136 articles
Crime
Ohio man claiming to be ‘president of Tokyo’ arrested for shooting at Asian grocery
A Cincinnati man has been arrested and charged after allegedly firing multiple shots at an Asian grocery store in Evendale, Ohio, on Sunday....
Carl Samson
Entertainment
Achieve your New Year’s resolutions at the new ‘One Piece’ gym in Tokyo
A new “One Piece”-themed gym has opened in Tokyo. Named One Piece Fitness BragMen, the unique gym began accepting members on Jan. 13. ...
Iris Jung
Culture
Gwen Stefani insists she is ‘Japanese’ in new interview
Before you read: ‘Those Are My Homies’: Gwen Stefani Shuts Appropriation Claims Over ‘Harajuku Girls’ Era Musician Gwen Stefani doubled down...
Sarah Yukiko
Japan offering families $7,600 per child to move out of Tokyo
Japan is offering families 1 million yen (approximately $7,627) per child to move out of Tokyo in hopes of reducing overcrowding. An additio...
Watch: ‘Metal Gear’ voice actor narrates tour of Kojima Productions’ new studio in Tokyo
Kojima Productions, founded by legendary video game designer Hideo Kojima of “Metal Gear” fame, celebrated their seventh anniver...
Ryan General
Video: Tokyo Disneyland cast members tackle parade crasher
A guest at Tokyo Disneyland jumped in the path of the daily parade floats, causing shock and disruption. Cast members reacted swiftly, tac...
Ines Shin
Japan
Take a look inside Aston Martin’s 4-story private home in Tokyo, its first luxury property in Asia
English car manufacturer Aston Martin is taking its state-of-the-art automotive design process and building its first real estate design co...
Khier Casino
Tokyo latte artist creates foam art of Pikachu, Kirby and more
A latte artist in Tokyo’s Harajuku district is giving customers one more reason to smile by making anime art on the foam or cream of their ...
Lewis Hamilton shares video of himself speeding, doing donuts in R34 Skyline GT-R on Tokyo streets
British race car driver Lewis Hamilton took to social media on Wednesday to share a video of himself driving a rented Nissan Skyline R34 GT...
‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ creator and former Square Enix employee arrested over insider trading
Legendary Sonic designer Yuji Naka is among several former Square Enix employees accused of insider trading. Naka was reportedly arrested ...
William Yuk
Japanese man sets off fireworks at Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing
A Japanese man is under investigation after setting off fireworks at Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing, an intersection considered one of t...
Here’s what it’s like staying inside the ‘sleep pods’ at a Tokyo train station
Small, private rooms that come with lounge chairs, coffee and Wi-Fi at a Japanese train station provide commuters with a safe and quiet spa...
178 Hirokazu Tanakas break world record for largest group with same name
On Sunday, 178 Hirokazu Tanakas met in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward to break the Guinness World Record for the largest group of people with the sam...
Isa Peralta
Film & TV
Netizens suspect man giving candy to Studio Ghibli trick-or-treaters is Hayao Miyazaki
Trick-or-treaters who visited Studio Ghibli last week may have been given candy by none other than Hayao Miyazaki himself. On Thursday, the ...
Tokyo train operator asks commuters not to wear scary costumes on Halloween weekend
Keio Corporation, one of Tokyo’s main train operators, recently asked the city’s residents to avoid commuting in scary costumes this weeken...
Anya cosplayers swarm Tokyo after release of latest ‘Spy x Family’ episode
More than 50 cosplayers dressed as Anya from “Spy x Family” were filmed walking around Tokyo following the release of the hit anime’s latest...
Tokyo station employee tells passengers to use rear train cars if they ‘do not want to be groped’
A Tokyo train station worker has drawn criticism for an announcement he made telling passengers to take the rear train cars if they do not ...
Rebecca Moon
‘Maybe he realized how stupid it was halfway in’: Hit-and-run driver in Japan paints his vehicle orange to avoid arrest
Tomoyuki Saito, 33, allegedly struck a 54-year-old man in a hit-and-run accident while driving in Tokyo on Aug. 12. Saito had been drinkin...
