Japan

It is a luxury house in Japan with gallery to see your cars from the couch

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Aston Martin a fame is carved more than 100 years both in the Speed ​​circuits as in the most exclusive garages by design of its supercar. However, for its last adventure, the brand of British origin has not needed wheels or pistons, but concrete, wood, glass and a lot of design. Following the tendency of many other luxury cars manufacturers, Aston Martin has presented its first private residence in Asia: No. 001 Minami Aoyama, located in the coveted neighborhood of Omotesandō in Tokyo. “The new townhouse is the first private residence designed by the British ultra luxury brand in Asia,” says Aston Martin about this pioneering project. From the circuit to the city The attractiveness of this project is not limited only to its real estate exclusivity in the area in which geographical has been built, but also to the integration of elements of the DNA of Aston Martin in every corner of the house. More and more luxury cars manufacturers move their design language to exclusive real estate projects. Brands Like Mercedes-BenzPorsche, Bentleyeither Bugatti They are diversifying their market by signing the design of luxury buildings and residences in which the same attention is applied as in their supercar. This trend responds to a growing demand for clients looking for integral experiences, where the car badge not only represents its manufacturer, but a lifestyle and the taste for exclusive (and expensive) details. “One of the most significant aspects of design is the car gallery, which provides an exhibition space to present two Aston Martin as sculptural works of art,” says the brand, underlining the prominence of the car even inside the building. Be able to sit comfortably on the lounge couchTo contemplate beauty of your supercar It is the new way to enjoy luxury. This is not the first real estate project of the brand, which already has other custom residential developments with the Aston Martin Residences In Miami And The Astera Interiors By Aston Martin In Dubaiand now this new project in Tokyo. It’s a house, but it’s Aston Martin Project No. 001 Minami Aoyama has no wheels, but yes 724 m² distributed in four floorswith an architecture that combines Japanese minimalism and the British style that characterizes its cars. The house has three bedrooms with suite bathrooms, gym, wine warehouse, private cinema and even a basement simulator in the basement. The outdoor spa area and the hydromassage bathtub are coated with hinoki wood, and the kitchen with volcanic stone that evoke the crafts and materials of the DBX interiors. “Clean lines, fissure limits and long -range views allow residents to connect and experience this unique location,” explained Marek Reichman, executive vice president and creative director of Aston Martin. A folded steel staircase, Inspired by Origamiconnect the four levels of the house, while the landscaped terrace that crowns the building offers a relax space with privileged views of the city and the Tokyo Tower. “The growing presence of Aston Martin in Japan and the rest of Asia has provided fertile land for inspiration and collaboration,” said Reichman. The house already owns, but has not transcended its purchase price, but as a reference, a 650 square meter attic in the same neighborhood It has been costing about 65 million dollars. Aston Martin firm, apart. In Xataka | 35% of Monaco’s inhabitants are millionaires. The car of its car is a Porsche 911 race of 150,000 euros Image | Aston Martin, Unspash (Dushawn Jovic)

The JS Asuka is already navigating with an electromagnetic cannon on deck. And that can only mean one thing: Japan is serious

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It is not a render or a model: he Japanese Riel Canyon is already physically mounted in the JS Asukaa ship designed to experiment with new technologies. The images, captured from The port of YokosukaThey show the weapon without their exterior housing, apparently ready for the last settings before a possible test at sea. Everything indicates that this test is close. It could even have already been done, although for now there is no official confirmation. The published images by the user @Gov_vessel_fan They show the exposed cannon, without the external roof that normally hides it. At first glance, everything indicates that it is the same prototype as the Agreement, Technology and Logistics Agency of the Japanese Ministry of Defense (ATLA) has tried in controlled conditions. It is not clear if the design has evolved significantly, but its appearance coincides with the one that ATLA has shown publicly on other occasions. Extreme speed, extreme wear One of the great challenges of Riel cannons is the extreme wear. The friction generated when firing high -speed projectiles causes a rapid tube deteriorationaffecting both precision and reach. According to data collected by Naval Newsthe previous trials of the Japanese prototype have achieved speeds of up to 2,000 meters per second, with a useful life of the 120 projectile cannon. Click to see the publication in x Installing a rail cannon is not simply a matter of space. This type of weapons requires a huge amount of energy to function, in addition to cooling systems capable of dissipating the heat generated. All that occupies volume, consumes resources and demands a very careful integration. That is why the JS Asuka, with its wide rear cover and its role as a floating test bench, is ideal for this development phase. Click to see the publication in x Although the current prototype looks bulky and little integrated, the Japanese Ministry of Defense has more ambitious plans. In the DSEI Japan 2025 fairthe authorities They showed a model Much more stylized of the weapon, already thought for operational use. According to National Defense MagazineKazumi Ito, director of the ATLA Equipment Policies Division, confirmed that the development “is progressing”, although he acknowledged that there are still “various challenges” ahead. The intention, yes, is clear: to integrate this technology into new generation destroyers. For years, the United States Navy led the development of Riel cannons, but in 2022 he decided to officially abandon the project after multiple delays and technical complications. He never did such advanced tests. Japan, on the other hand, has chosen to continue exploring this route, And he is doing it in collaboration with the North American country. Images | Maritime Self -Defense Force of Japan | @Gov_vessel_fan In Xataka | China is building an electromagnetic canyon of space airplanes, a project that NASA abandoned due to lack of funds In Xataka | They are not fighters, they are planes of the Slovakia government: the day an Airbus A319 and a Fokker 100 stole the show

