Japan has number of abandoned or vacant homes, known as "Akiya - 空き家", that has been increasing steadily since late 1970s. It’s a problem that’s set to persist because of an aging and shrinking population that has left many towns and villages empty.

By 2013, vacant homes accounted for 13.52% of total housing and there were calculated to be 8.196 million abandoned houses nationwide, according to latest data by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

​When we travel, we want to buy souvenirs to spread cheer and joy to those around us.

When it comes to foodstuffs, for Muslims the choices still are limited in Japan.

Tokyo Banana "東京バナナ" and "東京ばなな", is a souvenir sweet of Tokyo which is manufactured and sold by Grapestone Company.

In Muslim-majority countries, we can find halal food so easily; in restaurants, street foods, and many other places by default. 

But here in Japan it’s different; Pork, Khamr, and many other forbidden foods for Muslims are generally consumed here. So we need to be extra selective and careful to find foods that we can consume.

Some people may wonder what the meaning of Muslim Friendly is! What does it mean to be a Muslim Friendly restaurant or hotel?

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What are the Muslim Friendly Standards and how they differ from Halal Standards? Which organization has initiated and set-up these standards?

How come some restaurants are said to be Muslim Friendly, but they serve alcoholic drinks as well as pork products, and there are many of them. 

In an effort to promote Japan’s medical services to foreigners and encourage more medical tourism, Medical Excellence Japan "MEJ" released a list of hospitals in the country that are recommended for non-Japanese  patients.

Medical Excellence Japan, a government-affiliated foundation promoting the export of Japan’s medical services and equipment, basically selected 28 hospitals, based on such criteria as the facility's number of specialists and their past experience treating foreign visitors.