The $500 Grape
Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture has been developing the high-quality Ruby Roman Grapes for fourteen years. This year, a single bunch of grapes sold for 1.2 million yen, working out to almost US$500 for a single grape.
All posts by Michael Penn
Japan-South Korea Military Information Pact Terminated
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the first half of August 2019.
Osaka Reemerging as Japan’s Second Metropolis
Eclipsed for many decades by its much larger Tokyo rival, Osaka is reclaiming its former status as Japan’s second metropolis. The recent G20 Summit held in Osaka which briefly put the city’s name on the lips of a global audience was indicative of its rising prominence, and is not likely to be the last time in the coming years that it will become the focus of the world’s attention.
“Full-Scale Economic War” Between Japan and South Korea
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the first half of August 2019.
Japan Tobacco Fights Rearguard Action Against Anti-Smoking Movement
Japan’s anti-smoking movement has been gaining strength in its effort to protect the rights of non-smokers and to save lives, but Japan Tobacco’s political muscle remains undiminished.
Ruling Coalition Loses Supermajority
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the second half of July 2019.
Healthcare Worker Shortage a Silent Crisis
The World Health Organization estimates that there will be a shortage of 18 million healthcare workers by 2030. This equates to a 20% gap in the global capacity to provide healthcare services. Japan, which is already grappling with an aging society and its attendant problems, is at the forefront of this crisis.
Abe Government Export Restrictions Send South Korea Relations into Tailspin
A roundup of the most significant news stories from Japan reported in the first half of July 2019.
The Year in Japanese Politics 2012
The Shingetsu News Agency has been keeping a running log of the major developments in Japanese politics since January 2012. The following is our contemporary account of the entire year 2012.
Uyghurs Call for East Turkestan’s Independence from China
On the day before the official opening of the G20 Summit in Osaka, shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the city, several hundred Uyghurs and their allies held a rally and marched through the streets under the watchful eye of a phalanx of Japanese police.
