Watch: Tokyo holds competition for those great at doing absolutely nothing

Nearly 100 contestants in Tokyo competed in the “Space-out Competition” on Sunday, the ultimate test of doing nothing. Held at A...

Japan sees record returns of lost-and-found items

A record number of lost items in Japan were returned to authorities in 2023, highlighting the country’s unwavering commitment to hones...

High-ranking yakuza officer arrested for stealing Pokemon cards

Tokyo police arrested a yakuza lieutenant for his role in a December 2022 office break-in that netted stolen Pokemon cards. Key points: ...

Japan Airlines flight canceled after pilot gets drunk in Dallas

A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled after the captain reportedly became intoxicated at a hotel bar and was warned by p...

‘Godzilla’ destroys Tokyo government building in celebration of 70th anniversary

A 100-meter (328-foot) “Godzilla” was projected “destroying” a government building in Tokyo over the weekend, as the long-runnin...

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...

OpenAI arrives in Asia with inaugural Tokyo office

OpenAI has opened an office in Japan, marking a significant step in its global expansion efforts. Key points: ...

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...

Acclaimed Tokyo sushi chef to make US debut with $1,000 omakase experience in NYC

Legendary Tokyo sushi chef Hidefumi Namba is coming to New York City next month to host a special omakase dinner experience with a door char...

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...

Netflix’s 2024 anime lineup includes ‘Gundam,’ ‘My Hero Academia’ and ‘One Piece Film: Red’

Netflix unveiled its new lineup of anime series and movies for 2024, which includes popular titles like “My Hero Academia” and the movie “On...

Shohei Ohtani addresses ex-translator’s illegal betting scandal

Shohei Ohtani denied any involvement in the illegal betting scandal of his former long-time interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, as he publicly addr...

Naomi Osaka says she’s focused on Grand Slam title, not No. 1 spot after Indian Wells loss

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka revealed after her Indian Wells Open defeat that she is focusing more on winning another Grand Slam title t...

Uber Eats’ little green robots begin delivering food in Tokyo

Uber Eats Japan deployed its little green robot delivery service in Tokyo on Wednesday, making Japan the second country to receive the deliv...

Taiwanese artist wins top prize at Japan manga awards

Taiwanese manga artist Jason Chien secured a Gold Award for his work at the Japan International Manga Awards. Winning gold: Out of 587 entri...

Masashi Kishimoto reacts to Destin Daniel Cretton joining ‘Naruto’ live-action film as director

Legendary manga creator Masashi Kishimoto expressed his excitement after Destin Daniel Cretton was named as the director for Lionsgate’s liv...

Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphonic Orchestra’s longest-tenured director, dies at 88

World-renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa, who served as a director in the Boston Symphonic Orchestra (BSO) for 29 years, has died at 88. What ha...

Japanese Embassy roots for Taylor Swift, assures fans she’ll make it to Super Bowl

As Taylor Swift finds herself busy electrifying Tokyo for her Eras Tour, the Japanese Embassy in Washington, D.C., assured angsty Swifties F...

This Japanese cafe lets customers mingle with mini pigs

Mini pigs are now the latest craze in Japan, with one Tokyo cafe offering customers the chance to pet them for a small cost. It’s a hit: Ope...

Japanese man who rents himself to ‘do nothing’ releases memoir in US

A Japanese man who made global headlines for renting himself to “do nothing” has released his memoir in the U.S. About his book: Shoji Morim...

Japanese literary award winner admits getting help from ChatGPT

A Japanese author has opened up about getting help from ChatGPT shortly after winning one of the country’s most prestigious literary awards....

Bluefin tuna fetches nearly $800,000 at Tokyo New Year auction

A giant bluefin tuna fetched a record 114.24 million yen ($789,000) at a New Year’s auction in Tokyo on Friday. About the tuna: Weighing 238...

Number of Japanese seniors looking for jobs doubled in 10 years: report

The number of Japanese people aged 65 and above looking for jobs has more than doubled in the past decade, according to a new report. Not re...

Hayao Miyazaki’s first animated series to be adapted into a stage play

Hayao Miyazaki’s groundbreaking 1978 anime series, “Future Boy Conan,” is set for a stage play adaptation in Tokyo this year. Fresh ta...

Nuisance streamer faces Japanese court, vows never to livestream again

Controversial IRL livestreamer JohnnySomali has reportedly promised to stop broadcasting while denying some of the charges against him as he...

Sales of feudal-era weapon heat up in Japan after store uses it to thwart robbery

A Japanese weapon that traces its roots to the 1600s is gaining new interest after a jewelry store employee successfully used it to prevent ...

Watch: Vlogger tours ‘Japan’s worst tiny apartment’

Those looking for an affordable space can find the apartment a worthwhile choice as it only costs ¥40,000 ($267) per month to rent ...

Japanese store slams foreign tourists for ‘bad manners’

A Japanese store has put up a sign scolding foreign tourists for having “bad manners.” “Request for Foreign Customers”: The shop located in ...

Japan’s annual cat aptitude test opens its registration

Did you know that Japan has an annual test that can tell a person how well they know their feline friend? What it’s about: Known in Ja...

Cafe in Tokyo to install vertical pods for customers to sleep upright

A cafe in Tokyo will be installing vertical pods in which customers can take naps while standing upright.  Standing sleeping booth: The Nesc...

This futuristic translation device is now helping foreigners navigate Tokyo’s metro

A Japanese railway company has begun testing an automated translation display that would help non-Japanese speaking commuters navigate Tokyo...

Fans of YouTuber IShowSpeed gather outside Tokyo hospital to show support amid his illness

Fans of 18-year-old YouTuber IShowSpeed gathered outside a hospital in Tokyo to show support amid his ongoing illness.  About his illness: D...

Japanese scientists successfully use artificial DNA to kill cancer cells

“The results of this study are good news for doctors, drug discovery researchers and cancer patients, as we believe it will give them ...

‘Joker’ suspect who set fire on Tokyo train sentenced to 23 years in prison

The Japanese man accused of attacking passengers and setting a Tokyo train carriage on fire while dressed as the fictional supervillain Joke...

‘Simply special’: Japanese boxing star Naoya Inoue continues undefeated streak

Japanese boxing superstar Naoya Inoue proved on Tuesday night that he is a force to be reckoned with after defeating American boxer Stephen ...

Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae comes out as gay during Tokyo performance

J-pop idol Shinjiro Atae came out as gay during a performance in central Tokyo. Coming out: In his first performance since taking a nearly t...