Japanese People

Origin of the Japanese People
Japan, traditionally known as Nippon-koku, is an East Asian island nation. It is flanked by the Sea of Japan, North and South Korea, People's Republic of China, Russia, the Sea of Okhotsk, the East China Sea and Taiwan. The origin of the inhabitants of this beautiful island dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period...

Famous Japanese People
Japan is one of the most economically and technologically advanced nations on our planet. There is a host of famous Japanese people who have made invaluable contributions in diverse areas like business, politics, films,sports and science. Read on to know about some of them.

Japanese People: Japanese Business Culture
For most foreign companies who are seriously contemplating entering the Japanese market, the Japanese business culture has always been wrongly perceived as one of the biggest hurdles to starting a business in the country.

Traditional Food of Japanese People
In a world of frozen meats, 'steely' tasting tinned food and dreary sandwiches, traditional Japanese food comes as a godsend to most of us. Elegant and refined, the Japanese cuisine is said to be one of the greatest cuisines in the world, and i wont disagree with that!

Trends in Japanese Fashion
A look at the streets of Japan would reveal an interesting amalgamation of the traditional and modern fashion ideas. Here’ a look at some of the hottest trends in Japanese fashion.

Japanese Food Restaurants
A great nation in all, even during times of recession, you'll always see a large number of people eating out and what with the number of food-related programs and commercials playing on TV, the Japanese undeniably love their food. While Sushi has become an extremely popular dish in the Western World, a large part of Japanese food still remains unexplored. So, here's where the Japanese food restaurants come into play!

Losing Weight - Japanese Style
How many people in Japan are losing weight thanks to their cell phone cameras.

History of the Samurai
Here is a brief history of the Japanese Samurai…

Male and Female Idol Artists in Japan
A Comparison of 80s Idol Matsuda Seiko and 90s Boy Band SMAP

The Slow Trickle of Japanese Actors Into American Film
With a worldwide market share of pop culture output and a growing film industry increasingly affecting Hollywood and the world, Japan's cultural output is second only to our own. So where are is the respect for their actors in our Hollywood films?

Interesting Facts About Japan
We refer to "Japan" as "Land of the rising sun". The Japanese "know Japan" as "Nippon" or "Nihon" meaning "Origin of the Sun".

Business Etiquette and Business Writing
An important, and often neglected, set of business-related skills involves the issues of proper business etiquette and the ability to write clearly and effectively.

The Yen Carry Trade: The Impact of Rising Japanese Rates
One of the most significant trades that exist today is the carry trade on the Japanese yen.

Kisho Kurokawa
Obituary: Leading Japanese architect whose work was influenced by both east and west.

Japanese Civil Servants 'shirked Duties to Edit Wikipedia'
The widespread addiction to manga among Japan's salary men has landed several civil servants in trouble after they were caught editing Wikipedia's Japanese-language site, often altering entries on comic books and other subjects that bore no relation to their work.

Tokyo Dreaming
A growing number of Japanese workers can no longer afford homes of their own. But you won't find them sleeping on the streets, says Justin McCurry. For many of them, 24-hour internet cafes have become a refuge.

Charges Likely Over Sumo Wrestler's Death
The Japanese sumo world suffered a fresh blow yesterday after it was reported that police are investigating a stable master and several wrestlers in connection with the sudden death of a 17-year-old recruit.

Fukuda Voted New Japanese Prime Minister
MPs today elected Yasuo Fukuda, a low-key figure who has promised to bring stability to Japan's tumultuous political scene, to become the country's new leader.

Kite Duration Records - From Stunt Kites to Giant Japanese Kites
Ever wondered just how long a kite can stay up? I've gone to the trouble of researching kite duration records in general. Read this article to discover how long single-line kites have been kept aloft. Or maybe sport kites, either singly or 2 or 3 flown simultaneously. Or perhaps indoor kites, where there is no wind at all! Finally, the duration record for one of the largest kites on the planet, a Japanese Giant Kite.

Kaizen - Lean Manufacturing Continuous Improvement
One of the most popular buzzwords in business today is the word "kaizen". It is a Japanese word meaning "incremental improvement".

