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July 24, 2026
 

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OFFBEAT

Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 28, 2019
Basketball robot Cue3 and B. League¡¯s Alvark Tokyo join Olympic effort to teach students math
In an unusual combination of disciplines, a basketball-shooting robot created by Japan¡¯s leading automaker helped students at a Tokyo elementary school on Friday to learn math.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 25, 2019
Fake Kim goes as real Kim comes: Vietnam expels North Korean leader lookalike
An Australian comedian who impersonates North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday authorities were deporting him from Vietnam, some 24 hours before the real Kim was due to arrive for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 13, 2018
Taiwan grandpa catches ¡®em all playing ¡®Pokemon Go¡¯ on 15 phones
Chen San-yuan turns heads as he cycles through a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan¡¯s capital.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 22, 2018
Hitler runs for mayor despite threat from Lennin in Peruvian Andes
Hitler hopes to return to power in a small Peruvian town in the Andes, despite a threat from a detractor named Lennin.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 22, 2018
Thousands sign online petition to ¡®let people drink¡¯ reddish liquid found in 2,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus
Ancient elixir, skeletal soup ¡ª or something less insidious ¡ª thousands of people have signed an online petition to ¡°let people drink¡± a reddish liquid discovered in a 2,000-year-old sarcophagus unearthed in Egypt.
WORLD
Jul 22, 2018
Leaving on a jet-suit? London store offers chance to hover like ¡®Iron Man¡¯
Ever fancied a dab at being ¡°Iron Man¡°? Now you can. A jet-suit created by a British former commodities trader has gone on sale in a London department store with a cool price tag of ?340,000 ($446,522).
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Apr 7, 2018
Tokyo elementary school welcomes students in controversial Armani uniforms
A public elementary school in Tokyo¡¯s upscale Ginza district has welcomed new students amid a lingering controversy over its pricey Armani uniforms.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Apr 4, 2018
South Korea has a sting in the tail for drinkers who mix wasps and soju
South Koreans who enjoy a rare flavor of soju, the country¡¯s most beloved alcohol, have been discouraged from mixing wasps into their drinks as a tonic after a health warning from the food ministry.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Feb 27, 2018
Toilet paper crisis in Taiwan sparks government intervention
Taiwan¡¯s premier is urging the public to avoid hoarding toilet paper after a reported spike in prices by manufacturers spurred a run on supermarket supplies.
WORLD
Feb 21, 2018
German newspaper gets dog registered as a Social Democrat
Germany¡¯s Social Democrats (SPD) were forced on Tuesday to declare that a 3-year-old dog called Lima would not be allowed to vote with party members on a coalition deal with Angela Merkel¡¯s conservatives, despite joining the party.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Jan 16, 2018
Wallaby gets the jump on police in Sydney Harbour Bridge chase
Australians often joke that tourists expect to see kangaroos hopping across the Sydney Harbour Bridge but the joke was on police on Tuesday when a wayward wallaby led them in an early-morning chase across the famous landmark.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 25, 2017
Chinese barber deftly wields straight razor to give customers eyelid shaves
Chinese street barber Xiong Gaowu deftly scrapes a straight razor along the inside of his customer¡¯s eyelid.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 21, 2017
¡®Diplocat¡¯ takes office in Jordan as British Embassy¡¯s newly appointed chief mouser
At the British embassy to Jordan, a former rescue cat is settling into his new position as chief mouser ¡ª as a traditional well established in the ministries of London goes global.
Japan Times
WORLD / Politics
Nov 20, 2017
James Bond villain? Steven Mnuchin takes that as a compliment
Steven Mnuchin has fought back against a fair share of criticism since becoming Treasury Secretary, sparring with Democrats who questioned his role in the housing crisis and calling media reports that chastised him ¡°fake news.¡± But now, he¡¯s embracing attacks.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Nov 8, 2017
Car kills New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern¡¯s famed cat, Paddles
Paddles, the New Zealand prime minister¡¯s ginger cat, had six toes and a wide social media following but has run out of lives.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Sep 30, 2017
Unilever insists new KJU shower gel has no link to North Korean leader
Unilever, which is trying to make a splash in the Asian cosmetics market, came to a surprising realization after it developed a new shower gel for China. The initials of the KJU Perfumed by Lux label matched those of North Korea¡¯s supreme leader.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 20, 2017
Filipino wins first Elvis in Asia contest
More than 20 Elvis Presley impersonators shimmied, gyrated and belted out classics like ¡°Jailhouse Rock¡± in Manila on Saturday at the first Elvis in Asia contest.
ASIA PACIFIC / Crime & Legal
Jul 29, 2017
Chinese woman undergoes plastic surgery in failed bid to evade $3.7 million debt
A 59-year-old woman from the central Chinese city of Wuhan transformed her appearance through plastic surgery in order to avoid 25 million yuan ($3.7 million) of personal debts, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 6, 2017
Some day my prince will come, say Vanuatu worshippers of mere mortal royal Philip
The retirement of Britain¡¯s Prince Philip from public life led world headlines Thursday, but his most devout and remote followers have only just heard the news.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital
Apr 14, 2017
Tweeters spill their guts on #gaijinconfessionfriday
Things got real this Friday ¡ª real funny ¡ªu00a0as non-Japanese living in Japan admitted their biggest blunders, mistakes and unpopular opinions using the #gaijinconfessionfriday hashtag.
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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