Japan bans flashy baby names like ‘Nike,’ ‘Pikachu’

Japan’s parliament passed legislation in late May establishing standards for children’s name pronunciations, addressing disputes over creati...

Nearly half of Japanese workforce engages in ‘quiet quitting’: survey

Around 45% of full-time employees in Japan are “quiet quitting,” a practice where workers do only what their roles require, without extra ef...

Japanese lawmaker compares Trump to ‘delinquent kid’ over tariffs

A Japanese opposition lawmaker has reportedly compared President Donald Trump to a “delinquent kid extorting somebody” amid tense trade nego...

Trump’s re-election sparks economic, geopolitical anxiety across Asia

Donald Trump’s re-election is raising major questions across Asia as countries brace for the impact of his renewed “America First” age...

Meet Japan’s ‘Instant Ramen King’ who’s consumed ramen every day for 30 years

Sokusekisai Oyama, Japan’s “Instant Ramen King,” has dedicated over 30 years to his passion for instant noodles, consuming...

New doc highlighting child poverty among Japan’s single mothers prompts calls for change

The documentary “The Ones Left Behind: The Plight of Single Mothers in Japan” sheds light on the overlooked child poverty in Japan, where ne...

Japanese mountaineer is named world’s oldest living person

Tomiko Itooka, a 116-year-old woman from Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, is now recognized as the world’s oldest living person following th...

GOP senator suggests Israel follow US’ ‘right decision’ to nuke Japan to defeat Hamas

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) recently compared Israel’s war on Gaza to the U.S. bombing of Japan in World War II, sugge...

5 WWII soldiers awarded posthumous Purple Heart medals 80 years after plane crash

Five Hawaiian men who served with Japanese-language linguists during World War II were posthumously awarded Purple Heart medals nearly eight...

Harvard’s Asia Center holds first-ever Daoist ritual

Harvard University’s Asia Center held its first-ever Daoist ritual in the hopes of igniting interest in establishing Daoist studies centers ...

Watch: Panda mom honored with Mother’s Day feast at Japanese zoo

Dozens gathered at a zoo in the town of Shirahama in Japan’s Wakayama Prefecture on Mother’s Day to watch a mommy panda take delight i...

Watch: Kyoto cafe serves coffee in large block of ice

A cafe in Kyoto is gaining attention on social media for serving coffee in a large block of ice. Key points: ...

Watch: Falcon snatches TikToker’s sandwich at Japanese beach

A TikTok user was left in shock after a falcon swooped in to snatch his lunch while he was relaxing at a beach in central Japan. Key points:...

1 in 5 Japanese seniors will have dementia by 2060: government study

Around 20% of Japan’s population aged 65 and older is projected to suffer from dementia by 2020, the government said on Wednesday. Key point...

‘The Boy and the Heron’ will be Studio Ghibli’s first film released in 4K

Oscar-winner “The Boy and the Heron” is set to become Studio Ghibli’s first movie to be released in 4K Ultra HD (UHD) as distributors unveil...

‘The Contestant’ doc reveals true story of unwitting Japanese reality star isolated in a room for over a year

“The Contestant,” which tells the true story of a Japanese reality television star who endured over a year of isolation in a room while stri...

Blue Jays pitcher shares $3,000 bottle of Japanese whisky after every win

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi has introduced a new tradition to the team’s clubhouse by sharing a bottle of expensive Jap...

Ex-manga piracy website ordered to pay largest compensation amount in Japan’s history

A Japanese court has ordered the former operator of the now-defunct popular piracy manga website Mangamura to pay around 1.7 billion yen ($1...

‘Look Back,’ coming-of-age drama from ‘Chainsaw Man’ creator, gets trailer

The first full trailer for “Look Back” has been released, offering a teaser into the coming-of-age drama from Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator ...

Japan sees record-breaking surge in foreign visitors

Japan welcomed a record-breaking surge in foreign visitors in March, marking the first time foreigners surpassed the 3-million mark in a sin...

‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star Crystal Kung Minkoff announces exit

Crystal Kung Minkoff has announced her departure from Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” ahead of Season 14, express...

Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu qualify for Billie Jean King Cup Finals

Japan’s Naomi Osaka and English tennis star Emma Raducanu have secured their respective countries’ qualifying spots for the Billie Jea...

Jimmy Kimmel says US ‘filthy and disgusting’ after return from Japan trip

After a recent trip to Japan with his family, late night TV host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel expressed shock on his show at the cleanliness of...

Pizza Hut Japan piles more cilantro on ‘Too Much Coriander’ pizza

Pizza Hut Japan reintroduced its uniquely popular “Too Much Coriander” pizza, with the chain promising to add even more cilantro to put on t...

Japan’s imperial family joins Instagram

Japan’s imperial family has launched its Instagram account, aiming to connect with younger audiences and dispel their reclusive image....

Watch: Japan’s famous 60-foot-tall Gundam gives final performance

Fans bid farewell to the famous massive Gundam exhibit in Yokohama City as the iconic display gave its final performance before taking its l...

‘Oppenheimer’ earns mixed reactions in Japan premiere

The highly anticipated premiere of the Academy Award-winning film “Oppenheimer” in Japan has garnered mixed and highly emotional reactions a...

How Trader Joe’s tote bags became so fashionable in Japan

While Trader Joe’s tote bags in the U.S. have become a viral sensation due to social media, the canvas bags have long been an unexpect...

Americans name China as US’ greatest enemy for 4th consecutive year: poll

China remains the top perceived U.S. adversary for the fourth consecutive year, with 41% of Americans naming it as the United States’ ...

Massachusetts family helps return looted artifacts found in later father’s attic to Japan

A Massachusetts family called the FBI for help in returning the nearly two dozen looted Japanese artifacts they discovered while sorting thr...

Cat that escaped after fall into vat of chemicals in Japan prompts health warning

A cat that made a daring escape after falling into a vat of hazardous chemicals at a factory in Japan over the weekend has prompted city off...

Hayao Miyazaki won’t be retiring following latest Oscar win

Hayao Miyazaki may not be retiring just yet following his recent Oscar win for “The Boy and The Heron,” despite previously decla...

What the director of ‘Godzilla Minus One’ said about ‘Oppenheimer’

“Godzilla Minus One” director Takashi Yamazaki has a response to fellow Oscar winner “Oppenheimer.” Catch up: “Godzilla Minus On...

Japan’s ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ nabs top prize at 2024 Asian Film Awards

Oscar-winning director Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s drama film “Evil Does Not Exist” clinched the top prize at the 17th Asian Film Awards in Hong Kon...

Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto wins the ‘Nobel of architecture’

The 53rd Pritzker Architecture Prize has been awarded to Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto for his five-decade career focused on innovative ...

Mark Zuckerberg discusses AI risks with Japan PM Fumio Kishida

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed artificial intelligence (AI) with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday during a stop on his o...