Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
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It’s always nice to be number one for something, even if it is number one in the “cities where the earth is most likely to kill you” ranking. That’s why we’re proud to announce that Tokyo and Yokohama were declared the cities at highest risk of natural disaster by Zurich-based Swiss Reinsurance (Swiss Re) in a 2013 study, whose findings were recently announced.
Like them or loathe them, social networking services, or SNS for short, have become an integral part of our daily lives and society as a whole. While Facebook, Twitter and Naver Corporation’s Line offer very different experiences, most users will agree that without them, they’d feel lost, or at least have a sudden and unexpected amount of free time on their hands.
Recently, a survey was conducted in Japan which asked respondents about the services they used, asking them which they turned to most often, which they were most careful about using and sharing information on, and which they’d hate to be without. Join us for a peek at the results after the jump.
Kids’ hopes and dreams for the future can change from one minute to the next and very often depend on the TV shows they watch and whatever their friends are talking about on any given week. But a recent survey conducted by human resource consulting company Adecco has revealed some interesting information about the future aspirations of children from Japan compared to those of kids from other eight other Asian countries.
Japan really loves to put its tourist spots into a top three list, such as the top three gardens or the top three hot springs. And a lot of tourists like to visit all three of the places to be able to say they’ve completed the set. But which of these famous trios do Japanese tourists want to visit the most? The website Web R25 recently surveyed 664 of their readers to ask them which of the top three lists they most want to visit. Click below to find out which trio of tourist hotspots topped the list and be sure to let us know which one you prefer in our RocketNews24 poll at the bottom!
Last year, Japan was thrust into the international spotlight after Tokyo won the 2020 Olympics and traditional Japanese cuisine was named an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO (only the second national cuisine after France’s own!). With all of this increased attention on the global stage, one Japanese corporation was curious to know what thoughts Japanese children harbored about their own country. Keep reading to find which things about their country Japanese kids liked and disliked the most.
As the end of the year approaches, many foreigners living in Japan are heading back to their home countries for the holidays. Of course, seeing family and friends for the first time in a while is the best part of going home. But many people also have fun stocking up on all the familiar products that are hard to find in Japan. Check out the results from a survey on Japanese website, Madam Riri, asking foreigners to reveal the items they like to buy in their home countries and bring back to Japan.
With the abundance of public holidays and an average of 18 vacation days per year, the stereotype of the overworked and exhausted Japanese worker may seem like a relic of the past. But a recent survey by Expedia Japan comparing the vacation schedules of 24 countries proves yet again that the stereotype is alive and well.
For the sixth year in a row, Japan came in dead last as workers are only taking an average of 39% of their annual paid leave. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Japan ranked last in worker satisfaction.
It’s a fact of life: everyone poops. And yet society seems to have evolved some sense of embarrassment over letting people know that you’ve dropped a stinky load. We try to assuage these issues with things like private bathroom stalls and air fresheners in public restrooms. In fact, toilets in Japan will often have automatic noise makers to mask any embarrassing sounds that might slip past your posterior.
And yet still, a recent study shows that more than half of Japanese school children refuse to go number two until after they’ve returned to the perfect privacy of their own homes! They’ll hold it for hours rather than respond to nature’s call, their embarrassment about bodily functions eventually causing them to become chronically constipated.
Japan is a country with a lot of cute characters. Starting with the obvious ones from anime and manga like Totoro and Doraemon, there’s also ones featured in video games like Pikachu or Sonic, and corporate symbols like Hello Kitty. Going further we can delve into the deep ecosystem of costumed mascots that can be found everywhere throughout Japan. Finally we can pile on all of the imported characters from North America and Europe.
All these cuddly animals and monsters running around beg the question: Which one is the most popular amongst children? To answer that, we have the semiannual Characters and Children Marketing Survey results which were recently published in Japan. Let’s take a look.
Quick, think of the one thing your parents always told you when you were growing up. Was it “be nice to people” or “always say thank you”? If the one thing you can remember getting drilled into your brain as a child was “don’t tell a lie” then chances are your making around $5,000 more annually than your peers who don’t remember such lecturing.
