Higher tobacco taxes could be on the way to Japan photo by HAMED MASOUMI One of the reasons for many ex-pats in Japan to take up or continue smoking is their relative low-cost to cigarettes back home.  Currency exchange is one thing but also the fact that the Japanese Government has resisted temptation to whack [...]

ANA’s month long bladder relief trial Photo by Michel Filion Unlike their Japanese counterparts JAL, ANA seem more financially stable.  But like all companies at the moment, they are going to extreme measures to cut costs. In this latest development, ANA have announced a month-long trial of asking all passengers to empty their bladders before [...]

Photo by JelleS Fall in Japan’s unemployment rate According to the BBC, “Japan’s jobless rate unexpectedly fell to 5.5% in August from July’s record high of 5.7%, official figures showed.” Although this looks like Japan’s economic condition is started to improve, the situation is still pretty bleak and unemployment levels are still very high and [...]

Photo of Shanghai on a rollercoaster by yakobusan Japan down, next stop America. These are the thoughts of the New York Times as summed up in Benzinga.  According to Benzinga, Japan may become the next “Switzerland – rich and comfrotable, but of little global impact”. But what about the immediate future?  What about it’s position [...]