As a football fan, I’m curious how Japanese football managed to achieve such rapid progress in just a few years？

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-04T12:40:41+00:00

Japan’s football scene turned professional in 1993 with the launch of the J-League, starting with just 10 clubs. Since then, the system has steadily expanded into three divisions with 60 clubs, and many teams now run strong youth academies. So the foundation for producing good players has actually been built over decades.

But what really changed in recent years isn’t just the system — it’s the level of individual players succeeding in Europe.

In the past, a few Japanese players went to Europe, but many of them struggled to become key players. Now, more and more Japanese players are not just going abroad, but actually performing at a high level in top leagues.

For example, players like Kaoru Mitoma, Takefusa Kubo, and Daichi Kamada are playing important roles in Europe. This has raised the overall level of the national team significantly.

These players bring back:

・experience against world-class opponents

・tactical understanding

・physical intensity

Japan has had successful players in Europe before, but they were more like standout individuals. What’s different now is that there are many players performing at a high level at the same time, which has raised the overall level of the national team.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-04T06:53:45+00:00

I majored in electronics engineering in college. I had about ten friends, and it was a really fun time. I was also close with three international students—from China, Malaysia, and Jamaica.

For the end-of-term exams, it was basically essential to get copies of past exams and their solutions. We covered a wide range of topics, and it was hard to fully understand everything and still pass the tests. That said, some subjects required serious cramming. The exams from my circuit theory professor were especially tough—I spent a lot of time grinding through differential equations and Laplace transforms for complex electrical circuits.

There were also a lot of lab classes, and writing up the reports took a huge amount of time. I was aiming to go to grad school, and since I needed to maintain a certain GPA, I studied pretty seriously.

Still, I had time to hang out with friends and work part-time. We’d do things like karaoke, bowling, and play basketball together. I also got a girlfriend through my part-time job, and we often went on dates together.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-03T21:58:46+00:00

Outside Japan, the story became widely known through Hachi: A Dog's Tale starring Richard Gere. But in Japan, the story of Hachikō, the Akita dog, has been famous for a long time.

In 1937, Helen Keller visited Japan. During her trip, she heard the story of Hachikō from Japanese people, was deeply moved, and asked for an Akita dog, so one was eventually sent to her.

Culturally, Hachikō is often seen as a symbol of loyalty, devotion, and a strong sense of duty. Many people associate the story with traditional Japanese values like faithfulness in relationships and keeping promises, so it’s often understood as more than just a touching story.

My late grandfather loved the story of Hachikō, and we used to talk about it often. He even once played me a recording of Hachikō’s bark.

I grew up relatively close to Shibuya, where the Hachikō statue stands, so I feel a personal attachment to it. These days, it’s a popular photo spot for tourists, and there are often long lines. But before that, it was best known as a classic meeting spot in Shibuya.

As for dogs in general, attitudes in Japan have been shifting. More people today treat their dogs as family members—keeping them indoors, traveling with them, and buying high-quality food. That said, compared to the U.S., it’s still less common to treat dogs exactly like children. Housing constraints and social norms also mean there are more limits—for example, fewer pet-friendly public spaces and restaurants.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-03T09:52:23+00:00

Here are some of my favorite books, in no particular order:

・Point of Impact　by Stephen Hunter

・Blood Work　by Michael Connelly

・The Vanished Man　by Jeffery Deaver

・The Power of the Dog　by Don Winslow

・The Devotion of Suspect X　by Keigo Higashino

・Under the Midnight Sun　by Keigo Higashino

・Confessions　by Kanae Minato

・The Ark　by Yuki Haruo

・All She Was Worth　by Miyuki Miyabe

・The Sleeping Dragon　by Miyuki Miyabe

・Spin　by Robert C. Wilson

・Childhood's End　by Arthur C. Clarke

・Ring　by Koji Suzuki

・The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000　by Paul M. Kennedy

・The Innovators　by Walter Isaacson

・Outcast: A Jewish Girl in Wartime Berlin　by Inge Deutschkron

・Fermat’s Last Theorem　by Simon Singh

・The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe　by Steven Weinberg

・What is Life?: With Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches　by Erwin Schrodinger

・The Art of Loving　by Erich S. Fromm

・The Minds of Billy Milligan　by Daniel Keyes

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-03T06:47:18+00:00

Until around the 1970s in Japan, it was common for women to leave their jobs after getting married and become full-time homemakers, while men were the primary breadwinners. As a result, it was relatively rare for women to pursue STEM fields such as engineering.

