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【特別回】英語で国内ニュース2026年5月7日(木) · 英語で国内ニュース

• 0:28
  All right, Chris, Golden Week is over.
• 0:46
  Many people are back to work and school.
• 0:49
  Have you heard of the word May sickness?
• 0:51
  Yes, I have. People feel tired and lose their
• 0:54
  motivation in May, right? It is very interesting because
• 0:58
  in the United States we have a similar word, spring fever, but
• 1:02
  the meaning is completely the opposite.
• 1:04
  The opposite. What does spring fever mean?
• 1:08
  After a long cold winter, the weather gets warm so people feel
• 1:12
  super energetic. We get so excited and want to go
• 1:15
  outside. We cannot focus on our work
• 1:17
  because we are too happy. Wow, that is totally different.
• 1:22
  In Japan, April is the start of the new school and business
• 1:26
  year. People try too hard in April, so
• 1:29
  when May comes, their energy is completely gone.
• 1:32
  That makes sense. It's a big environmental change.
• 1:35
  And Sarah, this is not just about feeling tired.
• 1:38
  It's a serious social issue. According to a new 2026 survey
• 1:42
  by My Navi, about 20% of workers have experienced May sickness.
• 1:47
  20%, that's one in five people. Exactly, and the most surprising
• 1:53
  part is about 40% of those people thought about changing
• 1:56
  their jobs because of it. 40% That's a huge number.
• 2:01
  I guess the stress of the new environment is heavier than we
• 2:05
  think. We really need to take care of
• 2:07
  ourselves and find easy ways to relax.
• 2:34
  I. All right, Chris, when I'm tired
• 2:43
  from May sickness, I don't want to cook, so I always go to
• 2:47
  Kombini. They are lifesavers.
• 2:50
  I totally agree, Japanese companies are amazing.
• 2:54
  Did you know they're growing incredibly fast?
• 2:57
  Over the past 20 years, the number of stores increased by
• 3:00
  40% to 56,000 stores. 56,000 Kombini stores.
• 3:06
  That's a lot. No wonder they're everywhere.
• 3:10
  Yes, and total sales grew by 75%, reaching ¥11.5 trillion.
• 3:17
  ¥11.5 trillion. They're not just small shops
• 3:21
  anymore, they're massive social infrastructure, aren't they?
• 3:25
  Yes, absolutely. And they're becoming high tech,
• 3:28
  too. Have you heard of real and tech
• 3:30
  Lawson? Lawson has futuristic stores in
• 3:33
  Tokyo and Osaka. Real and tech, What is that?
• 3:37
  They use AI and robots. For example, there's an AI
• 3:41
  digital signage. If you stand in front of a shelf
• 3:44
  and look confused, the AI notices it and shows you
• 3:47
  recommendations on the screen. Really, it watches me.
• 3:51
  Yes, and if you try to buy a Bento box, the screen might say
• 3:55
  if you buy green tea with it you get a ¥50 discount.
• 3:58
  It's like the comedy is talking to you.
• 4:00
  Wow, that is super smart and efficient.
• 4:03
  But you know, I'm more interested in comedy sweets.
• 4:07
  I love them so much. Ah, you're sweet tooth.
• 4:11
  Actually, foreign tourists love them too.
• 4:13
  Recently, a specific gummy candy called Chocoto Gummy, especially
• 4:17
  the Shine Muscat flavor, became a massive hit among tourists.
• 4:21
  Thanks to social media, sales jumped more than 10 times in six
• 4:25
  months. 10 times. I completely understand why
• 4:29
  Japanese Komeni gummies are the best.
• 4:32
  You know, when I see them, I just cannot resist buying them.
• 4:37
  I understand how you feel. Komeni is so convenient, fast
• 4:41
  and high quality, isn't it? Hi, Komeni.
• 5:02
  I. So, so company is so convenient,
• 5:22
  but maybe things are moving too fast and too efficient.
• 5:26
  Do you feel that sometimes, Chris?
• 5:28
  I do sometimes. Maybe our society is moving too
• 5:31
  fast. Right, I guess that's why young
• 5:34
  people are loving retro things now.
• 5:36
  Have you heard the MO Shohi or emo consumption?
• 5:40
  Emo consumption? You mean buying things that are
• 5:43
  emotional? Yes, buying experiences that
• 5:46
  move your heart. For example, old digital cameras
• 5:50
  and film cameras are super popular among Gen.
• 5:53
  Z. Oh you mean sky stay cameras?
• 5:56
  This is like when we talked about cassette tapes before.
• 5:59
  Digital music is too perfect. So some people like cassette
• 6:02
  tapes. Is it the same for photos?
• 6:04
  Exactly. Smartphone photos are too clear
• 6:07
  and perfect. Old cameras take photos that are
• 6:10
  a little blurry and dark, but that imperfection makes the
• 6:14
  photos look warm and emotional. I see.
• 6:17
  And with film cameras, you have to wait to see the photos, you
• 6:20
  can't check them. Immediately right?
• 6:22
  The waiting time is part of the fun, but here's the news.
• 6:26
  Film is getting really expensive.
• 6:29
  A basic 36 exposure film costs almost ¥2000 now in 2026. ¥2000.
• 6:37
  Yes, that's about ¥50 per photo. Every time you press the button,
• 6:42
  it costs ¥50. Wow.
• 6:45
  Smartphone photos are completely free, but they pay ¥50 just for
• 6:49
  one picture. That proves they're buying the
• 6:51
  experience, not just the photo. Buying experience.
• 6:55
  That's a lovely way to put it. Speaking of retro experiences, I
• 7:00
  absolutely love Junkisa, the old style Japanese cafes.
• 7:04
  Oh, what is Junkisa? Well, originally Junkisa meant a
• 7:08
  cafe that didn't serve alcohol, but nowadays it usually refers
• 7:12
  to an old style Japanese cafe. To an old style Japanese cafe.
• 7:17
  Actually I went to one in Asaksa just last month.
• 7:21
  Oh really? How was it?
• 7:22
  The atmosphere was amazing, the velvet sofa, the stained glass
• 7:27
  windows. It felt like stepping back in
• 7:30
  time. But I had a huge problem.
• 7:33
  Let me guess, cash only? Yes, I didn't have any cash on
• 7:38
  me. I usually pay with my
• 7:39
  smartphone. My friend had to pay for my
• 7:42
  coffee. It was so embarrassing.
• 7:45
  Yeah, I know that panic. You definitely have to check the
• 7:48
  payment first. But you know that old fashioned
• 7:51
  feeling is part of the charm. That's true.
• 7:53
  I loved that cream soda and a firm pudding.
• 7:58
  They have retro style sweets. They're nice, aren't they?
• 8:01
  For me, the best part is that hand drip coffee.
• 8:04
  A lot of Junquisa serve really good coffee.
• 8:07
  Oh, I know you love coffee. Yes, drinking a great cup of
• 8:11
  coffee in that quiet space. Time really stops there.
• 8:14
  That's wonderful. It's a good remedy for Mace
• 8:17
  sickness. Fast combini is great, but slow
• 8:20
  junquisa is also necessary for our hearts.
• 8:49
  So. I.