Press review: February 2025

In this section you will find this month's press review, which contains a selection of some of the most interesting Japan-related online articles that have been published over the past month. To read them, please click on the following links:

• The Asahi Shimbun - Japan adopts new carbon reduction targets as it plans to boost nuclear and renewable energy by 2040
• The Japan News - High Costs a Headwind for Offshore Wind Projects; Construction Hampered by Expense of Imported Parts
• NHK - Japan's wind power push hits snags
• NHK - Japan's Cabinet approves draft law revision to boost drug development
• NHK - NHK survey: Large firms expect moderate economic growth in 2025
• The Japan Times – Japan's current account surplus hits record high in 2024
• NHK - Japan's current account surplus doesn't reflect real economy
• The Japan News - Weak Yen Brings Strong Businesses Result Reports; Foreign Tourism Boom Also Helps Nonmanufacturers
• The Mainichi - Japan's total debt hits fresh record of 1,317 tril. yen in 2024
• The Japan Times - Japanese ministry opens door to taboo corporate takeovers
• The Japan Times – Activist boom in Japan is upending long-short stock strategies
• The Japan Times - Inflation becoming a concern in Japan after being a goal for decades
• The Asahi Shimbun - Labor force at record high, more elderly and women working
• The Japan Times – More older people choosing to work for social connection and survival
• The Asahi Shimbun - Foreign workers in demand as ‘local vitalization cooperators’
• The Asahi Shimbun - Real wages down for 3rd year in row as inflation strains budgets
• The Japan Times - Smaller Japanese companies unlikely to meet wage-increase target for 2025
• The Japan Times - Job-hopping Japanese workers push salaries higher
• The Mainichi - Japanese undergrads want at least $1,650 month starting salary: survey
• The Japan Times - Japan begins feeling the pain of BOJ rate hikes more concretely
• NHK - Japan household spending drops for 2nd straight year
• The Japan Times – Japan’s household spending jumps the most since 2022 as wages rise
• NHK - Japan's 2024 department store sales top pre-COVID level
• The Asahi Shimbun - Homegrown veg, cheap substitutes: Japanese get creative to fight soaring food prices
• The Japan Times - Japan's food exports hit record high for 12th straight year
• The Asahi Shimbun - ‘Ekiben’ fading as a tradition, but Tokyo store has other ideas
• The Mainichi - Supermarkets top pick for buying Valentine's Day chocolates in Japan amid price hikes: poll
• The Mainichi - Japan looks to cash in on matcha boom to boost green tea exports
• The Asahi Shimbun - Japan hunts for dual-use goods makers to aid military expansion
• The Japan News - Electric Plane to Ship Cargo Between Kyushu Cities in Trial Run, in Hopes of a Greener Delivery Industry
• NHK - Foreign visitors to Japan hit record high of 36.8 million in 2024
• The Mainichi - One-third in Japan say they want to visit World Expo in Osaka: survey
• NHK - Osaka Expo offers ticket promotions as sales fall short
• The Japan Times – Japan's trade deficit for digital services rose to record ¥6.6 trillion in 2024
• NHK - Japan's sales of print publications fall, digital titles rise
• The Japan News - No Library or Bookstore in 256 Japan Municipalities; Experts Cite Rise of Online Sales, Smartphone Use
• NHK - Japan to launch Digital Positive Action project to prevent disinformation
• The Japan News - Japan to Make It Easier for Firms to Hold Online-only Shareholder Meetings, in Shift Started by COVID-19
• The Asahi Shimbun - Generative AI reviving more presidents to train employees
• The Mainichi - People in Japan scammed out of record figure on social media in 2024
• The Mainichi - Consumers 5 times more likely to use printed coupons than digital ones: Japan study
• NHK - Tackling phone stress
• The Asahi Shimbun - Survey: 44% of Japan open to discussing surname issue
• The Asahi Shimbun - Financial aid disparities fuel push to make high school free
• The Asahi Shimbun - Record numbers of underweight and overweight kids nationwide
• The Asahi Shimbun - Manga-based films claimed top 4 spots at box office in 2024
• NHK - Anime company redefines industry work culture