Tea Leaves
A misunderstanding highlights struggles, and lessons, amid rising diversity
People cross a street in Tokyo’s Shinjuku area in July. Japan’s overall population is declining but the number of foreign residents is on the rise. © Getty Images
MICHIYO NAKAMOTO
November 12, 2025 08:00 JST
The voice on the other end of the line was shrill. “Your gardener needs to cut the tree,” said a woman whose English was clearly not her first language. I had no idea what she was talking about.
AloJapan.com