Try Before You Buy | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Free Photocopying Service Takes Off | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

An Authentic Taste Of Japan | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Waste Not, Want Not | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Paying Premium | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Masked Beauty | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Books as Billboards | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Brewing up Business | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Coinless Lockers | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Barcode Art | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Ultra-Luxury Hotels | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Foreign-owned "ultra-luxury hotels," with rates 20%�50% higher than most of their Japanese competitors, continue to open in downtown Tokyo.

A Map For Publishing Success | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Something For Nothing | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Free newspapers 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.

Sharing In The Spoils | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Fostering the Will to Work | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Major publishing companies have released a succession of titles aimed at teaching children about the meaning and value of employment.

Ever More Convenient | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

A Haven of Snow and Hot Springs | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Time to Retire | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Payback Time | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Fast-Food Exports | Business and Economy | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.