APOUL MEDIA
APOUL Media
Work, digital tools and being prepared — the things you half-know, checked against official sources and written to be easy to read.
- 139 columns
- 2 topics
- 271 glossary terms
Features
Learn a topic, all in one place.
- TopicWinter preparednessPower cuts, heavy snow, fires and bath accidents, staying in touch and getting information in a disaster, and saving power in winter — gathered from columns checked against official sources (written for Japan).18 columns · with timeline
- TopicEarthquake preparednessWhat to do before, during and after the shaking, fixing furniture and seismic breakers, and how to spend the week after a Nankai Trough advisory — from columns checked against official figures (written for Japan).7 columns · with timeline
- ChecklistWinter preparedness checklistTick through home, contact, online and workplace checks.
- QuizWinter preparedness quizCheck what you think you know, true or false.
Timeline
What is new, in order
Events from the topic pages and newly published columns, newest first.
- Winter preparednessAutumn national fire-prevention week (to 15 November)
- Being preparedWinter preparedness in Japan, 2026: what homes and small workplaces should check from November to February
- Being preparedSaving electricity at home in winter: air-conditioner settings, filters, windows, kotatsu and standby power
- Being preparedPreparing for winter blackouts and heavy snow: heating, carbon monoxide, cars and phone batteries
- Being preparedThe early hours of 8 November earthquake (up to shindo 5+): what to check now if you felt it strongly
- Being preparedNankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information: what "warning", "advisory" and "under investigation" mean, and what to do
- Being preparedPreventing power bank fires: buying, charging, disposing and the airline rules
- Being preparedWhen J-ALERT issues a ballistic missile warning: what to do outdoors, indoors and in a car
- Being preparedHow many days of supplies at home and at work? Rolling stock and people with special needs
- Being preparedChoosing and using home heaters: whole room or close to the body, ventilation and running costs
- Being preparedTwo winter risks at home: bathing accidents and house fires, and how families can prepare
- Being preparedFixing furniture and seismic circuit breakers: cutting earthquake injuries and power-restoration fires at home
- Being preparedEarthquake preparedness in Japan, 2026: before, during and after the shaking
- IT basicsFalse information and scams that follow disasters and big news: what to check before you share or donate
- Being preparedGetting by in a power or water outage: bag cooking, toilets, carrying water and keeping warm
- Winter preparednessNationwide earthquake early warning drill; the drill is not sent to phones
Columns
Latest columns (139 in all)
- Being preparedWinter preparedness in Japan, 2026: what homes and small workplaces should check from November to FebruaryHouse fires, accidents in the bath, snow-clearing accidents, power and water cuts. The latest figures from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and the Consumer Affairs Agency, a month-by-month plan from November to February, priorities for households, older relatives and small workplaces, and the first 30 minutes of a blackout, heavy snow, a water cut or an earthquake.
- Being preparedSaving electricity at home in winter: air-conditioner settings, filters, windows, kotatsu and standby powerThe quickest way to cut winter electricity use is to start with heating. Based on estimates from Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and the Government of Japan's public relations site: air-conditioner temperature and filter cleaning, windows and curtains, kotatsu and electric carpets, standby power and lighting, with the assumptions behind each figure.
- Being preparedPreparing for winter blackouts and heavy snow: heating, carbon monoxide, cars and phone batteriesIn winter blackouts and heavy snow, the biggest dangers are often carbon monoxide poisoning and getting stranded in snow, not just the cold. Based on guidance from Japan's transport ministry, Meteorological Agency, Consumer Affairs Agency and NITE: heating during a blackout, generators and snow-blocked exhausts, when to stay home, and making your phone battery last.
- Being preparedThe early hours of 8 November earthquake (up to shindo 5+): what to check now if you felt it stronglyAt around 1:04 a.m. on 8 November 2026, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake centred in western Shizuoka Prefecture produced shindo 5+ (5 upper) in Chita, Aichi Prefecture. Based on the Japan Meteorological Agency's reports: what to check over the next few days, from furniture, gas, electricity and glass to the house itself, plus reaching family and dealing with rumours.
- Being preparedNankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information: what "warning", "advisory" and "under investigation" mean, and what to doThe Nankai Trough Earthquake Extra Information tells you the chance of a megaquake is higher than usual. It is not a prediction. Based on official guidance: the four keywords, what to do at home and at work, the first issuance in August 2024, and how it differs from the Hokkaido/Sanriku advisory.
