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<channel>
	<title>Jeff W. Richards</title>
	<atom:link href="https://jeffwrichards.com/author/j-w-richards/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://jeffwrichards.com</link>
	<description>Confessions of a Dilettante</description>
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		<title>Japan’s Train Groping Problem: Why ‘Chikan’ Persist</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-train-groping-problem-why-chikan-persistss/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-train-groping-problem-why-chikan-persistss/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese society]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1403</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Daily reality For many women in Japan, groping on trains is not an occasional risk but a daily concern. Posters warn against it, station staff patrol platforms, and women-only cars exist during rush hours. Yet reports of molestation continue, often underreported and under-discussed. The scale of the problem Police data show thousands of reported cases [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-train-groping-problem-why-chikan-persistss/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Osaka Expo 2025 Is Underway — But Is It Worth the Cost?</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/osaka-expo-2025-is-underway-but-is-it-worth-the-cost/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/osaka-expo-2025-is-underway-but-is-it-worth-the-cost/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:39:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Expo 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Osaka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism in Japan]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1396</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The 2025 World Expo in Osaka is officially underway — but it hasn’t exactly captured the public imagination. Held on Yumeshima, a man-made island in Osaka Bay, the Expo was pitched as a celebration of innovation and international cooperation. Instead, it’s been marked by construction delays, spiraling costs and lukewarm public interest. What was once a [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/osaka-expo-2025-is-underway-but-is-it-worth-the-cost/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Bizarre Japanese Trend of Paying Someone to Quit Your Job</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/the-bizarre-japanese-trend-of-paying-someone-to-quit-your-job/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/the-bizarre-japanese-trend-of-paying-someone-to-quit-your-job/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:09:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conformity in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan work culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Resignation agencies]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1391</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[When I first heard about taishoku daiko — Japan’s so-called “resignation agencies” — I honestly thought it was a joke. Why would anyone pay someone else to quit their own job for them? Then I looked into it. In Japan, quitting a job is more than just a career decision: it can feel like a social betrayal. [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/the-bizarre-japanese-trend-of-paying-someone-to-quit-your-job/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why So Many Kids in Japan Are Falling Victim to Online Predators</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/why-so-many-kids-in-japan-are-falling-victim-to-online-predators/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/why-so-many-kids-in-japan-are-falling-victim-to-online-predators/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 08:58:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Child protection]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crime in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Online safety]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology in Japan]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1371</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It’s a problem that’s quietly grown into a national crisis. More and more children in Japan are falling prey to online predators—lured, groomed, and in some cases, abducted by adults they meet through social media apps. Just this summer, police in multiple prefectures reported a spike in cases involving minors who were targeted by adult [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/why-so-many-kids-in-japan-are-falling-victim-to-online-predators/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Trump’s 25% Auto Tariffs: What It Means for Japan</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/trumps-25-auto-tariffs-what-it-means-for-japan/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/trumps-25-auto-tariffs-what-it-means-for-japan/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2025 03:44:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan auto industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan politics 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan-U.S. relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trump]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1367</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[When Donald Trump says “America First,” Japan often wonders what comes second. The latest flare-up? Trump’s renewed threat to slap a&#160;25% tariff on all foreign-made cars, including those from Japan. In case you missed it, this was the focus of a recent Japan Today Spotlight episode, where we broke down what these potential auto tariffs could mean [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/trumps-25-auto-tariffs-what-it-means-for-japan/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Japan’s Tourism Boom: When Success Backfires</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-tourism-boom-when-success-backfires/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-tourism-boom-when-success-backfires/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:56:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kyoto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mount Fuji]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Overtourism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tourism in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel issues]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1358</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[After years of strict border controls, Japan is once again a top destination for global travelers. The yen remains weak, flights are full and tourism campaigns—from Hokkaido’s powder snow to Okinawa’s coral reefs—are working exactly as intended. But on the ground, something is off. Overtourism has become one of the defining issues of the post-pandemic [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-tourism-boom-when-success-backfires/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Reflecting on the Tokyo Sarin Gas Attacks: 30 Years Later</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/reflecting-on-the-tokyo-sarin-gas-attacks-30-years-later/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/reflecting-on-the-tokyo-sarin-gas-attacks-30-years-later/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:38:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aum Shinrikyo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan Today]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese society]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public safety in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sarin gas attack legacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Security measures in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shoko Asahara]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo sarin gas attack]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo sarin gas attack 30th anniversary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo subway attack]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1344</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the Tokyo sarin gas attack. <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/reflecting-on-the-tokyo-sarin-gas-attacks-30-years-later/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Japan’s Birthrate Crisis — What’s Really Going On?</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-birthrate-crisis-whats-really-going-on/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-birthrate-crisis-whats-really-going-on/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2025 01:15:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan birth rate crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan demographics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan population decline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan Today]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japanese economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life in Japan]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1339</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In the latest episode of Japan Today Spotlight, we dive into something that’s been a growing concern here in Japan for years: the country’s plummeting birth rate. In 2024, Japan recorded just 720,988 births — the lowest number since records began in 1899. It’s the ninth straight year the number has dropped, and it’s creating [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/japans-birthrate-crisis-whats-really-going-on/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>Why Is Everything in Japan Getting More Expensive?</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/why-is-everything-in-japan-getting-more-expensive/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/why-is-everything-in-japan-getting-more-expensive/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 16 Mar 2025 02:33:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[100% geek-free social media]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cost of living in Japan 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economic trends in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food price inflation Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Global inflation impact on Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan grocery shopping tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan inflation crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan supermarkets price hikes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan Today]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life in Japan as an expat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rising prices in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shrinkflation in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tokyo prices rising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weak yen impact on Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Why is Japan so expensive]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1327</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[From soaring rice prices to the so-called ‘cabbage shock,’ the cost of living in Japan is climbing fast. Food, utilities, and everyday essentials are getting more expensive, and many residents are feeling the strain. What’s causing this price surge, and how are people coping?  <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/why-is-everything-in-japan-getting-more-expensive/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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		<item>
		<title>Shiori Ito and &#8216;Black Box Diaries&#8217;: What Happens Now?</title>
		<link>https://jeffwrichards.com/shiori-ito-and-black-box-diaries-what-happens-now/</link>
					<comments>https://jeffwrichards.com/shiori-ito-and-black-box-diaries-what-happens-now/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeff Richards]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Mar 2025 05:14:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan Today Spotlight]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[#MeToo Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[97th Academy Awards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Academy Awards 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Black Box Diaries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[documentary films]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Investigative journalism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan censorship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan Justice System]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Press freedom in Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shiori Ito]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://jeffwrichards.com/?p=1318</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The Oscars are over, and Shiori It0&#8217;s Black Box Diaries didn’t win. Now, the real question is: will this story disappear in Japan? For weeks, we’ve been talking about this exact possibility in the comments on Japan Today and the Japan Today Spotlight video we did. When a Japanese film or filmmaker wins international recognition, [&#8230;] <a class="more-link" href="https://jeffwrichards.com/shiori-ito-and-black-box-diaries-what-happens-now/">Read more...</a>]]></description>
		
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