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July 24, 2026
 

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COMEDY

Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 21, 2026
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
A zany weekly comedy show in Tokyo and Osaka aimed at non-Japanese speakers tries to jump over language barriers.
¡°Noli Timere,¡± a free open-air performance at SIFA's Festival Village, combines aerial acrobatics, contemporary dance and art sculpture.?
CULTURE / Stage
May 22, 2026
At Singapore International Festival of Arts, theater spills into everyday life
Tze Chien Chong, the new director of Singapore International Festival of Arts, strives to attract a broader audience to Singapore¡¯s oldest festival for performing arts.
Richard Tomic, better known as ¡°Ricchaado¡± to his Instagram followers, debuted his stand-up set at Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya Ward in December.
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 1, 2026
From clicks to claps: Online comics seek the stage
Ricchaado, a comic from a generation that builds its humor in cyberspace, is the latest to try a transition to classic stand-up on stage.
Junior high school students holding a debate involving comedian Nana Takamatsu (second from left), on Wednesday in Tokyo's Suginami Ward
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Feb 6, 2026
Tokyo students learn importance of elections through comedy
For the past 10 years, comedian Nana Takamatsu has held classes at schools nationwide for a total of about 100,000 students.
After working as a sitcom writer, Sheng Wang rose to prominence as a stand-up with his first hour-long Netflix special ¡°Sweet and Juicy¡± in 2022.
CULTURE / Stage
Jan 10, 2026
Sheng Wang is very good at noticing things
The Taiwanese American comedian sits down with The Japan Times to discuss his style, themes and his upcoming show in Tokyo.
Gianmarco Soresi is known online for his crowd work, asking audiences to dish out family drama, and sharing his love of musical theater.
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 30, 2025
Comedian Gianmarco counts on naughty ¡®Dragon Ball¡¯ words to help him in Tokyo
The New York-based Gianmarco Soresi is hyped to see how his style of crowd work plays with audiences in Asia on his first tour to this side of the world.
While older generations in Japan view dad jokes with disdain, Gen Z has embraced a new style of intentionally lame wordplay as a way to spice up text-based communication.
LIFE / Language
Nov 19, 2025
Old-man puns are getting a Gen Z glow-up as ¡®neo-dajare¡¯
Japan¡¯s youngest generation raised on texting is embracing wordplay ¡ª and pushing old dad jokes further than ever before.
Takashi ¡°Waka¡± Wakasugi stopped by the Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya Ward last month following his stint at Edinburgh Festival Fringe performing his show ¡°Comedy Samurai.¡±
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 9, 2025
A Japanese comedian walks into an Aussie bar ¡­ and stays there
Melbourne-based comedian Takashi ¡°Waka¡± Wakasugi, who has only ever done stand-up in his second language, is fast becoming Australia¡¯s favorite Japanese comedian.
The second edition of the Tokyo International Comedy Festival will feature 60 shows across eight venues with a diverse array of talent on stage.
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 11, 2025
Tokyo International Comedy Festival doubles down on diversity and scale
The second edition of Tokyo¡¯s stand-up festival has leveled up with even more bilingual sets, international guests and comedy specials than before.
Atsuko Okatsuka tries out some of the jokes from her new special, ¡°Father,¡± at the Tokyo Comedy Bar in Shibuya in January.
CULTURE / Stage
May 30, 2025
Atsuko Okatsuka brings big ¡®dad¡¯ energy to new special
The comedian¡¯s upcoming special, titled ¡°Father,¡± blends whimsical comedy and family drama ¡ª just in time for Father¡¯s Day.
Tokyo police on Thursday sent to public prosecutors papers on six comedians from major Japanese entertainment agency Yoshimoto Kogyo on suspicion of gambling via online casino services.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Apr 3, 2025
Papers on six Japanese comedians sent to prosecutors over online gambling
They are suspected of accessing and gambling on?overseas online casino websites between January 2023 and December 2024.
The National Police Agency has been warning people that gambling on online casinos is illegal in Japan even if they are operating legally overseas.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Feb 16, 2025
Police investigate comedians over alleged online casino gambling
Officials warn that online casinos are illegal in Japan even if they are operating legally overseas, but the number accused of using them continues to rise.
A hapless rakugo comic storyteller, Tamon Saito (Tomizo Nobe, left), strikes up an unlikely relationship with a young comedian (Nagiko Tsuji) who wants to rip off his routine in ¡°Laugh, Everyone!¡±
CULTURE / Film
Feb 13, 2025
¡®Laugh, Everyone!¡¯: A wonky but endearing double act
Taichi Suzuki¡¯s comedian buddy movie walks a fine line between funny and bleak.
The new Nippon TV series ¡°The Hot Spot¡± follows an alien superhero navigating rural Japanese life but focuses more on dialogue than splashy, action-packed plot points.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
Feb 10, 2025
¡®The Hot Spot¡¯: Close encounters of the mundane kind
Japanese dramas have been taking bolder risks recently, and Bakarhythm¡¯s new sci-fi series surprises by centering its high-concept ideas on trivial occurrences.
Yurie Collins is a bilingual comedian based in Tokyo. In addition to being a prize-winning roast comic, her dating-themed "Tokyo Hoe Tales" shows have proven to be a hit with women of all nationalities.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
Dec 10, 2024
Yurie Collins: ¡®Everyone seems sedated, fed-up ¡­ that¡¯s why they turn to comedy¡¯
Yurie Collins is a bicultural stand-up comedian who has opened for comedian Atsuko Okatsuka and the upcoming Iliza Shlesinger show in Tokyo.
Naomi Watanabe, a comedian known for challenging gender and beauty norms in Japan's male-dominated comedy scene
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Dec 4, 2024
BBC honors two Japanese in annual list of inspiring women
The theme this year was resilience, celebrating women who ¡°are pushing for change and improving lives at community or global level.¡±
Performers at Stand Up Indonesia Tokyo shows crack plenty of jokes, but the main purpose behind the group, organizers say, is to provide a space where Indonesian expats can express themselves about any struggles they may have about living abroad.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives
Oct 14, 2024
Tokyo¡¯s Indonesians get through life abroad with a couple of laughs
Stand Up Indonesia Tokyo is a community of comedians, comedy fans and others with connections to Indonesia seeking a reminder of home.
Yoshimoto Kogyo, the agency that manages comedy trio Jungle Pocket, announced in mid-September that group member Shinji Saito had been experiencing health issues and underwent hospitalization, and that he requested a hiatus.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
Oct 7, 2024
Comedian Shinji Saito investigated over sexual assault
The member of comedy trio Jungle Pocket is alleged to have performed nonconsensual sexual intercourse on a woman in a bus at a filming location in Shinjuku.
Adriana Torres performs her monologue during the closing of a stand-up comedy workshop at the El Buen Pastor women's prison in Asuncion.
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 29, 2024
Comedy offers new routine for women prisoners in Paraguay
Inmates took part in a two-month workshop run by the Corazon Libre NGO, which uses comedy to help convicts prepare for life on the outside.
Since opening in 2022 in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo Comedy Bar has hosted comedy workshops, roast battles, open mics and international guests.
CULTURE / Stage
Sep 12, 2024
Tokyo Comedy Bar supersizes laughs with 11-night festival
Spanning 46 different shows, this month¡¯s comedy festival spotlights rising local talent and international names in both English and Japanese.
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.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
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.

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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