Latest news with #JapanTodaySpotlight
Japan Today
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Japan Today
Why is Nissan failing — and what speed bumps lie ahead?
By Jeff W. Richards Nissan is slashing 20,000 jobs, considering factory closures in Japan and facing renewed financial struggles. What happened to Japan's No. 3 automaker — and can it recover under a new CEO? In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we unpack the collapse of the Nissan-Honda merger, the impact of the U.S. administration's 25% auto tariffs and the company's bold — but risky — turnaround plan. Is this Nissan's final warning, or the start of a comeback? Watch the full story, and let us know what you think in the comments. Chapters: 0:00 Topic overview 1:16 Nissan's troubled history 2:48 Restructuring plans 4:14 20,000 jobs at risk 4:46 What's next? 5:44 Can Nissan make it? 6:51 Outro Japan Today sources: See the Japan Today Spotlight series: Join the conversation! 20,000 jobs on the line. Plants may shut. Can Nissan survive another crisis? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an update on Japan's biggest news stories on our YouTube channel: Follow us for more updates: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc. © Japan Today
Japan Today
21-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Japan sex industry boom: How tourism and the yen are changing everything
By Jeff W. Richards Japan's tourism boom is breaking records — but behind the crowded streets and souvenir shops, a different kind of business is thriving. Sex work targeting foreign visitors is on the rise, fueled by a weakened yen and demand from tourists seeking 'Japanese-style' experiences. In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we dig into the billion-yen adult industry that's quietly reshaping red-light districts, the legal gray zones that allow it to thrive and what it says about Japan's changing relationship with sex, law and tourism. From massage parlors to soaplands, how did a once-forbidden market now become wide open. This is a part of Japan's tourism story that rarely gets attention — and one that sits in a legal and cultural gray zone. What do you think: Is this a natural consequence of demand and economic shifts or something Japan should be trying harder to regulate? Watch the full story, and let us know what you think in the comments. Chapters: 0:00 Topic overview 1:10 Big business 2:14 How foreign clients are reeled in 3:49 What's the going rate? 6:27 Policing the gray zone 7:46 Outro Japan Today sources: See the Japan Today Spotlight series: Join the conversation! Is this a natural consequence of demand and economic shifts or something Japan should be trying harder to regulate? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an update on Japan's biggest news stories on our YouTube channel: Follow us for more updates: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc. © Japan Today
Japan Today
14-05-2025
- Japan Today
End of the yakuza? Inside Japan's vanishing underworld
By Jeff W. Richards Once feared and oddly tolerated, Japan's yakuza are now in rapid decline — with membership dropping to historic lows. But what's replacing them? In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we trace the fall of the yakuza, from their deep historical roots to modern crackdowns, and explore how younger criminals are moving into the shadows with encrypted apps and online scams. We also look at the uncomfortable legacy they've left behind — from front companies and nationalist megaphones to the stigma against tattoos that persists in Japanese society today. Are the yakuza really finished? Or is Japan simply facing a new kind of threat? Watch the full story, and let us know what you think in the comments. Chapters: 0:00 Topic overview 1:02 Role in Japanese society 3:15 Things start to fall apart 4:59 Branching out 6:16 Looking ahead 7:34 Sunset on yakuza? 8:54 Outro Japan Today sources: Join the conversation! Do you think Japan is better off without the yakuza — or are the criminals replacing them even more dangerous? Let us know in the comments! Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an update on Japan's biggest news stories. Follow us for more updates: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc. © Japan Today
Japan Today
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Today
Is Japan's media stuck in the past?
By Jeff W. Richards From NHK to Fuji TV, Japan's biggest broadcasters once dominated the national conversation. But in the age of Netflix, YouTube and independent creators, they're losing cultural influence — and younger audiences are tuning out. In this episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we take a critical look at why Japan's legacy media giants are struggling to innovate and how their outdated structures are holding them back. Is it just slow change — or a system that refuses to change? Let us know your thoughts in the comments. Chapters: 0:00 Topic overview 1:25 A media empire in decline 2:46 Weak responses and scattered strategies 4:00 The old boys bottleneck 4:43 Cultural stakes and credibility gap 5:37 Who's actually innovating? 7:53 Outro Read more on Japan Today: Join the Conversation! Should Japan's legacy media be doing more to adapt — or is it already too late? Let us know in the comments below. Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an update on Japan's biggest news stories on the Japan Today YouTube channel. Follow us for more updates: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc. © Japan Today
Japan Today
30-04-2025
- Japan Today
Why is 'chikan' behavior still so common on Japan's trains?
By Jeff W. Richards Japan's trains are known for being clean, efficient and safe. But they're also where a darker problem plays out: chikan — public groping, mostly targeting women in packed commuter cars. In this edition of Japan Today Spotlight, we break down how the issue became so widespread, how gropers operate, what's being done to stop it and what commuters — both women and falsely accused men — need to know. We also look at why chikan behavior persists despite decades of public awareness campaigns, women-only train cars and increased policing. How can Japan finally move past this problem? Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:45 What 'chikan' means 02:15 How gropers operate 04:30 What's being done 06:20 What women can do 08:00 Why is this happening? 09:45 What to do if you're accused 11:00 Outro Read more on Japan Today: Join the Conversation! Have you ever witnessed or experienced chikan behavior on Japan's trains? What more do you think should be done to tackle the problem? Let us know in the comments below. Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an update on Japan's biggest news stories on the Japan Today YouTube channel. Follow us for more updates: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of GPlusMedia, Inc. © Japan Today
