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Japan Today
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Today
A nostalgic look back at the half-decade when Japan was No. 1, sort of
In 2023, Japan's nominal GDP (gross domestic product) dropped one notch, to fourth place in the world, as Germany moved up to occupy the third slot. Japan's GDP had exceeded Germany's for nearly half a century up to then. "The figures have been influenced to some degree by the yen-dollar exchange rate," points out history researcher Ban Atobe, "But considering that Germany's population (and working population in particular) is two-thirds that of Japan's, the drop has serious implications." "Japan's nominal GDP had been surpassed by China in 2010. While this should not be surprising considering China's population is about 10 times greater than Japan's. And Japan still leads China on a per capita basis. But the drop overall from third to fourth place can be seen as indicative of the country's economic decline," is how Atobe sees it. The news wasn't always bad, however. "The members of Gen Z might not be aware of it," says Atobe, "but there was a time when Japan's economic power led the world." He's not exaggerating. In 1987, Japan's per capita GDP reached $21,248, surpassing the $20,001 of the U.S. by a significant margin. "What would have been no more than a pipe dream by the heroic mid-19th century figures who brought feudal Japan into the modern era became a reality," Atobe observed. In terms of the value of their common shares, around 30 companies out of the world's top 50 were Japanese, with Japan's NTT holding the top position. The Nikkei-Dow average reached 38,915 yen -- with the total value of shares roughly 15 times that of Wall Street's. By one metric, the assessed property values of the 23 central wards of Tokyo were said to have surpassed that of the entire continental United States. There was even talk of Sony acquiring Apple Computer. "I wish we'd done it," a former Sony executive was quoted as saying. During the 1970s through the 1980s, an obscure Kyoto-based company named Nintendo emerged from nowhere to dominate the game market. By 2016 its Pocket Monsters had eclipsed Disney's Mickey Mouse and ranked world's first, with revenues of $92.1 billion. Remember the 1985 hit film "Back to the Future"? There's a scene in which time traveler Michael J Fox tells people back in 1955, "All the good stuff comes from Japan now." The "good stuff" Fox was referring to included items like Casio wristwatches, Aiwa personal stereo players and JVC video camcorders. Then there was the Honda Civic, whose lean-burn engine easily met the tough new emissions standards while U.S. manufacturers were still struggling. Japan also impacted significantly on the world's diet. Along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter, Japanese discovered a fifth flavor category called umami (savoriness). Described as a brothy or meaty quality, it adds depth and complexity to flavors. The Ajinomoto Group, which pioneered monosodium glutamate seasoning that imparts umami, now operates subsidies around the world. Then there's Nissin's cup noodles, which have taken the world by storm. In February 1972, shortly after its introduction, TV viewers watched news coverage of the siege of the Asama-Sanso, a violent weeklong hostage stand-off between the riot police and armed student radicals at a villa in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture. While the contents of boxed meals froze in Karuizawa's subzero outdoor temperatures, the policemen on site could be seen consuming hot meals thanks to the Nissin noodles. Not long afterwards, the noodles were dispensed from vending machines, which also supplied boiling water. They appealed in particular to the youth market and were sold packaged with plastic forks instead of chopsticks. "It became fashionable for guys to be seen eating walkaway noodles," entertainer LaSalle Ishii recalls. Unfortunately, Shukan Taishu notes, the myopic trend of paying short shrift to academia and science continues, with the House of Representatives on May 9 passing a bill that will privatize the Science Council of Japan. Will the sun, Shukan Taishu wonders, ever rise again? Let's keep hoping that the Japanese people, who achieved a miraculous recovery from the ashes of war, will once again demonstrate their latent strengths. © Japan Today
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Buttigieg reveals how he'd advise Democrats on key issues if he could time travel back to 2020
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg offered multiple ways he would change the Democratic Party platform if he could time travel back to 2020. In the wake of the party's decisive defeat in 2024, several prominent Democrats have spoken about how they need to change on America's most pressing issues. Advertisement Many Democrats have argued that the party needs to moderate not only its tone, but its policies. Buttigieg, who has spoken out before on how the party needs to stop alienating voters, is no exception. Tim Miller, a political strategist for The Bulwark, released a new episode of the outlet's podcast on Tuesday where he interviewed Buttigieg. Miller referenced the time-traveling DeLorean from 'Back to the Future,' and asked Buttigieg what advice he would give his past self and then-nominee Joe Biden to prevent the state of the U.S. today. 'What do you think y'all should have done differently?' Miller asked. Advertisement 'One, for the love of God, figure out a way to get the schools open sooner,' Buttigieg said. 'We got very knee-jerk about this and the costs were — not just politically — but in a profound way I think, for a generation, the costs were profound, and I think anybody who's involved, who was, by the way obviously doing their best to deal with a crisis that killed a million Americans, but I think most people involved would like to be able to have found a way to safely get more schools open more quickly.' Pete Buttigieg hosts a VotVets town hall in Cedar Rapids focused on challenges veterans face under the Trump Administration. Holden Smith/ZUMA / The former transportation secretary followed up with another key issue that has grown prominent in recent years. 'Obviously, pay more attention to the border,' he said, noting another piece of advice for 2020 Democrats. 'That's real, and that's going to be something that you can't just, like, take your time to deal with. These are all things, by the way, that's super, you know, policy-wise and politically, we have the benefit of hindsight to reflect upon this.' Advertisement Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden speaks during a campaign stop at Jose Marti Gym in Miami, Florida, U.S., October 5, 2020. REUTERS The third piece of advice he offered, particularly to himself, was about the nature of how the economy is perceived. 'Three, even though you spent your entire political lifetime believing that 'the economy and jobs are the same thing, and if you have lots of jobs, it's a good economy, and if you have a problem with jobs, it's a bad economy.' Remember that prices is just as big a part of the economy, it just hasn't come up much in the last 40 years,' he said. Buttigieg argued that no country was able to save its economy from the pandemic without taking on some inflation, 'but I do think there were a lot of moments where people kind of waved it away in the first year or two, even just like the conversation about it.'