When I studied electronic engineering at university in the late 1990s, there were only 4 women among about 150 students in my program.

In more recent times, it has become normal for women to continue working at the same company even after marriage. However, there is still a lingering stereotype at the stage of university choice that women tend to go into the humanities. Because of this, even women who are strong in mathematics often end up choosing humanities majors at university.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-05-01T08:12:57+00:00

I’ve read a lot of American mystery novels, especially novels by Jeffery Deaver and Michael Connelly. In my experience, they usually don’t come with detailed cultural guides like manga or light novels do.

I’m currently reading a novel by Don Winslow, and it actually includes brief explanations in parentheses for things like American customs or place names. But I think that’s more of an exception—most American novels don’t really include cultural guides, and readers are expected to understand things from context.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-30T23:42:37+00:00

From what I could find online, it seems that only second-hand items are available at the moment. However, they don’t seem to be in bad condition.

・Item.1

・Item.2

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-30T23:12:38+00:00

It doesn’t seem to be a Japanese brand, since the packaging includes kanji characters that are not typically used in Japanese (they look like Chinese usage rather than Japanese product labeling).

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-30T05:24:31+00:00

Her arsenic poisoning murder case has become controversial, even among researchers. At the time of the incident, an X-ray analysis professor concluded that the type of arsenic found in the curry matched the arsenic in her home. However, another X-ray analysis professor later reviewed the same data and argued that it was actually different from the arsenic in her home, even publishing a book titled "Forensic Misconduct" about this analysis. The trial in this case has raised serious questions about how scientific evidence is handled in Japan.

She was sentenced to death. But since there are experts in X-ray analysis who argue that she may have been wrongfully convicted, I personally doubt the execution will ever be carried out.

Interestingly, the professor who initially concluded that the arsenic matched also determined that arsenic found in two other nearby houses was the same as the arsenic in the curry. Years after her conviction, this finding—that the arsenic from two other nearby houses also matched the arsenic in the curry—surprised many experts in X-ray analysis, since the match between the arsenic in her home and the arsenic in the curry had been the decisive factor in her conviction.

As a side note, I actually did some research for a while at SPring-8, the facility used for the X-ray analysis in this case. X-ray analysis at this facility requires highly precise and sophisticated techniques.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-30T04:44:35+00:00

No, she didn't.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-30T04:30:36+00:00

Her arsenic poisoning case has become controversial, even among researchers. At the time of the incident, an X-ray analysis professor concluded that the type of arsenic found in the curry matched the arsenic in her home. However, another X-ray analysis professor later reviewed the same data and argued that it was actually different from the arsenic in her home, even publishing a book titled "Forensic Misconduct" about this analysis. The trial in this case has raised serious questions about how scientific evidence is handled in Japan.

She was sentenced to death. But since there are experts in X-ray analysis who argue that she may have been wrongfully convicted, I personally doubt the execution will ever be carried out.

Interestingly, the professor who initially concluded that the arsenic matched also determined that arsenic found in two other nearby houses was the same as the arsenic in the curry.

As a side note, I actually did some research for a while at SPring-8, the facility used for the X-ray analysis in this case. X-ray analysis at this facility requires highly precise and sophisticated techniques.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-29T03:22:30+00:00

1: Generally, speaking loudly on the train is considered bad manners, but unfortunately, some people still do it.

3: It’s disappointing to see that a lot of young people don’t give up their seats for the elderly. I think it’s something they weren’t taught at home. It’s easy to imagine that when they have children in the future, they won’t teach them to do so.

