#137 - We're back!

Why is Tokyo Metropolitan Government releasing a dating app? Aaron and Parker discuss PM Kishida vowing stronger steps for recovery of central Japan quake, Kyoto Animation arsonist sentenced to death, and retired Japan bullet train snack carts up for sale.

Japanese music industry expert and entrepreneur Lauren Rose Kocher shares her insights on Japan's music industry, PR in the entertainment space, and how Japanese artists and music labels have the potential to reach a global audience. Aaron and Parker discuss the recovery effort in the wake of a massive earthquake in central Japan, what will happen to a burned aircraft from a Tokyo airport collision, and government efforts to stabilize Japan's population at 80 million by year 2100.

What is HHCH and why did Japan move to ban this substance after it became known as a synthetic variant of marijuana? How did this become an issue taken up by Japan's Ministry of Health? Aaron and Parker discuss the Japan PM resigning as ruling party faction head amid funds scandal, host clubs in Tokyo nightlife district vowing to stop running up huge customer tabs, and a Tokyo taxi driver who was arrested for allegedly running over a pigeon.

What ended up happening in the aftermath of Shibuya's war on Halloween? Aaron and Parker discuss Shibuya Halloween's tight security, the end of snack carts on the Tokaido Shinkansen, and a Japan minister admitting to paying rent to their mom using political funds.

Will people heed Shibuya's calls to stay away as it braces for the Halloween crowd? How many in Japan are calling newly-renamed Twitter 'X'? What happened to a wild boar swimming at a port in central Chiba after 3 were bitten? Aaron and Parker talk about coming back to Tokyo Wave after a 3+ month hiatus, and what is in store for future episodes.

What is the future of AI in Japan? Is Japan falling behind the rest of the world on this new technology? Will the Japanese government open its arms to the upcoming AI era? Aaron and Parker address Japan's first official stance on AI and discuss the first-ever instance of a woman attending a committee at the Prime Minister's office with her newborn, Kobe enacting Japan's first ordinance on the use of ChatGPT, and the accusation of a Tokyo host club employee for abetting prostitution in the first case in 60 years.

Accomplished entrepreneur, designer, and artist Hitomi Abiko shares her insights on being a character designer, creating the meetup group Creative Tokyo, and running a startup in Japan. Aaron and Parker discuss Japan rolling the dice on Japan's 1st casino resort in Osaka, Uniqlo's ambitious plans to triple sales, and the battle over the impending demolition of a Tokyo park where Babe Ruth played.

Why are SoftBank and other Japanese firms moving to limit ChatGPT use? Will Japan Inc. suffer again from the Galapagos effect as other global companies embrace the latest trend in AI tech? Aaron and Parker discuss China-wary Japan establishing a new military base on Ishigaki Island, hotels in western Japan being urged not to request ID from foreign residents, and a Japanese language school warned after calling Ukrainian students "refugee aristocrats".

The Government of Japan has released a detailed roadmap of their Web3 plans. Will the economy ministry's embracement of Web3 bring massive changes to Japan? Aaron and Parker discuss Seven & i exiting the apparel business, zoo lions dying after being infected with COVID, and the Governor of Aichi lashing out against Ghibli Park guests posting improper photos online.

Will Honda's soon to be released jet-sharing service bring private jet flight to a larger market? Is it going to bring down the price of private jet flight considerably, given Honda makes and owns their own jets? Is more private jet flight a boon for travel in rural Japan or just another emissions nightmare? Aaron and Parker discuss Japan dropping to 104th in gender disparity, Japan's job availability down in January for the 1st time in over 2 years, and a government recount of listed Japanese islands finding more than 2x the previous statistic.