Japanese Companies Research Articles

Association of rotating night shift work with tooth loss and severe periodontitis among permanent employees in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

The modern 24/7 society demands night shift work, which is a possible risk factor for chronic diseases. This study aimed to examine the associations of rotating night shift work duration with tooth loss and severe periodontitis. This cross-sectional study used data from a self-administered questionnaire survey conducted among 3,044 permanent employees aged 20-64 years through a Japanese web research company in 2023. The duration of rotating night shift work was assessed using a question from the Nurses' Health Study. Tooth loss was assessed based on self-reported remaining natural teeth count. Severe periodontitis was assessed using a validated screening questionnaire comprising four questions related to gum disease, loose tooth, bone loss, and bleeding gums. We employed linear regression models for tooth loss and Poisson regression models for severe periodontitis, adjusting for demographic, health and work-related variables and socioeconomic status. Among participants included, 10.9% worked in rotating night shifts for 1-5 years, while 11.0% worked in such shifts for ≥6 years. In fully adjusted models, rotating night shift work duration of 1-5 years was associated with tooth loss (beta -0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-1.55 to 0.08]) and severe periodontitis (prevalence ratio 1.80, 95% CI [1.33-2.43]); however, the association with tooth loss was not statistically significant. This study supports that employees who work short-term rotating night shifts may experience poor oral conditions. Further research is needed to determine whether long-term rotating night shift work is associated with deteriorated oral health.

Japan’s Forgotten Korean Forced Laborers: The Search for Hidden Wartime Graves in Hokkaido

Abstract The return of remains of Korean forced laborers who died in Japan between 1940 and 1945 has been a major controversy for over half a century for Koreans. These deaths reveal the tragic consequences of Japan’s World War II forced labor system. Japan forcefully mobilized nearly 800,000 Koreans who were taken to at least 1,589 worksites in Japan and 381 worksites in Hokkaido. Over 10 percent of all Koreans forcefully mobilized throughout the empire are estimated to have died or disappeared, but the precise number of Korean forced laborers’ deaths inside Japan remains unknown. Until 1989, remains recovered from graves throughout Japan by local people were immediately cremated by Japanese Buddhist priests, making cause of death and precise identities forensically impossible. This account relates the first and only comprehensive effort to exhume Korean forced labor graves without immediate cremation, coordinated by Korean and Japanese activists and academics based in Hokkaido. This effort helped revive a neglected aspect of Korean forced labor history while focusing on the concerns of bereaved Koreans seeking the remains of their lost family members. Nevertheless, the project had serious limitations due to working in a difficult political environment and neglect of forensic science protocols in mass grave excavations and identification. This complex situation prevented identification of victims’ names and cause of death that could have held the Japanese government and companies involved accountable.

The influence of Japanese automotive industry investment in East Nógrád

This study explores Japanese-Hungarian economic relations, specifically focusing on foreign direct investments (FDI) in Hungary. The analysis delves into the historical development and current state of Japanese capital flow into Hungary, with a particular emphasis on the automotive industry. Foreign direct investments are shown to enhance productivity throughtechnology transfer and foster positive impacts on corporate relationships, contributing to economic growth. The study demonstrates the mutual benefits of Japanese FDI in the Hungarian automotive industry and includes a case study on the activities of a Japanese company in Hungary, examining its role in the regional labour market.

Prevalence and impact on daily life of lower urinary tract symptoms in Japan: Results of the 2023 Japan Community Health Survey (JaCS 2023).

A large-scale nationwide epidemiological survey of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was conducted via the Internet in 2023 to clarify the current prevalence of LUTS and evaluate its impact on daily life in Japan. The survey was conducted among individuals aged 20-99 years old who had anonymously registered with a Japanese online research company. The survey consisted of 48 questions related to LUTS and daily life. A total of 6210 participants (3088 females and 3122 males), who were selected by probability sampling based on the composition of the Japanese population (age range: 20-99), were recruited. The overall prevalence of LUTS was 77.9% among the subjects aged ≥20 and 82.5% among those aged ≥40. The prevalence of LUTS differed between the sexes and trends toward significant increases in prevalence with age were seen for almost all LUTS. Furthermore, the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) was 11.9% among the subjects aged ≥20 and 13.8% among those aged ≥40. This study also showed that LUTS negatively affected daily life. However, the percentage of subjects who visited a physician to receive treatment for LUTS was low, including for participants with a history of treatment for LUTS, although this increased with age. The prevalence of LUTS, including OAB, increased with age and negatively affected daily life. However, since the percentage of patients who visit a physician to receive treatment for LUTS remains low, further educational activities regarding LUTS are necessary.