Michelle De Pacina
15-year-old girl in Japan arrested for stabbing 2 women as ‘practice’ for killing her mother
A Japanese teenager was arrested in Tokyo’s Shibuya ward on Saturday for stabbing two people. The 15-year-old reportedly stated that she &...
Fashion
Hanae Mori, designer known for butterfly motifs and empress’ wedding gown, dies at 96
Japanese designer Hanae Mori died at her Tokyo home on Aug. 11 at the age of 96. According to the Hanae Mori Office, Mori developed a mild...
69-year-old man arrested in Tokyo discovered to have been driving for 50 years without a license
A 69-year-old man in Tokyo was arrested for driving without a license for 50 years. On May 15, the man struck a car in front of him but sp...
Japanese woman wins Tokyo mayorship while living 5,800 miles away in Belgium
Satoko Kishimoto, 47, has been elected mayor of Tokyo’s Suginami district despite being a resident of Leuven, Belgium, roughly 5,800 miles ...
Jane Nam
Potterheads will get to sip on ‘Herbivicus’ cocktails at official Harry Potter cafe opening in Tokyo
An official “Harry Potter” cafe is opening in Tokyo, and it will be offering fans a plethora of themed food menus, beverages and Hogwarts-i...
Civil Rights
Tokyo set to recognize same-sex partnerships starting November
On Tuesday, the Tokyo metropolitan government revealed its draft of a new registration system that would recognize same-sex partnerships. ...
Used masks stained with lipstick and sweat are being sold online in Japan
Some Japanese women are selling their used masks with lipstick stains online. A woman in her 30s who lives in Tokyo began selling her used...
Asia
China, South Korea condemn honoring of war dead at WWII shrine by Japan PM and over 100 lawmakers
Over 100 lawmakers paid their respects this week at the Yasukuni Shrine, honoring millions of war dead, while Prime Minister Kishida sent a...
Daniel Anderson
Statue of comfort girl in hanbok scheduled to reappear in Tokyo despite previous backlash
The “After ‘freedom of expression?’” exhibition, which seeks to address Japan’s history of censorship, will restage the same comfort woman ...
Tokyo schools to drop controversial dress code rules regulating hair and underwear color
Tokyo’s Board of Education announced it would scrap its controversial dress code rules, including those dictating hairstyles and underwear ...
Bryan Ke
Tokyo’s National Museum of Nature and Science to display Pokémon fossils and skeletons in special exhibit
The National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, Japan, opened a special exhibit on Tuesday that displays Pokémon skeletons and fossils....
Anonymous visitor to Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum leaves a special gift for Totoro at the ticket booth
A special gift was left behind for the ticket booth “employee” Totoro at Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum. The Ghibli Museum posted to its official T...
Business
Japanese man with graduate degree in physics rents himself out to ‘do nothing’ for $90
Shoji Morimoto, 38, started his “Do Nothing Rent-a-Man” business in 2018. Morimoto, who lives in Tokyo, only takes up to three clients per...
Tokyo gym-turned-bar featuring ‘muscle girl’ bartenders, fitness equipment goes viral
A TikTok featuring a fitness-themed bar that was once a gym in Tokyo has gone viral. The muscular bartenders showcase their strength by fl...
Netflix releases trailer for docuseries ‘Midnight Asia: Eat. Dance. Dream.’
Netflix Philippines released a trailer for the streaming platform’s upcoming “Midnight Asia” docuseries, which explores the vibrant undergr...
Elizabeth Lee
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 Hal...
Sports
India closes 2020 Paralympic Games with historic 19-medal finish
India concluded its Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020 campaign with its biggest medal haul to date, taking home a record of 19 medals. All-time h...
Japanese dad, whose 13-year-old had bone cancer, writes heartwarming letter to US Paralympian
American Paralympic high jumper Sam Grewe took to Twitter on Tuesday to share a touching letter he received from a Japanese man. Touching m...