FGFJ x GLOBE+ Interview Series | A Transgender Woman and HIV Activist Who Realized Her Dreams

This interview tells the story of Erika Castellanos, a transgender woman living with HIV who has struggled for survival and acceptance, and now works as an advocate for trans, gender diverse and intersex people on the international stage. It features her life, learning, and message to all of us in the COVID age.

Older People, Got A Pandemic Problem? A Club To Help You Figure It Out — Yourself

This NPR article features HelpAge International in Vietnam’s Intergenerational Self-Help Club model, which was the recipient of the 1st Healthy Aging Prize for Asian Innovation. They received the Grand Prize in the Community-Based Innovation category.

Japan May Allow Immigration of Hong Kong Financial Sector, Specialized Workers

Article on Japan potentially allowing immigration of Hong Kong financial sector workers. Features quotes from Toshihiro Menju, Managing Director and Chief Program Officer at JCIE

Takeda Makes First Private Sector Pledge for Global Fund Replenishment

An overview of the partnership between Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and The Global Fund; the renewal of this partnership was facilitated by Friends of the Global Fund, Japan, operated by JCIE.

Seven Decades after the Bomb, Children of Hiroshima Victims Still Worry about Hidden Health Effects

“Nakatani Etsuko says her father rarely spoke of the day that the world’s first atomic weapon killed 140,000 people in his city of Hiroshima, Japan. But she says he did mention one thing: ‘That there were so many dead bodies in the river, you couldn’t see the water.’ Etsuko’s father was a teacher in Hiroshima. […]

Opening the Door to Incoming Workers

An analysis of the rise in non-Japanese residents and workers in Japan, including a breakdown of how various nationalities are represented and what sectors they tend to join in the workforce.

Japan’s Historic Immigration Reform: A Work in Progress

Toshihiro Menju analyzes the recent, controversial new reforms and their implications for Japanese immigration policy and the future of Japanese society.

Japan Eases Immigration Restrictions to Fill Chronic Care Worker Shortage

In the past, Japan allowed mostly highly skilled professionals in the country. Now, due to severe labor shortages, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered the government to look into new policies that would attract less-skilled workers to fill additional jobs. But the government will have to go beyond simply easing employment restrictions.

How a Small Dairy Store from Ohio Became One of the Biggest Names in the Japanese Convenience Store Industry

Japan and the United States have a long history of not only economic competition, but also cultural exchange. In the U.S., for instance, sushi and anime are popular. And the Japanese long ago adopted baseball and jazz. If that’s old news to you, here’s one America-to-Japan export that might surprise you: US convenience stores.

Japan Trade Officials and Companies Take a Nuanced Approach to US Tariffs

Adrian Ma explores the impact of the Trump administration’s 25 percent tariff on imported steel on Japan. How are Japanese companies and trade officials feeling about the president’s efforts to turn the economic screws? The answer varies a lot depending on whether you’re talking about steel production or auto manufacturing.