Very few countries in the world are dedicated to the industrial production of avocados. Now an unexpected one has joined: Japan

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Tsutomu Uchida is 64 years old, is a retired entrepreneur and for a while now He spends hours working on a plot located in the Shizuoka districtwhere different cultivation techniques prove. So far unusual. The funny thing is that Uchida is not dedicated to Plant riceneither soy nor Mikana very popular citrus in the region. No. His interest has little to do with traditional vegetables. What is trying to grow since 2020 are avocados, a plant that wakes up more interest in Japanese agriculture. The reason: the market … and climate change. What happened? That in Japan, Rice landcherries and citrus, there are farmers who begin to Look with interest A new variety of crop, a very popular in other latitudes but that has so far had an almost testimonial weight in the country of the rising sun: avocado. And the most curious thing is what that curiosity is awakening. Beyond the growing Internal demand or the Production increase Worldwide, the factor that has led Japanese farmers to plant avocados is climate change. Shizuoka avocado. The news I advanced it A few days ago The Japan Times: More and more farmers in Shizuoka Prefecture show interest in avocados. The phenomenon is curious for several reasons. First, because the traditional cultivation of that region is another good, the Mikana citrus similar to mandarin. The second reason is that this interest It is promoted by local authorities. Shizuoka Prefecture has just activated a triennial plan that aspires, among other goals, to develop cultivation techniques and sales channels focused on avocado. With that purpose the institution plans to invest over the coming months 18 million yen (about 100,000 euros) in investigations to improve local production. Putting his head. If everything goes as planned, in three years you will publish a manual for farmers. It may seem like a modest initiative, but it is quite significant: Shizuoka is one of the main producing regions of Mikan From Japan and right now the avocado cultivation in the country is very small. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, in 2022 there were hardly any 34 tons who came out above all from Saga, Ehime and Wakayama, territories that (exact!) have always stood out for their citrus. TEMPERATURES QUESTION. The most curious thing is that this growing interest in avocado is not explained only for its internal demand or market prospects. At stake there is another equal or even more relevant factor for Japanese farmers: climate change. Their effects already They let themselves feel in the Rice crops and They threaten to punish to much of the plantations of Mikan of the country while They favor to those of avocado, a tree originally from Mesoamerica. “We cannot simply advance complaining about the negative impact of change on the agricultural environment. We are trying to convert this adversity into an opportunity and make the most of it,” Recognize to The Japan Times Yuji Hirano, responsible for agricultural strategies in the government of Shizuoka. With that clear idea, the prefecture probes the pros and cons of betting on a dozen subtropical crops in the region. Among them there was one that stood out for their “pull” in the market and that could also be favored by the weather: the avocado. But … what are they based on? In forecasts that draw such a promising scenario for avocado as a funeral for the Mikan. In March the National Organization for Agricultural and Food Research (Naro) public A report in which he warns that the future of citrus in Japan “will depend largely” on greenhouse gas emissions while avocado suitable areas could expand its current size more than 2.5 times by the middle of the century. An uncertain horizon. Nikkei It goes further And he warns that climate change can make that at the end of the Japanese century find that 80% of the areas that are right now for the cultivation of tangerines cease to be. With the land suitable for avocado plantations, a subtropical fruit, the opposite would happen: they would multiply by 7.7. “Maybe you think that a temperature difference of 1ºC does not mean much,” Clarify Toshihiko Sugiura, from Naro. “But for him Mikan It makes the difference. “ Hence the scenario can vary greatly depending on what happens in the coming years. If for 2100 the temperature rise does not exceed 1.4ºC the country may keep 80% of the current surface destined for Mikan. If the increase is 4.3ºC as soon as any. However, and although the increase in temperatures may make it easier, the avocado is not guaranteed in Japan either: the winter cold waves would mean a serious threat. The other key: the market. The other factor that explains Shizuoka’s interest in avocado should be sought in the market. The Japan Times remember that today the fruit is much more popular in the Japanese fruit shops than a few decades ago. And the data show it. In 1988, only 3,400 tons were imported. In 2020 there were already 80,000. That boom coincided with an increasing exposure of the fruit in the country’s media, which began to highlight its nutritional value as “superfiment” rich in vitamins and fiber. Today the avocado is already integrated from the diet of many Japanese and it is easy to find in supermarkets, although the nation basically depends on imports. The vast majority (at least in 2020) comes from Mexico, where they start around 85% of importsand Peru, which brings together about 11%. National production is scarce and is sold at prices greater than foreign fruit. Images | Eddie Pipocas (UNSPLASH), 光曦 刘 (UNSPLASH) and Rui Hao Lim (UNSPLASH) In Xataka | Japan is suffering a bankruptcy record from Ramen. And in part it is the result of the “1,000 yen barrier”

