In rural Edo-period Japan, men eagerly sought out meshimori onna—inn-based sex workers at roadside stations—even as society simultaneously despised and demonized them. (Linfamy)
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on April 22 presented a draft outline of key issues to an expert panel examining protections for minors on social networking services, taking a cautious stance toward blanket age-based access restrictions that have been increasingly introduced overseas.
Japan is turning to foreign workers to address a deepening shortage of bus drivers that has led to route suspensions and reduced services nationwide, including in Tokyo. With the industry projected to face a shortfall of 36,000 drivers by 2030, operators are beginning to recruit and train overseas talent as a short-term solution to keep public transport running.
Japan's annual National Academic Achievement Test began on Monday for sixth-grade elementary school students and third-year junior high school students nationwide.
An entrance ceremony was held on April 18 at the Takarazuka Music School in Hyogo Prefecture, where 40 new students took their first step toward becoming members of the famed Takarazuka Revue.
Japan's medical sector is facing an acute shortage of nurses, triggering a wave of ward closures and even hospital shutdowns. Once regarded as an admired profession and often described as 'angels in white,' nurses are now under mounting strain from long working hours and wages many say do not match the demands of the job.
In a traffic safety class held at a certified childcare center in Akita, Ronald McDonald made a special appearance, teaching young children how to cross the street safely.
The number of Tokyo University students pursuing careers as government bureaucrats is declining, even as rising wages in skilled trades and shifts driven by artificial intelligence are reshaping perceptions of high-paying jobs.