Antecedents and consequences of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic: a natural experiment in Japan

Amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, telework (remote work) has become a widespread practice adopted by companies worldwide. However, Japan has notably maintained a low rate of telework implementation, suggesting cultural factors hindering its adoption. This study aimed to elucidate the antecedents and consequences of teleworking in Japan. Leveraging the natural experiment created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we addressed two key questions: (1) What socio-psychological factors in Japanese workplaces were important for implementing telework in the first place? and (2) How did the implementation of telework subsequently influence socio-psychological factors in these workplaces? Employees from various Japanese companies completed three waves of an online survey before and during the pandemic. Results showed that telework was more likely to be implemented in organizations characterized by a meritocracy. Results also showed that the implementation of telework demonstrated no measurable negative effects but instead increased levels of independence, organizational commitment, and perceived hierarchy mutability.

The Concept of Corporate Reputation Measurement: The Case of Japanese Companies

Corporate reputation and its impact on different stakeholders have sparked an intense debate among practitioners and academics alike. Researchers have developed multiple dimensions to measure corporate reputation. Different models were proposed to measurethat construct. Considered a major intangible asset, corporate reputation may bring several advantages that ultimately enhance public perception and contribute to better corporate performance. However, sound research can only result from designing a reliable and sound corporate measurement instrument. Building on the measurement framework embodied in the RepTrakTM scorecard developed by the Reputation Institute, this study reports tests conducted to validate the measures empirically through a survey questionnaire of 157 controllers in Japanese companies. Data collected was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by structural equation modeling (SEM). The SEM documented that the goodness of fit values was within acceptable limits. Resultsvalidate the RepTrakTM scorecard as a tool for measuring the perceptions of corporate reputation by different stakeholders. The study also documents that effective leadership contributes to higher firm performance. Results are presented and limitations will be discussed.

Trading locomotives between the USA and Japan: Okura & Co. at the beginning of the twentieth century

Abstract This article examines international transactions related to steam locomotives at the beginning of the twentieth century while focusing on Japanese trading companies. In particular, it considers in detail how Japanese trading companies acquired the knowledge and know-how of locomotive trading to carry out their business transactions through a case study of Okura & Co.'s New York branch office. The analysis highlights the following three factors that supported Okura's locomotive trade in New York: first, the company took advantage of business opportunities by collecting information through networks of Japanese contacts in New York and local experts; second, it utilised social and technological infrastructure, including international communication lines, transportation, and financial systems, as key fundamentals of its overseas activities; third, a former oyatoi (hired foreigner) played a critical role as its consulting engineer. In particular, the overseas activities of Japanese trading companies drew heavily on formerly hired foreign engineers, whose technological knowledge and networks became an essential route of knowledge transfer in cross-regional commercial management. These will contribute to the evolution of history related to the starting points of global activities of Japanese trading companies.

Achievement of privatization objectives of Japanese expressway companies

In 2005, Japan’s four road-related public corporations were privatized into expressway companies to achieve three main objectives: steady repayment of interest-bearing debt, early and inexpensive construction of expressways, and provision of various services. Currently, all shares of the three Nippon Expressway Companies are owned by the Japanese government; however, the government plans to consider listing its shares in the future. To promote discussion on further privatization of expressway companies, examining the status of the original objectives and the factors that have contributed to their achievement or non-achievement is imperative. By analyzing the Japan Expressway Holding and Debt Repayment Agency agreement documents and investor relations information, this study clarifies the achievement status of the aforementioned objectives and identifies factors that have contributed to their attainment. The findings indicate that while the objective of repaying interest-bearing debt has been achieved, there is still ambiguity regarding the early and inexpensive construction of the expressway objective. Furthermore, the objective of providing various services has not been achieved. The results indicate that identifying the factors related to the achievement or non-achievement of the objectives can help further privatize these companies more efficiently.

Association between Toothbrushing and Cancer Risk.

Most cancers are lifestyle-related and are thus preventable. Lifestyle habits can be improved by individual efforts; for example, because oral health is suggested to play a preventive role in cancer risk, toothbrushing is considered a critical and fundamental measure for controlling oral health. This study aimed to investigate the association between toothbrushing and cancer risk. Cross-sectional data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey, a large-scale (n = 32,000) online survey conducted in 2022, were used. From September 12 to October 19, 2022, questionnaires were distributed to candidates selected by simple random sampling from a Japanese Internet research company's panelists to represent the Japanese population. The association between toothbrushing and cancer risk according to cancer prevalence was then analyzed. Among all 32,000 participants, 2,495 (7.8%) who had any cancer previously were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between toothbrushing habit and cancer risk. The findings of this study suggest that daily toothbrushing is essential for maintaining oral health and preventing cancer.

