[Via the Japan Times]  “The most recent UNAIDS data show there were 33.4 million people in the world infected with HIV in 2008, of which an estimated 2.7 million were new cases. UNAIDS says new HIV infections were down 30 percent from the peak in 1996, when the figure reached 3.5 million.
In Japan, on the other hand, the rate of new HIV infections was on an almost steady increase until 2009, when it dropped for the first time in about a decade.
According to the health ministry, 368 Japanese were newly …

 
 
 
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The yen climbed to 83.32 in afternoon trading in Tokyo and rose to 83.79 overnight in New York trade. Last month, the yen tested the 83 range for the first time since June 1995.
It’s not all bad news though, “The yen’s recent spike against the dollar has dealt a heavy blow to exporters, but the trend has provided perfect shopping incentives for women going after imported fashion-brand items.”
Read the rest of the story here.

[Via the Mainichi] Japanese-language proficiency test geared toward non-Japanese who are searching for employment in Japan or with Japanese companies overseas will be discontinued at the end of the current fiscal year, it has been learned.
The Business Japanese Proficiency Test (BJT) – established in 1996 by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and administered by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation (JKATF) — has been used as a criteria in reviewing applications for residency in Japan by non-Japanese. As such, its discontinuation is likely to affect foreigners who have been …

China finally overtook Japan and became the world’s second-biggest economy, according to data released this week in Tokyo, which showed minimal GDP growth in the land of the rising sun, while its huge neighbor continued its blistering rise.
While some observers say the change in the economic world order is “purely symbolic,” others say it should act as a wake-up call to both countries – Japan to get its economic house in order, China to become more politically responsible.
And although some Japanese may gaze across the East China Sea with a …

Hi!
My wife and I have made eight micro loans via Kiva to various individuals around the world that need assistance in establishing and growing their business. Five of the loans have been repaid. My loans have supported two retail businesses in the Philippines, weaving and pig farming businesses in Cambodia, a used clothing store in Kenya, cosmetics sales and a soft drink business in Tanzania and farming in Sierra Leone.
I want to recruit you to my lending team, Black Tokyo, on Kiva, a non-profit website that allows you to …

There can be fewer places more amenable to nicotine addiction than Japan. The idea of smoking as a socially unacceptable habit has yet to gain currency, smoke-free bars and restaurants are a rarity and cigarettes, at around 300 yen (about $3.45) a pack, are surprisingly cheap.
But Japan’s reputation as a smokers’ paradise faces its toughest challenge for decades with the introduction this autumn of a price hike that will take the price to above 400 yen.
The increase, which comes into effect Oct. 1, is a sign of a shift in …

Via the Hafu website:
Our events are designed to create opportunities to instigate fruitful discussions on cultural diversity, identity and ‘race’ in a profound and thoughtful way.
Typically, our talks are 30-45 minutes long with plenty of images and quotes from interviews, followed by a discussion.
Our exhibition can also be booked, usually for a period of at least one week, with the option of a programme of events.
The Hafu Project presents – Exhibition: Photography and Interviews
Natalie Maya Willer (Photographer) & Marcia Yumi Lise (Researcher)
7 Aug – 29 Aug …