[Sanchome]

I do think the bad economy is hitting some Japanese businesses - small and large. You need look no further than the list of bankruptcies and layoffs in the Japanese news to see how the big companies are being hit. As far as small shops, take a walk around Shibuya, Shinjuku, or Harajuku to see how many shops are empty - some of which had been around for a long time. I wasn't in Japan during the burst of the 80's bubble, and I'm sure it's not that bad now, but I do think this is a bad time for some businesses.