경제안보 패러다임 하에서 한일간 협력 강화의 중요성 고찰

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to look back on Korea-Japan economic relations in the wake of the recent improvement in Korea-Japan relations, and to consider the importance and necessity of strengthening cooperation between Korea and Japan in a trade environment where economic security and protectionism are spreading.
 Research design, data, and methodology: This paper first reviews recent studies similar to the scope of this study, and then examines changes in the world economic order and global trade environment due to the spread of the economic security paradigm. Based on this, we analyze the challenges facing Korea and Japan, and then consider why strengthening cooperation between Korea and Japan is important and necessary under the current trade environment where protectionism is rampant. The analysis method uses various international organizations and Korea-Japan trade statistics to analyze the structure and characteristics of Korea-Japan exports and imports, the effects of the Korea-Japan FTA within RCEP, and the ripple effects of the expansion of Korea-Japan cooperation.
 Results: This paper analyzes the relationship between the economic and industrial structures between Korea and Japan and suggests that building a strong cooperative relationship at the present time, as it has in the past, will bring about mutual benefits. In particular, it emphasizes the need for active response through multilateral cooperation on the international stage, such as RCEP and IPEF, and not limited to cooperation between the two countries. Specifically, the Korean and Japanese economies have a fundamental condition in which they cannot help but prioritize the U.S.-led economic bloc when choosing between the U.S.-led economic bloc and the Chinese-led economic bloc. However, as mentioned above, the Korean and Japanese economies are faced with a dilemma in that they have a connection and closeness with the Chinese economy that cannot be easily escaped. If bleeding occurs due to intensified competition between Korean and Japanese companies, there is a high possibility that only China will benefit as it will be able to purchase at low prices. On the contrary, if cooperation between Korean and Japanese companies is strengthened and transactions are carried out with Chinese companies, the Chinese economy is still highly dependent on the Korean and Japanese economies, so negotiations can be advantageously guided in the direction demanded by both Korea and Japan.
 Implications: Our government must recognize that Korea and Japan can continue to generate economic benefits by strengthening cooperation between the two countries, even under the economic security paradigm, considering the similarities in economic and industrial structures, the closeness of the economic development process, and the shared concepts of capitalism and free markets. It should not be overlooked that if trade friction or disputes occur between specific countries among the three countries, this could have a negative impact, so to speak, on large losses, not only to the relevant country but also to the other country. Therefore, strengthening cooperation between Korea and Japan is an essential option in the current situation.

Analyzing Perceptions of Telecommuting: an Empirical Study in Nepal

Telecommuting, defined as the utilization of computers to execute work remotely or outside the conventional office setting, has become increasingly prevalent in contemporary work environments. This study focused on the feasibility of implementing telecommuting practices in Nepal within the context of a multinational Japanese IT company with branches in Japan, Thailand, and Nepal. In response to the challenges posed by time zone differences, the company had historically employed two to three shift rotations, necessitating early morning and late-night office hours. However, the cultural norms in Nepal, especially concerning late working hours, particularly for female employees, necessitated a reconsideration of the company's operational model. To address this, the organization was contemplating the implementation of telecommuting, a practice already established in IT companies in developed nations. A comprehensive questionnaire was distributed to 85 employees to gauge their attitudes toward telecommuting. The findings indicated a favorable disposition among the majority of employees toward telecommuting, with married, child bearing and female employees displaying a higher preference for this work arrangement. Detailed discussion has been done and conclusion of the findings has been presented based on which change program has been recommended for the organization.

Associations between Difficulty in Accessing Maternal and Child Health Services and Stress Responses among Mothers Raising Young Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.

