Society

Japan woos 50,000 skilled Asian professionals in talent war

Jan 12 (Nikkei) - Japanese employers will offer job opportunities to 50,000 highly skilled Asian professionals in digital technology and other in-demand fields under a government initiative announced Monday.

Competition for talent is only heating up across the continent, particularly in the fast-growing members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Asia-Japan Investing for the Future Initiative is designed to help Japanese companies secure the workers they need to better compete in booming business areas.

Japan wants to "offer opportunities for ambitious youth," said Koichi Hagiuda, minister of economy, trade and industry, in an online event Monday while visiting Indonesia.

Under the new initiative, the government will work to expand the number of degrees offered jointly by universities in Japan and abroad. Japanese employers will be encouraged to hire graduates of these programs and other skilled professionals over the next five years.

The government will also create more opportunities for foreign alumni of Japanese universities to participate in internships and information sessions by potential Japanese employers.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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