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(March 27, 2007)
Eggs are being used as the latest innovative advertising medium. In February 2007 Japan got its first egg-based advertisement, with Nissin Food Products, the company that invented instant noodles, becoming the country's first "ovular advertiser." |
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(March 6, 2007)
A beauty sheet mask sold by Lovelabo under the brand name Bihada Ichizoku (meaning Beautiful Skin Family) is now a regular sight in the cosmetics sections of major drugstores and convenience stores. The mask has been recording unprecedented sales since its launch in November 2005. |
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(February 27, 2007)
Premium beer is selling well in Japan. When producing this beer, extra attention is paid to the malt used and the brewing process, and the resulting beers are generally priced about 10% to 20% higher than ordinary beers. |
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(February 5, 2007)
Fruits and vegetables that are rejected for sale because they are irregularly shaped or bruised are often thrown away. Now, however, these otherwise perfectly good foods are being used in purée form under the brand name Nepurée. |
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(January 30, 2007)
In the midst of the worldwide boom in Japanese cuisine, the government is planning to establish a certification system for Japanese restaurants overseas, in the hope of properly acquainting people with the delights of traditional Japanese foods. |
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(January 26, 2007)
Free photocopying facilities funded by corporate advertising printed on the back of the paper are proving a big hit at universities in the Tokyo area. Known as tadakopi ("free copying"), the scheme was set up by Oceanize, a student start-up venture. |
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(January 23, 2007)
A new kind of business in which trial products are distributed to consumers is booming. Rather than just handing them out indiscriminately, though, the aim is to target specific consumers and get feedback from them about the products. |
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(December 8, 2006)
A growing number of people are reading novels and other books on their mobile phones and computers. Easy to access and a cinch to carry around, these electronic books are convenient and, thanks to plans offering unlimited data transmissions at a fixed rate, reasonably priced as well. |
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(November 10, 2006)
Up to now, barcodes have been nothing more than a dull collection of black and white stripes of differing thickness, but that is all about to change. A Japanese company making these codes that are printed on almost every product sold in stores nowadays into fun, innovative advertisements. |
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(October 6, 2006)
In a time of high oil prices and growing concern over environmental problems, the number of Japanese homes equipped with solar power systems is on the rise. |
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(August 28, 2006)
Toilet manufacturers are battling to provide consumers with toilets that are more comfortable and easy to use. Recent developments in this market include environmentally friendly units that use less water and electricity than other models. |
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(August 15, 2006)
New types of coin lockers are appearing in train stations around the country. Some can be paid for by a swipe of an electronic money card or cellular phone, and others have enough space to store big suitcases. |
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(June 26, 2006)
Foreign-language dictionaries, whether paper or electronic, have long been seen and not heard. But that is changing quickly with the growing popularity of a slew of advanced "talking" electronic dictionaries. |
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(May 23, 2006)
Now is a great time to be a sake exporter. Interest in Japanese food overseas is one of the factors fueling sake's popularity, and in the United States - the largest export market - sake can now be ordered not just in Japanese restaurants but also in establishments serving French cuisine. |
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(May 8, 2006)
One of the hottest trends in Japan right now is book jackets. Made of high-quality paper and sporting elaborate and colorful designs, many of them bear corporate logos and brand images. |
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(March 29, 2006)
Communities and industries in Japan are increasingly looking to wind power to help out with their energy needs. Several cities and towns in Japan have been building "citizens' windmills." |
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(March 16, 2006)
The number of overseas travelers who visit Hokkaido during the winter months, particularly from Australia and Asia, has begun to soar. These visitors are drawn to Japan's northernmost island by two main attractions: snow and hot springs. |
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(February 21, 2006)
Convenience stores no longer just sell food and everyday items but offer an amazing variety of goods and services. Many chains have recently launched specialist outlets targeted at specific groups of customers in an effort to stay ahead of the pack. |
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(February 1, 2006)
Major publishing companies have released a succession of titles aimed at teaching children about the meaning and value of employment. |
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(January 5, 2006)
Japan's stock markets are recording heavy trading. One of the factors behind this increased activity is the emergence of individual investors who actively trade stocks, many of whom have gained inspiration from celebrity traders famed for their stock-trading success. |