25 years ago, Europe was close to panic at the barbarism of Japanese motorcycles. So Japan limited them to 299 km/h

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The 90s were one of the golden times of motorcycling. A time when there was no Electronic controls, Anticontamination regulations No concern for security. Where now we see chaos and lack of control, a few years ago motorcycle manufacturers saw a test field to launch the fastest vehicles in the world. So much so, that the brands themselves had to put a limit to stop competing fiercely between them. What was happening. The motorcycle market has changed. Currently what is sold the most They are scooters and comfortable motorcyclesl, the SUV made motorcycle. In the 90s, the icons were the Japanese sports of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki. There came a point where virtually great street sports car reached vertigo speeds. In the early 90s, Honda launched her CBR900RR Firebladeone of the fastest production motorcycles in the world. It soon being overcome by the kawasaki ZZR1100 and later by the Hayabusa. A race to step on the grass of the neighbor that ended up uncontrolled. The 300 km/h. Motorcycles like Hayabusa ranly passed the 330 km/h, and in fear that governments imposed new regulations and prohibitions against such powerful vehicles, the industry decided to self -control with A gentlemen pact. The industry wanted to continue selling supercardives, but I did not want to intimidate the regulatory agencies with motorcycles that began to get closer to the barrier of the 400 km/h than to that of the 300. A secret pact. The gentlemen’s pact among motorcycle manufacturers is an open secret, although given the nature of the agreement there were never official statements. It is rumored that BMW began conversations with both Japanese and Italian manufacturers. Interestingly, when BMW did not have a single motorcycle capable of competing for being the fastest. Be that as it may, in the early 2000s the pact began to be fulfilled: the motorcycles launched by manufacturers, such as the Kawasaki ZZR1200 Or Honda’s proposals, did not exceed 299 km/h. But the sports market demanded speed and muscle, flying through the air the pact. It didn’t last long. Just seven years later, Italian as MV Agusta They left the pact in the air, with models such as the F4 R exceeding 300 km/h. It is something that BMW itself also did with its S1000R And, again, the fastest sports race began. Honda CBR1000RR-R-SP, much more than 299 km/h, although the scoreway says otherwise. What remains of the pact. Although there are numerous street motorcycles that exceed 300 km/h, the Japanese keep the pact alive. Manufacturers like Honda do not mark speed beyond 299 km/h, although the motorcycle is really running beyond her. The same happens with Yamaha. Versions such as the New Hayabusa or the Kawasaki H2, motorcycles that could touch the 400 km/h, remain electronically limited to 299 km/h. The Japanese respect and tradition keep the pact almost intact, maintaining the exceptions for circuit such as the Kawasaki H2R and its 400 km/h … with the house motorcycle. There are also those who dedicate themselves to prepare motorcycles to pass from 440 km/h. Luckily, they can’t step on the street. Not only in motorcycles. The pact among Japanese giants was not the only one decades ago. In the 80s and until well entered the 2000, manufacturers such as Nissan, Honda, Subaru and Toyota They signed a pact so that their cars had no more than 280 hp nor exceed 180 km/h. It is especially striking to upload a Japanese of almost 300 hp, and see that Your marker is tarado in those 180. The measure arose in response to the growing concerns for road safety in the country, an agreement not formalized before the public, but evident when analyzing car after car. This is still the limitations at 250 km/h in large part of current sports. Image | Austin Hervias In Xataka | Chinese motorcycles are sweeping in Spain: who is who in this brand puzzle

Japan believes that samurai crabs keep the souls of the fallen warriors. Science has another opinion