- Being preparedPreventing power bank fires: buying, charging, disposing and the airline rulesAccidents involving power banks and other lithium-ion battery products reported to Japan's NITE are rising. Based on guidance from NITE, the Consumer Affairs Agency, METI and the transport ministry: checking the PSE mark and recalls, charging and storage, what to do with a swollen battery, safe disposal, and the carry-on rules in force since April 2026.
- Being preparedWhen J-ALERT issues a ballistic missile warning: what to do outdoors, indoors and in a carJ-ALERT, Japan's nationwide instant warning system, sends urgent information from the national government all at once. What to do outdoors, indoors or in a car if a ballistic missile warning is issued, how it reaches your phone, how the messages progress and what to check in advance, based on Cabinet Secretariat and FDMA guidance.
- Being preparedHow many days of supplies at home and at work? Rolling stock and people with special needsJapan's Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recommend at least 3 days of household supplies, and a week for large-scale disasters. Water amounts, the rolling-stock method, preparing for infants, older people and food allergies, and the 3-day workplace stockpile under Tokyo's ordinance.
- Being preparedChoosing and using home heaters: whole room or close to the body, ventilation and running costsHeaters are easier to choose once you split them into those that warm the whole room and those that warm the area around you. Based on guidance from Japan's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, the government's public relations site and the Consumer Affairs Agency: what air conditioners, fan heaters, kotatsu and electric carpets do, when to ventilate, how to work out electricity costs, circulating warm air, and humidity.
- Being preparedTwo winter risks at home: bathing accidents and house fires, and how families can prepareWinter is when bathing accidents and house fires increase. Based on guidance from Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency, Fire and Disaster Management Agency and NITE: handling the temperature gap between rooms and the bathroom, bath temperature and time guidelines, testing smoke alarms and replacing them after 10 years, and heater and clothing-fire precautions for homes with older family members.
- Being preparedFixing furniture and seismic circuit breakers: cutting earthquake injuries and power-restoration fires at homeAccording to the Tokyo Fire Department, about 30-50% of people injured in recent earthquakes were hurt by furniture that toppled, fell or slid. Based on materials from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, the Tokyo Fire Department and the economy ministry: choosing and combining fixings, arranging bedrooms, children's rooms and doorways, types of seismic breaker, and finding local subsidies.
- Being preparedEarthquake preparedness in Japan, 2026: before, during and after the shakingThe latest probabilities and damage estimates for the Nankai Trough and a Tokyo-area quake from Japan's earthquake research body and the Cabinet Office, how much furniture fixing, seismic breakers and retrofitting reduce the damage, what to do during and in the first hour after shaking, and how to spend the week after a special advisory.
- IT basicsFalse information and scams that follow disasters and big news: what to check before you share or donateRight after a major disaster, fake rescue requests, posts reusing old photos and fake donation appeals spread. Drawing on what was seen after the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake and on guidance from Japan's communications ministry and Consumer Affairs Agency, here is what to check before sharing and before donating.
- Being preparedGetting by in a power or water outage: bag cooking, toilets, carrying water and keeping warmWhen a power or water outage drags on, problems with meals, toilets, water and cold pile up. Based on guidance from Japan's farm ministry, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, NITE and the Consumer Affairs Agency: bag cooking and cutting washing-up, handling gas canisters, toilets without water, carrying water from supply points, and keeping warm with newspaper and cardboard.
- Being preparedOfficial sources to check in a disaster: hazard maps, Kikikuru, evacuation info and outagesIn a disaster in Japan, the information you can rely on comes from the national government, your municipality and the regional power grid company. How to use MLIT's Hazard Map Portal, JMA's Kikikuru maps and the new level-numbered warnings from May 2026, evacuation levels, outage pages, and what to register in advance.
- Being preparedChecking on family after a disaster: 171, web171 and the 00000JAPAN Wi-FiRight after a major disaster in Japan, calls struggle to get through. How the Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171), the web171 message board and the carriers' message boards differ, the monthly trial days, what to watch for on the free 00000JAPAN Wi-Fi, and what to agree on as a family.
- Being preparedChoosing emergency supplies that actually help: the grab bag, home supplies and the things people forgetEmergency supplies help most when you choose them from the situations your own household would struggle with, not by piling up quantity. Based on the Prime Minister's Office checklist and Tokyo Metropolitan Government guidance: grab bag versus home supplies, supplies by situation, commonly forgotten items, a twice-yearly review, what not to rely on, and extras for babies, older people and pets.
