Japan Update

The Year of the Rat might sound negative to Western ears, but actually these furry charmers are supposed to bring wealth. They are admired for their industriousness among other traits. There are mixed predictions for the Japanese economy this year, but “not bright” seems to be the consensus. Having noted all the reasons for the […]

As the baby-boomers start to retire, receiving their retirement bonuses from their grateful employers, the opportunities in the financial sector in the next year or two are great for the well-prepared. There are also widespread predictions of greater leisure spending, but a counter-trend is emerging of companies re-hiring the retirees for a number of reasons: […]

The hot weather has continued, but the world of politics is looking distinctly chilly. No sooner had we started to celebrate Abe’s resolve than it crumbled. The messy appointment of Fukuda indicates a return to the old system. He talks a good reforming game, but is unlikely to be able to deliver much. If Abe […]

It has been a sweltering summer with record temperature highs, especially around Nagoya and Tokyo. Measures to reduce electricity use are in place to try to ensure supply at peak demand times. It’s not only the weather that’s been challenging though. The elections sent a strong message of dissatisfaction to the majority Liberal-Democtratic Party (LDP) […]