Coronavirus vaccine to be free for all people in Japan as government foots bill, insiders say

Initiative comes with a massive price tag for Japanese government. With medical researchers still in the process of developing a coronavirus vaccine, it’s looking increasingly likely that one won’t become available until next year. But while the questions of “When?” and “How?” we’ll eventually be able to immunize ourselves against the worst pandemic in a […]

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Japanese vending machines now sell pandemic goods

Welcome to the new normal. From canned ramen to insects and mysterious tales, Japanese vending machines seem to have a sixth sense for knowing what their customers want. Now, during the global pandemic, people want to stay healthy, not just with drinks but with protective gear too, so it only makes sense that there’s a […]

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Mos Burger teams up with Nintendo’s Kirby, charms Internet with adorable burger wrappers and bags

The video game star who’s always ready to eat wants to share your lunch. As the country’s most popular domestic burger chain, Mos Burger often gets called “the McDonald’s of Japan.” That’s not a perfect analogy, though, since really McDonald’s Japan is the McDonald’s of Japan, and also because in contrast to McDonald’s’ slick/tear-jerking ad […]

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Our reporter takes a sightseeing trip up Tokyo Skytree, admits he only has one regret

Our reporter Seiji finally ascends one of Tokyo’s most beloved tourist attractions — and for a discount! It is a truth universally acknowledged that the closer you live to a tourist attraction, the less likely you are to ever actually visit said attraction. No one knows this better than our in-house reporter Seiji Nakazawa, who […]

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Aichi man arrested for stealing 70,000 yen in toy money from safe

Crime doesn’t pay, unless you have a game of Monopoly planned later on. Over the years, we’ve reported on numerous cases involving criminals passing off toy money as the real thing. That’s because a unique feature of Japan is that many of its stores offer novelty cash that very closely resembles the real thing. ▼ […]

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A winter work-from-home essential from Japan: The kotatsu desk【Photos】

A traditional piece of Japanese furniture gets a modern update to make telecommuting extra cozy in the cold part of the year. Several months into the pandemic, most people with the option of telecommuting have gotten pretty used to doing so. With widespread availability of a vaccine increasingly looking like something that’s going to have […]

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Japanese gamer has brilliant, cheap way to keep you from rage-smashing your expensive controller

Before you ignore the future consequence, take a moment to remember something important from the past. Video gaming obviously changes as technology advances, and you don’t have to look farther than controllers for a clear example. Once gimmicky, finicky features, analog inputs and wireless use are now the industry standards, allowing for precise gameplay from […]

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What do Japanese fans think of Lee Isaac Chung directing the Hollywood remake of Your Name?

The highly acclaimed director is taking on the reins of the highly anticipated adaptation–but will he satisfy Japanese fans? As time goes on, more and more information is trickling out about the Hollywood adaptation of the extremely popular and highly-acclaimed Japanese animated film Your Name. First, the fact that J.J. Abrams would be the producer […]

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Tokyo train stations to host Super Mario box/character art displays to celebrate 35th anniversary

Nintendo’s flagship franchise reaches a milestone. While you can debate whether Nintendo’s Mario made his video game debut in 1981’s Donkey Kong (where he’s also referred to as “Jumpman”) or 1983’s Mario Bros., there’s no debate that it was 1985’s Super Mario Bros. that made him a star. 2020 marks 35 years since the release […]

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The best Pokémon music video of all time is here, thanks to Bump of Chicken and Bones【Video】

Two new Trainers take a walk through 20 years of Pokémon protagonists in a glistening nostalgia trip. With 20 years of Pokémon anime TV episodes and nearly two dozen theatrical features, a lot of Japanese musicians have had their work featured in the franchise. In that light, the absence of J-rock band Bump of Chicken […]

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