- IT basicsA customer asks for "3 stars": Japan's SCS security rating, explainedOn October 28, 2026, IPA published the assessment guides and commentary for the SCS scheme, which rates supply-chain security with stars. The scheme is due to start in March 2027. How 3 and 4 stars differ, whether it is mandatory, and how to prepare.
- Working betterNovember is "no pushing the burden onto suppliers" month: how to ask for, and take on, rush jobsJapan's labour ministry, working with the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency and the Fair Trade Commission, has made November a campaign month against pushing overwork onto suppliers. Why rush orders and late changes are a problem, what buyers and suppliers can each change this month, and where to get advice.
- IT basicsCritical PHP flaws now exploited: what to check on your site and devicesThe two PHP vulnerabilities fixed on October 21, 2026 (PHP2shell) were added to the US list of exploited vulnerabilities. On November 2, IPA added that VPN and other appliances use PHP in their admin screens. What to check, in order.
- People and workA third of Japan's new graduates leave within three years: what small workplaces can change in year oneFigures published by Japan's labour ministry on 23 October show 31.2% of university graduates and 36.9% of high-school graduates who started work in spring 2023 left within three years. How to read the numbers by workplace size, industry and year, and what small teams can change in a new hire's first year.
- Back officeJapan's proposed 1% consumption tax on food: what businesses can check before April 2027A bill in the House of Representatives would cut the consumption tax on food and drink to 1% for two years from April 2027. What the National Tax Agency's materials say about sales that stay at 8%, filing elections, simplified taxation and price labels, and what to check before the bill passes.
- Being preparedYour phone stayed silent in the earthquake alert drill. That is normal: settings to check for the real thingDuring Japan's nationwide Earthquake Early Warning drill on 5 November, the test alert was not sent to phones as an emergency alert message. Why your phone stayed silent, and what to check on phones and at work so the real alert reaches everyone: reception conditions, where the setting is, budget SIMs and workplace announcements.
- IT basicsIf your business is breached: Japan's help desks and first steps, autumn 2026After a wave of data leaks, IPA opened a special help desk for organisations hit by unauthorised access on October 16, 2026, and the government ordered stronger support on October 26. Who to contact for what, and what to do first.
- AI and technologyA shared way to opt out of AI training: what to decide for robots.txtOn October 30, 2026, an IETF draft proposed one robots.txt signal for telling AI companies not to train on your content, and Google said it aims to support it in 2027. What was settled, and what to decide for your own site.
- AI and technologyAttackers have started using AI: what Japan's recent breaches revealedIn October 2026, JPCERT/CC reported that attackers behind a wave of breaches in Japan had used AI to probe for known weaknesses and attack APIs. What has changed, and what a small business should review.
- Phones and mobileThe "5G" icon does not tell you everything: 5G SA in Japan, and a draft rule change for budget SIMsJapan's communications ministry published 5G rollout figures for March 2026 on 30 October, and on 27 October announced a consultation on revised guidelines to help budget SIM providers offer 5G standalone. What SA is, how to read the figures, and what to check when choosing a phone or plan.
- IT basicsExploited flaws in parts of small business websites and online shops: what to ask your vendorIn October 2026, vulnerabilities already being exploited were announced in the AmazonPay plugin for EC-CUBE and in SiteGuard Server Edition, and serious fixes were released for Movable Type. Based on announcements from JVN, JPCERT/CC and IPA, this explains what to ask the company that builds or maintains your site.
- IT basicsOctober 2026: packages that steal keys on install, and what to ask the people who build your appsIn October 2026, malicious versions of npm packages used in development appeared one after another, stealing credentials as soon as they were installed. One also planted commands in editor and AI coding tool settings files to stay on the machine. Based on GMO Flatt Security's analyses, this explains what happened and what to ask your developers or contractors.
- IT basicsA certificate authority's weak keys, and how browsers stop trusting a CAIn October 2026, researchers reported that private keys for intermediate CA certificates from the certificate authority eMudhra (emSign) were weak enough to be recovered. Based on Google's announcement, this explains the chain of trust behind the padlock, how browsers withdraw trust, and what individuals and site owners should check.
- Back officeWhat changes in Japan's 2026 year-end adjustment: basic deduction, employment income deduction and dependant limitsFrom the December 2026 year-end adjustment, Japan raises the basic deduction and the minimum employment income deduction, and changes the income limits for dependants. Based on the National Tax Agency's 2026 guide, this summarizes the new figures and what payroll staff should check before December.
