Under Japan’s registration system, the same surname keeps families together. For other purposes, though, common names should be allowed.
Allowing married couples to register different surnames could lead to the collapse of Japan’s family registry system.
As with most serious subjects, suicide requires knowledge that the typical generalist journalist does not have. When this is combined with stereotypical beliefs about Japan and...
On International Women’s Day, JAPAN Forward introduces some of the women who seek to overcome social barriers by speaking out, finding work-life balance, and embracing diversity.
Sheila Cliffe traces the routes of Japan’s silk road and its path to becoming an industrialized nation.
Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori took responsibility for his derogatory statement. Isn’t it time for the West to do the same for the distorted picture it...
Acquiring or retaining Japanese citizenship is less complicated than foreign media make it appear to be. Here’s the low-down on its pros and cons, costs, benefits,...
“Online abuse is a crime. I want people to think carefully before they post an abusive comment,” said the mother of Hana Kimura, whose apparent suicide...
~~ As 2020 comes to a close, we at JAPAN Forward are reflecting on the stories that moved Japan forward this year. While SARS-Cov-2 the virus...
In typical Japanese style, the country has trending words of the year and the kanji of the year. We take a look at the single unwelcome...
On November 23, a UN panel released an opinion deeming the decision to arrest Carlos Ghosn neither “necessary nor justified” and the process by which...
South Korea is being rocked hard by the exposure of alleged “military service-related irregularities” involving the son of Justice Minister Choo Mi Ae. The...