JAPAN NEWS
The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Dragon Quest video game series produced by Square Enix Co. has reached its 30th year. The first edition of the series was developed in 1986 for the Family Computer Disk System, also known as the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Square Enix announced Wednesday that...

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JAPAN TIMES
Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward on Friday became one of the first municipalities in the nation to start issuing the My Number identification card for social security and taxation services.  To promote the new system, the central government has secured funds for issuing up to 30 million My Numbe...

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JAPAN NEWS
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry and the Japan Tourism Agency will establish rules for “minpaku” businesses, which offer vacant rooms at condominiums and other private homes as accommodation for tourists, as early as this autumn.
Minpaku are considered an effective way to make up...

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JAPAN TIMES
Japanese architectural practice — known to balance Western innovations, while preserving its unique traditional techniques and aesthetic — has attracted students, experts and fans for centuries.
But while it appeals to an international audience, some believe that Japan still lacks “ar...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Take three cups, add some clever drawing and cutting, plus a fair amount of skill… and then you can create your very own animated One-Punch Man comic, a sort of modern-day kamishibai-style rotating storybook.
That’s what Shinrashinge (@shin___geki) did earlier this month by stacking ...

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JAPAN TIMES
 SEOUL – The foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea announced an agreement Monday to resolve the decades-long impasse over Korean females who were forced into brothels run by the Imperial Japanese military before and during World War II.
Later in the day, following the foreign min...

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JAPAN TRENDS
Video game giant Capcom will open its own cafe in Saitama on November 20th.
“We look forward to serving you! So dancers, get ready to open! says the intriguing English copy.
There is already the Capcom Bar in Kabukicho, operated by Pasela Resorts.
This time Capcom is taking charge di...

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JAPAN TRENDS
To speed up service for customers from overseas, Shibuya 109 and 109 Men’s have introduced a new duty-free POS system called RefundPro.
While the hike in the sales tax from 5% to 8% affected domestic retail sales, tourists are exempt and can claim the tax back from their purchases if...

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JAPAN TRENDS
 teamLab, Japan’s most successful interactive media unit, have once again put their talents to good use with the Night Wonder Aquarium 2015.
Opening yesterday, the underwater experience transforms Enoshima Aquarium in the evenings, from 17:00 to 20:00.
The main highlight is the “bloo...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
In fiscal year 2014 the number of tourists visiting Yamagata Prefecture surged 12.4% from the previous year, peaking at 4,517,000 according to the prefecture's tourism survey. Thanks to the results of a very successful prefecture destination campaign from June to September, the 4.5 m...

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