Fake investment ads that feature prominent figures are abundant on social media in Japan, making an increasing number of victims. According to the National Police Agency, damage from such fraud totaled 27.8-billion-yen in 2023 alone. The celebrities featured in the ads are also voicing their anger. Platform operators bear some responsibility but what does the vice president of content policy at Meta have to say? We look into those scams that take advantage of Japan's current investment boom, as well as potential measures against them.

Guest:
Ikegai Naoto (Professor, Graduate School of Law, Hitotsubashi University)

A growing number of Japanese people are pursuing their dream to start a small business. A shift in consumer preference toward small-scale, authentic goods over mass-produced products, and a surge in local government support packages, means the time has never been better. Low start-up and running costs ensure that these agile operations carry considerably less financial risk than their bigger counterparts. In some cases, they're even solving community problems, offering consumers choices they didn't have, or reviving once-dying shopping strips. NHK went to check out a number of ventures and interviewed an expert to see how small businesses can potentially point the way forward for Japan.

Guest:
Nagayama Munehiro (Professor, Komazawa University)