According to The Asahi Shimbun, entry restrictions on foreign tourists were further relaxed on Sept. 7 in Japan, but a sudden surge in such visitors is not expected because some unpopular border rules still apply.
The government now allows small groups of tourists to arrive in Japan without a guide, but individuals must arrange their visits through a travel agency.
Moreover, all tourists still must obtain visas before entering Japan.
Restrictions abroad have also reduced the number of tourists to Japan.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14713955
 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, they may move at a crawl, but electric golf buggies could prove to be the answer to transportation issues that increasingly plague depopulated areas with elderly residents and elsewhere.
Aside from the obvious benefit of making life easier, Yamaha Motor Co., which is pitching the idea, says tourists also would be able to make use of the low-speed vehicles, which are eco-friendly and provide an easy-to-access transit system.
Working with the Japan Automobile Federation (JAF), which operates roadside assistance hubs nationwide, Yamaha Motor anticipates a sharp increase in sales if its proposal is accepted.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14697901
 

According to The Australian Financial Review, companies in Japan are racing to capitalize on a boom in frozen food products as the novel coronavirus pandemic has boosted demand for food with a long shelf life.
The Japan Frozen Food Association has been keeping records on domestic frozen food production and consumption since 1981. It found the production value of consumer items rose by 5.2 percent year on year to 391.9 billion yen (US$2.83 billion) in 2021, hitting a record high for the second straight year.
“The pandemic-induced boom (in frozen foods) will likely subside (following price hikes), but many consumers will continue to buy them because they taste good,” said an association official.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14707619

 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, more Japanese companies are moving their production facilities from China to Japan, fearing further disruptions from the novel coronavirus pandemic as well as the increasing friction between Washington and Beijing.
Manufacturers of products ranging from appliances and semiconductors to cosmetics and clothing are rethinking their business strategy of focusing production in low-cost areas.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14702937

 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, photovoltaic (solar) cells densely line the roofs of two apartment buildings in Yachiyo, Chiba Prefecture, generating as much as 13.5 kilowatts of power at each building.
That is enough to meet the energy needs of four-and-a-half ordinary households.
The apartment buildings were built last September by Daito Trust Construction Co. and an affiliated company covered the installation and maintenance costs of the solar cells.
Because of that, the owner--Chiyoko Fukuda, 63, who is eligible for the monthly rooftop rental fee of 15,000 yen (US$112)--said she is content with the contract.
“I am just leasing out the upper coverings,” said Fukuda. “I invest no money but can receive a small sum. If I ever get more land, I want to rent more.”

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14686551

According to The Asahi Shimbun, there is an older apartment building in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area purchased by an Australian investor in June.
But instead of living there, the buyer is taking advantage of the weak yen to make a timely investment. 
“More foreign investors began looking for properties in Japan following the depreciation of the yen,” said Masahiro Kusanagi, an official of the real estate firm Nihon Agent Inc., which sold the apartment. “Some are selling their properties at inflated prices by taking advantage of the weak yen.”
Overseas investors are increasingly jumping on the recent sharp depreciation of the yen to purchase real estate properties in Japan at bargain prices.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14697983
 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, Fujifilm Corp.’s new Instax Mini Link 2 portable printer allows users to add decorations to smartphone photos using augmented reality (AR) technology.
The subject of the photo can draw text and paintings in the air and add bubbles, petals and other ornaments, for example.
The printer, released on July 28, is the latest addition to the popular Instax series, which primarily features instant cameras that allow users to print photos on the spot.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14666917
 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, a state-of-the-art coal-fired power plant that will soon go online in the seaside town of Taketoyo in Aichi Prefecture is expected to help alleviate Japan’s electricity supply shortage.
But the move to power up such a major carbon emitter as other major industrialized countries push toward decarbonization has been criticized as a step in the wrong direction.
The new unit boasts the highest level of electricity-generating capacity among thermal power stations in Japan, with a maximum output of 1.07 gigawatts, which is almost the same as that of a nuclear power reactor.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14670874

 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from renovating a house are about half the amount from demolishing and rebuilding one, according to a new study by a real estate development company.
Sumitomo Realty and Development Co. conducted the study along with a group of researchers at the University of Tokyo and Musashino University involving three houses it was renovating.
The amount of CO2 emissions from the entire construction work was 47 percent less than the amount seen in rebuilding from scratch.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14663390

 

According to The Asahi Shimbun, mannequins doing one-arm handstands, frozen in backflips and wearing no pants represent a shift to a more casual look in the men’s clothing industry.
Sales of suits and other formal clothing for men have plummeted, particularly with the spread of teleworking and other diversifying work styles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Men’s suit companies are now pitching clothes with an emphasis on flexibility and comfortableness to win over younger consumers and women.
Based in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, Aoyama Trading Co., the largest formal menswear shop chain in Japan, said the idea of having mannequins strike unique poses at one of its Aoyama Tailor outlets was suggested to show off the lightness and functionality of the company’s products.

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14647295