90% of Japanese firms forgo year-end, New Year parties due to virus

Nearly nine out of 10 Japanese companies plan to suspend their year-end and New Year parties to help reduce the risk of employees becoming infected with the coronavirus, a recent survey showed, in what would be another pandemic-induced disruption of the country's seasonal traditions.Annual parties to look back on a passing year and then another to mark a new year, called "bonenkai" and "shinnenkai," respectively, are treated as important customs in Japan's corporate culture, making the period between December and January one of the most festive times in the country.However, this year, 87.8 …READ FULL ARTICLE