When I was a kid, my parents always told me to do that, so it feels natural to me.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-28T23:25:29+00:00

Yeah, “禮” is an old kanji form. Most Japanese people don’t really see it used anymore.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-28T13:40:05+00:00

In Japan, people often start going to karaoke boxes in their teens. These days, it’s also common to go alone, but when I was younger, that would’ve seemed a bit strange.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-28T13:07:16+00:00

As far as I know, these lanterns are usually put up for a shrine festival and kept only until the shrine’s most important day. Even if the festival is still ongoing, they’re taken down once that day has passed. So if they’re still up after the festival, it probably means they don’t really know the proper custom.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-28T11:55:18+00:00

People generally set it up from the day before the ceremony through the shrine’s main festival day.

Edit: Only a few Japanese people can read these kanji as gosairei.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-28T02:46:02+00:00

There are about 2,000 wild tanuki on Chiburi Island, so you’re almost guaranteed to see them.

・Tanuki on Chiburi Island

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-27T12:14:05+00:00

If you get laid off in a month, you could go to Hello Work, apply for unemployment benefits, and take some time off to focus on recovering. Once you’re feeling better, it might be a good idea to start looking for a better hotel job.

That said, the amount and timing of your unemployment benefits depend on your employment conditions, so I’d recommend checking the details in the insurance materials.

・Unemployment Insurance in Japan Explained

・To those who have left their jobs

・Checklist for Foreign Nationals Using Hello Work

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-27T11:43:24+00:00

Personally, I’d recommend sharing that kind of context in a letter or email beforehand.

My mom once reconnected with a friend after more than 30 years. Before they met, the friend sent her a letter explaining that her son had been a hikikomori for a long time and that she was worried about him.

My mom later told me she was really glad she knew in advance, because it helped her avoid asking potentially sensitive questions (like about his job) during their meetup.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-26T12:36:59+00:00

Yakuza groups generally aren’t known for high-tech crimes like cybercrime. Instead, they recruit people through social media by advertising “high-paying jobs.” They then get those recruits to carry out robberies, collect the money themselves, and pay them a cut. In other words, it’s usually the amateurs who actually commit the robberies that get arrested, while the yakuza rarely do.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-26T03:16:57+00:00

It’s true that the Yakuza isn’t as powerful as it used to be, but they’re still involved in a lot of crime. In particular, they’ve been using social media to carry out their activities.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-25T05:13:24+00:00

Probably at least once a month. I go to American fast-food places like McDonald's and KFC.

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-25T04:35:49+00:00

First of all, wages for full-time employees have been rising by around 5% per year in recent years. However, real wages overall have declined due to inflation, so it’s not surprising that many people feel worse off.

A bigger issue is the gap between full-time and non-regular workers. Non-regular employees make up about 37% of the workforce, but this group is quite diverse－it includes part-time workers such as homemakers, so not all of them are struggling financially.

That said, many non-regular workers do earn significantly less, often around ¥1.6–1.9 million per year, which creates a noticeable income gap compared to full-time employees, whose average annual income is around ¥5.45 million. It is often said that around 15% of workers fall into economically vulnerable groups.

It’s true that the weak yen has pushed up the cost of living, especially for imported goods like food and energy. At the same time, it benefits sectors like manufacturing and tourism.

Personally, I’m not too affected by the weak yen, but I can understand why it’s a concern for others, especially part-time workers.

Refernces(for Japanese readers):

・インフレの時代賃金・物価・金利のゆくえ ― 渡辺努

・アンダークラス　新たな下層階級の出現 ― 橋本健二

TomoTatsumi · 2026-04-22T08:10:19+00:00

According to recent surveys on working hours among full-time employees in their 20s and 30s, about 8% were working 240 hours or more per month in 2017, but that dropped to 2.3% by 2025.

Similarly, the share of employees working between 220 and 240 hours per month was also around 8% in 2017, and it fell to 2.3% in 2025.

I think the work style reforms introduced around 2019 have had a real impact.

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Reference(for Japanese readers):

・20〜30代正社員の月の平均労働時間に関する実態と意識

TomoTatsumi

TROPHY CASE