News
Japan to Protect Rights of Voices over Generative AI Use
3+ hour, 6+ min ago (138+ words) nippon.com - Japan to Protect Rights of Voices over Generative AI Use Tokyo, July 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Justice Ministry has come up with a draft report calling for the protection of the voices of famous individuals, alongside their portraits, regarding…...
Japanese Manga Publisher to Enter Indian Market
2+ day, 10+ min ago (428+ words) Tokyo, July 12 (Jiji Press)--Kodansha Ltd., the publisher of popular Japanese manga titles including "Attack on Titan" and "Blue Lock," plans to enter the Indian market, which has a population of 1.4 billion. While Japanese content has become increasingly popular in…...
Japanese Boy Arrested for Booting Users off Streaming Service
1+ week, 1+ day ago (425+ words) Tokyo, July 6 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo police have arrested a 15-year-old high school student on suspicion of fraudulently canceling the subscriptions of about 46,800 accounts on the Bandai Channel video streaming service by exploiting a system vulnerability. The Metropolitan Police Department’s cybercrime…...
Chiikawa Scores Three-Peat at Japan Character Awards; Tamagotchi and Monchhichi Return to the Spotlight
1+ week, 2+ day ago (194+ words) At the 2026 Japan Character Awards, which honor the characters and licensed brands that made the biggest impact over the previous year, Chiikawa won the Grand Prix for the third consecutive year and the fourth time overall. The achievement also made…...
One Piece Manga Characters Join Paris Wax Museum
2+ week, 4+ day ago (157+ words) "One Piece" Manga Characters Join Paris Wax Museum nippon.com - "One Piece" Manga Characters Join Paris Wax Museum Paris, June 25 (Jiji Press)--Luffy and other major characters of the globally popular Japanese manga and anime series "One Piece" have joined…...
Japan to Draw Up Rules to Protect Intellectual Property in AI Age
1+ mon, 1+ day ago (142+ words) Tokyo, June 12 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government adopted an intellectual property promotion program on Friday, including a plan to draw up rules to protect intellectual property rights amid the rapid spread of generative artificial intelligence. At a meeting of the…...
Japanese Singer Yoichi Sugawara Dies at 92
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (130+ words) Tokyo, June 2 (Jiji Press)--Japanese singer Yoichi Sugawara, known for his hit "Kyo de Owakare," died of malignant lymphoma at a Tokyo hospital Sunday morning. He was 92. Sugawara, from Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, studied vocal music at the Kunitachi College…...
Japan's Suzuki, Author of Horror Novel Ring, Dies at 68
2+ mon, 4+ day ago (129+ words) Tokyo, May 9 (Jiji Press)--Koji Suzuki, the Japanese author known for horror novels including "Ring," died at a Tokyo hospital Friday. He was 68. In 1990, he made his debut as a novelist with "Rakuen" (Paradise), which won a superior prize of…...
Strong Manga Originals Have Powered Anime’s Global Rise
3+ mon, 1+ week ago (1517+ words) Manga Media and Content in Postwar Japan In November 2025, the anime movie Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (released in July) became the first Japanese film to surpass ¥100 billion in global revenue. It has been released in 150 markets worldwide....
Umezu Kazuo: The Horror Manga Master and His Complex Relationship with Tezuka Osamu
3+ mon, 1+ week ago (775+ words) Legends: Japan’s Most Notable Names Manga creator Umezu Kazuo passed away on October 28, 2024, at the hospice where he was receiving end-of-life care. He was 88 years old. At that time, I still had a vivid memory of his workplace in Kichijōji,…...