theTokyoBill Japan news brief

theTokyoBill Japan news brief, November 27 2024

In this episode: Emperor, Empress pay respects to Princess Mikasa; Amazon Japan under scrutiny for price manipulation; Nominication drinking culture losing popularity; Korean pop music show showcasing Japanese songs; Sazae-san enters Guinness records for longest-running anime

Duration:: 4m
Broadcast on:: 27 Nov 2024
Audio Format:: other

A short (3-5 min.) English language news brief; stories from in and around Japan.

Music is Motivate by Wavecont, care of Pixabay.com.

Your support, simply by visiting theTokyoBill.com, would be very much appreciated! :)

[MUSIC PLAYING] Welcome to the Tokyo Bill, a short news brief on recent events in and around Japan. Japan's Emperor Naruto and Empress Masako visited the residence of Princess Mikasa, who passed away at 101. She was the widow of Prince Mikasa, making her the longest living imperial family member since the Meiji era. The Emperor and Empress paid the respects at her residence, along with other imperial family members. Princess Akiko served as chief marner at the way. The funeral and entombment ceremony will take place at Toshima Gaoke Cemetery in Tokyo. Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko also pay their respects to the late princess. Japan's antitrust watchdog is investigating Amazon Japan for allegedly forcing retailers to cut prices on its online platform, potentially violating anti-monopoly laws. This investigation follows reports of similar probes by US, European authorities, regarding Amazon's treatment of third-party sellers. The company's accused of pressuring retailers to lower prices in exchange for a preferential visibility on its website, creating an unfair advantage. The Japan Fair Trade Commission is looking into these allegations and is expected to gather information from retailers about their dealings with Amazon. This is not the first time Amazon Japan has been investigated for antitrust violations. A recent survey by Nipon Life Insurance Company found that the practice of no medication or going out for drinks with colleagues to foster communication is losing appeal in Japanese birth culture. Many men and women believe no medication is unnecessary, citing reasons such as the need to conform to social expectations, feeling like drinking with coworkers is like working overtime and not liking alcohol. The survey suggests a trend of employees preferring to avoid new medication, potentially due to changes in work styles brought about by the pandemic. Despite this, most respondents still see value in face-to-face communication for smooth work operations. Companies may need to rethink traditional approaches to workplace socialization to attract talent. The Korea-Japan Top 10 Show on NBN is gaining popularity for featuring singers from both nations performing iconic songs, including Japanese hits from the 1980s. This marks a shift from the past when Japanese music was rare on South Korean airwaves due to historical tensions. The show's success has allowed Japanese singers to perform in South Korea, helping young talents like Iko Sumida to gain new fans. It has reignited interest in vintage Japanese pop music and foster cultural exchange between the two countries. Producer Seo Hayijin and fans like Park Kai-Chun see this as a positive step towards better understanding and bridging the gap between Japan and South Korea. Sazayasan is a long-running anime series in Japan based on a manga by Machiko Hasegawa. It follows the life of a multi-generational family in Sadegaya with the matriarch Sazayasan of the center. The show has maintained a classic feel since it aired in 1969 with minimal updates to reflect the modern society. With 214 seasons and 8,540 episodes, as of October 2024, Sazayasan holds the Guinness World Records for the longest-running animated series. The voice actor for Sazayasan, Midori Kato, also holds the record for the longest career as a voice actor for the same character in an animated series, making Sazayasan a significant cultural phenomenon in Japan. This has been the Tokyo Bill. All these stories and more you can read at thetokobill.com. I've been, and remain, Tokyo Bill. Thank you for listening, and take care. [MUSIC PLAYING] (upbeat music)