- Phones and mobileEmails posing as the tax agency or points offers that push malicious apps onto AndroidJapan's Council of Anti-Phishing has reported a run of emails that pose as the National Tax Agency, e-Tax or points programmes and lead Android users to install malicious apps. This explains the shift from typing details into fake sites to installing apps, the settings that help, and what to do if you installed one.
- IT basicsOctober 2026: fixes for Node.js, Next.js, PHP and Python, and what to check if someone builds your site or appIn October 2026, serious vulnerabilities were fixed and urgent updates released in Node.js, Next.js, React, PHP and Python, the foundations of many websites and apps. The AI tool LiteLLM also had malicious code inserted into a distributed package. Based on each project's official announcements, this explains what happened and what a company should ask the people who build or run its site or app.
- IT basicsWhen the site an AI suggests is fake: four checks before you buyFukuoka Prefectural Police in Japan warn that people who ask generative AI where to buy something cheaply can be led to fake shopping sites. This explains why AI answers can include fake sites, how to reach the official site yourself, and what to check before entering anything.
- IT basicsGot a "data leak" notice? What to watch for when your information was exposedWhat you can do as a user when a service you use tells you your personal information has leaked. Based on October 2026 alerts from Japan's National Police Agency, Financial Services Agency and Personal Information Protection Commission, this covers fake emails posing as the notice, changing reused passwords, and what to watch if you submitted ID documents.
- IT basicsUpdate notices and cyber attacks: what can wait and what to install nowUpdate notices for operating systems and apps can include fixes for weaknesses (vulnerabilities) that attackers use. Based on public information from IPA, JVN and CISA, this explains how to read update information, why to hurry when a notice says a flaw is being exploited, and how a company can stop updates from being put off.
- IT basicsWhat Is a Webhook? How It Differs From an API, and What Receivers Should WatchWith an API you go and ask; with a webhook you are told when something happens. Using form submissions and payment notices as examples, this explains the flow, what the receiving side should check (sender, signature, redelivery) and how to notice when notices stop.
- Phones and mobileBefore You Upgrade Your Phone: What to Check FirstWhen you switch phones, back up your data, check how two-step verification and authenticator apps carry over, sort out your SIM or eSIM and payments, and erase the old phone last. Based on the official iPhone and Android help pages.
- IT basicsBackup vs Archive: A Copy to Restore, a Store to KeepA backup is a copy for putting things back when they break; an archive keeps records you no longer use but still need. This compares how long you keep each, how you find things, and how you delete them, and shows how to label each folder by purpose.
- AI and technologyThe Work People Still Need to Check in the Age of AIWhen you use AI answers at work, five kinds of content need a human check: facts and figures, anything sent outside, money, contract and HR decisions, personal information, and actions that cannot be undone. How to check without rubber-stamping, and how to assign who checks what.
- AI and technologyHow Much Admin and Accounting Work Can AI Take On? Sort It Task by TaskWhether AI can take on admin and accounting work depends on the task, not the job title. Drafting, reading and suggesting matches are easy to hand over; confirming amounts, making payments and legal judgments stay with people. A task-by-task table and what to decide first.
- IT basicsWhat Is AdFection? Zero-Click Attacks Through Ads, and Everyday DefencesAdFection uses the display of an ad to target device vulnerabilities. What third-party researchers have reported, why trusted sites can still carry risky ads, and how updates, limiting ads and tracking, and DNS filtering work together for individuals and organisations.
- Phones and mobileSIM Card Not Recognized? Causes and the Order to CheckIf your phone says there is no SIM card, check in order: whether your contract is active, a restart, whether the line is on, how the SIM and tray are inserted, SIM lock, and carrier settings. Also covers eSIM and APN cases, based on official iPhone and Google Pixel help.
- Phones and mobilePhone Suddenly Shows No Service? What to CheckWhen your phone suddenly shows No Service, narrow it down in order: toggle Airplane Mode and restart, check that your SIM or eSIM line is on, then your location and signal, your contract and payments, and your carrier's outage information. Based on official iPhone and Google Pixel help.
- Phones and mobileWhy Low-Cost SIMs Can Slow Down at Certain Times of DayLow-cost SIMs in Japan can slow down at lunchtime and during commuting hours because many users share the fixed capacity the provider rents. How this works, based on Japanese government sources, how to rule out other causes, what to do at busy times, and what you can check before signing up.
