Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Aug 17, 2015
Humanoid robots start work in a bank in Tokyo and a hotel in Kyushu amid concerns over a labor shortage in Japan's aging society.
Language | BILINGUAL Aug 10, 2015
Japan's military that isn't: a short primer in self-defense doublespeak
by Colin P. A. Jones
Article 9 of Japan's Constitution, which renounces war, has been interpreted as permitting the maintenance and use of military force for self-defense, but this has led to some interesting linguistic gymnastics.
Language | WELL SAID Aug 10, 2015
The eyes have it: Japanese expressions that start with your peepers
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we will introduce various expressions that use the noun 目 (め, eyes).
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Aug 10, 2015
Aomori in northeastern Japan is the most popular prefecture for festivals, surpassing Kyoto, a survey by a major travel agency showed.
Language | BILINGUAL Aug 3, 2015
Jiko PR gives job seekers a rare chance to brag in Japanese
by Daniel Morales
One of the most interesting aspects of job-hunting here is jiko-PR ("self-public relations"), one of the few times when Japanese are forced to show off about their abilities and accomplishments.
Language | WELL SAID Aug 3, 2015
No student should be without the Japanese double-negative
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
The pattern X-nai+noun wa nai/inai expresses that, in fact, everyone is/does X.
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Aug 3, 2015
Defending champ Miki Sudo won the women's division of the Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York.
Language | BILINGUAL Jul 27, 2015
A crash course in wartime Japanese terminology for foreign demons
by Mark Schreiber
Ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, here's a look at the words, phrases and concepts that found wide usage in the fateful years leading up to 1945.
Language | WELL SAID Jul 27, 2015
Just because you think you know itte-mo, you shouldn't rest on your laurels
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we introduce two expressions that use the verb iu — といっても and といって ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Jul 27, 2015
Squatting in super-tight "skinny" jeans may pose a health risk, Australian doctors warn, reporting the case of a woman who temporarily lost feeling in her legs from an hours-long squeeze.
Language | BILINGUAL Jul 20, 2015
Ain't no cure for the salaryman blues
by Kaori Shoji
This is an excerpt from an interview with a salaryman who wishes to remain anonymous.
Language | WELL SAID Jul 20, 2015
Tarry awhile to learn sakki and, after that, ato
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Today we look at various ways of using the colloquial nouns さっき (a short while ago) and あと (after a while).