Change of Name for Iwo Jima
The Japanese island of Iwo Jima has been renamed, 62 years after it became the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the second world war.

Japan Announces New Name for Iwo Jima
The Japanese island of Iwo Jima has been renamed Iwo To, 60 years after it became the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the second world war.

71-year-old Japanese Man Becomes Oldest Climber to Scale Everest
A 71-year-old Japanese man has become the oldest person to climb Mount Everest, becoming the latest in a line of elderly Japanese to scale the world's highest peak.

Japanese Minister Toshikatsu Matsuoka Commits Suicide
Blow for unpopular Abe government amid expenses scandal.

Japanese Minister Kills Himself Before Inquiry
MPs were to investigate funding scandal - Hanging deepens crisis for beleaguered PM

Japan to Revise Pacifist Position
The Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, today vowed to reform his country's pacifist constitution, a controversial move that is expected to influence the outcome of upper house elections later this year.

Car to Put Brakes on Japanese Drink Drivers
Motorists who flout the law by driving home after a few drinks will soon be up against a formidable foe in the campaign against drink driving: their cars.

Japanese War Shrine to Soften Wording on Exhibits
A controversial Japanese war shrine has decided to tone down its description of several exhibits amid criticism that they absolve Japan of responsibility for its wartime aggression, it was reported today.

Healthy Diets - Is this the World's Healthiest Diet?
The Japanese enjoy one of the healthiest diets on earth. Japan’s population has the lowest level of obesity in the developed world and people tend to live longer than any other country.

Portly Politicians Begin Online Slim in Land of the Rising Tum
Two Japanese health vice-ministers have vowed to lose 5kg (11lb) and 6kg respectively over the next six months to encourage others to lead healthier lifestyles.

Japanese Veteran Admits Vivisection Tests on Pows
Japan has again been forced to confront its wartime conduct after a former doctor in the country's imperial navy admitted he had conducted experiments on Filipino prisoners during the second world war.

Toyota Unfolds Another Compact Car
Toyota has announced another worthy addition to the Japanese automaker’s growing clan. This time around, Toyota will be bringing to the auto industry another compact car named Auris.

Japanese Prince Born Ending Royal Heir Crisis
Japanese royalists were celebrating yesterday after Princess Kiko, the wife of the emperor's younger son, gave birth to a baby boy who will one day become the 128th emperor of Japan.

Internet Suicides Rise in Japan
The number of Japanese people killing themselves in online death pacts rose alarmingly again last year, despite government efforts to monitor websites where suicidal people meet.

Keeping and handling Japanese inro
Useful tips on how to look after and handle Japanese inro in order to avoid damaging the lacquer.

'Lost' Japanese Veteran Returns From Ukraine
Today Ishinosuke Uwano will return to the country he left behind more than 60 years ago, to be reunited with relatives who until last year were convinced he was dead.

Remember Our History, Emperor Warns Japanese As Fears Grow Over China Fallout
Japan's emperor yesterday urged the country's people to accurately understand their history in an apparent show of concern over Japan's rapidly deteriorating relations with China and South Korea.

Japanese Panel Backs Female Emperors
Japan today opened the door to the possibility of its first female emperor in more than 200 years after a government advisory panel recommended changing the country's succession laws.

Rugby Union: Japanese Anger As 2011 World Cup Goes to New Zealand
In a bizarre twist New Zealand were awarded the 2011 World Cup ahead of favourites Japan after a tense series of voting in Dublin.

Japanese Princess Quits Palace to Marry Commoner
Emperor's only daughter escapes confines of imperial past for an ordinary life.

Older Japanese Get Fitter and Children Fatter
Elderly Japanese are fitter and more agile than they were 20 years ago but their grandchildren are flabbier and weaker, according to a nationwide survey that raises further fears about the physical state of the country's youth.

Godfather of Japanese Underworld Steps Aside
When dozens of armed police surrounded a house in an affluent neighbourhood of Kobe yesterday, nearby residents knew it could mean only one thing: something significant was about to happen in Japan's most notorious underworld organisation.

