tokuon

I’ve been thinking recently about how to reorganize my writings. I’ve created this blog, another sub-blog “EJ Bits” for English/Japanese learning, and now I’ve decided to start one for my interest in trends in Japan. This one will be oriented primarily toward business with a cultural bent. Call it practice for my day job as a marketer I suppose. If you’re interested in writing (in English or Japanese) for me, let me know! Access “Reading Matcha” at http://readingmatcha.com. Nothing there yet though…

最近、私のライティングをどのように整理すればいいのか考えてきた。このブログを作って、もう一つの英語と日本語学習のサブ・ブログ「EJ Bits」を作って、そして今日から日本のトレンドについて作ろうと思ったんです。このブログは主にビジネス向けですが、社会・文化の面も見てみたいと思う。まぁ、マーケティングの仕事のための練習と考えてもいい。もし、英語か日本語でこの新しいブログに記事を掲載したければ、連絡してね。「リーディング抹茶」をアクセスするにはここクリックしてください：http://readingmatcha.com。まだ何もないけど。

Record number of foreign tourists visit Japan in January-June 2008 period (2008.07.28, Japan Economic News)

In 2007, 8.35 million foreign tourists visited Japan. According to data released today by the Japan National Tourist Organization, the first half of 2008 saw about 4.33 million foreign tourists enter the country, which was a 10% gain on 2007 figures.

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Japan consumer confidence hits all time lows - again - in July (2008.08.13, Japan Economic News). Interesting stats from this article. Down quite a bit from a year ago. Can anyone with an economics background tell me what it means when everything except income growth falls? I would think that income growth remaining stagnant is the one good sign?

The general consumer confidence index figure fell from 32.6 in June to 31.4 in July, for a drop of 1.2 points.

The Consumer Confidence Index itself contains five scores, each of which is considered positive when above 50, and pessimistic when below the 50 mark. Here’s a breakdown for July’s figures, with the change from last month:

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Asahi.comの記事：『首都圏マンション、発売戸数４４．５％減　７月の前年比』(8/14)

不動産経済研究所が発表した７月の首都圏マンション市場動向によると、発売戸数は前年同月比４４．５％減の３５５４戸で、７月としては９２年以来の低水 準。一方、１戸あたりの価格は前年同月比０．０８％アップの５３０９万円となった。売れ行きを示す契約率は５３．５％で、今年１月以来の５０％台だった。

不動産経済研究所の７月の首都圏マンション・建売市場動向（PDF）

不動産経済研究所のホームページ：www.fudousankeizai.co.jp

Asahi.com reported a summary of the Real Estate Economic Institute’s “July 2008 Condominium Market Trend Report” on Aug. 14.

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According to this July 30th Nikkei Net Interactive article, “Digital Manga Help Cell Phones Find New Calling” (source sited 2008.8.13)

Impress R&D says the cell phone manga market stood at 22.9 billion yen in the business year through March, up 80% from a year earlier.

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