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See faces on a wall Or in any daily object it is not a symptom of madness. This phenomenon has a name: Pareidoliaand that is what makes us perceive as something recognizable a way that initially has no pattern. If we put effort, we can See recognizable ways In almost anything, even in the shell of a crab. And, if not, they tell the Japanese and their samurai crabs that keep the spirit of the fallen warriors in a battle. Or so the legend says. Heikegani. The Japanese heikesis They are a family of crabs that inhabit, mainly, in Japan. They have been found in some other western Pacific areas, but where they are more numerous in the Japanese country and, specifically, in the inner sea. They live in shallow waters in which they camouflage and find food, and could be normal crabs if not for their shell. Because, if in the photos that accompany this article you see a Miegu mask traditionally used by Samurais of feudal Japan At the top of the crab, you should know that you are not the only one. And, how could it be otherwise, the Japanese folklore It has an explanation for this phenomenon. The legend. At the end of the 12th century, the Genji clan and the Heike clan fought in a bloody Battle in the bay dan-no -urain the inner sea of ​​Japan. The Heike had ruled for decades, but the Genji wanted power and were more numerous. They won the battle and established a warrior government in Japan, a Shogunate which lasted for seven centuries while their enemies fell into the bay Under steel Or, directly, drowned. It is said that the spirits of those heike warriors who drowning were reincarnated in living beings who caught more by hand, crabs, and Thus they were born These Heikegani. Samurai crabs changed their shells, adopting the patterns of the faces and masks of the fallen warriors, and culturally they are a symbol of resistance and loyalty. Antinatural selection. It is a beautiful story, but unfortunately it is nothing more than something belonging to the rich Japanese folklore. Now, it is evident that these ‘samurai crabs’ have something special and, certainly, their shell is very similar to the masks. The explanation? Well, according to Carl Sagan -Yes, the famous astronomer– The Heikegani were created from the Artificial selection. They are edible and fish by the premises, but in the process of selecting individuals, the fishermen kept the “normal” crabs and returned to the water those who showed that pattern in the shell. It was a sign of respect for the heike warriors, and Sagan popularized the idea that these selected crabs were reproduced, perpetuating that curious design. Simple coincidence? However, there are those who doubt this story and offers an alternative vision. Joel Martin It is a biologist associated with the Department of invertebrate Zoology in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles and has dedicated its career to investigate the evolution of crustaceans and other invertebrates. One of his most famous works is the job On the samurai crab published in 1993- in it, it states that humans practically did not consume Heikegani, so the selective pressure would be minimal or non-existent. Functionality. Your explanation? That these facial patterns similar to masks are due to own functional anatomy of the crabsince they represent the muscle insertion points Very similar to crabs that we see in other parts of the world. If we see the crab backwards (they are more ugly than a refrigerator from behind), it has all the meaning and the researcher points out that this interpretation we make of their faces is simply one more example of pareidolia. Martin may be right, but I definitely stay with the version that Samurai crabs are there watching the battle spirits in the bay in which Japan changed forever. Image | Muséum National d’Histire Naturelle In Xataka | Japan is living something unpublished in its most emblematic neighborhoods: the “chinification” of anime and video games

Japan has discovered rare earth tons on its most remote island. Casually, a Chinese aircraft carrier has just approached

