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This study aims to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected telework initiatives in Japanese companies and investigate the factors that affect telework based on the technology, organization and environment (TOE) model, through the analysis of published documents.

Document analysis was adopted. Documents were collected from English news articles in the Nikkei Asian Review and Nikkei Asia which cover Japan's economy, industries and markets. The results of surveys by the Persol Research Institute and Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also provided to discuss factors promoting and hindering telework. Content analysis was adopted to analyse the documents.

COVID-19 had an unavoidable impact on the implementation of telework that the government had previously failed to instigate. Japanese listed companies tend to implement telework, whereas small- and medium-sized companies are struggling. The ratio of telework has been low even after the declaration of the state of emergency because there exist organizational, technological and environmental barriers to telework in Japan.

This study contributes to discussions on work style reform by focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on telework. This research also gives new insight into operationalization of telework in organizations not only in Japan but also in other countries known for low rates of telework and inflexible work styles such as Korea.

The distinctiveness of Japanese management practices offers invaluable insights for the strategic development and operational excellence of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) worldwide. Recognizing this, the purpose of this study is to explore an extensive review of the literature on Japanese SMEs. The aim is to reveal previously explored research domains and to systematically categorize the unique factors contributing to the success and challenges of SMEs. This investigation not only illuminates the peculiarities of Japanese SMEs management but also sets the stage for applying these insights globally to SMEs across diverse industries.

Using a systematic review approach, 63 studies on Japanese SMEs from 1996 to 2021 were identified and analyzed.

This analysis identified six critical themes in Japanese SME management: nuanced firm management practices; forefront innovation and technology; internationalization; supportive government policies; commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development; and vibrant entrepreneurship. The authors also spotlight challenges like navigating global competition and adapting to rapid technological changes. These insights, alongside noted methodological gaps in existing literature, suggest fertile grounds for future research and hold significant implications for SMEs globally.

The investigation of Japanese SMEs in this study highlights valuable insights for SMEs, policymakers and scholars, as it represents a rich and distinctive research phenomenon with various organizational, cultural, economic and political implications.

This paper analyzes the cost structure of the municipal waste collection in Japan. Since the municipality in Japan is responsible for dealing with the garbage generated by households, there is plenty of data regarding municipal waste in comparrison to private firms. Nevertheless, there is little research available which analyzes the end-of-life product logistics of municipal waste. This research aims to reveal some structural features of the end-of-life product logistics cycle. Based on more than 1,800 samples, this paper statistically shows that both waste collection and waste processing have a strong scale economy. In addition, this paper will also prove that the consignment to the private entity has made the cost of waste management cheaper in Japan.