SOCIETY
Is Japan REALLY Trying to Ban Saying “Itadakimasu” at Schools?
Japan's "War on Christmas" is a viral online claim framed as an attack on Japanese culture. Just one problem: it isn't true.
News
SOCIETY
LGBTQ
“Love Wins”: Marriage Equality Advocates in Japan Press Case Ahead of Supreme Court Ruling
As Japan's Supreme Court prepares to hear a pivotal case on marriage equality, a local advocacy group launches a "Love Wins"-themed campaign.
RACE IN JAPAN
Ainu Group Demands Return of 279 Remains Held by Japan’s Government
The lawsuit, the first of its kind, argues that Ainu burial tradition vests the right to manage their remains in the kotan…
TRAVEL
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa: Tokyo’s Quiet Neighborhood of Coffee, Art, and Edo History
Kiyosumi-Shirakawa is one of Tokyo's quietest neighborhoods, where Edo history, a Mitsubishi-built stroll garden, contemporary art, and Japan's third-wave coffee scene sit…
FOOD
I Ate 7-Eleven Japan’s 1,595 Calorie Ramen Because I Have a Death Wish, Apparently
7-Eleven Japan's new 810-gram, 1,595-calorie frozen 'G-Type Ramen' recreates a Jirō-style gut-punch at home. I ate the whole thing, all 16.5 grams…
WOMEN
Japan’s Youngest Female Mayor Says She’ll Take Maternity Leave, Ignites a Backlash
Kawata Shoko, Japan's youngest female mayor, said she's taking maternity and parental leave. Here's why some in Japan say that's wrong.
SOCIETY
Why Some Big Japan Brands Are Quitting Baby Products
The two companies say the decisions have nothing to do with population decline. Indeed, there are signs the baby business in Japan…
ENTERTAINMENT
20% of Japan’s Manga Artists and Illustrators Say AI Has Cut Their Income
A new Nikkei survey finds that roughly one in five Japanese manga artists and illustrators say generative AI has already cut into…