Japan's New Year card tradition on the wane

Jan 01, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - The sending of New Year cards in Japan over the last 45 years has dwindling to less than half, a historic low since the beginning of an annual survey.

Only 43.8% of a surveyed 400 office workers said they would send New Year's cards this season, marking the first time the number has fallen below half since the survey began in 1979, according to stationery giant Pilot.

The average number of New Year's cards sent remained the same as last year at 36 cards.

The peak year for sending New Year's cards was 2001, with 96.9% of respondents participating, a number that has now dropped to less than half.

The main reason for not sending cards was "using messaging apps like LINE instead," cited by 61.0% of respondents. The second most common reason was "preparation is bothersome" at 45.7%, followed by "using social media like Facebook or Instagram instead" at 32.7%, and "not having the habit of sending them" at 26.9%.

The most unwanted recipients of New Year's cards were "bosses or colleagues," with 44.3% of responses focusing on work-related contacts.

When asked if the tradition of sending New Year's cards is necessary in the future, 55.2% of the respondents answered "yes."

Source: ANNnewsCH

Weekend Downpours Expected as Typhoon No. 7 Looms

Heavy rain is expected across a wide area of Japan this weekend, with western Japan facing cloudy and rainy conditions on June 19 and Kyushu likely to see torrential rain and thunderstorms before rain clouds move eastward toward eastern Japan and Tohoku through June 21.

Volcanic Alert Raised Ahead of Hokkaido Hiking Sesson

The eruption alert level for Mount Tokachidake in Hokkaido was raised to Level 2 on June 18 for the first time in 12 years, prompting authorities to restrict entry within 1.5 kilometers of the crater and close parts of hiking trails just days before the mountain’s official opening for the summer climbing season.

Bears Growing More Aggressive in June and July

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

Supreme Class Debuts on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service.

All of Prime Minister Takaichi's Proposals Included in G7 Statement

A draft of the joint statement from the G7 summit in France has revealed that all proposals put forward by Prime Minister Takaichi on energy security and critical minerals have been incorporated into the agreement.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Mother of Divine Messenger Arrested Over Teen's Captivity

Nara Prefectural Police have arrested the mother of a man accused of leading a group that allegedly confined the 19-year-old son of a company executive, expanding an investigation that has already led to the arrests of the victim's father and six others.

Man Surrenders in Theft of 800 Agricultural Containers

A suspect has surrendered to police in connection with the theft of about 800 agricultural containers in Gyokuto, Kumamoto Prefecture, a case that caused losses estimated at around 1 million yen and left the victimized company struggling to replace the stolen equipment.

Japanese Man Arrested as Mastermind of Cambodia-Based Scam Network

A Japanese man suspected of serving as a key coordinator for a Cambodia-based fraud syndicate that allegedly caused losses totaling billions of yen was arrested by Japanese authorities after being deported from Thailand on June 16.

Hokkaido Mosque Destroyed in Arson Attack; Suspect Rearrested

A 37-year-old man previously arrested for allegedly attempting to set fire to a company and residence operated by a Pakistani national in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, has been rearrested on suspicion of setting a blaze that destroyed a mosque building used as an Islamic place of worship.

Deadly House Fire in Hamamatsu Claims One Life

A man was found dead after a house fire destroyed a residence in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, early on June 16, after a police officer on patrol spotted smoke and flames rising from the property.

32-Year-Old Master Devotes His Life to Stone Skipping

A stone-skipping tournament on the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture has drawn attention to 32-year-old Kosei Kigo of Nagoya, whose extraordinary dedication to the childhood pastime includes spending hours searching for the perfect stones, taking private coaching lessons, and competing against some of Japan's top athletes in pursuit of stone-skipping mastery.

Costco Food Poisoning in Nagoya Linked to High Roller Packs

More than 900 packs of the food linked to a food poisoning outbreak at a Costco store in Nagoya were sold over a two-day period, health authorities said.

The Dark Side of Influencer Accounts Exposed

Police in Osaka have arrested 41 men and women in a fraud case involving more than 600 million yen in suspected losses, uncovering what investigators believe was a scheme in which real influencer accounts were bought and used to impersonate their original owners and solicit followers into costly side-business programs.

< 2 3 4 5 >