LONDON — Japan's "kawaii" (cute) pop culture style is making an impact on Britain's youth and influencing the wider society, according to experts.

Over the last 10 years, the country's youngsters have started to embrace the whole spectrum of kawaii — from the extremes of "cosplay" (costume play) down to the purchasing of accessories adorned with cute "anime" and manga characters.

Kawaii has also crept into mainstream art and fashion, even though members of the public may not actually be aware of the fact, according to analysts who recently attended a panel discussion in London on the kawaii craze.