When a major natural disaster occurs, public transportation may stop, making it hard for commuters to get home. We will learn how we should act, based on the measures taken by Shibuya City in Tokyo.

It's a good idea to prepare an emergency backpack for use after a natural disaster. An expert advises us on what and how much to pack, and where to keep it at home ready for immediate access.

Japan has yet to officially recognize same-sex marriage. For binational spouses, this makes things even harder. We examine the issue from the perspectives of a Japanese-American gay couple kept apart by entry restrictions in Japan, and two women living together in Kyoto Prefecture - one US-born and the other Japanese - who wish to have kids but are worried because their marriage isn't recognized.