toward both their commercial partners and their employees, a practice deeply rooted in the country’s cultural and psychological foundations. Industry experts point out that while many perceive Japanese culture as repressive, this sense of restraint stems from a deep-seated pressure of being watched or judged by others, in what is often referred t
All of this has been supported by a steadily rising consumption tax. Since its introduction in 1997, Japan has gradually increased the consumption tax rate to 10%, with the majority of the revenue directed toward funding the social security system. Industry experts believe that since the 2000s, nearly all core social policies in Japan have revolved
environment, as well as cultural and psychological factors, have played a significant role. First of all, the Japanese government has made substantial investments in its social security system. Throughout the “Lost Decades”, one data point remained notably stable, and that is the Gini coefficient. In a context of economic stagnation, wage stagn
the proportion of food expenditure relative to total household consumption. In the late 1980s, Japan’s Engel’s coefficient fell to around 20%, indicating that households then had relatively more “disposable income”. However, as real incomes declined, this ratio began to rebound. By 2022, the Engel’s coefficient had risen to 26.6%, meaning
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lifting of lockdown measures, China’s economic momentum has remained weak, with a marked decline in consumer spending. Over the past year, uncertainty surrounding both the economic outlook and external factors has intensified. Among urban residents, issues such as the rising poverty a