Category Archives: Money

Media watch: New tax plan’s acceptance in doubt because no one understands its real effects

Posted on November 17, 2024 by philipbrasor

The Democratic Party for the People (DPP) did well in the recent general election, increasing the number of seats it held in the lower house from 7 to 28 (11 constituent + 17 proportional). The party with the most number … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Will the new bills make their own existence unnecessary?

Posted on July 1, 2024 by philipbrasor

On July 3, the Bank of Japan will start circulating new paper currency, which is something it does every 20 years or so. The ostensible reason is to check counterfeiting, a Sisyphean task since the fact that the bank has … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Some fast food operators handle price increases better than others

Posted on January 9, 2024 by philipbrasor

Most businesses that survived the pandemic are now doing well owing to something called “revenge” spending, which is essentially a reflexive action by consumers after they’ve been liberated from reduced spending due to restrictions, whether mandated or market-driven. At the … Continue reading →

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Media watch: Nothing new in Kishida’s new capitalism

Posted on May 17, 2022 by philipbrasor

The amount of cash that Japanese people keep as savings is legendary. At present, it roughly totals ¥1 quadrillion, an enormous sum and one that many people interpret as being a sign of frugality. Japanese people are averse to risk, … Continue reading →

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Yen For Living, May 24, 2015

Posted on May 24, 2015 by philipbrasor

It’s probably obvious that most of the posts for our Yen For Living blog, which since April has morphed into a twice monthly column in the Japan Times, originated with our own experiences as consumers. This week’s piece, about mobile … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Mar. 20, 2011

Posted on March 20, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is ostensibly about Japanese commercial TV coverage of the disaster, though it mainly addresses the lack of debate surrounding Japan’s nuclear energy policy. As I say near the end, now is not the time … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Feb. 20, 2011

Posted on February 20, 2011 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about rice and Japan’s consideration of participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would remove the import tariffs that protect Japanese farmers, in particular rice farmers. I plan to post a related article at … Continue reading →

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Media Mix, Dec. 19, 2010

Posted on December 20, 2010 by philipbrasor

Here’s this week’s Media Mix, which is about university grads’ well-publicized desperation in the face of a shrinking job market. The story has been covered extensively for the past year or so, but the Closeup Gendai feature cited in the … Continue reading →

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