UNESCO adds Japan’s ‘hidden Christian’ sites to World Heritage list

UNESCO recently decided to add southwestern Japan sites linked to the history of the country’s persecuted Christians to the World Heritage list. The 12 sites include Oura Cathedral in Nagasaki, the oldest surviving church in the country that has already been designated as a national treasure, and the remains of Hara Castle, a site of […]

UNESCO adds Japan’s ‘hidden Christian’ sites to World Heritage list Read More »

In Japan, Your Smile is Being Recorded: Take This Job and Love It—Or Else

McDonald’s in Japan used to display on its menu: “Cost of a Smile: 0 Yen”—but new facial recognition software could cost some employees their jobs, especially in service industries, if the algorithm discovers they’re not smiling enough. This is just the latest wrinkle in a nation where karoshi (death by overwork) is a constant problem, and new labor

In Japan, Your Smile is Being Recorded: Take This Job and Love It—Or Else Read More »

Japan high school English proficiency falls short of gov’t targets

English proficiency of students at Japanese public junior and senior high schools is improving but remains well behind government targets, an education ministry survey showed Friday. Aiming to enhance students’ English ability ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the government has set targets for results in the Eiken Test in Practical English Proficiency, which assesses

Japan high school English proficiency falls short of gov’t targets Read More »