Understanding more about Japan (from Hiragana Times articles)

This month selection

Helping Cosplay Around the World
Cosplay (costume play) events are held somewhere in Japan every week. Many people from overseas want to participate, but many of them don't know how to. Chouko, a regular attendee of the big events like Cosplay Summit, ...
[From April Issue 2009]

Is Immigration the Solution to Japan's Ageing Society?
Japan's population looks like it is about to go into freefall. The country's fertility rate - defined as the average number of children born to a woman aged between 15 and 49- stood at an estimated 1.2 in 2008. That is substantially less than the 2.1 needed to ... [From April Issue 2009]

A Story of Country Girls Trying to Regenerate their Town
This is a heartwarming masterpiece based on a true story. In 1965, when the coal mining industry was in obvious decline, a large number of lay-offs was planned at the Joban Mine in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. In order to rescue the city a project to ... [From February Issue 2009]