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Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Feb 1, 2021

Living in Japan doesn't have to break the bank

Japan is often touted as an expensive place to live. With a high quality of living, national health system, vibrant cultural scene, admirable levels of education and safety — it’s not hard to understand some of the reasons why people want to call it home. These desirable factors come at a cost, though....
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jul 11, 2020

Pac-Man: How a faceless character based on eating changed video game history

Examining the cultural and commercial legacy of Japan's iconic arcade game on its 40th anniversary.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Apr 11, 2020

Japan's streaming situation improved just in time to self-isolate

Doing your part to flatten the coronavirus curve by staying home? Luckily, the streaming situation has improved over the past few years so you don't have to be bored. And with local options, maybe you can pick up some Japanese while you catch up on pop culture?
Japan Times
CULTURE
Apr 4, 2020

Kamishibai: Rediscovering the fine art of storytelling in Japan

Artists are taking a traditional art form to a new audience but a battle rages over its true essence.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Apr 2, 2020

All bets are off: Casino capitals Macao and Las Vegas slammed by virus

The vast, glitzy gaming halls of Macao are open, but thousands of baccarat tables are empty. The world's biggest gambling hub has barred entry to most travelers and hotels are being used to isolate new arrivals in case they have been infected by coronavirus.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Mar 2, 2020

Anime's evolution in lands down under

For the past quarter century, fans of Japanese pop culture in Australia and New Zealand have been served almost exclusively by a single distributor: Madman.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 10, 2020

Yoshitaka Hori: The man on a mission to export Japanese musicals

HoriPro Inc. CEO and Chairman, Yoshitaka Hori, wants to take Japanese musicals out to the world and compete with the likes of Broadway and the West End.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 4, 2019

Anime, manga, pro-wrestling? Tokyo firm hopes Japan's next big cultural export comes from inside the ring

If one Japanese business has its way, wrestlers will be the next hit entertainment export from the country that introduced the world to Hello Kitty and animation sci-fi films such as "Akira."
Japan Times
Uncategorized / TICAD 7 Special
Aug 27, 2019

Port area the center of national firsts, lively excursions

Modern Yokohama might be second in Japan in terms of population but, historically, it has long been a city of firsts.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 27, 2019

Makoto Shinkai isn't afraid of a bit of rain in the pursuit of his art

It has been raining for weeks, but director Makoto Shinkai doesn't seem to mind a bit.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Jul 3, 2019

Japan is cool but has no clue about selling itself

The country is still struggling to make money off of its worldwide cultural cachet
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 14, 2019

Activist investor Dan Loeb calls on Sony to spin off its semiconductor business

Activist investor Dan Loeb has disclosed a $1.5 billion stake in Sony Corp. and pushed the company to make dramatic changes, including spinning off its semiconductor business and listing it in Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 28, 2019

Gang of Four's fluctuating degrees of animosity, 40 years on

British post-punk pioneers Gang of Four didn't come to Japan until 2005, nearly 30 years after the band formed. If guitarist Andy Gill had his way, it would have happened a lot sooner. "I clearly remember a conversation in the '80s about going to Japan," Gill says, sitting among an array of equipment...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Jan 29, 2019

Arashi's hiatus spurs heartbreak, but hopes for a 2020 Olympic farewell

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics creep ever closer and one of the biggest arguments that remains is which musical performers will feature in the event's opening ceremony. Up until now, debate over who should represent Japan on the international stage has been raging.
SPORTS
Dec 15, 2018

Wrestle mania: The changing landscape of professional wrestling in Japan

In June 1976, professional wrestler Kanji "Antonio" Inoki took on iconic American boxer Muhammad Ali at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo in a fight that would be broadcast to an estimated global audience of 1.4 billion.
Japan Times
JAPAN / United Nations Day special
Oct 24, 2018

Comedians boost SDGs awareness

"Why did an entertainment company such as Yoshimoto decide to become involved in promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?" asked U.N. Information Centre Director Kaoru Nemoto when she recently reunited with Akihiko Okamoto, COO of renowned Japanese entertainment company Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. (Yoshimoto)....
BUSINESS
Feb 28, 2018

