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Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Mar 15, 2019

Sex, lies and video: Scandals rock K-pop world

Police in South Korea questioned two K-pop stars and two other singers resigned on Thursday, as accusations of sex tapes, prostitutes and secret chat about rape rocked the music industry and hit entertainment stocks.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech / Commentary
Jul 21, 2022

Streaming is sadder now

A short explanation for this vibe shift: There has been a little loss of faith in the growth potential of streaming, and doubt has profound ripple effects.
CULTURE
Dec 24, 2020

Collapse, isolate, adjust and rebuild: How Japanese pop culture fared in the pandemic of 2020

Japan began 2020 with Olympic glory in its sights, with artists and musicians ready to take the spotlight. Then, the pandemic hit and pushed things in a much-needed direction.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
May 12, 2016

Art Fair Tokyo to feature more overseas representation and lower prices at this year's event

Every year, Tokyo becomes a hot spot for art and, every year, newcomers to the scene consider taking the plunge and buying their first piece. Now in its 11th year, Art Fair Tokyo hopes to make things a little easier on first-time buyers.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 12, 2014

Loeb's opponents cheered even as Sony tightened belt

When activist investor Daniel Loeb announced in October he'd sold his Sony Corp. stake, executives at the company's Culver City, California, studio lot expressed relief.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
May 19, 2014

Sony breakup 'long overdue,' analysts say

One year and about $2 billion in lost market value later, it may be time for Sony Corp. to take Daniel Loeb's advice about breaking up.
Japan Times
LIFE
Jul 11, 2010

Japan's great gamble

Sheldon Adelson, crusading chairman of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, was in Singapore last month to launch his company's latest casino-anchored mega-resort, the $5.5 billion Marina Bay Sands Singapore.
JAPAN
Oct 18, 2008

Filipino bar hostess visa scam snags top official

Senior Vice Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Masatoshi Kurata was embroiled in a scandal Friday over his alleged role in arranging visas for Filipino women to enter Japan and perform at "charity concerts," but who in fact ended up working as bar hostesses.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / CLOSE-UP
Feb 4, 2007

Princess Tenko: conjuror of pure mystery

The life of illusionist Tenko Hikita -- better
JAPAN
Aug 27, 2004

Entertainers face visa crackdown as ministry targets prostitution

The Justice Ministry plans to tighten its visa screening of foreign women entering Japan as dancers and singers in an effort to prevent crime syndicates from forcing them into prostitution, ministry officials said Thursday.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Apr 7, 2004

Korean love story heats up Japan

As a milestone in Japan's ongoing love affair with Korean entertainment, which has been deepening over the past few years, "The Hotel Venus" is a big one.
You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 4, 2024

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Summer music festivals are back, but for how long? Climate change is putting the heat on our favorite outdoor entertainment.
Brian Kim (center), founder of Kakao, arrives at the Seoul Southern District Court in Seoul on Monday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 23, 2024

Arrest warrant out for Kakao founder in stock-rigging case

Brian Kim is facing accusations that he was involved in a stock-rigging scheme during the high-profile takeover of SM Entertainment in 2023.
James Gorman, who was named to the Disney board this year and later put in charge of succession planning, will become Disney’s chairman on Jan. 2, 2025, the company said.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 22, 2024

Disney taps Morgan Stanley's Gorman as chair and will name CEO Iger's replacement in 2026

Morgan Stanley veteran James Gorman will become chairman of Disney's board on Jan. 2, and will lend a helping hand in the decision-making process.
Kazuya Shiraishi's "11 Rebels," a period actioner based on a long-forgotten script by Kazuo Kasahara, will open this year's Tokyo International Film Festival.
CULTURE / Film
Oct 24, 2024

Tokyo International Film Festival boasts strong line-up of Japanese fare

An excellent chance to see films from Japan, Asia and around the world, the annual event will kick off with Kazuya Shiraishi's gritty action feature "11 Rebels."
Sony already has a 2% stake in Kadokawa and a stake in Kadokawa subsidiary FromSoftware, the developer of Elden Ring.
BUSINESS / Companies
Nov 19, 2024

Sony in talks to buy media powerhouse behind Elden Ring, sources say

The talks between the two sides are ongoing and, if successful, a deal could be signed in the coming weeks.
"True View of Horse-drawn Tramcars Coming and Going at Nihombashi Bridge" (1882) by Utagawa Hiroshige
CULTURE / Art
Dec 31, 2024

