Shizuoka Bank is strengthening regional economies while expanding abroad, blending local trust with global ambition to support innovation, sustainability, and growth across Japan and Asia.

Nestled at the foot of Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture seeks to become the blueprint for Japan’s regional revitalization and restore hope for future generations, by promoting education, investment, innovation and its natural beauty.

From Hokuriku Region and Japan’s northern heartlands, Hokuhoku Financial Group, with Hokuriku Bank and Hokkaido Bank at its core, is driving regional renewal by uniting finance, technology, and community to spark sustainable growth across borders and generations.

From island-hopping in southerly Okinawa to farm experiences in rural Aomori and skiing in far northern Hokkaido, this diverse archipelago offers intriguing local culture, ancient history and epic wilderness experiences around every corner — and deeper exploration reaps huge rewards

The Land of the Rising Sun’s eight female rulers are all but forgotten, but their lives and reigns were filled with drama

Life at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester is as jolly as ever after 180 years, but the diverse degrees on offer reflect the challenges of 21st-century farming. Kate Green charts a history of seismic change for the industry and Mary Skipwith talks to students past and present