At least that’s what Kobe University Professor Kazuo Nishimura suggests after conducting a survey of nearly 16,000 adults in Japan.
Japan has a few really helpful resources for those in search of jobs. Besides their useful Hello Work program, they have a very popular website and magazine called an, publicized by pop idol Kyary Pamyu Pamyu herself. The site lets you search want ads and find places that are hiring in your area and field of expertise. In particular, a lot of college students and people new to the workforce turn to an for help finding employment.
an recently conducted a survey of first-time part-timers to try to find out what places are happenin’ in the modern world of fresh-faced young workers. The results were interesting, to say the least. Who knew how many people longed to become a Starbucks barista??
How often do you want to see your boyfriend or girlfriend? It’s a pretty important question for anyone in a relationship, and if each half of the couple’s expectations don’t match up, it can become a problem. Do you feel your girlfriend is too clingy when she asks to see you every night of the week? Or maybe you’re questioning if your boyfriend really likes you, since he doesn’t seem to want to spend that much time with you.
Market research company Cross Marketing conducted an online survey where they asked 300 Japanese men and women in their 20’s and 30’s “How often do you like to meet your boyfriend/girlfriend?”. The results were pretty interesting, and maybe not quite what you’d expect.
Ah, young love. It’s that thing that happens when our hormones run rampant across our hearts. So many people fall victim to it in their formative years, though that’s certainly not a bad thing: after all, getting some experience with schoolyard romance can help build a foundation for future relationships. And boy is it fun!
Recently, Trend News revealed the results of an online survey asking Japanese people to think back to their school days and respond with a comment about how many people they dated. 300 men and women in their 20s and 30s were asked over the course of two days, and results show an average of 2.8 relationships for each of the former students. Here’s how the results break down.
As the birthplace of modern anime culture, Japan has more than its fair share of hardcore anime fans, or otaku. But what starts someone out on the potential path to wall-to-wall DVD box sets, shelves of figures, and a bed full of love pillows? An online survey asks Japanese people to reveal the series that showed them the light.
There isn’t a country in the world immune from stereotypes. All people form opinions about places and their inhabitants based on whatever they can glean from the food, tourism, and art of the culture. But not all sweeping generalizations have to be mean and unfounded. The results on a thread asking for the “perfect words to describe Japanese people” were surprisingly positive!
Here are the most common adjectives that Westerners chose when characterizing the people of Japan.
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Every culture in the world has different standards and social norms surrounding blossoming romance. But first kiss stories are a worldwide constant… or are they?
A Japanese cosmetic company, T-Garden, recently came out with a line of new lip gloss called ChuChuMagic, taken from the Japanese sound effect of kissing (“Chu!”). To further their new ad campaign, the online makeup store, Luvlit, started a ChuChuMagic survey on the online market research site, “Girl’s Monitor,” that asked Japanese men and women about their various kissing experiences. After questioning 1,000 users who registered for the survey, Luvlit reported their findings.
With hundreds of game sites and magazines at our disposal, and with more amateur reviewers banging away at keyboards than ever before, making an uninformed purchase is now, thankfully, an extremely rare occurrence for any gamer. Gone are the days when we stood in the store nursing our pocket-money, studying the backs of Commodore 64 cassette cases and basing purchasing decisions entirely on cover art and postage stamp-sized screenshots; we have more information at our disposal than ever, and have only ourselves to blame if we slip up.
Even so, there are times when even the most informed gamer picks up a title that just isn’t their cup of tea. Be it the pacing of the game, an unorthodox control scheme or a steep learning curve, there are some games that we simply give up on and either trade in or shove in a drawer. Of course, Japanese gamers are no exception, with more than 15 percent of those asked in a recent survey admitting that they had unceremoniously dumped a game despite barely starting it. More than just a list of shame, though, the results of the survey turned up some great video game blasts from the past, not to mention a few titles so obscure that we’d almost forgotten they existed…
On 7 July, Tanabata kicks off in many parts of Japan. It’s an annual festival season which celebrates the stars Orihime and Hikoboshi, two lovers who are separated by the Milky Way except for this brief moment on the seventh day of the seventh month.
