Thermographic imaging, through cameras, scanners, or other devices, is an important screening technology that has been marshaled in the fight against the novel coronavirus. You…

COCOA, also known as the “contact confirmation application” is a new smartphone application that can make a difference in our fight with the COVID-19. Whoever…

Amidst an apparent second wave of Covid-19 infections centered in Tokyo, the Japanese government is looking to ease travel restrictions to allow re-entry for some…

If you’re an avid reader of Grape Japan, you’re well aware that Japan is experiencing a robot renaissance. According to the World Robotics – Industrial…

The COVID-19 pandemic is no laughing matter. Governments across the globe have been enforcing lockdowns to differing degrees during limited commerce and tourism. Similarly, Japan…

In Japan, residents in quick need of computer access head to internet cafes. These places of business offer a quiet cubicle equipped with an internet-connected…

Of the many industries that have been decimated by the spread of COVID-19 around the globe, the tourism industry is perhaps hardest hit. The story…

For a long time, I would suggest that Japanese consumers have been squeezed. In October 2019, the government raised the consumption tax from eight percent…

Although a clean society, Japan does have some issues with waste. Rubbish sorting rules are notably detailed, and towns like Kamikatsu are stringent recyclers. Nevertheless,…

2020 has been an extraordinarily strange year. It’s hard not to wonder whether the massive public spending and political strife seen in some parts of…

If you follow economic news, you’re likely aware that these are unprecedented times. The American federal government is implementing record levels of fiscal stimulus, and…

Japan benefits from a squeaky clean image. Like most of Asia, criminal behavior, especially violent crime, is relatively low. According to macrotrends.net, crime rates have…

Japanese convenience stores are pretty amazing. Unlike their North American counterparts, they live up to their handle and provide a host of useful services and…

Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea are slated to reopen on July 1, 2020, according to a report by Huffpost Japan, ticket counters inside the park will…

In the post-pandemic “new normal” of self-quarantining and social distancing, doll makers have also been stepping up to the plate to make dolls that reflect…