The bond between the Japanese and animals as seen in ukiyo-e

An exhibition looks at what kind of relationship did Japanese people and animals have during the early modern Edo Period.
David Nemecek
BUSINESS
Dec 25, 2024

The star dealmakers remaking the rules of corporate debt

The world of liability management is a small, aggressive and, thus far, male-dominated corner of corporate finance.
A portion of the Grand Ring at the site of the Osaka Expo during a media tour late last month
JAPAN
Jan 10, 2025

Race circuit and resort among post-event proposals for Osaka Expo site

One proposal envisages an entertainment complex housing a circuit and a large arena.
Animated series “Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi” premiered on Cartoon Network on Nov. 29, 2004, and ran for three seasons. The show is based on real-life J-pop band Puffy.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jan 24, 2025

The cartoon chaos of ‘Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi’ was ahead of its time

Love for the J-pop duo’s zany Cartoon Network series has endured online for over 20 years since its premiere.
Upon the release of Dragon Quest VII in 2000, hundreds of customers lined up outside stores in Tokyo to secure a copy of the new game. With a remake of a 1988 title, the rest of the world is understanding why Japanese gamers love the series so much.
LIFE / Digital
Jan 25, 2025

Japan’s love affair with Dragon Quest spreads worldwide

The remake of a 1988 game serves as the latest chance for the rest of the world to learn why Japan loves Dragon Quest so much.
Ayumi Matsuki, a priestess at Yoshiwara Shrine, shows off some "o-mamori" charms. She says visitors to the shrine have increased since the NHK drama “Unbound” began airing this month.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Jan 26, 2025

Tracing Tsutaya Juzaburo, Edo’s media maverick

Discover the hometown of the Yoshiwara publisher who helped shape Japan’s artistic legacy and inspired NHK’s latest period drama.
The Jackson State marching band performs at halftime of their game against South Carolina State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 14, 2024.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Feb 3, 2025

Dynamic Black marching bands are Super Bowl stalwarts

At least 13 Super Bowl halftime shows have included HBCU marching bands.
Fredric Gushin, president and CEO of Spectrum Gaming Group
BUSINESS
Feb 12, 2025

Thailand's big casino gamble hangs on fine print of regulations

Experts warn success will come only by playing its cards right on regulation.
Barbara Broccoli, whose family has been the longtime stewards of the James Bond franchise, worries that Amazon's control will turn it into mass-produced "content," prioritizing quantity over quality and undermining its cinematic prestige.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 28, 2025

Amazon wants to turn 'James Bond' into slop

Barbara Broccoli, a custodian of the "James Bond" franchise, told friends she doesn’t trust algorithm-centric Amazon with a character she helped to mythologize.
The head of Godzilla, a Japanese monster movie character, is seen on a building of Toho Cinema in Tokyo. Toho is one tariff-defensive stock being recommended by brokers.
BUSINESS / Markets
Apr 18, 2025

Tokyo stock picker advises Trump-proofing portfolios with Godzilla creator Toho

Investor sentiment may favor Japanese companies that continue to issue earnings forecasts, especially during this period of uncertainty and market volatility.
Arashi is known for massive hit songs such as “A・RA・SHI,” “Love So Sweet” and “Happiness.”
CULTURE / Entertainment news
May 7, 2025

J-pop group Arashi to disband after going on tour next spring

Current fan club members will be given priority to purchase tickets for the last concert tour.
A Sony PlayStation 5 controller
BUSINESS / Companies
May 14, 2025

Sony profit forecast flattens under ¥100 billion tariff burden

New Sony Chief Executive Officer Hiroki Totoki’s first task is to navigate the entertainment group though a new era of a tariff-wielding United States.
Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku and kabuki actor Nakamura Shido II first performed together in 2016. This month, they’re reviving the show for the Osaka World Expo.
CULTURE / Stage
May 17, 2025

Traditional performing arts are plugging into modern audiences

Noh and kabuki are getting an image update by teaming up with pop culture figures such as Vocaloid idol Hatsune Miku and DJ Ken Ishii.
Anime director Shunsuke Nakashige accepts the anime of the year award for “Solo Leveling” at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
CULTURE / Film
May 30, 2025

Anime's big night out is getting bigger — and more surreal

The soft-power spectacle at Crunchyroll's awards ceremony in Tokyo underscores anime's expanding global influence.

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