Executive meetings in Asia no longer boozy lunches as refined fare and tighter budgets hold sway

Entertaining clients has always been part of the world of finance. But it's no longer just about wining and dining. In an era of healthier lifestyles and tighter industry budgets, the boundaries of where to go and what to do have shifted. The legend of the boozy dinner sealed-with-a-deal may live on,...
JAPAN / Society
Jan 31, 2018

'Country of cowards': Comedy duo's political satire stands out in gun-shy Japan

In what was perhaps a make-or-break moment for their careers, comedy duo Woman Rush Hour did something on prime-time television in December that most of their fellow comedians try their best to eschew: They talked about politics.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 3, 2017

Mobile gaming firm Akatsuki to adapt Japanese content for U.S. TV and movie screens

Mobile gaming company Akatsuki Inc. announced Tuesday the launch of a U.S.-based entertainment production company aimed at developing feature films for a global audience based on popular Japanese content including manga, anime and novels.
James Rosewald, co-founder of Dalton Investments, speaks during an interview at the company's office in Tokyo on Wednesday.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 28, 2025

Dalton connects with activist investor-linked fund to pressure Fuji Media

Dalton is trying to pressure Fuji Media after the broadcaster earlier this month spurned the fund’s proposal for 12 new directors, including SBI Holdings' Yoshitaka Kitao.
Rock band Mrs. Green Apple performed an emotional rendition of hit song “Darling” on the final night of the Music Awards Japan.
CULTURE / Music
May 29, 2025

Songs, stars and strategy: Japan debuts its newest awards ceremony

From viral hits to legacy tributes, Japan's 'answer to the Grammys' delivers a celebration of J-pop's past and present at its inaugural event in Kyoto.
An aerial view of SoFi Staidum in the weeks leading up to its hosting of the Super Bowl, in January 2022.
SOCCER
Jun 15, 2025

PSG inspired by Los Angeles as it sets out to build new stadium

Paris Saint-Germain is drawing inspiration from the success of new state-of-the-art venues in Los Angeles as the club begins the process of building a new stadium for the team.
In a statement on their official website, Tokio said it had decided to disband following a compliance violation by Taichi Kokubun, without providing details as to what the violation entailed.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jun 26, 2025

Japanese pop-rock band Tokio announces disbandment after 31 years

The group said it will bring an end to its activities as Tokio following a compliance violation by member Taichi Kokubun but did not disclose details.
Maria Seiren, known for winning the first-ever “Japan’s Got Talent” with her opera voice, has also been training in traditional noh theater, creating productions that combine opera, noh and even pop music.
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 28, 2025

Diva of dualities: Maria Seiren sings opera and noh in both a female and male voice

The first-ever winner of talent show competition “Japan’s Got Talent” is having a stacked year with two noh and opera productions and her 10th anniversary album release.
"I can't overstate the talent available, women's college basketball and internationally," WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said of the key factors in forging ahead with a WNBA expansion and why the timing was right.
BASKETBALL
Jul 1, 2025

WNBA expands to 18 teams with Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia added

Cleveland will be the first franchise to play in the WNBA among the latest additions, in 2028.
Fuji Media Holdings says it will consider issuing free stock acquisition rights if an investor buys up 20% or more of its voting shares.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 10, 2025

Fuji Media shares dip after company floats poison pill defense

The broadcaster said it's considering measures to stop one of Japan’s most prominent activist investors from gaining control of the firm.
A boy and his father walk through the toy section of Walmart in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, on Nov. 29, 2019.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jul 24, 2025

Toy makers nix batteries and other materials to save costs amid tariff war

The duties imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are particularly painful for companies like Hasbro and Mattel, as 80% of toys sold in the U.S. come from China.

Longform

In 2020, 38% of all households were single-person. That figure is projected to rise to 44.3% by 2050.
The rise of AI companionship in a lonely Japan