Basic Japanese phrases for travellers

Saitama City ranked No. 1 in Japan for English proficiency
NOJ - Jun 08
According to the results of a survey released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on May 17, Saitama City ranked first in Japan for the fourth consecutive time in terms of the proportion of junior high school students with English proficiency equivalent to or higher than Eiken Level 3, TV Asahi reports.

Why Japan's kamikaze campaign ultimately failed
Imperial War Museums - Jun 08
In the later stages of the Second World War in the Pacific, Japan was desperate. They turned to a new tactic - kamikaze.

Japan to offer permanent residency for 4th-generation descendants
abs-cbn.com - Jun 07
Japan is set to revise its working program for fourth-generation foreigners of Japanese descent and offer permanent residency to individuals who fulfill certain language requirements, immigration agency officials said Tuesday.

'Smile school' in Japan sees surge in demand as people shed masks post Covid
South China Morning Post - Jun 07
As more people shed their masks during the post-Covid era, Japan has seen a surge in demand for training in the art of smiling.

Why Blood Circulation Matters
newsonjapan.com - Jun 07
Poor circulation slows the arrival of blood to our cells and organs. This in turn chokes delivery of vital oxygen and nutrients to tissues. The most serious problem arises when cells do not get an adequate supply of oxygen, however.

Why more US men are falling victim to Japan's anti-social hikikomori trend
New York Post - Jun 06
In Japan, an estimated 1.5 million people - many of them young men - now live in complete isolation. Some 6,000 miles away, the United States is experiencing its own form of hikikomori.

Stone coffin opened at Yoshinogari site in southwestern Japan
Japan Times - Jun 05
The Saga prefectural government opened a sarcophagus on Monday that was unearthed at the Yoshinogari archaeological site in southwestern Japan and is preparing to study its contents.

Japanese schoolgirl talks foreigner out of suicide attempt on her way to class
soranews24.com - Jun 05
On the morning of March 21, 17-year-old Ayano Iguchi was walking through Niigata City on her way to Niigata Higashi High School to attend class.

13 percent of students prone to depression due to pandemic: Japan study
Kyodo - Jun 05
Thirteen percent of elementary to high school students in Japan had depressive tendencies warranting medical attention last October due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, a recent study by a medical institute said.

Young South Koreans change their attitude toward Japan as ties thaw
South China Morning Post - Jun 02
Relations between Japan and South Korea had plunged to their lowest in decades after a bitter dispute over wartime forced labour, in 2018, spilled over into trade restrictions and a consumer backlash against Japanese goods.

University of Tokyo joins FSA on financial-crisis research
NHK - Jun 01
Japan's leading university and the Financial Services Agency have started working on a project to prevent future financial crises.

Know Your Enemy : Japan | World War Propaganda Documentary HD
TRNGL - Jun 01
Know Your Enemy: Japan is an American World War II propaganda film about the Japan's aggressive war directed by Frank Capra, with additional direction by experimental documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens.

Baby boomtown: does Nagi hold the secret to repopulating Japan?
theguardian.com - May 29
Set against mountains and forests, Nagi basks beneath a cobalt sky, reflected in perfectly symmetrical rows of submerged rice paddies. But there is more to this town in western Japan than pretty views and agricultural output. Nagi is quietly producing what much of the rest of the country is lacking: children.

To improve quality, teaching foreigners Japanese will require license
Nikkei - May 29
Japanese-language instructors will have to be certified under legislation passed Friday, with a goal of ensuring that foreign workers here receive adequate language education as they become more important to an aging society.

Over 97 percent of Japan's new univ. graduates employed amid labor shortage
Kyodo - May 26
Over 97 percent of new university graduates in Japan found jobs this spring, up 1.5 points from the previous year for the first rise in three years, reflecting a labor shortage as the economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, the government said Friday.

G7 spouses inspire Japanese students to aim for peace
Reuters - May 22
Spouses of G7 leaders took part in a symposium, discussing peace issues with young people in Hiroshima.