Leaked emails, investigative reports, employees on social media – in an emerging culture of transparency, organisations are finding mistakes ever harder to hide. What does science tell us about when an apology is appropriate and how they're best handled by organisations?

Is Japan really light-years ahead with technology? Is sex really a taboo? Is sipping on sake still the drink of choice? In our 2015 cultural snapshot of Japan, we debunk cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across 12 sectors.

‘I’m glad to be Japanese!’ It’s a thought that two-thirds of Japanese people have had. But with nationalism’s long, sordid history in the country, some debate whether it can be taken too far. With a recent spike in patriotism in Japan's popular culture, how is it translating to the rest of the world?

Omotenashi – which roughly translates as ‘selfless hospitality’ – is a complex concept; one the Japanese pride themselves on. As the 2020 Olympics approach, Japan is preparing to serve it up on a mass scale, turning to robots for help. But are androids advanced enough to emulate such a human service?