ITV News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- ITV News
Rise and fall of iconic car
A look at the rise and fall of the DeLorean - a car which became an icon thanks to it featuring in the blockbuster film Back to the Future in the 1980s.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Buttigieg reveals how he'd advise Democrats on key issues if he could time travel back to 2020
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg offered multiple ways he would change the Democratic Party platform if he could time travel back to 2020. In the wake of the party's decisive defeat in 2024, several prominent Democrats have spoken about how they need to change on America's most pressing issues. Many Democrats have argued that the party needs to moderate not only its tone, but its policies. Buttigieg, who has spoken out before on how the party needs to stop alienating voters, is no exception. Tim Miller, a political strategist for The Bulwark, released a new episode of the outlet's podcast on Tuesday where he interviewed Buttigieg. Miller referenced the time-traveling DeLorean from "Back to the Future," and asked Buttigieg what advice he would give his past self and then-nominee Joe Biden to prevent the state of the U.S. today. Buttigieg Admits There Won't Be A 'Rogan Of The Left,' Says Dems Need Their Own Way To Reach Common Americans "What do you think y'all should have done differently?" Miller asked. "One, for the love of God, figure out a way to get the schools open sooner," Buttigieg said. "We got very knee-jerk about this and the costs were — not just politically — but in a profound way I think, for a generation, the costs were profound, and I think anybody who's involved, who was, by the way obviously doing their best to deal with a crisis that killed a million Americans, but I think most people involved would like to be able to have found a way to safely get more schools open more quickly." Read On The Fox News App The former transportation secretary followed up with another key issue that has grown prominent in recent years. "Obviously, pay more attention to the border," he said, noting another piece of advice for 2020 Democrats. "That's real, and that's going to be something that you can't just, like, take your time to deal with. These are all things, by the way, that's super, you know, policy-wise and politically, we have the benefit of hindsight to reflect upon this." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture The third piece of advice he offered, particularly to himself, was about the nature of how the economy is perceived. "Three, even though you spent your entire political lifetime believing that 'the economy and jobs are the same thing, and if you have lots of jobs, it's a good economy, and if you have a problem with jobs, it's a bad economy.' Remember that prices is just as big a part of the economy, it just hasn't come up much in the last 40 years," he said. Buttigieg argued that no country was able to save its economy from the pandemic without taking on some inflation, "but I do think there were a lot of moments where people kind of waved it away in the first year or two, even just like the conversation about it."Original article source: Buttigieg reveals how he'd advise Democrats on key issues if he could time travel back to 2020
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Four New Series Debut under TOMY's "T-SPARK" Hobby Label for High-end Customers: Q VILLAGE, COLLEKAZARO, SPARK Fig, LEGACYSOUL; Reservations to Start Sequentially from June
- In Collaboration with Popular Works Such as "Back to the Future," "The Fast & Furious," and "My Hero Academia" - TOKYO, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TOMY Company, Ltd., based in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, has announced four new series from the "T-SPARK" hobby label (for age 15 and up) targeting high-end customers. The new series will be available for pre-order on TOMY's official online store "Takara Tomy Mall" ( ) from June 2025. Image1: Image2: The four new series -- Q VILLAGE, COLLEKAZARO, SPARK Fig, and LEGACYSOUL -- made their debut at the 63rd Shizuoka Hobby Show held from May 14 (Wednesday) through May 18 (Sunday), 2025. The four series will also be available in Asia, the United States and Europe (availability of the series will vary depending on the relevant country/region). Collaborating with popular characters, T-SPARK will utilize the "transformation," "combination" and "articulation" technologies that continue to attract hobby lovers, offering various ways to enjoy these figures by adding new items to its product lineup, such as alternative easy-to-display sizes. (1) Q VILLAGE: A deformed format series that showcases a cute and cool world featuring a playset of vehicles and characters. The first product is a collaborative