One of them is the sauna boom. Find out why it is taking off in a country of hot springs. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. Japan is in transition - where younger Japanese are questioning the rules and strictures that traditionally govern their society.  One manifestation of that is the increasing number of schools in both cities and rural parts that allow genderless uniforms, including for boys who want to wear skirts to schools. Even the country’s exquisite cuisine is undergoing a revolution of sorts, with insects being introduced into the repertoire as Japan grapples with limited arable land.  In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with Japan correspondent Walter Sim - who has been based in the country for eight years - about what other social changes and trends he sees will take place in 2024. Highlights (click/tap above):2:05 What is behind the trend of genderless uniforms and what kind of reactions do schoolboys get when they wear skirts?6:35 Japan is in a period of social change, but these are not yet translated into policy change9:48 Subverting ideas about Japanese food: Cricket yakitori and ramen now on the menu 12:51 Three trends that will take off in 2024 Produced by: Li Xueying ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR  Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x Read Walter Sim's articles: https://str.sg/wHY2 Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover more ST podcast channels: COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7 Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts --- Special edition series: True Crimes of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i4Y3  The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2 Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa --- Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts! #STAsianInsider See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.