The Japanese are just better than the rest of us. There. I’ve said it. From consumer electronics to cars, it seems that the Japanese just do things better.
I’m sure we’ve all heard that the Japanese may be academically better (their school children consistently score at the top of the charts) but they’re not creative. But that is dead wrong as anyone who has seen a Japanese game show, watched an anime, or play Super Mario can attest.
The facts are vague: there seem to be about 25 000 homeless people in Japan. Some of them describe themselves as ‘no jyuku sha’ or ‘field campers’ – as they manage to settle in parks and other public spaces on a more permanent basis, easily distinguishable by their tent houses made of stark blue plastic […] Continue reading → 
The word nojuku in Japanese means something like sleeping outside or under the stars or in a rough place. “Box people” is not an exact translation. In 1991-2, the economic bubble was about to burst, but there were already homeless in a few places, mainly around Shinjuku Station. I pointed out that the living arrangements […] Continue reading →