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Year 2022. Japan Make a decision That he was going to be fruit months later. The Japanese nation did not want to depend so much on China in a matter of rare earths, so decides to start a series of projects to search for them even at the bottom of the ocean. In the summer of 2024 they give a treasure in that seabed: a site of 230 million tons Of those “precious” lands, a swag that are under the easternmost island of the nation. Chance or not, something unprecedented has just happened in front of the enclave: a Chinese fleet With an aircraft carrier. An unpublished maneuver. For the first timea combat group headed by the Chinese liaoning carriers He has entered the exclusive economic zone (ZEE) of Japan, marking a new phase in Beijing’s naval projection and awakening immediate concern In Tokyo and Washington. The group, composed of the aircraft carriers, two destroyers with guided missiles and a supply ship, penetrated waters to about 300 kilometers to the southwest of the Japanese Minamitori Islandthe easternmost point of the archipelago, before leaving the area to perform aircraft takeoff and landing exercises. Although Japan He avoided confirming If he presented a formal protest, he said he had transmitted an “appropriate” message to the Chinese authorities: he displayed the Haguro destroyer To follow the activity of the Naval Group. Minamitori and his treasures. As We explained at the beginningthe incident is not just symbolic: Minamitori It is not inhabited by civilians, but houses facilities of the Japanese weather agency, self -defense forces and coastguards. Beyond its isolation (about 1,900 km from Tokyo), this remote island has become a point of Geoeconomic interest Due to the vast submarine deposits of rare metals, especially manganese nodules. In fact, recent studies estimate that nearby seabed contain More than 200 million of tons of these resources, fundamental to Strategic technologies and high capacity batteries. The passage of Liaoning so close to the enclave adds a warning dimension on Chinese interest not only territorial, but also economic in areas where Japanese sovereignty is not in dispute. Minamitori Island Leave Vú. Although this has been the first documented incursion of a Chinese aircraft carrier in this part of the Japanese ZEE, the truth is that it is not An isolated fact. Liaoning himself had already sailed Last month Between two Japanese southern islands, also within another region of the Japanese ZEE. In September 2024, he crossed between Yonaguni and Iriomote, two islands near Taiwan, even entering into adjacent watersthat extend to 24 nautical miles from their coast. In each of these movements, Beijing has rehearsed navigation patterns that expand the operational scope of its navy, reinforcing its ability to operate far from its coastline and projecting power in sensitive areas. Tactical climbing. We have gone counting. These incursions occur in a context of Regional tensions persistent. Japan and China keep years ago A dispute over the Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in Chinese), uninhabited, but strategically located in the Eastern China Sea. Beijing has not stopped pressing its claim with regular naval patrols (even with buoys), while strengthening its presence in the Western Pacific through demonstrations of force such as Liaoning. The repetition of these maneuvers suggests A deliberate campaign to expand the regional tolerance threshold in the Chinese presence in areas traditionally dominated by the United States and its allies. Contained response. The spokesman for the Japanese Ministry of Defense has been clear when interpreting the maneuver as An effort from China For “improving its operational capacity in distant areas”, a reading that coincides with the recent evolution of Chinese military doctrine, more ambitious and less disguised. Although Tokyo has opted for a rather mesurated response, focused on intensive surveillance instead of direct confrontation, the underlying message It seems unequivocal: Japan is not willing to normalize Chinese military traffic in its maritime influence areas, especially in areas close to resources strategic However, the lack of a formal diplomatic protest could be interpreted as an attempt to avoid an immediate escalation while alliances are consolidated and countermeasures are evaluated. A red line. What just a few years ago would have been unthinkable, that a Chinese combat fleet with an aircraft carrier would navigate so close to the Japanese eastern end, today is an operational reality with lasting implications. As China strengthens its fleet and displays your assets With greater confidence, the Pacific maritime border becomes a board increasingly unstablewhere the strategy of the consummate threatens with redefining the rules of the game. If you want also, the Liaoning transit Together with the Japanese island, not only defies the regional balance, but also rehearses the normalization of a Chinese military presence in key areas for the energy, territorial and technological security of Japan. A Key Chess Chart Oceanicone where each movement is a reaction test. Image | BaycrestUS Air Force In Xataka | China has been claiming as its islands from Japan 130 years. So he has made a decision: surround them with buoys In Xataka | Yonaguni’s Japanese island was known for its beauty and Bad Bunny. Now it is a military strength because of Taiwan

Japan expired its nuclear power plants after Fukushima. He has just reversed with a overwhelming law

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14 years after Fukushima disasterJapan has pressed the reset button in its nuclear policy with a new law that It has just come into force and will allow the nuclear reactors to operate beyond 60 years. Energy Pendulazo. Behind him 2011 disasterJapan imposed a strict limit to the useful life of nuclear power plants: they could operate for 40 years, with a possible extent to 60 years if they exceeded rigorous security tests. Now, that barrier has vanished as a solution to the energy challenges facing the country. Stop the clock. The law introduces an ingenious formula To extend the useful life of Japanese nuclear centrals: the periods in which a reactor has been inactive due to “unpredictable circumstances” will now not count in their operating age. This includes stops for security reviews or judicial suspensions, provided they are not due to a negligence of the operator. The clearest example is that of reactor 1 of the Central de Takahama. Inaugurated in 1974, he is the oldest in the country. After Fukushima, He was standing for about 12 years. With the new law, that time “does not count”, which would allow it, in theory, to continue working until 2047, reaching a useful life of 72 years. Of course, the new law is accompanied by a strengthening of supervision. The reasons for change. The 180 degree turn in Japanese nuclear policy responds to a perfect geopolitical storm. The Russian invasion of Ukraine shook world energy markets, evidencing the dangerous Japan dependence on imported fossil fuels. On the other hand, the government provides for a massive increase in electrical demand promoted by artificial intelligence and the manufacture of semiconductors, two strategic sectors for the future of the country. As a fourth world economy and fifth CO2 issuer, Japan has the ambitious objective of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Nuclear energy, free of direct emissions, is now an indispensable tool to achieve it. The new Japanese energy mix. The road map is clear: Japan aspires to Renewables are the main source of energy By 2040, but nuclear energy will play a fundamental role. For that same date, the country expects atomic energy to represent about 20% of the country’s energy supply, a gigantic leap from 5.6% of 2022. Image | Hirorinmasa (CC by-SA 3.0) In Xataka | The largest nuclear power plant in the planet is a beast with seven reactors. Is ready to return after Fukushima