Japanese Publisher Defies Little Black Sambo Protest
Seventeen years after it was removed from bookshops for its racist content, the children's story Little Black Sambo has made a comeback in Japan.

China Refuses Apology to 'hurtful' Japan
China refused to apologise for anti-Japanese protests yesterday, its foreign minister Li Zhaoxing telling his Japanese counterpart: 'The Chinese government has never done anything for which it has to apologise to the Japanese people.'

Japanese Whiz Kid Vows to Win Radio Bid
Takafumi Horie, the 32-year-old president of the internet service provider Livedoor, vowed yesterday to press on with a controversial attempt to take over the radio operator Nippon Broadcasting System in which his firm already owns a 43% share.

Konnichi What? Japanese Are Forgetting How to Be Polite
The Japanese have become so poor at speaking their own language that they may soon have to refer to a government manual for advice on how to be polite.

Japanese Women Turn to Uk for Love
Britain's battalion of bachelors are in such demand overseas that a dating agency has opened its doors in the UK to help professional Japanese women find true love.

Japanese Pm Stands Firm on Hostage Demand
Japan's prime minister today refused to bend to demands by militants who have taken a Japanese civilian hostage in Iraq and threatened to behead him unless Tokyo withdraws its soldiers. Junichiro Koizumi told reporters as he visited sites in western Japan devastated by a typhoon: "The...

Japanese Police Arrest Eco-Activists Filming Dolphin Roundup
Three members of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society have been arrested and are being held by police in Taiji, Japan, while documenting a dolphin roundup in the area with video and still cameras.

Hundreds hurt in Japanese quakes
More than 400 people were injured, at least 18 seriously, when two powerful earthquakes struck the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan early yesterday.

Japanese scientists take first step towards cloning ice age beast
After a six-year search Japanese scientists are preparing to clone prehistoric woolly mammoths from frozen DNA samples found in Siberia.

Stress not a stranger to Japanese
In a country where worn-out commuters fall asleep on their feet in trains and staff demonstrate loyalty by failing to take their holidays, the foreign word most recognised by Japanese is "stress", a government survey said.

Japanese peak in old age
To celebrate his 99th birthday Keizo Miura flew to the other side of the world and skied down a glacier in the French Alps. His son Yuichiro marked his 70th year by becoming the oldest man to climb Mount Everest.

Firm Fined £5,000 for Japan's Worst Nuclear Accident
Six former executives of a Japanese nuclear fuel processing company were given suspended prison sentences yesterday for their part in the country's worst nuclear accident, in which two employees were killed and 439 people were exposed to radiation. The company, JCO, which has already been...

Couple-busters Offer 50 Ways to Say Sayonara to Your Lover
Breaking up is hard to do, or so they used to say. Now, however, Japanese people who tire of a lover or spouse can always call in the professionals. For around £65 an hour, the wakaresase-ya - or couple-buster agencies - will seduce or blackmail a troublesome partner into divorce or...

Japanese Slimmers Pay High Price for Obsession
Five deaths are linked to imported diet pills in a country fixated with weight loss.

Japanese Veteran Apologises for Germ Warfare
A self-confessed Japanese war criminal called on the government to apologise for testing biological weapons on thousands of Chinese prisoners yesterday in advance of a legal ruling on the activities of a germ warfare unit during the second world war.

Ailing Japanese Economy Runs Out of Options
As Japan's debt rating sinks to the same level as Botswana's, it may be time for some unconventional medicine, writes Mark Tran.

Japanese women enter the international arena
At the end of this week's Afghanistan reconstruction conference in Tokyo, Hamid Karzai, the head of the country's interim administration, may have flown off with the cash, but it was the chairwoman, Sadako Ogata, who walked away with the plaudits. And while Mr Karzai still has a lot to...

Japanese youths refuse to grow up
The annual coming-of-age ceremony in Japan was once a solemn rite of passage, but today's events will highlight a growing generation gap between adults who were brought up to cherish hard work and self-sacrifice and youths who are increasingly taking refuge in escapism and refusing to grow up...