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From the first sunrise of Jan. 1 to the closing moments of Dec. 31, travel in Japan in 2024 was dominated by one concept: overtourism. For many, this influx of overseas visitors — real or imagined — posed more challenges than opportunities. Taxi companies struggled to meet demand, convenience stores with picturesque views grappled with crowd-control measures and officials debated charging foreign visitors more for basic services. However, amid all that handwringing over how to handle Japan’s culmination as a global tourist hot spot, one industry spent much of last year quietly putting together the puzzle pieces of success: luxury travel. Source link

A collection of 19th-century kamon (family seal) designs that once adorned kimono and other accoutrements is among the hundreds of evocative images collected in Ian Lynam’s “Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875-1975.” A meticulously researched book on Japan’s visual evolution and the product of 15 years of research and production, “Fracture” excavates the country’s complex relationship with modernity, colonial history and the cultural shifts following the Meiji Restoration. Lynam’s book is a vital addition to the international dialogue on graphic design, helping to bridge the gap between Japan’s globally exported visual culture and the deeper, often hidden stories that define its identity. Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875-1975, by Ian Lynam. 447 pages, SET MARGINS, Nonfiction. Source link

Sake is coming into style in the United States, going from being an also-ran of boozes to a niche craze in its own right. “One trend that has been abundantly clear to me is that there is more sake on the shelves in the United States, and there is more good sake available than ever before,” said Weston Konishi, president of the Sake Brewers Association of North America. Sake has been exported to the United States for at least a century, with the first mentions of the ancient Japanese drink being shipped to the country in 1856, according to an article by foodie journalist Richard Auffrey — although U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry might have had a few vats with him on his first return voyage in 1853. Source link

The Japanese semiconductor industry, which once dominated the world, is poised to make a comeback at a time when the importance of chips is increasing significantly with the spread of generative artificial intelligence and growing geopolitical risks. Rapidus and other Japanese chipmakers will either begin operating a pilot line or start production at new plants this year. In December, Rapidus held a ceremony in the city of Chitose, Hokkaido, to install extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment at a plant under construction. Source link

Beyond music insiders or Olympic aficionados, most would struggle to recall the winners of the inaugural breaking competition at the Games. Source link

More than twice as many Israelis left their country in 2024 as in previous years, the country’s Central Bureau of Statistics said, a likely result of the ongoing war and fierce political disputes. Some 82,700 Israelis left in 2024 compared with an average 36,900 for the years 2018 through 2022, the bureau said on Tuesday. The rise in exits began in 2023, when 55,400 left. The bureau counts anyone who’s spent 275 days of the year abroad as having emigrated. Population growth was 1.1% in 2024, the lowest in more than a decade. Source link

It’s over — the olive oil crisis that gripped my kitchen is fading away. After two consecutive years of crop failures, Spanish olive farmers are now harvesting enough fruit to guarantee good supply in 2025. Wholesale prices have fallen about 55% from their record high set in February; retail prices will soon follow. Yet, I don’t anticipate a return to the low prices of the last 20 years for two reasons — one is temporary, the other is structural. Few are paying enough attention to either. Source link

Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing and Seven & i Holdings are among the first to kick off this earnings season in Asia. Fast Retailing’s November-ending quarter may have seen operating profit growth soften as warmer autumn-winter temperatures dented sales, even with the backdrop for consumer spending in Japan looking promising. Seven & i, operator of the 7-Eleven chain, may disappoint investors with operating profit declining for the third consecutive quarter. That’s despite a growth in customer traffic due to domestic campaigns, and a recovery in in-store same store sales internationally, according to Macquarie analysts. Source link

Washington – U.S. President Joe Biden has decided to officially block Nippon Steel’s proposed purchase of United States Steel, The Washington Post reported, citing two administration officials who were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States had referred the decision to approve or block the deal to Biden, who will leave office on Jan. 20. Biden’s call to block the deal was taken despite contrary efforts by some of his senior advisers over concerns that it could damage U.S.-Japan relations, the report said. A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the report. A source told Reuters a decision by Biden was expected as soon as Friday. A spokesperson for Nippon Steel declined to comment on the report. U.S. Steel directed Reuters to a statement shared earlier on Thursday that said it hoped “Biden will do the right thing and adhere to the law by approving a transaction that so clearly enhances U.S. national and economic security.” Source link

Washington – U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal posthumously to Mitsuye Endo, a Japanese-American who won a Supreme Court case over her incarceration during World War II. “Her resolve allowed thousands of Japanese Americans to return home and rebuild their lives, reminding us that we are a Nation that stands for freedom for all,” the White House said in a statement. She was among 20 people who received the second highest civilian medal in the United States that is awarded to U.S. citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. Source link