Linking Japan and the World

Society

Innovative Japanese Toilet Tech Brings Sanitation to Water-Scarce and Disaster-Hit Areas

Innovative Japanese Toilet Tech Brings Sanitation to Water-Scarce and Disaster-Hit Areas

November 21, 2025 A Japanese startup has created toilets that work during disasters when electricity, water, and sewage disposal become unavailable.

From Sake Byproduct to Tasty Tipple: Sustainability with a Kick

From Sake Byproduct to Tasty Tipple: Sustainability with a Kick November 7, 2025 An "ethical distillery" in Tokyo is turning often wasted and leftover byproducts into excellent gin.

Got to Go? Japan-Made Device Offers Freedom from Bladder Control Anxiety

Got to Go? Japan-Made Device Offers Freedom from Bladder Control Anxiety October 31, 2025 Japanese company's wearable tech can help support the dignity and independence of elderly people dealing with incontinence.

“Instant House” Offers Security and Comfort to Disaster Evacuees

“Instant House” Offers Security and Comfort to Disaster Evacuees October 17, 2025 The innovative “Instant House” allows those in evacuation sites or disaster struck areas the comfort and security of a rapidly deployable home.

Osaka’s Special Zone: An Emerging Financial Ecosystem Driven by Medical Startups

Osaka’s Special Zone: An Emerging Financial Ecosystem Driven by Medical Startups October 10, 2025 Designated one of Japan’s Special Zones for Financial and Asset Management Businesses, Osaka has been working to attract investment and foster regional development.

Contributing to Africa’s Future Through Esports and ICT Education

Contributing to Africa’s Future Through Esports and ICT Education September 5, 2025 A Japanese startup company is using esports as an entry point to provide support and help educate children in impoverished areas of Africa

Yoichi, Hokkaido: Globally Recognized Wine Spurs Regional Revitalization

Yoichi, Hokkaido: Globally Recognized Wine Spurs Regional Revitalization August 29, 2025 A winemaker in Yoichi, Hokkaido, is gaining international recognition and attracting young talent to the region.

Reviving vacant houses: One small city’s effort to utilize historical resources

Reviving vacant houses: One small city’s effort to utilize historical resources June 13, 2025 Mino City has transformed formerly vacant traditional buildings into a hotel, coworking space and shops, creating an uptick in visitors, residents and business.

Oshikatsu Fandom Meets Blockchain: Driving Tourism to Regional Japan

Oshikatsu Fandom Meets Blockchain: Driving Tourism to Regional Japan February 21, 2025 Japanese startup leverages blockchain and NFTs to revolutionize regional tourism, transforming fan culture into economic revitalization opportunities.

From Silence to Sight: Visualizing and Translating Conversations for Inclusivity

From Silence to Sight: Visualizing and Translating Conversations for Inclusivity February 14, 2025 Japan pioneers innovative technologies for visualizing conversations, revolutionizing communication for people with hearing impairments.

Sustainability in Every Bite: Japan’s B Corp-Certified Vegan Bakeshop Champions Ethical Business

Sustainability in Every Bite: Japan’s B Corp-Certified Vegan Bakeshop Champions Ethical Business August 16, 2024 A vegan bakeshop, ovgo Baker, which earned Japan’s first B Corp Certification as a food establishment, aims to bring an impact on society.

An Online Coffee Trading Platform Making the Industry Sustainable

An Online Coffee Trading Platform Making the Industry Sustainable August 16, 2024 TYPICA is an online coffee trading platform that connects producers and roasters globally to enable sustainable direct trade of green beans.

Women’s Pavilion at Osaka, Kansai Expo Pursuing a Fair and Sustainable Future

Women’s Pavilion at Osaka, Kansai Expo Pursuing a Fair and Sustainable Future May 17, 2024 One of the most notable features of EXPO2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan is the Women’s Pavilion, which envisages a world free from gender bias.

Take a Tour of the Port of Humanity: Tsuruga on the Extended Hokuriku Shinkansen

Take a Tour of the Port of Humanity: Tsuruga on the Extended Hokuriku Shinkansen April 12, 2024 The extended Hokuriku Shinkansen enables an expeditious journey from Tokyo to Tsuruga’s Port of Humanity.

Pokémon with Tohoku: Continuing Toward a Brighter Tomorrow

Pokémon with Tohoku: Continuing Toward a Brighter Tomorrow December 22, 2023 The beloved Japanese video game is raising spirits and empowering communities toward revitalizing after the giant earthquake in 2011.

Leveraging Fukushima’s “Hope Tourism” for a Disaster-Resilient Future

Leveraging Fukushima’s “Hope Tourism” for a Disaster-Resilient Future November 10, 2023 Fukushima, hit by the compound earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, is offering a new type of tourism for seeing and learning from the region’s real situation.

Japan-U.S. Partnership to Foster Diverse Talent for the Semiconductor Industry

Japan-U.S. Partnership to Foster Diverse Talent for the Semiconductor Industry September 15, 2023 Aiming to cultivate a workforce in the semiconductor industry, universities and companies in Japan and the U.S. have established a unique partnership.

