All posts by TF Tribe

  • Bigger power bills will be arriving soon.

    Did you notice that your  electricity bill this year is higher than the previous year? Well, that’s because Japan makes adjustments as often as necessary depending on the supply and demand situation. Next month is no different....

    • Posted December 27, 2021
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  • 200 Public School Teachers in Japan Punished for Sexual Abuse

    Japan’s education ministry revealed on Tuesday that a total of 200 teachers at public schools (fiscal year 2020) were subjected to disciplinary action for sexual abuse. Although the annual figure fell from 273 in fiscal 2019, the...

    • Posted December 22, 2021
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  • It tastes very close to KFC chicken.

    I know many of you will think it’s weird but in Japan, it’s customary to eat Kentucky fried chicken at Christmas. KFC’s busiest day is on Christmas eve and just in case they run out of your...

    • Posted December 22, 2021
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  • Antibodies in Breastmilk of Moms Who’ve Had COVID Can Protect Babies, says new study.

    A new study suggests breastfeeding after COVID-19 infection may increase an infant’s immune response to the new coronavirus. The study found that by the age of 2 months, the saliva taken from breastfed infants contained certain antibodies...

    • Posted November 24, 2021
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  • Australia reopens borders to travelers from Japan starting next month

    The Australian government said Monday it will relax border restrictions to travelers from safe travel zones which include Japan, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand as long as they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. From 1...

    • Posted November 22, 2021
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  • JR Tokai Line gives free bullet train rides to kids

    JR Tokai lines  announced today children under the age of 12 can ride for free on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen’s “Nozomi” bullet train. Nozomi trains are the fastest in Japan. A trip to Osaka from Tokyo takes only...

    • Posted November 19, 2021
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  • New D-I-Y Apple repair program starts next year

    Starting next year,  iPhone users will  be able to carry out repairs on their own, announced Apple on Wednesday as part of its Self-Service Repair program. People advocating the right to repair have expressed support for Apple’s...

    • Posted November 18, 2021
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  • Look to 2022 lucky bags for workation opportunities.

      The object of  New Year shopping tradition in Japan is to find a lucky bag or  fukubukuro with unknown random contents sold at really bargain prices. These are usually discounted by half or more of the...

    • Posted November 16, 2021
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  • Japan-approved booster program starts next month.

    Yesterday, Japan’s health ministry decided that the third shot of Pfizer Inc.’s novel coronavirus vaccine will be administered to people around 6 months after they have received their last shot, subject to the discretion of local governments....

    • Posted November 16, 2021
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  • When do Japan homeowners pay property taxes?

    A property tax is levied on homeowners regardless of which country you live in. Japan is no different. Property tax is made on a recurrent basis for a real estate property you own, also known as “fixed...

    • Posted November 15, 2021
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  • Full capacity events to return soon but no loud voices please says Japan

    There are talks the Japanese government is planning to relax the recent restriction by bringing back full capacity for large-scale events – provided – safety protocols such as appropriate ventilation and no loud voices are strictly observed....

    • Posted November 13, 2021
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  • Japan makes one terrific electric bike for you and your pet

    When it comes to having a fun activity with pets, nothing beats exercise, sunshine and fresh air. In general, most pet owners walk their dogs an average of 3,000 kms a year for many years. However, while...

    • Posted November 13, 2021
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  • Subaru’s first electric SUV is a looker!

    Subaru’s first new SUV car named Solterra EV is coming to car showrooms in Japan, Europe, US, Canada,  North America and China by around mid-2022 as announced by the car maker on Thursday. Just as its Latin...

    • Posted November 12, 2021
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  • Vintage Apple computer built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak auctioned off for US$400,000.

    A student who chooses to remain anonymous has kept an old rare computer known as “Chaffey College”  Apple-1  named after the original owner who was a professor at Chaffey College in Cucamonga, California sold it to him....

    • Posted November 11, 2021
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  • Japan approves the use of Pfizer booster shots only to people 18 and above.

    Yesterday, Japan’s health ministry panel approved the use of Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine booster shots. The minimum age for which Japan has set the booster shot however is 18 citing lack of clinical data for those under...