- Phones and mobileHow Far Do 3GB, 10GB and 30GB Go? A Rough Guide to Data UseWhat you can do with 3GB, 10GB or 30GB depends heavily on video quality and habits. Rough per-activity figures compiled by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, converting plans into hours of video, checking your own usage on iPhone and Android, and settings that cut data use.
- Phones and mobileLost Your Phone? What to Do First, in OrderIf you lose your phone, locate it from another device, mark it as lost to lock it, contact your carrier, check your accounts, and report it to the police. Covers Find My on iPhone and Find Hub on Android, and what to consider before erasing remotely.
- Phones and mobileSeven Criteria for Choosing a Mobile Plan That Fits YouChoose a low-cost SIM or mobile plan in Japan by how you use your phone, not by rankings. Seven criteria, from data and calls to busy hours, support, family discounts, your device and cancellation terms, based on Japan's official mobile phone portal, plus a template to fill in.
- IT basicsWhat Is Character Encoding? UTF-8, Shift_JIS and Garbled TextA character encoding is the rule a computer uses to turn characters into numbers. We compare UTF-8 with Shift_JIS, an encoding made for Japanese, explain why text turns garbled when a file is opened with a different encoding from the one it was saved in, and list what to check when you receive one.
- IT basicsAuthentication vs. Authorization: "Who Are You?" and "What May You Do?"Authentication checks that the person signing in is really who they claim to be; authorization decides what that person is allowed to do. We separate the two in everyday cases such as sign-in, two-step verification, share links and app permissions, and list what to review for each.
- IT basicsBlurry Right After Upload? Export Problem or Still Processing?YouTube processes a new upload in low quality first, and higher-quality versions such as 4K or 1080p become available later. How to separate the source file, YouTube's processing and the playback setting, and what to check before re-exporting, based on YouTube Help.
- IT basicsYouTube Unlisted vs Private: What to Check Before Sending a LinkAn unlisted video can be watched by anyone who has the link, and they can pass it on. A private video is visible only to people you choose. A table comparing public, unlisted and private, what to check before sending a link, and why confidential material needs a separate decision.
- IT basicsVideo Not Getting Views? Where to Look in YouTube StudioWhen a video gets few views, split the question into three: was it shown, was it clicked, did people keep watching. What impressions, click-through rate, average view duration and audience retention mean, how to compare fairly, and a note for changing one thing at a time.
- IT basicsWhat Do Shorts Views Count? Views vs Engaged ViewsSince March 31, 2025, Shorts views count the times a Short starts playing. Whether people kept watching shows up in engaged views and watch time. A comparison table, a fictional two-Short example, and why the public view count is not the monetization metric.
- IT basicsFixing Your YouTube Recommendations: History and "Not Interested"When your feed is full of videos you do not want, match the tool to the goal: Not interested, Don't recommend channel, deleting watch or search history, or turning history off. The difference between deleting and pausing, and between hiding from recommendations and blocking.
- IT basicsNot Getting Notifications From a YouTube Channel? What to CheckSubscribed but not notified? Check, in order, your account, the channel's bell, YouTube's notification settings, device and browser permissions, and Focus or Do Not Disturb modes. Also covers YouTube's own notification limits and what creators should check.
- IT basicsGot a YouTube Copyright Claim? What to Check Before Deleting the VideoA "copyright" notice on YouTube can be a Content ID claim, a copyright strike or a Community Guidelines strike, and each works differently. How to check the type, the matched section and the claimant in YouTube Studio, how to edit the match out, and when a dispute is appropriate.
- IT basicsDo AI-Made Videos Need Disclosure? YouTube's Rules ExplainedNot every YouTube video that uses AI needs a disclosure. A table comparing the examples YouTube Help says need disclosure, such as realistic altered or synthetic content, with those that do not, plus the upload setting, where labels appear, and why copyright and monetisation are separate questions.
- Working betterToo Many Work Notifications? Cut Them Without Missing What MattersEmail, chat and calendar alerts arriving all day break your focus and still let important messages slip by. Decide where urgent messages go, sort routine notifications and duplicates, try it for a week and review, and know which alerts must not be switched off.
- IT basicsA Run of Unauthorised Access in Japan: What Should You Check on Your Own Website?When news of unauthorised access makes you worry about your own website: why it is not enough to see that the site loads, why admin screens and APIs behind it need checking, why an unshared URL is not access control, and four points to confirm with your staff or maintenance company.
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- 17 preparedness columns, a winter checklist and a quiz
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