As the year draws to a close, Europe enters the Christmas holiday, while in Japan, December is known as “Shiwasu” (師走), literally translating to ‘the month of running around.’ It’s a busy time for everyone, including business owners like myself, who are inclined to generously reward their employees for a year of hard work.

However, the Japanese system of consumption tax and social insurance premiums imposes certain constraints on this goodwill gesture.

For instance, for an employee earning a monthly salary of 200,000 yen, the company must pay approximately 70,000 yen in social insurance premiums. If the salary is about 300,000 yen, this payment rises to nearly 100,000 yen.

Furthermore, the calculation of consumption tax doesn’t allow for salary expenses to be deducted. This means that as salaries increase, so does the consumption tax burden on the company.

The hefty social insurance premiums and consumption tax are significantly hindering Japan’s economic growth. While the Japanese government imposes economic sanctions on Russia, ironically, it’s also inadvertently applying a form of economic sanction on its own people.

Despite the renowned diligence, honesty, excellence, sincerity, earnestness, kindness, cleanliness, and hardworking nature of the Japanese people, these policies cast a shadow over the future outlook of Japan’s economy. I fear that the current economic policies may lead to a bleak future for Japan’s economy.

#EconomicInsights #JapaneseWorkCulture #BusinessInJapan #FiscalPolicy #SocialInsurance #Taxation #EmployeeRewards #EndOfYearEconomy #EconomicOutlookJapan #BusinessLeadershipInJapan
#JapanEconomy #BusinessChallenges #YearEndReflections #EconomicPolicy #JapaneseCulture

As the temperatures in Osaka take a sudden dip today, signaling a colder season ahead, I’d like to remind everyone visiting or residing in Osaka to stay warm and be well-prepared for the chill.

About a month ago, one of our Canadian clients experienced a distressing situation. She lost her wallet, which contained cash, credit cards, her ID, and house keys. She believed that she had forgotten it in a restroom and was convinced that someone might have taken the cash and discarded the rest, possibly even posing a threat to her home security due to the keys and address being together.

Fast forward to a month later, she joyfully informed me, “My wallet has been returned!”

In major Japanese cities like Tokyo and Osaka, it’s incredibly rare to hear about theft, even when personal belongings are lost. While it might take some time for lost items to be returned, especially if left in public spaces like stores, trains, or buses, it’s not uncommon for these items to find their way back to their owners.

In situations where a store’s lost and found becomes overwhelmed, staff members often hand over the lost items to the local police station. This can delay the return process, particularly if the owner forgets where they lost the item.

While incidents like ‘snatching’ do exist, unless it’s a case of outright theft or robbery, Japanese people often go out of their way to ensure lost items are returned to their rightful owners. It’s a level of honesty and civic responsibility that continues to amaze and reassure, both for locals and expats alike.

#OsakaLife #CommunityCare #ResponsibleCitizens #JapaneseHospitality #ExpatSafety #LifeInJapan #CulturalAwareness #WinterInOsaka
#JapanCulture #HonestyInJapan #LostAndFound #SafetyInJapan #TravelTips #OsakaWeather #ExpatLife

As someone born and raised in Japan, living a typical Japanese life, I find myself reflecting on the state of political leadership in our country. Throughout my life, I’ve never been truly moved or inspired by a speech from any Japanese Prime Minister. It’s my hope that, at least once before I die, I’ll experience a truly inspiring oration from a leader.

Today, Prime Minister Kishida broke down in tears during his address. While it’s human to show emotion, as a leader, maintaining composure in public is often expected.

The bureaucrats in Japan have perceived a decrease in public support for the Kishida administration and have judged it as powerless. Consequently, it seems they are now releasing all unfavorable information they have been withholding. In this scenario, Kishida’s administration is completely underestimated and sidelined by its own bureaucrats.

Meanwhile, factions aiming for the next administration have utilized the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office to dismantle the Abe faction through party ticket scandals. This marks an intensification in the power struggles within the government.

However, Prime Minister Kishida cannot resign immediately due to the upcoming budget committee starting early next year. It appears that he is being kept in position during this period specifically to allow for more negative information to be released.

It seems likely that Kishida’s planned visit to the United States next spring could well become his final act as Prime Minister. A closing chapter for his tenure, amid the turbulent political landscape of Japan.

#JapanesePolitics #Leadership #KishidaAdministration #PoliticalChallenges #PublicSpeaking #FutureOfJapan

Photo Caption: The year 2024 is known as the “Year of the Dragon” in Japan. It is a longstanding Japanese custom to send New Year’s greeting cards, called “Nengajo,” to those we are grateful to from the previous year.

The current challenges facing Expo 2025 Osaka seem to include the following:

① Significant Ground Stabilization Requirements at Yumeshima:
It appears that the need for soft ground stabilization at Yumeshima, the site of the Expo, is far greater than initially anticipated. While this was known from the start, the extent of the requirements has only recently become clear.

② Who Bears the Additional Ground Treatment Costs?:
The question of who should bear these additional costs is critical. Should it be the international pavilions or the Japanese side? The increased costs may necessitate a redesign of the pavilions or additional financial contributions. From the international perspective, the query, “Why should we bear the cost of ground stabilization?” is justified. Moreover, the suggestion to simplify designs can be deeply disheartening for those who have invested considerable effort and creativity in their plans. As a company involved in design work, we deeply empathize with the disappointment this can cause.

③Ongoing Disputes Over Cost and Design Changes Impeding Construction:
Given these continuous issues around additional financial burdens and design changes, it’s natural that construction progress is hampered.

#Expo2025 #YumeshimaDevelopment #ConstructionChallenges #GlobalCooperation #CulturalShowcase #InnovativeDesign #FiscalResponsibility #TeamworkForSuccess