Izakaya economics: Japan’s traditional night out fights tooth and ale for survival

Hard times – and British-style pubs – are squeezing restaurant-bars that once thrived in cities everywhere. Can they innovate to keep pace with change? From rowdy spit-and-sawdust joints to dimly lit high-end eateries, from chains equipped with tablets to family-run holes in the wall, Japan’s izakaya restaurant-bars are as varied as the cuisine they serve. They are also a bellwether, reflecting strength and shifts in the wider economy. Now that economy is squeezing them harder than ever, push...

By Gavin Blair in Tokyo