Cultivating Future Global Talent with Japanese Values

Cultivating Future Global Talent with Japanese Values April 28, 2023 Japan’s first full-boarding primary school in Hiroshima Prefecture brings together bilingual education and learning local culture.

Breaking the Homelessness Cycle with Bike Sharing

Breaking the Homelessness Cycle with Bike Sharing February 20, 2023 A young Japanese social entrepreneur who launched an NPO in her teens reflects on how to find novel solutions for social issues.

The Unknown Strong and Waste-Free Fishing Industry of Iwate

The Unknown Strong and Waste-Free Fishing Industry of Iwate February 20, 2023 The strength of Miyako’s fishing industry, which has driven the city’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Ukrainian Evacuee and Tsunami-Hit City Share Bond of Empathy

Ukrainian Evacuee and Tsunami-Hit City Share Bond of Empathy February 20, 2023 A Ukrainian evacuee who arrived in Miyagi speaks about peace at a school devasted by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

Promoting the Bosai Spirit of Tohoku to Create a Better, Safer World

Promoting the Bosai Spirit of Tohoku to Create a Better, Safer World January 30, 2023 The World BOSAI Forum aims for disaster risk reduction, based on lessons of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Using Design Thinking to Cultivate Global STEAM Leaders

Using Design Thinking to Cultivate Global STEAM Leaders November 29, 2022 Experimental workshops combining the liberal arts with STEM education empower Japanese girls to break down social barriers.

The Cosmetics Giant Championing Female Empowerment

The Cosmetics Giant Championing Female Empowerment November 29, 2022 Shiseido, a global company with a 150-year history and unique corporate culture, has become a pioneer in promoting gender equality.

Finding New Value in Fukushima’s Dormant Resources

Finding New Value in Fukushima’s Dormant Resources October 28, 2022 A female entrepreneur makes use of discarded local agricultural produce through efforts such as developing femtech products.

Enabling the Next Generation to Lead in a VUCA World

Enabling the Next Generation to Lead in a VUCA World July 28, 2022 A professor at Harvard Business School explains the qualities of globally minded human resources and Japan’s potential.

Combining STEAM Education with Playful Exploration

Combining STEAM Education with Playful Exploration July 28, 2022 A gold medalist at the International Mathematical Olympiad fascinated with jazz piano talks about the significance of STEAM education.

Boosting Recurrent Education that Builds the Future

Boosting Recurrent Education that Builds the Future July 28, 2022 An actor who entered university in her mid-40s while continuing her career talks about the significance and joys of recurrent education.

Toward TICAD VIII: Raising Awareness of the Africa-Japan Link

Toward TICAD VIII: Raising Awareness of the Africa-Japan Link June 30, 2022 Japanese singer MISIA, the honorary ambassador for the last Tokyo International Conference on African Development, talks about her aid work.

The Freedom of Reading a Visually Impaired Man Gained in Japan

The Freedom of Reading a Visually Impaired Man Gained in Japan May 31, 2022 Mohamed Omer Abdin, a visually impaired Sudanese man in Japan, has been making efforts to support the world’s similarly afflicted.

The Flavor of Fukushima Lights Up Reconstruction

The Flavor of Fukushima Lights Up Reconstruction February 24, 2022 Nearly 11 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Fukushima Prefecture suffered severe damage in the disaster, but today it is well on its way to recovery, with exports of agricultural products surpassing pre-earthquake levels. The world has come to love the “delicious tastes of Fukushima.”

Ethical Lifestyle Movement Rooted in Traditional Japanese Values

Ethical Lifestyle Movement Rooted in Traditional Japanese Values February 24, 2022 Gathering attention in Japan as a new concept encouraging actions that consider people and the environment, “ethical” initiatives are now developing in unique ways across different fields. At the basis of this movement is the distinctive culture of Japan.

Tackling Local Challenges Through Digital Transformation

Tackling Local Challenges Through Digital Transformation January 25, 2022 Efforts are underway across Japan to tackle local challenges through the power of digital transformation, leading to regional revitalization. One such example is the digital transformation being implemented in a rural area of Fukushima Prefecture.

Lessons from SHIBUSAWA Eiichi, the Man Who Formed the Foundation of Japanese Capitalism

Lessons from SHIBUSAWA Eiichi, the Man Who Formed the Foundation of Japanese Capitalism January 25, 2022 SHIBUSAWA Eiichi—the industrialist who helped build Japan’s new economic system in the late 19th to early 20th centuries and who was involved in the establishment and management of nearly 500 companies. What lessons are there to learn from this man, who made it his goal to build a fair and inclusive capitalist economy based on his unwavering stance of placing importance on not only profits, but public interests as well?

Linking the Cultures of Kanazawa and Ghent

Linking the Cultures of Kanazawa and Ghent December 3, 2021 Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture has a sister-city relationship with Ghent, Belgium. Rani Verellen, a Coordinator for International Relations, dreams of bringing together the cultures of Japan and Belgium.

