just "part of the business." But a recent wave of scandals involving TV figures may present an opportunity for the industry to make permanent changes. After a series of major scandals in recent years " beginning for many with the sexual abuse allegations against entertainment mogul Johnny Kitagawa and more recently the "sexual trouble" involving former boy band member Masahiro Nakai and a Fuji TV announcer " the TV industry appears to be growing more sensitive toward issues of harassment and misconduct. Several major celebrities who were once…...

8+ mon, 1+ week ago (129+ words) Women remain underrepresented in the Japanese news media industry, where employees willing to work long hours have traditionally been valued as news can break anytime, anywhere. But taking that ... Women remain underrepresented in Japan's news industry Women remain underrepresented in the Japanese news media industry, where employees willing to work long hours have traditionally been valued as news can break anytime, anywhere. But taking that for granted has often hindered reforms to working styles and corporate organization while reducing career opportunities for female journalists, who are still more likely to bear the main burden of child care. Correcting the gender gap is an urgent issue in the industry, with such a change expected to bring the perspectives of women to newsrooms, leading to more diverse viewpoints in news production....

3+ mon, 2+ week ago (147+ words) Learn how the Japanese tell time " from zero o'clock to 27 o'clock, and why 10 minutes 'before' isn't always clear. First, the good news: Clocks in Japan tick just the same as they do everywhere else in the world, so there's no need to know the Japanese language to know the time.That being said, it's certainly helpful to know how to tell the time in Japanese, and understand all the nuances compared to English.The time is given in " (ji, hours), " (fun, minutes) and, depending on the degree of precision, " (by, seconds) The number that contains the hour normally gets the Sino-Japanese reading, aka the " (onyomi), except for 4 o'clock, which is 4yoji rather than shiji For 7 o'clock, shichiji is more common than nanaji " though the latter is also possible And 9 o'clock reads kuji, not ky'ji....

3+ day, 5+ hour ago (144+ words) The origins of the respective parties and who backs them " rather than left-right labels " are more consistent indicators of their leanings. When the ruling Liberal Democratic Party negotiated and forged a new coalition with the Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party (JIP) last month, foreign media were quick to pull out labels in an attempt to introduce the then-opposition party to global readers One news agency labeled the reformist party as "right-leaning," without explaining any of their platforms, which The Japan Times also published.It is an inaccurate label While the JIP calls for a more muscular military posture to defend against China " as do many other parties, including the LDP " the party also promises free high school education, universal basic income and protection of LGBTQ+ rights Those policies are rather liberal, or even arguably progressive, in a Western context.Confusing? Indeed....

11+ mon, 5+ day ago (124+ words) Fueled in part by the success of TV hit "Shogun," overseas studios are hungry for quality Japanese content and local creators are adapting to meet demand. Fans of Japanese manga and anime cartoons ... Fueled in part by the success of TV hit 'Shogun,' overseas studios are hungry for quality Japanese content and local creators are adapting to meet demand.Fans of Japanese manga and anime cartoons have often criticized foreign adaptations that are unfaithful to the original material But 'Shogun,' based on the 1975 novel by Australian British writer James Clavell, broke the mold when the period drama series " mostly in Japanese and hailed for its authenticity " won 18 Emmys in September.Other recent Japanese works have also become worldwide hits....

8+ mon, 3+ week ago (96+ words) Date and time: Sunday, April 20, 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Organized by: The Japan Times, Ltd. Doors open: 10:00 a.m. Keynote speech: Michael Rob Gray, former principal, Institut Le Rosey Panel discussion and talk session by schools with exhibiting booths: Staff from each school will give a 20-minute presentation. Individual consultation booths will be open throughout the event. Please note that the program is subject to change without notice. The Japan Times Agency, Ltd. Boarding & International School Day Office The press release may be downloaded in PDF format...

9+ mon, 3+ week ago (52+ words) Anonymous author and YouTuber 'Uketsu' deals in a quiet horror that has delighted millions of readers. Japan's bestselling books often converge around practical life advice: Mental math tricks for kids, tips on how to sound smart and personal finance hacks have all been top sellers in recent years Translated by Jim Rion...

6+ mon, 2+ week ago (302+ words) The struggling maker of small and midsize liquid crystal display panels reported a consolidated net loss of "78.2 billion ($538.7 million) for fiscal 2024. Japan Display Inc., or JDI, said Thursday that it will cut about 1,500 jobs in Japan " or nearly 60% of its domestic workforce " as it has remained in the red for 11 consecutive years. The same day, the struggling maker of small and midsize liquid crystal display panels reported a consolidated net loss of "78.2 billion ($538.7 million) for fiscal 2024, which is larger than the previous year's loss of "44.3 billion. CEO Scott Callon will step down on June 1 to take responsibility for the company's poor performance. Upon approval at a general shareholders meeting on June 21, he will support his successor as nonexecutive chairman, without receiving compensation. Jun Akema, who heads JDI's procurement division, will succeed Callon as CEO. He will also assume the president's…...