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July 24, 2026
 

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Gabriella Geisinger
Different forms of love and connection form the emotional backbone of Netflix¡¯s ¡°Human Vapor,¡± says actor Shun Oguri, who plays troubled detective Kenji Okamoto.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jul 8, 2026
The beating heart inside ¡®Human Vapor¡¯
Director Shinzo Katayama and actor Shun Oguri discuss the cross-cultural collaboration behind Netflix¡¯s ¡°Human Vapor.¡±
Shota Sometani (left) and Masaki Okada play brothers on a quest for vengeance in the TBS detective drama ¡°Tagusari Bros.¡±
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jun 20, 2026
¡®Tagusari Bros.¡¯ searches for the meaning of justice
Themes of vengeance and closure are nothing new in the world of crime dramas, but few tackle them with the emotional nuance of TBS¡¯ ¡°Tagusari Bros.¡±
Detective Aki Suzumiya (Anne Watanabe) teams up with Finnish counterpart Jon Laine (Jasper Paakkonen) in a gritty drama that spans geography and time.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 23, 2026
Nordic noir meets Japanese occult in ¡®Blood and Sweat¡¯
The Finnish-Japanese coproduction evolves from a classic detective drama into a fun, pulpy thriller, blending Japan¡¯s folklore with sharp plotting.
Season Two of ¡°Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡± raises the stakes with bigger creature battles and expanding Monsterverse lore.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
May 7, 2026
¡®Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡¯ loses its human touch in sprawling second season
The Apple TV series lets bloated and unwieldy storytelling overwhelm the sharp character work that once set it apart.
Fans gather at a Netflix-sponsored World Baseball Classic event at Tokyo Skytree on March 6.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 26, 2026
The WBC was a hit in Japan. Watching it wasn¡¯t.
Netflix¡¯s WBC streaming push included ¡°Hometown Hero¡± viewings, but many fans in Japan still lacked easy access to games.
¡°One Piece¡± cast members (from left) Jacob Romero Gibson, Mackenyu, Inaki Godoy, Emily Rudd and Taz Skylar attend a Netflix fan event ahead of the show¡¯s Season Two premiere.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 19, 2026
Fans find their crew in Tokyo as ¡®One Piece¡¯ sets sail again
Netflix brought the Straw Hat spirit to Tokyo with a celebration that drew devoted fans and underscored the live-action series¡¯ global popularity.
Half-siblings Issei Tomine and Camille Leger (Tomohisa Yamashita and Fleur Geffrier) come to terms with their father¡¯s death in the second season of ¡°Drops of God.¡±
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 18, 2026
¡®Drops of God¡¯ decants a quiet, perfect ending
After all the rivalry, wine quests and family wounds, the Apple TV show¡¯s second season ends on a note of perfect balance ¡ª like a great vintage.
From left: Anna Sawai, Takehiro Hira, Ren Watabe and Kiersey Clemons star in the Apple TV series ¡°Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,¡± which returned for its second season last month.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 16, 2026
¡®Monarch¡¯ unleashes more monster mayhem
Godzilla may loom large in the latest season of ¡°Monarch: Legacy of Monsters¡± ¡ª but the real battles are between family.
In the first season of ¡°Drops of God,¡± Camille and Issei competed to inherit the wine legacy of Alexandre Leger.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Feb 13, 2026
Season Two of ¡®Drops of God¡¯ serves a dark swirl of sibling drama
In its second season, ¡°Drops of God¡± shows that characters don¡¯t need to be likable to be compelling.
Netflix Japan's new series "The Human Vapor" is based on a 1960 cult film of the same title and follows a string of assassinations carried out by a perpetrator who can vanish into thin air.
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 28, 2026
Netflix Japan lays out 2026 slate of anime, adaptations and live baseball
The streaming service revealed release windows for the upcoming ¡°Human Vapor¡± adaptation and more, plus plans to livestream all 47 games of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.
Summer has arrived in Japan and so have hot sleepless nights
Amid the heat and humidity in Japan, a good night¡¯s sleep is growing increasingly elusive without the heavy use of air conditioning.
Maya Ongaku¡¯s DIY dream is getting bigger
The members of Maya Ongaku ¡ª (from left) Tsutomu Sonoda, Shoei Ikeda and Ryota Takano ¡ª grew up on the Shonan Coast south of Tokyo and have been friends since their school days.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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