A popular custom during this time for young and old is to write down a wish on a strip of paper and hang it from a bamboo plant. However, as the years go by it seems that fewer and fewer people are going out to make wishes. This is why Calpis Co. Ltd. has decided to spark up interest in bamboo wishes by launching a study of their effectiveness.
Go to college, get a job, meet a guy or girl, and…don’t get married?
A recent survey suggests that almost one-third of Japanese people just can’t see the point in tying the knot and settling down. And after you see what some of them have to say about marriage, you might understand why!
Known the world over for impecable manners and social etiquette, yet at the same time home to a thriving sex industry, Japan is a country of stark contrasts. What goes on behind closed doors is seldom discussed in public and yet with risqué manga and adults-only bars and stores in plain view in most city areas, there are likely few urbanites who aren’t plainly aware that behind its deep bows, well-regimented table manners and ceremony surrounding even the seemingly trivial act of exchanging business cards, Japan has a naughty side.
In a recent survey carried out by Japanese condom manufacturer Sagami Condoms, however, 4,100 people from all over the country disclosed the intricate details of their sex lives, discussing everything from when they first started doing it to how often they have sex today and whether they’re completely satisfied in bed.
Tokyo’s Super Mario Christmas decoration displays are super cool【Photos】
Kura Sushi has a new parade-delivered whole cake dessert, but what’s it like to eat?【Video】
This downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Police called out to investigate suspicious Santa in Wakayama
Japanese tough guy fashion starter pack: Testing the Birth Japan lucky bag【Photos】
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
Tokyo Space-out tournament draws nearly 100 competitors, finds who’s the best at doing nothing【Video】
Japanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Celebrating legal marriage days in Japan with budget-friendly photoshoots
Japanese communities giving their skylines a spring clean and saying goodbye to power linesThis downtown Tokyo cafe is like a time machine that takes you back 50 years into the past
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Station of despair: What to do if you get stuck at the end of Tokyo’s Chuo Rapid Line
Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet range
Major Japanese city is abolishing extracurricular activities at all of its middle schools
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frostJapanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Mysterious light-up rainy night-sound Totoro figure doesn’t actually show a scene from the anime
Shakey’s is back! All-you-can-eat pizza chain returns to downtown Tokyo’s Shinjuku
Starbucks Japan releases a new Frappuccino that looks and tastes like a floral bouquet
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Uniqlo announces first-ever collaboration with horror manga master Junji Ito【Photos】
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition
Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Japan’s most popular castle raising ticket prices by up to 200 percent for non-local tourists
Furikake rice seasoning sales are soaring, which is bad news for Japan as a wholeJapanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Studio Ghibli heroine cardigans give you warmth and strength to face everyday challenges
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengersPossessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
Bad tourist manners at Mt Fuji Lawson photo spot prompts Japanese town to block view with screens
Tokyo Space-out tournament draws nearly 100 competitors, finds who’s the best at doing nothing【Video】
Japanese government will check and judge new baby name pronunciations, presents guidelines
Celebrating legal marriage days in Japan with budget-friendly photoshoots
Japanese communities giving their skylines a spring clean and saying goodbye to power lines
Mos Burger x Dassai sweet sake collaboration expands with new rice burgers and a konjac drink
Starbucks Japan releases a new Frappuccino that looks and tastes like a floral bouquet
Clever design trick means beautiful Ghibli Artboard Jigsaw Puzzles won’t have bittersweet ending
Tokyo’s super-secret-location sushi restaurant has a stand-up sister shop that’s open to all
Here it is: The finalized map for Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan (and its food)
Support Hayao Miyazaki’s real-world Totoro forest with hoodies featuring exclusive anime art
The 10 most attractive Japanese women’s names, as chosen by dating app users
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Sake brand Dassai increases workers’ starting pay by over 40 percent, pledges to double salaries
