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.

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.

The history of Islam in Japan is relatively brief in relation to the religion's longstanding presence in other nearby countries. 

Today however, Muslims in Japan are well established, numbering somewhere between 100,000 to 300,000 - with approximately 10% being native. Additionally, there are about 100 established Mosques and Musallahs. Outside of Japan, Muslim countries heavily trade with the country, with bilateral trade standing at some $300 billion dollars; larger even than Japan's trade with the United States.

Islam in Japan has over 3 centuries worth of history, with the earliest Muslim settlers believed to have worked in the cities of Yokohama and Kobe during the reign of the Meiji.

​Under the agreement, Muslim World League "MWL" will be the exclusive provider in Japan, generally, and in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, particularly, of halal-certified meals. 

The signing ceremony was attended by Mitsuhiro Miyakoshi, special adviser to the Japanese prime minister, and Prince Hiroyoshi, the cousin of the Emperor, along with a number of representatives of Islamic centers, Japanese authorities and major companies.