Society

Demand for analog music records surging

Nov 05 (NHK) - Demand for analog music records has been surging in Japan, in contrast to declining demand for CDs stemming from growing online music distribution services.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan says production of vinyl records has increased 12-fold in the past 10 years.

The association says the value of analog record production once dropped to about 1.5 million dollars in 2010, while demand for CDs rose to replace them. But production of oldies came on track for recovery and reached about 18.6 million dollars in 2020.

The recovery is partly due to the increasing releases of new records by popular artists.

A Sony Group company resumed production of vinyl records three years ago for the first time in 29 years in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The company says the volume of orders it received this year is twice that of last year.

Aoki Isao at Sony Music Solutions said the factory is operating around the clock without holidays with a full three-shift system. He said production has been at its peak since August. He added that he is thankful for the year-on-year growth.

Another record manufacturer has also been operating at full capacity. It says demand is rising so rapidly that supply cannot catch up, adding that it sometimes takes four months to ship finished products compared to one month up to now.

Tokyo Court Rules Workplace Use of '-chan' as Sexual Harassment

A Tokyo District Court has ruled that addressing a colleague using the 'chan' suffix constitutes sexual harassment, ordering a male employee to pay 220,000 yen in damages.

Inside Japanese Fonts: How Designers Shape the Way We Read

Fonts are an invisible part of daily life, yet they profoundly shape how we perceive information and emotion. From the elegant Mincho to the bold Gothic, these designs are chosen according to purpose—whether to convey clarity, trust, or impact—and their influence extends beyond readability into branding and communication.

Knife-Wielding Man Arrested Near U.S. Embassy in Tokyo

A man wielding knives in both hands was arrested near the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on the afternoon of October 25th after injuring a riot police officer on duty.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Nagoya High Court Confirms Acquittal in Cannabis Case

A 47-year-old man accused of possessing cannabis in Nagoya has been acquitted after the Nagoya High Court ruled that the procedures used to seize the evidence were illegal. The decision, handed down on October 9th, became final after prosecutors decided not to appeal.

Man Dies Trying to Save Elderly Couple From Bear

A 38-year-old man was killed on October 24th in the village of Higashinaruse, Akita Prefecture, after attempting to rescue a couple in their seventies who were being attacked by a bear.

Families Honor War Dead from Northern Territories

A memorial service marking 80 years since the end of World War II was held in Shari, a town in Hokkaido’s Shiretoko region, on October 22nd to honor those who perished in the Northern Territories and other areas.

Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.