Utada Hikaru has tweeted that she has sent the first episode recordings of her radio show "KUMA POWER HOUR" to InterFM. She recorded and edited completely from home! Instead of recording it in a studio…she completed the opening music, personally chose the songs that will be played, and recorded the talk... read
The 64th Sapporo Snow Festival has opened in Japan featuring 216 snow statues and ice sculptures which were built with the assistance of army units. The spectacular 15-meter-tall snow compositions represent scenes from Japanese mythology, cartoon and fairytale characters, and famous sportsmen. The exhibits include a full-size building of the Kabuki Theatre... read
Researchers at ATR’s Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan, have developed a way to relate brain scans to specific images, thus being able to effectively see what a person is dreaming about. Led by Yukiyasu Kamitani, head of the Laboratories’ department of neuroinformatics, the team tested three people while they slept,... read
B’z will be streaming the final night of their U.S. tour, ‘B’z LIVE-GYM 2012 -Into Free-‘, through GyaO! and UStream. ‘B’z LIVE-GYM 2012 -Into Free-’ is the rock duo’s first all-American tour which kicked off on September 17th in San Francisco. They’re scheduled to make 7 stops across the U.S. and Canada... read
It’s not quite game over at the annual Tokyo Game Show opening Thursday, but with smartphones, tablets and other computer-like devices luring people away from the once-dominant consoles devoted to video games, the rules have changed. Adding to the uncertainty is the long wait for the possible successors to such game... read
Iga, Japan: A 63-year-old former engineer may not fit the typical image of a dark-clad assassin with deadly weapons who can disappear into a cloud of smoke. But Jinichi Kawakami is reputedly Japan’s last ninja. As the 21st head of the Ban clan, a line of ninjas that can trace its history... read
These are dark days for the electronics industry in Japan. Sony Corp. is working to regain its mojo and profitability after four straight years in the red, while Sharp, which once ruled Japan’s television market, is now facing a cash crunch that has raised questions about its long-term future. The opportunities... read
We’ve all heard of monkeys and dogs being launched into space, but one group that doesn’t see a lot of space adventure publication is fish. Well, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is changing that by sending fish to the International Space Station in order to conduct a series of tests... read
Wendys is decidedly an upscale fast-food chain since re-opening in Japan. Two of the burger franchises Tokyo outlets will soon offer a limited-time lobster surf & turf burger and a caviar & lobster sandwich. U.S. lobster fans wont have the same luck, as there are no plans to offer the sandwiches... read
An audience of about 18,000 attended the World Cosplay Summit 2012 finals in Nagoya, Japan on Saturday. 40 representatives from 20 countries, including the United States, competed for the top spot. Japanese cosplayers Yukari Shimotsuki and Kaito won this year’s grand prize as the characters Hijikata Toshizō and Kazama Chikage (family... read
CLUB KT, a Hello Kitty themed store and event space (complete with DJ booth) set to open inside on the 8th floor of the world famous Shibuya 109 shopping complex. Well, the grand opening occurred last night in Tokyo and a host of very strange pictures and video of Hello... read
It’s been reported that actor Dante Carver has become a father of a baby girl! Dante is known for his role as the “older brother” in SoftBank Mobile’s tv commercials. Through his official blog, he reported, “On July 26th at 9:05 pm, our long-awaited baby was born.” Dante married a non-celebrity woman... read
A new world record for the largest ukulele ensemble has been set in Japan. More than 2,000 strummers gathered in Yokohama, Japans second-largest city, to trump the previous record set in Sweden. The group were watched by Guinness World Records officials, the AFP news agency said, and played a song written by... read
Momoiro Clover Z’s concert at Seibu Dome on August 5th will air live in theaters across Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan! It will also broadcast at Sapporo PENNY LANE24 in Hokkaido. This concert is the final night of Momoiro Clover Z’s first hall tour, ‘Momoclo Natsu no Baka Sawagi Summer Dive... read
A Japanese executive driving his Lamborghini at more than twice the speed limit was nabbed after he posted a video online chronicling his racing exploits, police said Tuesday. The 38-year-old man whizzed around the western city of Hiroshima at nearly 160 kilometres per hour 97 miles an hour in a zone... read
Police forces use them; shops can’t do without them; power companies have them — and sack them when they become unpopular. No marketing or public information campaign is complete without them. Cute, cuddly — or startling — characters are everywhere in Japan. While marketers the world over have long understood the value... read
Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party will hold a 12 hour broadcast on Nico Nico Live to discuss the formation of a real life Gundam fighter robot. 2 members from the party, Masaaki Taira and Hideki Niwa, along with "Mobile Suit Gundam UC" writer Harutoshi Fukui, will hold a panel and speak about... read