In Japan, maternal and child health (MCH) services were canceled or limited during the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially damaging the mental health of mothers raising young children. This study aimed to examine associations between difficulty in accessing MCH services and various stress responses among such mothers in Japan. An Internet-based questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2022 targeting mothers raising young children who had registered with a Japanese online research company (n = 1032). The questionnaires included items from the Public Health Research Foundation Stress Checklist (Short Form) (PHRF-SCL(SF)), sociodemographic variables, and questions about difficulty accessing MCH services due to COVID-19. Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. In total, 45.7% of mothers experienced difficulty in accessing MCH services due to COVID-19. Mean PHRF-SCL(SF) scores were 4.9 for anxiety, 7.3 for tiredness, 2.8 for autonomic symptoms, and 5.2 for depression. These scores indicated worse stress responses than the general population and mothers raising young children before the COVID-19 pandemic. Mothers who experienced difficulty in accessing MCH services due to COVID-19 were 1.47-1.53 times more likely to be associated with high stress responses (PHRF-SCL(SF) scores). Given the difficulty mothers faced accessing MCH services due to COVID-19 and the negative impact this had, careful follow-up and support are necessary for mothers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Estimation of Differences in Work Attitudes by National Character from Psychological Change Points

More and more foreign workers work in Japan year by year. However, there is a problem that a few foreign workers keep working in Japan. One of the reasons is the work attitudes of foreign workers is different from those of Japanese companies. Japanese companies want to fully understand their work attitudes so that they can develop foreign workers’ human resources appropriately. This study proposes a method for estimating the differences in the work attitudes from physiological characteristics during video watching. The method uses videos to collect psychological change points during the viewing. Pupil diameter is measured to estimate cognitive change while EDA is measured to estimate emotional change. Change points are detected from time series of the physiological characteristics to know the scene causing the changes. The work attitudes are also examined from questionnaires. An experiment reveals differences in cognitive change indicating that Japanese and Vietnamese have different views on work. It also showed that Japanese and Vietnamese have different attitudes towards work difficulties and responsibilities. Differences in emotional change indicated that Japanese and Vietnamese differ in the factors that cause emotional change. The findings can be used for human resource development to assign suitable work to foreign workers.

Sanpo-yoshi, top management personal values, and ESG performance

While ESG is a relatively recent concept, the traditional Japanese business philosophy of Sanpo-yoshi, which prioritizes harmonious relationships with stakeholders over profitability, has been deeply ingrained in Japan's corporate culture for more than three centuries and has contributed to the longevity of Japanese businesses. Despite the lasting impact of Sanpo-yoshi on Japanese corporate culture and its similarities to the ESG framework, there is a notable absence of literature examining its influence on the ESG performance of Japanese companies. With a sample of Japanese listed companies from 2001 to 2018, this study reveals that top management born in regions heavily influenced by Sanpo-yoshi are more likely to exhibit better ESG performance. The importance of national culture in elucidating the variations observed in ESG performance is highlighted by our findings, which carry significant policy implications.

Has globalization of the Japanese economy contributed to satisfying career‐building for women? The case of Japanese female migrants to East Asia

AbstractThis paper analyzes the shift in career strategies among Japanese women due to the globalization of Japan's economy since the 1980s. It highlights how economic changes led to a gender‐based division of labor, propelling women to seek opportunities abroad. The research draws on interviews with 81 women who moved to financial centers in East Asia, mainly in Hong Kong and Shanghai, examining their experiences in the workforce, the impact of human resource agencies in their migration, and the challenges and opportunities they encountered. The study reveals a complex landscape where Japanese women navigate gendered expectations and discrimination both in Japan and abroad in pursuit of career advancement. The conclusion emphasizes three points. First, women found opportunities abroad to do what they wanted, even if it was not what they initially expected before leaving Japan. Second, although supportive and subordinate to male managers, their work was indispensable to the management of Japanese companies abroad. Their contribution has long been underestimated but needs to be considered. Third, the experience abroad gave them direct interaction with various clients and colleagues and a view of rapid societal change in Hong Kong and China, contributing to choosing their diverse career trajectories and life plans.

Associations of sensory sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, and alexithymia with dental anxiety.

We aimed to reveal interrelationships between alexithymia, catastrophic thinking, sensory processing patterns, and dental anxiety among 460 participants who were registrants of a Japanese research company. Measures used were the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, the Adult Sensory Profile, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The interrelationships among the constructs were analyzed using structural equation modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and negative dental treatment experience. Data from 428 participants were used in the analyses. Sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing were independently associated with anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety, while difficulty identifying feelings was not. In the mediation model, sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing served as full mediators between difficulty identifying feelings and the dimensions of dental anxiety (indirect effects were between 0.13 and 0.15). The strength of the associations was 0.55 from difficulty identifying feelings to both pain catastrophizing and sensory sensitivity, and between 0.24 and 0.26 to anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety. The association between trait-like phenomena, such as alexithymia, and dental anxiety may be mediated by neurophysiological and cognitive factors such as sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing. These findings could be crucial for new and innovative interventions for managing dental anxiety.

