News On Japan

Why Japan is home to the world’s oldest businesses

There are so many 100-plus-year-old companies in Japan that there’s a word for them in Japanese: shinise. What is it about doing business in Japan that cultivates such an enduring legacy?

Nov 24 (theceomagazine.com) - Shitennō-ji temple is one of Osaka’s most important Buddhist temples. Built in the sixth century during the rule of Prince Shotoku, it has stood firm as the high-rises of the modern-day city have towered above it.

Of course, the structure hasn’t survived more than a millennium without some tender loving care, with its most recent reconstruction taking place in 1963.

Visitors to the temple praise its serenity and space amid the hustle and bustle of Japan’s third-largest city. One nugget of information visitors may not take away from their visit, however, is that the firm that constructed the temple is also still in operation.

Founded in 578 with the Shitennō-ji temple as its first project, Kongō Gumi is widely considered the oldest company in the world, operational for a staggering 1445 years and counting.

What is equally as astonishing is that Kongō Gumi is not alone. The oldest hotel in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is also in Japan. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is an onsen (hot spring) hotel that opened in the Yamanashi Prefecture outside Tokyo in 705.

The oldest tea house in the world, Tsuen Tea, poured its first brew in Tokyo in 1160, and the oldest listed business on the Japanese stock exchange is Matsui Kensetsu, a construction firm that dates from 1586. ...continue reading

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Japan is facing an unprecedented rice shortage, with recent data highlighting alarming supply-demand imbalances in the domestic market. The Agricultural Newspaper reported on January 10 that the DI (Demand-Supply Index), a measure of rice market balance, reached a record high of 80. This figure indicates a critical shortfall in rice availability, surpassing even last year's levels when supermarket shelves were emptied.

The resignation of popular television personality Masahiro Nakai has sent shockwaves through the Japanese entertainment industry. Announced through his agency’s website, Nakai apologized, stating, “I’m truly sorry for this sudden farewell.” His decision to retire has sparked debates over whether this marks the conclusion of ongoing controversies surrounding him and the television networks involved.

Former executives of the Sunshine Aquarium in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, including a former director and three others, have been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of fraudulently receiving management fees by misreporting the number of endangered turtles in their care.

Three people were attacked near JR Nagano Station at around 8 p.m., leaving a man in his 40s in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest and two others hospitalized.

Naoya Inoue, the unified world super bantamweight champion across four major boxing organizations, will face Kim Ye-jun, the World Boxing Organization's (WBO) 11th-ranked contender, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on January 24th.

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Nissan Motor announced on Wednesday that it will construct a new battery plant for electric vehicles (EVs) in Kitakyushu, signing an agreement with the city and Fukuoka Prefecture.

Toru Hashimoto, a former governor and mayor of Osaka, and a prominent lawyer, recently shared his insights on urban development, political dynamics, and the future of Osaka.

Nissan Motor is implementing a workforce reduction plan involving 9,000 employees, with over 70% of the cuts concentrated in production sites, according to a JNN investigation.

Fallout continues from a scandal involving a woman and popular TV personality Nakai Masahiro, who is best known as a former member of the disbanded pop idol group, SMAP. (NHK)

Corporate bankruptcies in Japan rose for the third straight year in 2024. It is the highest number since 2013. Rising prices and labor shortages were to blame in many cases. (NHK)

The nine-day New Year holiday, often hailed as a "miraculous break," has come to an end, and everyday life is gradually resuming. However, for some, this period marked a turning point—deciding to quit their jobs. One resignation service provider reported a record-high number of client requests.