Japan has been a test laboratory for years to encourage birth. And he doesn’t have good news for the world

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Neither The aid. Nor the facilities for access education. Nor the improvement of working conditions. Not even attempts for Exercise “Casélro” and create new couples. The repeated attempts of the Japanese authorities to reactivate their Merm Birth They are clicking on bone and have not prevented the country from closing 2024 with a bleak demographic panorama. Its fertility rate is minimal, births have fallen below the barrier of 700,000 per year and the number of deaths far exceeds the babies. Thus, the country faces a question that They have been Considering analysts: what can a government really do to encourage birth? Can you avoid collapse by looking for everything to the measures of Economic cut? Birth. 2024 has not been a good year for Japanese demography. His Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Welfare has just confirmed it in A balance Desorator and confirms that, despite all its efforts, the country has not yet found the appropriate key to avoid collapse. Among all their data there are two special worrying and that give an idea of ​​the descending drift that is drawing its birth: the fertility rate and births. Last year the global fertility rate (the number of children that a woman would have if she lived until the end of her fertile life) It stood at 1.15. A bad result twice. Not only is it 0.05 points less than in 2023, but it leaves that indicator in historical minimums. This is the lowest recorded data From at least 1947which further away to Japan from the one known as Replacement ratethe necessary number of children (2,1) to maintain a stable population without taking into account immigration. In Tokyo that indicator It does not arrive Even 1. A fact: 686,000 babies (and down). The other devastating fact for Japanese demography is that of the number of births. In 2024 the Japanese Ministry of Health accounted for 686,000, 5.7% less that in 2023. It is the first time in addition (at least since 1899, when the official registration began) that the number of annual lighting was below the 700,000 barrier. The Japanese authorities already had the birth would cross that psychological red line, but they expected it to do so within several years. The forecasts of the National Institute for Research of the Population contemplated that 2024 be closed with some 755,000 new babies And that the births would not fall below the barrier of 690,000 to a decade and a half, in 2039. The predictions were pessimistic, but they have fallen short: that threshold crossed 15 years earlier than expected. ASAHI remember In fact, the 2024 data has coincided with the worst projection drawn by the body. Losing population. The data of the Ministry of Health show only the photograph of the native population resident in the country, excluding both foreigners born in Japan and Japanese born outside their borders; but reveals a serious problem in the demographic engine of the nation. The reason is simple: more Japanese die than they are born. The 686,061 babies scored in 2024 remain away from the 1.6 million of deaths (1.9% more than in 2023). That translates into a negative balance of 919,237 people, around 70,000 people more than the previous year. To understand what this data supposes in practice, Nikei Slide that equivalent more or less to lose all Kagawa in a matter of 12 years. That hole also adds to those that Japan has been suffering over the last years. After all, it carries almost two decades supporting more death than births, which is reflected in Evolution of its total population. A small ray of light: marriages. Among all these negative data the balance of the Ministry of Health leaves one in positive: the number of marriages. The organism registered 486,0632.2% more than in 2023. They remain at low levels and below half a million, but leave the first increase in two years. And that is very relevant to birth. Although in Spain and other EU countries it is increasingly common That couples have babies without going through the altar, in Japanese society births outside marriage or de facto couples are still rare: Nikei remember which in 2023 represented 2.5% of the total. A matter of state. Japan is not the only nation that dealt with birth problems. Something similar happens to South and China. And like them the Japanese authorities have deployed A wide fan of measures to try to reverse the trend that include from children’s subsidies or measures that facilitate education for initiatives to Promote creation of new couples. “Focusing children related to children and parenting is something that cannot expect or postpone,” warned two years ago! Fumio KishidaJapan’s Prime Minister until last October. The problem worries enough to Tokyo for its executive It would be proposed Raise public aid by son to levels similar to those of Sweden and thus avoid that the nation lost “its ability to operate as a society.” That same year the government announced An ambitious plan to encourage birth to deploying a millmillionaire investment. Can you solve with money? That is the question that leaves the last demographic balance of Japan and that have been raising analysts for a long time, both inside and outside the nation. Are economic -economic policies enough to encourage birth? There are those who indicate that at least these strategies must be accompanied by deeper changes and even A rethinking of certain ideas and attitudes rooted in their culture. In 2023 Tomas Sobotka, deputy director of the Institute of Demography of Vienna, He pointed out some keys that feed the demographic crisis and that go beyond subsidies or married policies. The list includes the delay in the age of motherhood, cultural and social changes that lead to young people choose to remain single and without children, a change in the homes themselves, the greatest presence of women in the labor market and a philosophy of life that prioritizes professional ambitions and leaves little time available for parenting. … Read more