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(December 27, 2005)
Fapree newspers and magazines have rapidly evolved into one of the most exciting subsectors of the publishing industry, with the annual circulation of free publications currently standing at more than 200 million. |
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(December 1, 2005)
Informative maps focusing on themes like world affairs, history, and even earthquakes and other disasters have become popular among Japanese readers. These thematic, informative maps are the product of a new strategy publishing firms have adopted amid adverse market conditions. |
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(November 24, 2005)
Foreign-owned "ultra-luxury hotels," with rates 20%–50% higher than most of their Japanese competitors, continue to open in downtown Tokyo. |
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(November 8, 2005)
The business of space travel and technology has long been in the hands of a small number of large corporations. Yet in recent years, a growing number of small and medium-sized companies have entered the industry. |
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(October 13, 2005)
Yoshinoya, a Japanese chain of fast-food restaurants, is quickly becoming a household name in China's capital city. As of the end of August 2005, the company had 67 restaurants in Beijing. Yoshinoya is one of several Japanese restaurant chains making serious inroads throughout Asia. |
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(October 12, 2005)
Now that Japan's economy is on the upswing, the nation's major banks are speeding up their repayments of the funds the government provided them to sort out the bad-loan crisis of the 1990s. |
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(September 5, 2005)
Keiretsu (corporate conglomerates) have been condemned by European and American auto makers for their opaque business practices and high costs, but today keiretsu are being reevaluated as a way to achieve business success. |
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(August 30, 2005)
Now that the postwar generation of "baby boomers" is about to hit retirement age, a slew of products and services have emerged to cater to this relatively affluent and leisure-loving group of consumers. |
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(August 12, 2005)
Now that the postwar generation of "baby boomers" is about to hit retirement age, a slew of products and services have emerged to cater to this relatively affluent and leisure-loving group of consumers. |
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(July 6, 2005)
The Asahiyama Zoo is located in a fairly rural area in the far north of Japan, but that has not stopped huge numbers of people from all over the country from visiting. What is the secret behind zoo's staggering popularity? The answer lies in its presentation of the exhibits. The cages and aquariums are designed to show off the peculiar and fascinating behavior of the zoo's animals. |
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(June 10, 2005)
A nonprofit bank launched two years ago by three stars of Japan's pop-music industry is garnering attention for the contribution it is making to tackling environmental problems. |
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(May 19, 2005)
In a further reflection of consumers' growing inclination to choose products that are good for their health, travel packages that combine medical checkups or treatment with fun and relaxing activities are enjoying a steady growth in popularity. |
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(March 25, 2005)
Air travel to and from Japan became a lot more convenient on February 17. This day marked the opening of Central Japan International Airport not far from the major city of Nagoya. |
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(March 23, 2005)
More and more households are diversifying their funds into instruments like Japanese government bonds, investment trusts, and foreign-currency deposits. |
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(March 22, 2005)
More and more businesses, particularly in the information technology sector, have been transforming their offices by eliminating fixed seating arrangements and allowing their employees to work from outside the company. |
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(February 28, 2005)
The lean economic times of the 1990s caused many of Japan's biggest manufacturers to downsize and move their production bases overseas. Yet now that the gloom has lifted, it is clear that many Japanese manufacturers have not only survived the lean years but have emerged stronger and more profitable than ever. |
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(February 17, 2005)
A growing number of taxi operators in provincial areas of Japan have introduced innovative services to attract passengers. |
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(February 7, 2005)
Haneda Airport's new Terminal 2, which opened on December 1, 2004, was built to ease congestion at Japan's busiest airport. |
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(January 20, 2005)
A new breed of tourist is beginning to attract the attention of tour operators
and of localities where movies have been filmed. The main objective of these visitors
is not to see famous landmarks or to go shopping but to visit the settings of
popular movies and TV series. |
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(January 17, 2005)
Some of the long-running models that Japanese automakers first introduced in the 1950s
and 1960s have reached the end of the road, and carmakers
are replacing them with new models. |
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(January 7, 2005)
Plastics made using the resin of corn and other plants are seeing a rapid increase
in demand. |
Copyright (C)2007 Web Japan. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.