Remote Work Brings People Together in a Northern City

Remote Work Brings People Together in a Northern City July 21, 2021 Already blessed by the rich natural environment of eastern Hokkaido, the city of Kitami has determined to attract IT businesses and build a robust teleworking environment. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworkers from diverse fields have come together to create a new community beyond their professional backgrounds.

Transforming Food Systems for a Sustainable Planet and People

Transforming Food Systems for a Sustainable Planet and People June 29, 2021 As the global environment faces multiple crises, caused by climate change and the loss of biodiversity, Japan has worked out a strategy to rebuild food systems for a sustainable future.

Farm and Fishery Producers in Tohoku Winning Back Consumers’ Trust

Farm and Fishery Producers in Tohoku Winning Back Consumers’ Trust June 29, 2021 The agricultural and fishing industry of the Tohoku region was devastated by the giant earthquake of March 2011, but joining forces post-disaster, a robust network of producers is successfully promoting the appeal and safety of the region’s food to consumers in Japan and abroad.

Bringing Japanese Technologies to the World Through Cross Border Open Innovation

Bringing Japanese Technologies to the World
Through Cross Border Open Innovation June 29, 2021 An entrepreneur from Uzbekistan who found her lifework in Japan—to fully draw out the potential of advanced technologies lying unutilized—is doing her utmost to serve as a bridge between companies in Japan and the rest of the world.

Shedding Light on Social Responsibility in Supply Chains

Shedding Light on Social Responsibility in Supply Chains May 28, 2021 In building a sustainable food system, all the various processes are essential, from input and production to processing, distribution, and consumption. Responding to the adverse impacts on environmental integrity and human rights of specific stages in the supply chain, Japan has been stepping up its sustainable procurement.

A Twenty-Year Kizuna: Fortifying Japan and Croatia’s Friendship

A Twenty-Year Kizuna: Fortifying Japan and Croatia’s Friendship May 28, 2021 The city of Tokamachi, Niigata Prefecture has cultivated a close relationship with Croatia through enthusiastic exchange since the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Sven Bjelan, a Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) on Japan’s cultural exchange program, JET, is actively striving to further deepen that friendship at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

The Distinguished Island Producing the “World’s Beloved Yellowtail”

The Distinguished Island Producing the “World’s Beloved Yellowtail” April 15, 2021 Cultivating Japanese yellowtail to meet the needs of the global market, residents of a vibrant island off the coast of Kyushu have turned fisheries into a growth industry.

Broadcasting the Unknown Japan to the World

Broadcasting the Unknown Japan to the World April 15, 2021 Ordinary scenes and culture in Japan have kindled a fire in the creative spirit of an Englishman, Chris Broad. A YouTuber who arguably knows the country more deeply than most Japanese people, Broad regularly broadcasts videos of his real-life experience.

Bringing Happiness to Women with Disabilities in Laos

Bringing Happiness to Women with Disabilities in Laos March 22, 2021 Enabling aid to reach those who are often overlooked: A Japanese woman creates a workplace for Laotian people with disabilities to help them on their way to self-reliance.

Sustainable Business as a Model for Thinking Beyond Foreign Aid

Sustainable Business as a Model for Thinking Beyond Foreign Aid March 22, 2021 A Japanese woman has been supporting the activities of villagers in the Republic of Ghana under the slogan “Go beyond aid and be self-sustainable by 2022.”

Local Women Drive Community Revitalization

Local Women Drive Community Revitalization March 22, 2021 Across the Tsugaru Strait, known as Japan’s best tuna-fishing ground, energetic women are working hard to revitalize the communities of their hometowns.

“Arigato” from Japan for Supporting Reconstruction

“Arigato” from Japan for Supporting Reconstruction February 19, 2021 After the disastrous Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, which triggered a tsunami along the coast, many countries across the globe responded by donating generous amounts of aid. Now, one decade later, the time has come once again for Japan to give thanks to the world.

Utilizing the City’s Underground Spaces to Prevent Flood Damage

Utilizing the City’s Underground Spaces to Prevent Flood Damage January 27, 2021 Japan employs underground spaces to ready urban areas for otherwise catastrophic flooding.

Creating Vibrant Communities by Expanding Agricultural Exports

Creating Vibrant Communities by Expanding Agricultural Exports December 24, 2020 Spreading quality, appealing Japanese agricultural, forestry, and fishery products and food around the world will revitalize local economies and further encourage Japan’s growth.

Innovation and Interaction Drive Fukushima’s Revitalization

Innovation and Interaction Drive Fukushima’s Revitalization December 24, 2020 As the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake approaches, Fukushima finds renewed hope as recovery picks up pace.

Promoting Kizuna Between Viet Nam and Japan

Promoting Kizuna Between Viet Nam and Japan

December 24, 2020 Active as a Coordinator for International Relations in Japan, Nguyen Bui Anh Thy works valiantly day after day for the future of Viet Nam and Japan.

Videos

Archive (2013 - 2020)