be the Japan of Europe

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2024 has not been a good year for the Italians. Not at least if we talk about demography. Although the flow of immigrants has allowed him to soften the blow, the country has seen how its fertility rate fell to historical minimumsthe families continued to shrink, the average age of the population kept their escalation until approaching the psychological barrier of the 50 years and the exodus of citizens who decide to seek their future abroad increased 36%depriving the nation especially of qualified young people, something that It is already worried to its central bank. Italy It is not the only country that supports the icy winds of the Demographic winterbut his drift already threatens to turn it into the Japan of the old continent. Birth, downstairs. A few weeks ago the National Statistics Institute of Italy (Istat) public A global balance on the demography of 2024 that leaves a few joys and the occasional disappointment. The country closed the year with 370,000 births, bad news twice. First because it represents a decrease of 2.6% with respect to 2023 and aggravates the fall of its birth rate. Second, because it leaves its fertility index in historical minimums: 1.18 children per woman. The previous record, of 1.19, had been reached in 1995. A structural problem. For Istat that loss of babies is worrisome because it relieves more than a simple fall in the fertility index. In his opinion Boils with the loss of men and women of age of having children. “The relevance of the structural aspect is evident,” he warns. “If the female population of productive age (15-49 years) is considered, it has gone from 14.3 million EM January 1994 to 11.4 in January 2024”. In the case of men, the group in the same age strip has dropped from 14.5 million to just 11.9. Hence, the current fertility rate of 1.18 is much more problematic than that of 1995. 50 -year way. Another of the problems that Italy Lidia is the aging of its population, a phenomenon on which He has warned Also Eurostat. According to the Italian agency, at the beginning of 2025 the average age of the population that resides in Italy already was already 46.8 years, two tenths more than a year ago. The data that Eurostat draws an even more unfortunate panorama: they place the median age in 48.7 yearsthe second largest fact of the entire EU. It only exceeds Monaco, where it marks 50.5 years. The European mean It is 44.7. In Italy children (under 14 years old) represent 11.9% of the total and the population of working age 63.4%. Both stripes experienced setbacks in 2024, unlike what happened with the group of citizens who exceed 65 years: they suppose 24.7% of the total, four tenths more than a year ago. Among them also grow the octogenarians and nonagenarians. If nothing changes, There are those who calculate That in 2040 there will be five million people less in working age. THE OTHER CHALLENGE: The Exodus. Italy is facing another problem that has made the alarms of experts and authorities: Emigration. Last year 191,000 people left the country, 20.5% more than in 2023. Most of them, about 156,000, were also Italians who chose to look for life abroad, which represents a remarkable increase with respect to 2023. The rest (around 35,000) are Expats of other nationalities, such as the Romanian, who had been residing in Italy for some time and for one reason or another they decided to make their bags. Looking for life out. “They are forceful figures, although they could fall short according to some analysts, such as Federico Fubini, who recently published A column in Corriere in which he remembered that there are Italians who have abandoned the country without processing the change of residence, so the phenomenon could be greater. “More and more Italians opt for the path of self -determination and leave the country for situations that consider better,” Point out. In his opinion, the current migratory phenomenon is not comparable to that of the last decade, when the loss of population was basically motivated by the lack of employment in Italy. “Today there is and, instead, people, mostly young, will look for it in other places.” “Create opportunities”. That last nuance, that of young people who decide to leave, is fundamental. So much, in fact, that he has led the governor of the Bank of Italy, Fabio Panetta, to ask that measures be taken to retain talent and human capital. “It is necessary to create attractive employment opportunities for the many Italians who leave the country in search of better perspectives,” warned a few days ago in statements collected by Financial Times. The newspaper remember That between 2014 and 2023 they left the country more than one million Italians and more than a third of them were young people between 25 and 35 years old, many of them with university degrees. During that period they made the reverse journey (natives who choose to return) many less young. Of them only 50,000 had higher training. Istat himself calculates that the migratory balance of graduates has been negative, with a net loss of 97,000. A balance in red numbers. With 370,000 births and 651,000 deaths, Italy closed 2024 with a negative natural balance of 281,000 people. That loss managed to soften it in part thanks to the arrival of people from abroad. Although his flow fell with respect to the previous year, he remained at 435,000 (including about 53,000 repatriated), enough to compensate for the escape of Italians to other countries and leave a positive general migratory balance. The country fired the year with a census of some 58.9 million of residents. Japan’s example. Italy is not the only country that crosses demographic turbulence. In fact, Spain has reached a population record (49.1 million) It is thanks to the increase in the foreign population, which compensates for the decrease in the native. The puncture of birth and gradual aging are … Read more

