Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT held a surprise live at Shibuya Stream, debuting "TOKYO DRIFT" — a track sampling the iconic Fast & Furious theme — in Japan for the first time. With 30 million TikTok plays in one week, No.1 on iTunes in 4 countries, and chart entries in 21 nations, here's how this avex group is taking J-pop global.
Travis Japan member Shizuya Yoshizawa will appear as a guest on the Japanese live stream of the 2026 NBA All-Star Saturday. Once a basketball kid who dreamed of playing in the NBA, Yoshizawa now bridges Japanese pop culture and American sports. Here's how Japan and the world are reacting.
Japan is gripped by an unprecedented sticker collecting craze. "Bonbon Drop Seal" has shipped over 15 million sheets, sparking store stampedes and exhausting retail staff. Adults nostalgic for their Heisei-era childhood are fueling the frenzy alongside kids, creating scalping problems and counterfeit issues in this cultural phenomenon.
After 55 years as Japan's beloved Sunday evening tradition, "Sazae-san" finally makes its overseas debut in Taiwan in January 2026. Discover the strategy behind the Guinness World Record-holding anime's first international broadcast, which characters experts predict will go viral overseas, and what this means for Japanese anime's global expansion.
In January 2026, two schoolchildren in Musanze, northern Rwanda, said they had seen the Virgin Mary, and thousands flocked to the site. The mayor dismissed it as rumour and the Catholic Church urged calm. How it compares with Our Lady of Kibeho, approved in 2001, and the Vatican's 2024 norms.
NASA officially denies viral claim that Earth will lose gravity for 7 seconds on August 12, 2026. The alleged "Project Anchor" secret document is confirmed as complete fiction. Learn why gravity loss is scientifically impossible.
Ogaki City's digital regional currency "Gaki Pay" has gone viral on Japanese social media due to its quirky name. Learn about Japan's innovative approach to combating inflation through digital local currencies, the story behind the unusual name, and how regional currencies are transforming local economies across the country.
The "sticker exchange" culture that captivated Japanese girls in the 1990s-2000s is making a nostalgic comeback on social media. Now adults, these former Heisei-era kids are reviving their childhood hobby through online communities, blending vintage charm with modern connectivity.
A Japanese toy company's "Infinite Moai Maker" has gone viral on social media, allowing anyone to create endless Easter Island-style statues from snow. With sales quadrupling and stock selling out instantly, this quirky winter toy has captured Japan's imagination. Discover how a simple idea turned snowy backyards into mysterious stone statue gardens.
Director Mamoru Hosoda's "Scarlet" receives 3 Annie Award nominations despite disappointing box office in Japan. We analyze why this Shakespeare-inspired anime failed domestically but earned international recognition at Venice, Toronto film festivals and Annie Awards.
Rocket fireworks were fired at a Pakistani-run used car business in Ebetsu, Hokkaido. It began with misinformation about 76 illegal structures in an urbanization control area, amplified by YouTuber videos. Most of those 76 were built by Japanese citizens.