Japan
Clamp manga classic ‘xxxHolic’ set for live-action film adaptation
An official announcement has confirmed that beloved fantasy manga series “xxxHolic” will have a live-action movie adaptation out next year.
What it’s about: The live-action adaptation of the manga, which was created by all-female artist group Clamp in 2003, is set to release in Japan on April 29, 2022, reported Kotaku.
Japanese train driver sues employer over 49 cents docked from his wages for 2-minute delay
A Japanese train driver took his employer, West Japan Railway Company (JR West), to court after it docked 56 yen (49 cents) from his July paycheck because of a two-minute delay that occurred during his shift the month before.
What happened: The driver, whose name was not revealed by Japanese media, was waiting for the empty train that he was supposed to drive to Okayama Station depot on the morning of June 18, according to Yomiuri Shimbun via SoraNews24.
Japanese airline chooses Vulpix for new flight to spark tourism to Hokkaido
A regional airline in Japan is launching a new Pokémon-themed passenger plane focusing on Vulpix and its ice-type form, Alolan Vulpix.
Flying fox: Budget carrier Air Do, which flies passengers between Honshu and Hokkaido islands, unveiled its special plane called Rokon Jet Hokkaido on Monday, according to a press release.
Snow crab in Japan sold for whopping $44,000
A snow crab was sold for 5 million yen (around $44,000) at the Kanazawa seaport in Japan during the season’s first auction.
The auction: On Nov. 6, the large male snow crab that was sold for millions of yen passed every criterion of Ishikawa Prefecture’s fisheries cooperative, reported NHK World-Japan.
Man dressed as Joker injures 17 in Tokyo train knife and fire attack on Halloween
A Japanese man dressed in a Joker costume was arrested for injuring 17 people during a knife and fire attack at a Tokyo train station on Halloween.
About the attack: The incident occurred near Kokuryo station in Tokyo’s western suburbs at around 8 p.m. on Sunday, according to BBC. The suspect, identified as Kyota Hattori, 24, was seen wearing a purple suit and green shirt similar to that of Batman villain the Joker.
Former Japanese PM Taro Aso faces heat for claiming climate change makes ‘tastier’ rice
Japan’s former Prime Minister Taro Aso, who’s been known to make controversial comments, drew attention again on Monday when he claimed that global warming has led to “tastier” rice. Recently elected Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has since apologized on his behalf.
The incident: Aso made the comment that there is “something good” to global warming while giving a campaign speech at Hokkaido city of Otaru in support of a candidate from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reported Newsweek.
Former Princess Mako finally marries, becomes a commoner despite years of relentless public hounding
Mako Komuro, formerly known as Princess Mako, and her long-term partner Kei Komuro who was the subject of controversies and the Japanese public’s disapproval, married on Tuesday.
Their journey recapped: In 2017, Mako, the granddaughter of former Emperor Akihito, publicly announced her engagement to Kei, a commoner. It meant that she would need to renounce her royal title and become a commoner once married.
Japanese company aims to introduce tipping culture to Japan with ‘tip tickets’
A Japanese company has launched an effort to introduce tipping culture across Japan to motivate employees and help restaurants that suffered losses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Culture introduction: Tip Project is a new Japanese enterprise backed by several Japanese celebrities, including best-selling author Takafumi Horie, comedian Akihiro Nishino and YouTube personality Yoshihito Kamogashira, reported Kotaku.
Japanese man is the first suspect ever arrested for using deepfake tech to de-pixelate porn
A Japanese man was arrested on Monday after he effectively removed pixelated parts in censored domestically produced porn videos using artificial intelligence.
Abuse of tech power: Masayuki Nakamoto, a 43-year-old website owner from Hyogo prefecture, was apprehended for using deepfake technology in reversing pixelation in Japanese adult videos and then reselling the videos to willing buyers, reported VICE.
South Korea, China criticize new Japanese PM’s offering to controversial Tokyo shrine honoring war dead
Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida drew criticisms from the Chinese and South Korean government after sending a ritual offering to a controversial Tokyo shrine.
A reminder of war: Fumio Kishida, who took office on Oct. 4, marked the autumn festival by donating “masakaki” religious ornaments to the Yasukuni Shrine, which is viewed by many as a symbol of Japanese aggression, reported the Associated Press.
‘Konkatsu’: 1 in 6 Japanese marriages are a result of spouse hunting services
One out of every six couples who were married in Japan last year were reportedly brought together by a matchmaking service known locally as “konkatsu.”
Konkatsu later: According to a recent survey, matchmaking activities, which include events and parties organized by marriage agencies and similar online services, accounted for 16.5% of all marriages in 2020, reported Nippon.
Japanese scientists want to make lab-grown wagyu affordable to the masses within five years
Japanese scientists have successfully recreated Wagyu beef — complete with its distinctive fat marbling — in a laboratory using 3D printer technology.
Quest for cheaper Wagyu: Osaka University researchers used 3-D bioprinters to reproduce Japan’s famous steak, paving the way for a much more affordable variety of the expensive steak, reported Reuters.