Cultural resistance to change remains in Japan

Japan's 'Galapagos Island' syndrome

Japan's strongest sectors and future prospects?

How China has overtaken Japan in online payments

Banking on oddball Japanese creativity to improve global 'soft' power

Letter From The Bureau Ep 5: How Japan lost reputation as needle-shifting tech innovators 

20:19 mins

Synopsis: The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe every month.

They talk about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.

In this episode, she chats with ST's Japan correspondent Walter Sim about the following:
Cultural resistance to change remains in Japan; how even vaccination passports are still paper-based (4:17)
How the 'Galapagos Island' syndrome has cost Japan (6:15)
Japan's strongest sectors and future prospects? (7:53)
How China has overtaken Japan in online payments and how it took made-in-Japan QR Code technology to a higher level (9:20)
Banking on oddball creativity for a cool Japan image, or even kawaii (cute) cultural product exports to improve its global 'soft' power (15:15)

Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (bhagya@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim & Dan Koh

Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/Ju4h 

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Walter Sim’s stories: https://str.sg/ws6J

Follow Walter Sim on Twitter: https://twitter.com/waltersimmx

Read more of ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/letter-from-the-bureau

Asian Insider newsletter: https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider

Asian Insider videos: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX

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Discover more ST podcast series:

Asian Insider Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa7

Green Pulse Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaf

Health Check Podcast: https://str.sg/JWaN

ST Sports Talk Podcast: https://str.sg/JWRE

Life Weekend Picks Podcast: https://str.sg/JWa2

#PopVultures Podcast: https://str.sg/JWad

Bookmark This! Podcast: https://str.sg/JWas

Lunch With Sumiko Podcast: https://str.sg/J6hQ

Discover BT Podcasts: https://bt.sg/pcPL

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

 

Letter From The Bureau Ep 5: How Japan lost reputation as needle-shifting tech innovators&nbsp;
20:19 mins
Synopsis:&nbsp;The Straits Times' foreign editor Bhagyashree Garekar chats with ST&rsquo;s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe every month.
They&nbsp;talk&nbsp;about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.
In this episode, she chats with ST's Japan correspondent Walter Sim about the following:
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Cultural resistance to change remains in Japan; how even vaccination passports are still paper-based (4:17)</li>
<li aria-level="1">How the 'Galapagos Island' syndrome has cost Japan (6:15)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Japan's strongest sectors and future prospects? (7:53)</li>
<li aria-level="1">How China has overtaken Japan in online payments and how it took made-in-Japan QR Code technology to a higher level (9:20)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Banking on oddball creativity for a cool Japan image, or even kawaii (cute) cultural product exports to improve its global 'soft' power (15:15)</li>
</ol>
Produced by: Bhagyashree Garekar (<a href="mailto:bhagya@sph.com.sg">bhagya@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim &amp; Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim &amp; Dan Koh
Subscribe to our Asian Insider Podcast channel to follow our various shows each week and rate us on your favourite audio apps:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa8">https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/Ju4h">https://str.sg/Ju4h</a>&nbsp;
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaX">https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
Website:<a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts"> http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg
Read Walter Sim&rsquo;s stories: <a href="https://str.sg/ws6J">https://str.sg/ws6J</a>
Follow Walter Sim on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/waltersimmx">https://twitter.com/waltersimmx</a>
Read more of ST's Letters From The Bureau:<a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/letter-from-the-bureau"> https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/letter-from-the-bureau</a>
Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider"> https://www.straitstimes.com/tags/asian-insider</a>
Asian Insider videos:<a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX"> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnK3VE4BKduMSOntUoS6ALNp21jMmgfBX</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast series:
Asian Insider Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Green Pulse Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaf"> https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Health Check Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaN"> https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
ST Sports Talk Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWRE"> https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
Life Weekend Picks Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa2"> https://str.sg/JWa2</a>
#PopVultures Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWad"> https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Bookmark This! Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/JWas"> https://str.sg/JWas</a>
Lunch With Sumiko Podcast:<a href="https://str.sg/J6hQ"> https://str.sg/J6hQ</a>
Discover BT Podcasts:<a href="https://bt.sg/pcPL"> https://bt.sg/pcPL</a>
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#STAsianInsider
&nbsp;

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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