Essential businesses and non-essential businesses During this time there is a lot of discussion about essential businesses and non-essential businesses. The types of work that fit into each category differ from country to country and even from state to state. But in this blog by a Japanese language teacher, she gives thanks to all those putting their lives and health at risk to provide services ...

Japan's “lockdown” Japan began an official state of emergency at the start of April, and local governments of 7 prefectures began their “lockdown”. This was further extended to the rest of the country in mid-April. But the type of “lockdown” has been different to many countries in the world. It has not been a forced lockdown and people can go out to parks and shopping as long as they are careful...

Work from home Watching the BBC News channel, it seems that in England the phrase “work from home” has become a buzz word recently. In Japan, however, the vocabulary that is being used is “Telework”. Many companies have started this system and many are predicting that this trend may continue even after the Coronavirus pandemic lets up. In this short and interesting blog by a Japanese teacher for...

Masks and social distancing in Japan During the COVID 19 pandemic, people in Japan have been staying indoors with their families. It can be a time to bring people together and spend precious time with the ones we love. There have been difficulties in getting some essentials in the country especially face masks. But this hasn't stopped Someya sensei's son from improvising some cute alternatives! ...

The Japanese fiscal year The Japanese financial or fiscal year spans from April 1st to March 31st . Schools and businesses usually follow this calendar to mark the start of a new year and hold ceremonies to celebrate the new additions to their institutions. It also takes place during the start of spring, so in Japan spring is often seen at the season for new beginnings. In this blog for Japanes...