Japan

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, only 5 American pilots managed to get into the air against 353 Japanese planes, the first two were George Welch and Kenneth Taylor. They shot down 6 enemies. They were DENIED the Medal of Honor because … they didn’t have permission to take off from their CO.

9 Comments / , , , , , , ,

American Aviators Aloft at Pearl Harbor Two heroic American aviators led a spirited defense against the Japanese at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The gallant sortie of the battleship USS Nevada was only one example of the many acts of heroism that occurred at Pearl Harbor on Sunday, December 7, 1941. A handful of …

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, only 5 American pilots managed to get into the air against 353 Japanese planes, the first two were George Welch and Kenneth Taylor. They shot down 6 enemies. They were DENIED the Medal of Honor because … they didn’t have permission to take off from their CO. Read More »

The 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan was so powerful – measuring almost 9.0 on the Richter scale – it moved Japan 8 feet closer to North America and shifted the planet on its axis, causing the length of a day to shorten by almost 1.8 microseconds

12 Comments / ,

Quake moved Japan coast 8 feet, shifted Earth’s axis (CNN) — The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis. “At this point, we know that one GPS station moved (8 feet), and we …

The 2011 earthquake off the coast of Japan was so powerful – measuring almost 9.0 on the Richter scale – it moved Japan 8 feet closer to North America and shifted the planet on its axis, causing the length of a day to shorten by almost 1.8 microseconds Read More »

A Japanese ice cream company created a commercial to publicly apologize about needing to raise the price of their ice cream bars for the first time in 25 years from 60 yen to 70 yen

9 Comments /

Japanese company apologises for 9 cent price increase A Japanese frozen dessert company has apologised for increasing the price of its Garigari-kun, a popular ice cream for children. Akagi Nyuguyo increased the price of its popsicle, going up from Y60 to Y70 ($0.62), a hike of 9 cents for the first time in 25 years, …

A Japanese ice cream company created a commercial to publicly apologize about needing to raise the price of their ice cream bars for the first time in 25 years from 60 yen to 70 yen Read More »

In order to bolster its waning popularity as a travel hub, Japan’s Kishigawa Train Line appointed a cat named Tama as its new station master in 2007, leading to a huge spike in popularity as a tourist destination. In 2010 a second cat was hired to “assist” Tama with her duties.

5 Comments / , ,

Station Master Tama The Cat Today I want to introduce a special spot in Japan that is a must-visit for cat lovers! Of course, there’s Cat Island, but have you heard of the only cat station master in Japan? The Super Station Master Tama is a cat! In Japan even cats can become a station …

In order to bolster its waning popularity as a travel hub, Japan’s Kishigawa Train Line appointed a cat named Tama as its new station master in 2007, leading to a huge spike in popularity as a tourist destination. In 2010 a second cat was hired to “assist” Tama with her duties. Read More »

Microsoft tried a 4-day workweek in Japan as part of a “Work Life Choice Challenge” by shutting down offices every Friday. Productivity, measured by sales per employee, increased by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year.

5 Comments / , ,

Microsoft tried a 4-day workweek in Japan. Productivity jumped 40% (CNN Business) — A growing number of smaller companies are adopting a four-day workweek. Now the results of a recent trial at Microsoft (MSFT) suggest it could work even for the biggest businesses. The company introduced a program this summer in Japan called the “Work …

Microsoft tried a 4-day workweek in Japan as part of a “Work Life Choice Challenge” by shutting down offices every Friday. Productivity, measured by sales per employee, increased by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year. Read More »

With 5 million vending machines nationwide (that’s 1 vending machine for every 23 people) and natural disasters commonplace, Japan has specialized vending machines that have a backup battery and dispense free drinks and food in the event of a major emergency.

11 Comments / ,

Vending Machines in Japan Offer Free Drinks in Case of Emergency Free drinks from a beverage vending machine? It’s more likely than you think – in Japan, that is. Specially labeled vending machines equipped with battery backup are programmed to offer victims of natural disasters life-giving water and soft drinks at no charge. Major earthquake, …

With 5 million vending machines nationwide (that’s 1 vending machine for every 23 people) and natural disasters commonplace, Japan has specialized vending machines that have a backup battery and dispense free drinks and food in the event of a major emergency. Read More »

After the 2011 Japanese nuclear plant in Fukushima was disabled by an earthquake tsunami double whammy, elderly Japanese people volunteered to do repairs to save young people from radiation exposure.

14 Comments / ,

Japan pensioners volunteer to tackle nuclear crisis A group of more than 200 Japanese pensioners are volunteering to tackle the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima power station. The Skilled Veterans Corps, as they call themselves, is made up of retired engineers and other professionals, all over the age of 60. They say they should be …

After the 2011 Japanese nuclear plant in Fukushima was disabled by an earthquake tsunami double whammy, elderly Japanese people volunteered to do repairs to save young people from radiation exposure. Read More »

At least 9 med schools in Japan manipulated exam results by females so fewer women could enter.

11 Comments / , , ,

Japan medical schools ‘rigged women’s results’ image copyrightAFP At least nine Japanese medical schools manipulated admissions, in part to exclude female students, a government investigation has found. The inquiry was launched in August, after the prestigious Tokyo Medical University (TMU) was found to have tampered with the scores of female applicants from as early as …

At least 9 med schools in Japan manipulated exam results by females so fewer women could enter. Read More »

Ninjas would carry crickets or cicadas to disguise their sound when they needed.

14 Comments /

7 Things you didn’t know about Ninja Imposing figures in black, hiding in the shadows, and moving about with almost superhuman agility seem like nothing but cool stories told to tourists and movie-goers nowadays, but were once a very real part of feudal Japan. Japanese folklore states that the Ninja descended from a demon that …

Ninjas would carry crickets or cicadas to disguise their sound when they needed. Read More »

The Japanese, other than nobles or samurai class families, did not have surnames until 1868, when the government required commoners to adopt surnames. Names were chosen based on locations, occupations, or simply were made up, explaining the diversity in Japanese surnames (100,000+ present).

4 Comments /

Japanese name Not to be confused with Names of Japan. Yamada Tarō (山田太郎), a Japanese placeholder name (male), equivalent to John Smith in English. The equivalent of Jane Smith would be Yamada Hanako (山田花子). Japanese names (日本人の氏名, Nihonjin no Shimei) in modern times consist of a family name (surname), followed by a given name; in …

The Japanese, other than nobles or samurai class families, did not have surnames until 1868, when the government required commoners to adopt surnames. Names were chosen based on locations, occupations, or simply were made up, explaining the diversity in Japanese surnames (100,000+ present). Read More »

Terms - Privacy