In 2026, Japanese anime films are increasingly publishing full staff credits on their official websites. Major titles like Gundam: Hathaway and Gintama are leading this movement, earning praise from both industry professionals and fans. Why the web? Here's what's driving this new trend and how people are reacting.
A 58-year-old mother who cared for her severely disabled daughter alone for 29 years was arrested after an attempted murder-suicide in Chiba, Japan. With approximately 40 caregiver-related killings reported annually, this article examines landmark cases and asks the world: is this a crime society should bear?
Japan's permanent residency fee goes from 10,000 yen to 200,000 under the draft ordinance published July 3, 2026, applying to applications from October 1. From April 2027, permanent residency can be revoked for deliberate non-payment of taxes or social insurance. Foreign workers hit a record 2,571,037 in October 2025, but growth slowed to 11.7%.
Aizawa Concrete's F3DP is a gasoline-powered drone with a robotic arm and nozzle that extrudes concrete in flight. It is aimed at printing formwork for floating offshore wind platforms by the end of 2028. A machine born from Japan's construction math: 4.77 million workers, 36.6% of them over 55.
KADOKAWA is opening Studio One Base, a 4,600㎡ anime production hub housing 400 staff and five group studios inside Ikebukuro's Sunshine City in fall 2026. Part of a vision to turn Ikebukuro into a world-class anime city, the move comes as Japan's anime market hits a record ¥3.84 trillion ($24 billion). Here's what it means for fans and the global anime industry.
Japan's government has set a cap of 1.23 million foreign workers by fiscal 2028, replacing its widely criticized Technical Intern Training Program with the new "Ikusei Shūrō" (Development and Employment) system. The reform introduces job-switching freedom, but raises concerns about brain drain from rural areas and Japanese language education challenges. We analyze this historic policy shift alongside comparisons with South Korea's EPS, Singapore's levy system, and Germany's integration model.
Japan's first two-story 3D-printed house "Stealth House" has been completed in Miyagi Prefecture, built by startups KIZUKI and ONOCOM with 20+ collaborating companies. As Japan's construction industry faces a severe labor shortage with 200,000+ fewer workers since 1997, multiple firms including Serendix and Lib Work are accelerating 3D concrete printing technology. We compare with U.S. giant ICON, explore Japan's strict building code compliance, and examine cost advantages.
On March 4, 2026, Finland-born food delivery service Wolt ended all operations in Japan after six years. Despite being loved for its god-tier customer support and elegant Nordic design, Wolt couldn't break through the Uber Eats/Demae-can duopoly that controls 90% of the market. We analyze why Wolt lost, what delivery workers face next, and what foreign tech companies need to succeed in Japan.
An exclusive report reveals that employees at Tesla's Japan division were paying order fees out of their own pockets to meet sales targets, a practice known as "Jibaku Eigyo" (self-destructive sales). Senior executives, including the Japan CEO, have forfeited part of their compensation. We explore why this uniquely Japanese toxic sales culture persists even at a Silicon Valley giant.
Auto mechanics in Japan now out-earn general office clerks, a reversal driven by severe labor shortages. Recruit Works Institute data across 145 occupations shows mechanics averaging ¥4.80 million against ¥4.67 million for clerks, with blue-collar pay rising far faster than desk work. Japan's belief that a degree plus a desk job equals higher income is under strain. We compare the shift with the US and Germany.
Japan's anime market has reached a record $25 billion globally. While aggressive M&A deals by Sony, KADOKAWA, and others have fueled explosive overseas growth, questions remain about low animator wages, creative risk-taking, and whether the industry's real creators are seeing any of the profits. A deep dive into the boom's winners and losers.
Multiple Spring 2026 anime have been delayed, yet Japanese fans are surprisingly optimistic. "Though I Am an Inept Villainess" now premieres in July, perfectly matching the story's timeline, while fans of "The Reincarnated Great Saint Hides Her Status" welcome the chance for higher quality. We explore the industry-wide labor shortage behind the delay trend.
JR East launches Japan's first cargo-only Shinkansen in March 2026. A former Yamagata Shinkansen E3 Series train has been stripped of all 394 seats and rebuilt to carry up to 17.4 tons of freight at 186 mph. Learn how the "Hako-Byun" service tackles Japan's driver shortage, cuts CO2 emissions, and creates a high-speed logistics link between rural producers and Tokyo.
Japan's hotel industry faces one of the worst labor shortages in the developed world, with over 60% of hotels reporting staff shortages. From AI chatbots and facial recognition check-in to cleaning robots and dynamic pricing, Japanese hotels are turning to technology as a lifeline. Explore real-world cases including the famous Henn na Hotel, which runs 144 rooms with just 7 staff, and the latest generative AI initiatives backed by Japan's tourism agency.
In 2025, Japanese agricultural corporation bankruptcies hit a record 103 cases. Learn about the structural challenges facing Japan's farming industry: weak yen, soaring material costs, labor shortages, and succession crisis, all while food self-sufficiency remains at just 38%.
Japan's labor shortage bankruptcies reached a record 427 cases in 2025. A critical shift has emerged: employee turnover is now causing more business failures than recruitment difficulties. With 77% of affected companies having fewer than 10 employees, small businesses unable to match wage increases are being pushed out. This article explores the structural challenges in Japan's labor market and how the "quit-driven" bankruptcy phenomenon is reshaping the business landscape.
Japan's foreign workforce topped 2.3 million at the end of October 2024, a record, as shortages bit in logistics, nursing care, and construction. The government doubled the Specified Skilled Worker cap to 820,000, against a projected shortfall of 3.84 million workers by 2035.