Now, the much-anticipated UNIQLO’s AIRism Face Mask debuted in the US. The triple-layer face coverings utilize the Japanese apparel brand’s signature AIRism technology. Will the AIRism masks catch on in the US? On August 22, 2020, UNIQLO released the AIRism face mask at its online and retail stores in America. This is the second generation of the AIRism mask after the first generation received...
The Hanshin Tigers, one of the professional baseball clubs in Japan, has implemented “Engate,” a new online tipping system. The Tigers is the first team in the Nippon Professional Baseball to bring about the structure. The club expects the new platform will let the fans stay connected with the players and bring revenue to the team. “Engate,” a sport gifting platform by Engate, Inc.,...
A new project by geishas at Hakone Hot Spring is attracting much attention. The online “Meet Geisha” event lets anyone in the world hang out with Hakone Geishas via Zoom. As with all other tourist destinations in Japan, Hakone Hot Spring has been quiet since the outbreak of COVID-19. Hakone geishas have initiated the world’s first “online drinking with geisha” project to bring rays...
On June 24, 2020, Tadashi Yanai, chairman and CEO of Fast Retailing Co. Ltd., pledged to donate 10 billion yen (about $94 million) to Kyoto University for medical research. Fast Retailing operates several clothing apparel brands including Uniqlo which has expanded its business to Asia, the U.S., and Europe. During the press conference at Kyoto University, Yanai and two Nobel Prize winning university professors,...
The rainy season has officially started in Japan. Summer will be here before you know it; the temperature rises over 100°F, the humidity records near 100% and you are at risk of heat stroke if you stay outside. It is literally difficult to breathe. Additionally, the government now recommends people wearing protective coverings in public to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Wearing face masks...
On June 15, 2020, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) launched a free medical interpreter service for the healthcare facilities that provide care for the confirmed and potential COVID-19 patients. The new service is expected to remove the language berries the foreign patients often face in Japan. The free language assistance is offered in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Portugese. According to...
Japan’s economy is on a path to recovery. The state of emergency was entirely lifted in Japan on May 30. Businesses in Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas resumed operations and shops reopened after closing for nearly two months. On the first weekend following the end of the state of emergency, a rejoiced crowd went out to town. More than 700 people queued up at...
On May 29, 2020, Blue Impulse, the Air Self-Defense Force’s acrobatic team, performed an exhibition flight over central Tokyo to show gratitude for the frontline medical workers during the global health crisis. The performance took many people by surprise. As a precautionary measure to avoid overcrowding, the route information was kept confidential until the last moment. The exhibition flight brightened up the medical workers...
Dom Dom Food Service, Inc., a Japanese fast food company, released original face coverings on May 16, 2020. The masks were sold out soon after they went on sale at Dom Dom Hamburger restaurants. Although Dom Dom did not advertise the new merchandise, the adorable mask, accented with its mascot elephant “Domzo-kun,” the masks went viral on SNS. Ms. Fujisaki, the president of the...
Social distancing is one of the most effective ways to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. A traditional Japanese sweets shop in Chikusei City in Ibaraki Prefecture demonstrated its creativity when implementing the social distancing measure. A sweet shop Kogetsuan, famous for its signature “Yakata Monaka*,” has a pretty unique payment system amid COVID-19. A customer places money on a model steam...