work with the "Back to the Future" movie series and the second with the "The Fast & Furious" movie series. (2) COLLEKAZARO: A series of 3.75 inches (10 cm) collectible figures in collaboration with characters. The first line is a collaborative product with the TV anime "My Hero Academia." (3) SPARK Fig: A series of figures of anime characters and other characters in scale and non-scale sizes. The first product in the series is a figure from the TV anime "Princession Orchestra." (4) LEGACYSOUL: A line of popular products from the past that have been modernized with new mechanisms. The first in the series is "Microman" and the second "Super B-Daman." Yutaka Tajima, Senior General Manager, Head of Hobby Character Business Division, Character Business at TOMY Company says: "The new series is a figure series that can be enjoyed regardless of gender, with an emphasis on not only replicating the characters, but also on the "Asobi (playing)" that only TOMY Company can offer with a variety of play patterns, and expanding its possibilities through its highly collectable nature. As a new challenge for TOMY, we will also commence sales on the official North American online store "TOMY PLUS" ( ) operated by TOMY International, Inc. In July, the company plans to exhibit at Ani-com & Games Hong Kong 2025 (ACG Hong Kong), one of the largest anime, manga and game events in Hong Kong SAR, to communicate the value of fun through hobby products to Japan and overseas. We now look forward to responses from fans around the world." Q VILLAGEImage3: - Q VILLAGE "Back to the Future Time Machine (Part 1)"The first product represents collaboration with "Back to the Future," celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie's release this year. The "Time Machine" includes mini figures (Marty and Doc). Release date: Spring 2026Reservation launch: Scheduled for July 2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) UCS LLC and Amblin (C) TOMY - Q VILLAGE "The Fast & Furious Toyota Supra JZA 80"- Q VILLAGE "The Fast & Furious NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R (R34)"The second phase of the series will feature two products in collaboration with "The Fast & Furious" movie series. Each comes with a mini figure (Brian). Release date: Spring 2026Reservation launch: Scheduled for July 2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) UCS LLC (C) TOMY COLLEKAZAROImage4: Image5: - COLLEKAZARO "My Hero Academia" (5 models)Five main characters from the TV anime "My Hero Academia" -- Izuku Midoriya, Ochaco Uraraka, Shoto Todoroki, All Might, and Tomura Shigaraki -- are being merchandised. - COLLEKAZARO Vigilantes (3 models)The three main characters from the official "My Hero Academia" spin-off TV series "Vigilante - My Hero Academia ILLEGALS," Koichi Haimawari, Pop Step, and Knuckle Duster, will be available as merchandise. Release date: Spring 2026Reservation launch: Scheduled for July 2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) K. Horikoshi / Shueisha, My Hero Academia Project (C) TOMY(C) H. Furuhashi, BETTEN. C, K. Horikoshi / SHUEISHA, Vigilante Project (C) TOMY SPARK FigImage6: - SPARK Fig Princess RippleThe first figure is Princess Ripple, the main character from the animated TV series "Princession Orchestra" (approximate height 18 cm). Release date: Spring 2026Reservation launch: Scheduled for fall 2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) Project PRINCESS-SESSION (C) TOMY LEGACYSOULImage7: Image8: - LEGACYSOUL Microman Commando No.1 set of 4The first is the action figure "Microman Commando No. 1". While following the design of the time, current technology was applied to update the design and proportions as well as doubling the range of motion in the joints. Release date: TBAReservation launch: Scheduled for FY2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) TOMY - LEGACYSOUL "Super B-Daman Fighting Phoenix"The second product is "B-Daman," a figure-type toy that evolved from playing with marbles in a modern way. The "Fighting Phoenix," a popular toy from the Super B-Daman series released in 1996, will be completely revived after a lapse of about 30 years. Release date: TBAReservation launch: Scheduled for FY2025Suggested retail price: TBACopyright notice: (C) Shun IMAGA / Shogakukan (C) TOMY Common information for Q VILLAGE and COLLEKAZARO:Target age: 15 years and upWhere to buy: Nationwide electronics retailers, hobby specialty stores, scale model shops, online stores, TOMY's official online store "Takara Tomy Mall" ( ), etc. Common information for SPARK Fig and LEGACYSOULThe products will be sold in Japan and overseas, but Japan sales will be limited to TOMY's official online store "Takara Tomy Mall" ( ). Company's official website: View original content: SOURCE TOMY Company, Ltd. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