The world wants more and more matcha tea. The problem is that Japan is not being able to give it to him

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For centuries Matcha tea It has been one of the most recognizable symbols of Japanese culture. Now is that and something else: a drink popularized by social networks and coveted in the international market to such an extent that, in Japan itself, there are stores that have been forced to limit sales by customer. The world is thirsty for Matcha. Increasingly. And that has triggered a deep imbalance in the market that will not be easy to correct in the short term. The big question is … why? Limited purchases. The market of Matchaa popular Japanese powder tea that is made with Técha leaves And it stands out for its bright green color, faces a complicated scenario: a considerable (and growing) decoupling between the supply and demand that has even led some suppliers to limit the amount of product they sell to their customers. Recently Nikkei Asia He spoke of online stores without stock or UJI and Kyoto stores in which only a single Matcha product per day is allowed to acquire. Nothing else. “Due to the strong and continuous increase in the demand for products in recent months, the current demand has already exceeded our production capacity,” Recognize The store Marukyu Koyamaen In a message posted on its website. “This translates into an extremely low inventory of all Matcha products at this time.” If the scenario were not complex in itself, it is added that there are producers who want to prevent their historical clients, such as temples, sanctuaries and places where the drink is used for ceremonial purposes, they are left short. A figure: 4,176 tons. The figures always help to better understand trends. And that of the Matcha boom is no exception. Although throughout the last decades the consumption of green tea and Matcha has been losing bellows in Japan, its success among foreign consumers has triggered the production of the ground TE. If in 2010 the country produced 1,471 tonsin 2023, according to the data of the Ministry of Japanese Agriculture (Maff), that volume had shot up to the 4,176 tons. Almost triple. The Japan Times Precise In addition, in the last five years, the sector has experienced a key change, orient more and more towards the international market: today more than half of the Japanese matcha ends up exporting. In general Nikkei Calculate That last year the flow of green tea exports reached 8,798 tons, ten times more than a couple of decades ago. Of that volume, powder tea, especially Matcha, represented more than half. The reflection in prices. The increase in demand has not long to move to prices, which draw an upward curve. After years down, the value of the tancha began to rebound after the pandemic and It has been consolidating little by little. In early May the Japanese newspaper The Asashi Shimbun revealed That, in the first auction of the year of green tea held at the Ja Zen-Noh Kyoto distribution center, the kilo reached an average of 8,235 yen, almost 67 dollars and 1.7 times more than a year ago. The value far exceeds the previous record, of 2016. Looking out of Japan. Interestingly, matcha fever comes after decades in which both the consumption of powdered tea and green tea in general has been losing strength In Japan’s households, which also explains that has decreased production. The causes of their renewed boom must be sought beyond, in an international demand that According to some analysts It moves to historical maximums. Only American buyers absorbed in 2024 44% of shipments International TEA powder. Second, quite a distance, Germany and Malaysia are. There are estimates that calculate that Matcha’s world market will be around 5,000 million of dollars in 2028, a more than considerable amount if one takes into account that in 2023 it stood at 2.8 billion. “In spite He recounts in Bloomberg K. Oanh ha. What is that boom? There is not a single factor that explains the growing world thirst for Matcha. When analyzing the phenomenon, analysts usually point out a key: the visibility it has reached in networks, both for its photogenic bright green hue and by the videos and comments that extol their health benefits, a message that seems to have penetrated above all After the pandemic. To that growing interest are added the changes in the consumption of the Matcha, which has ceased to be an exclusive drink of homemade ceremonies and meetings to join bottled drinks or even accompany chocolates and ice cream. And why not grow anymore? The tancha production has grown over the last years, expanding beyond the traditional areas of Japan. In addition, their farmers have seen how new competitors from China and South Korea arrived. So … why not that mismatch between supply and demand is not remedied? The key is in the limitations that the sector itself is found to expand its crops. The country has land, but plantations are not created overnight. It takes years In being lists and tancha leaves need to pass a storage and processing phase. Especially if farmers want to wear stone mills. The sector is not alien to the shortage of collectors and the lack of generational relief in a country that dealt with a serious birth crisis. Either to A record tourism flow that further tense demand. With that backdrop, farmers also face a fear that complicates the investments in the plantations: that the Matcha boom stays alone in that, a punctual fashion. Images | Matcha & Co (UNSPLASH) and T.TSeg (Flickr) In Xataka | Japan’s economy depends more and more on a very Japanese phenomenon: fans absolutely delivered to its idols

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