    • Posted November 11, 2021
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  • Bedtime fail: Daughter interrupts the prime minister of New Zealand’s at-home livestream

    New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was livestreaming about important public health revisions to Covid-19 restrictions when she was interrupted by her three-year old toddler who was supposed to be in bed.  She said,  “mummy”? “It’s bedtime, darling,...

    • Posted November 10, 2021
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  • Frozen bread by subscription becoming popular in Japan

    As people limit their trips to the bakery, frozen bread delivered door-to-door, a new type of service similar to Uber Eats, is creating a wave of demand. Pansuku, an ordering and delivery platform, has a working arrangement...

    • Posted November 10, 2021
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  • Garlicky, Creamy Shrimp Kids Will Love

    This simple yet easy-to- cook meal makes for an appetizing family dinner and a great companion to a French baguette. In order to enjoy this recipe better, buy shrimps fresh as they have a slightly sweet flavour...

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • Dazzling lights in the city

     

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • Pykes Peak releases its X20 foldable ebike

    On November 18, the electrically assisted Pykes Peak bicycle X20 will be on sale. It’s one of the fanciest and lightest folding designs on the market that’s tough on hard roads with a maximum cruising range of...

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • 50 yen flat train fare for children (on Odakyu line) starts next year

    A lot of families purchase train passes for children commuting to school everyday. But you will realize they don’t give as much savings. You would be better off just buying train tickets as you go. On Monday...

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • Lawson releases 100-yen meatball lunch packs

    A typical Japanese bento sold at convenience stores come with more than one “Okazu”  or side dish. But as food manufacturers and retailers weigh the probability of higher inflation, consumers in Japan are already feeling the pinch...

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • Japan residents registered with Tokyo Vaction app exceed 100,000 mark

    In just 7 days since the Tokyo Vaction app was released by the Tokyo Metropolitan government, more than 100,000 people in Japan have already registered. The app was initially intended as an incentive for young people to...

    • Posted November 8, 2021
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  • Siroca releases a new Microwave oven with a good defrosting control.

    If you have tried to thaw frozen meat straight from the freezer using a microwave oven, chances are parts of the meat came out half cooked and other parts  stayed raw because of uneven heating. Why does...

    • Posted November 8, 2021
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  • Japan has 0 COVID-19-related death for the first time in 15 months

    Things have vastly improved in terms of Covid-19 infections that lead to death. For the first time in over 15 months, Japan had no reported case of death linked to Covid-19. Of the 162 newly confirmed infection...

    • Posted November 8, 2021
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  • The stroller made for Tokyo’s tight and narrow spaces.

    Hopping on and off busy trains in Tokyo with kids in tow is relatively easy with Nuna’s TRIV stroller. Parents new to Tokyo are aghast by how tight and narrow spaces are between ticket gates at train...

    • Posted November 7, 2021
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  • “The Boss Baby – Family Business” in Tokyo theatres Dec. 17

    When American computer-animated comedy film – The Boss Baby (loosely based on the 2010 picture book by Marla Frazee) – was first released in 2017, it became a hit among families in the United States for its...

    • Posted November 7, 2021
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  • The magical autumn colours of the Japanese Alps offer respite during pandemic.

    As the most eye-catching red and purple pigments of the deciduous forests cloak the Japanese Alps and its surrounding, the season promises to make outdoor activities fun. Popular autumn family activities such as biking, hiking, climbing, canoeing...

    • Posted November 7, 2021
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  • Mozzarella cheese overtakes Camembert’s popularity in France

    For the first time in cheese-loving France, sales from Camembert continues to decline by 3% year on year. In contrast, “the sales of Italian mozzarella, is steadily growing by 5% annually,”  revealed Fabrice Collier, president of Normandy...

    • Posted November 6, 2021
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  • Japan plans to provide 100,000 yen coronavirus support to children under 19

    The government of Japan, members of the ruling LDP and its coalition partner Komeito, are considering to provide children under 19 with 100,000 yen support amid the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The cash handout program at...

    • Posted November 6, 2021
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