치료약과 강장제 사이에서

This paper illustrates how South Koreans encountered and adopted vitamin supplements in the 20th century and analyzes what is unique about the Korean case. Koreans were first introduced to vitamin supplements by Japanese pharmaceutical companies during the Japanese colonial period. As beriberi was not as prevalent in premodern and early modern Korea as in Japan and Southeast Asia, the advertising strategy of emphasizing the risk of deficiency was not as successful as in Japan. During the mid-to-late Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula, vitamin supplement advertisements shifted their focus from the threat of beriberi to emphasizing potential benefits, such as recovery from fatigue and growth and development in children. This idea of vitamins as a “modern tonic” was so ingrained in the public that, although there was no demand as a remedy, the market for vitamin supplements in Korea kept growing in the age of economic development.

Climate change disclosure and evolving institutional investor salience: Roles of the Principles for Responsible Investment

AbstractThis study investigates the relationship between climate change disclosure and institutional investors. A particular focus of the present study is the question of if and how the relationship is affected by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). A relevant context to the question is shareholder engagement, where institutional investors' legitimacy affects the outcomes. Thus, this study examines Japan, where shareholder engagement is the main pathway for institutional investors to convey their ESG‐related influence to investee companies. Using the stakeholder salience theory as a theoretical framework, the empirical results of analyzing 17,604 firm‐year eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) documents of listed Japanese companies provide evidence for the following. First, institutional stakeholders' holding ratio has positively influenced corporate climate change disclosure (power). Second, the positive influence of institutional investors is more significant when PRI‐signed institutional investors are present (legitimacy). Third, the aforementioned relations gained statistical significance gradually during the analysis period (urgency). Fundamentally, this study shows that the stakeholder salience theory contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship.

Distinctive features of modern Japanese diplomatic service

The present study is an inquiry into the current state of Japanese diplomatic service and its distinctive features. The author makes use of the latest Japanese-language primary and secondary sources in his analysis that are rarely employed in Russian Japanology. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan is the main government body responsible for Japan’s foreign affairs and its diplomatic service. The Ministry’s work is based on a number of laws mostly enacted in the 20th century, though all of them have gone through a series of amendments. Since these laws provide for only a necessary framework with little detail, their implementation lies in the hands of bureaucracy, which allows for a swift response to changes that may occur by adapting the structure of the Ministry and creating ad hoc chambers without amending the basic laws. This is of paramount importance given the turbulent state of global affairs and Japanese leaders’ bid to elevate Japan to a top-tier cohort in the international arena. To address the challenge, the Japanese leadership has made the Foreign Ministry more accountable and dependent on the ruling party and the prime minister, reflecting Prime Minister Abe’s long-standing desire to act with fewer constraints on the side of bureaucracy. At the same time, the Japanese diplomatic service has faced quite a few issues. Over the last decade, new embassies have been established, and their functions have been greatly bolstered, most prominently regarding the support for Japanese companies’ expansion overseas. However, the Ministry’s ranks fail to expand quickly enough to offset the amount of work to be done. The annual intake to the Ministry stands at about 80 ‘generalists’ and ‘specialists.’ The understaffed diplomatic service runs the risks of becoming overwhelmed and thus ineffective. While the leadership is aware of the problem, it is yet unclear how exactly the problem is to be tackled.

The uncertainty‐handling function of project leaders' political behavior in breakthrough innovation

AbstractInnovation management research demonstrates that political behavior is necessary for project leaders to conduct breakthrough innovation (BI) projects successfully. Although it is known that project leaders' political behavior contributes to BI project success by maintaining continued support for the projects, this study focuses on another function of organizational politics: the uncertainty‐handling function. Project leaders encounter uncertainties during their BI projects and are tormented by unintended project stagnation. While scholars and practitioners have developed several logic‐based responsive approaches to address uncertainty problems, project leaders also employ political behavior. The realization provokes questions such as, what type of uncertainty in particular triggers a project manager's political behavior in the context of BI development? Is there any specific linkage between a particular type of uncertainty and particular political behavior? What mechanisms underpin those relationships? To answer these questions, we investigate six BI projects in five mature Japanese companies through the lens of the meaning management perspective. The analysis reveals that (1) project leaders use political behavior to address a specific situation in which two uncertainties are intertwined; (2) project leaders use different political behavior depending on the type of intertwined uncertainties; and (3) project leaders resolve intertwined uncertainties with political behavior and then address each uncertainty in their BI projects. This study contributes to the innovation politics literature and innovation management practices by identifying specific conditions under which BI project leaders use political behavior and suggesting the fit between particular political behaviors and uncertainty conditions.