Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
AKB48 general manager Shinobu Kayano wrote on her official blog early Tuesday that the idol group’s members Anna Iriyama (18) and Rina Kawaei (19) were released from the hospital. Kayano confirmed that the injured male part-time staff member is also at home recuperating from his injuries and that she is grateful for his bravery while protecting Iriyama and Kawaei from their attacker.
Cats are odd creatures. On the one hand, they exert their power over their owners humans on a near daily basis, ignoring us when we call them despite their ears clearly twitching in our direction, pestering us with such skill that it’s almost like they get a kick out of it, and making us fall for that “come, tickle my belly, human… Now, feel my CLAWS!!!” ruse every single time. And yet they occasionally do things that are so incredibly stupid that we wonder how they survived this long as a species.
Case in point, this Twitter user’s cat, who, being fond of tight spaces, climbed into a shrink-wrapped case of mineral water bottles and proceeded to get itself well and truly stuck, looking mightily uncomfortable with its little face pressed up against the plastic and wearing an expression of “this is really not going as I had planned…”
Despite having the full faith of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Nintendo has had some rough years recently with video game fans turning away from the company’s latest home console. So when Nintendo of Europe tweeted out a promo video for Sony’s handheld PS Vita last week, netizens wondered if this was just a mistake or part of a larger, more sinister plan for the video game industry.
Was the tweet promoting the PS Vita just a Freudian slip by a Nintendo employee or was it the result of some nefarious hacker’s work? Click below to read some fan theories about how this “Nintendon’t” made its way to the company’s official Twitter account!
Japan loves limited time offers. There must be a department in every company in Japan with people whose purpose is to think of items they can sell for a limited time. Don’t believe us? Walk into a convenience store weekly and see the multitude of new drinks and new foods that appear and suddenly disappear when their time is up. The limited time offer, is nothing new, but it seems that Japan embraces the concept more than anyone else. It’s a handy way to get customers to continue to visit your store, or buy your products if every month or few months your products change.
With the World Cup just around the corner, companies in Japan are rolling out their limited time World Cup products and today we have a few that try to capture the flavor of Brazilian food.
A couple of years ago we reported on a robot hand that could always win at the timeless hand game rock-paper-scissors or janken as it’s known here in Japan. After wrapping up, we confirmed that it would never lose, declared that the human race was doomed to sit in the back seats of our robot overlords, then called it a day.
Now we are surprised to learn that Tokyo University’s Ishikawa Watanabe Lab is back with an even better performing rock-paper-scissors robot, somewhat awkwardly dubbed the Janken Robot with 100% Winning Rate.
It’s one of those tragic accidents that seems to replay itself far too often. Not a week goes by that I don’t open up the newspaper and hear yet again about how a crocodile has been injured by a woman not wearing her seatbelt.
Whelp, here we go again… On 20 May in Murmansk, Russia a two-meter-long crocodile named Fedya was treated for injures after a 120kg (265lbs) woman fell on it. This incident started off like they always do, with a minibus full of circus performers driving through the Arctic.
For many in Japan, the bright green hues and bitter tones of powdered green tea partners perfectly with all things sweet, making for an irresistible dessert flavour. Now, as springtime brings the first tea of the new season, convenience stores and sweet purveyors are releasing limited-edition matcha, or powdered green tea, desserts. We take a look at five of the most popular finds that Twitter users in Japan can’t wait to get their hands on. Read More
A full-sized replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza has appeared in a Chinese village near Shijiazhuang in China’s Hebei Province. The sphinx is open for tourist visits, angering officials in Egypt who say the appearance of the Chinese sphinx is detrimental to their tourism industry.
On 23 May, NHK announced that it has been working with Tokyo University to create a way to not only transmit images over long distances but to also send the sense of touch. Using this, viewers would also become able to actually feel whatever appeared on screen with their own hands.
This system makes use of Tokyo University’s newly developed device which can measure the dimensions and hardness of an object in three dimensions simultaneously. On the other end, NHK has been hard at work on a Touch/Force Display which would allow viewers to get tactile feedback from the images presented on screen.
All the rumors are true! Sony has just announced a partnership with Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group to produce and sell PlayStation consoles in China. There have been plenty of knock-offs floating around on the grey market, but this new partnership with Sony marks the first time in 14 years China will allow the sale of consoles.
There are a few things we at RocketNews24 love more than anything else in the world: Food, video games, anime, weirdness from Asia, and sending Mr. Sato out on adventures involving as many of the above as possible. We also love good music, so it goes without saying that we’re always ready for some new tunes to dance off all of our junk food calories, like maybe some sexy new dubstep remixes.
So, how about this live remix of the iPhone ring tone, complete with a drop dirty enough to make Skrillex blush? It’s guaranteed to get your body moving and confuse all your Apple-loving friends at the same time!
Have you always had a sneaking suspicion that you’re actually a reincarnated princess from the Moon Kingdom? If you’ve ever run into talking cats and a mysterious masked stranger in a tuxedo, or had the urge to punish your enemies “in the name of the moon” while wearing a sailor-type uniform, these could all be signs that you are indeed the 21st century reincarnation of Tsukino Usagi’s past life persona, Princess Serenity.
Once you’ve realized your true identity, feel free to indulge in your past-life princess by dressing the part while waiting for the upcoming Sailor Moon Crystal anime this summer. Princess Serenity’s gorgeous dress is now up for sale, and is perfect for anyone who wants to add a little royal sparkle to their wardrobe!
Some Japanese Twitter users posted photos of a spherical double rainbow spotted in Ishikawa Prefecture a few days ago, and thank God they weren’t high, because if outdated Internet meme “Double Rainbow Guy” is any indication, it would have literally destroyed their minds with its brilliance.
While Double Rainbow Guy seemed to think his double rainbow sighting was a sign that we aren’t alone in the universe or something, most Japanese Netizens who posted photos seemed to just take it as a sign of good luck, even though this double rainbow is way more awesome because it forms a circle around the sun as though Helios himself were gifting humanity with two giant cosmic frisbees.
If you’ve been visiting our site for any length of time, you’re probably aware by now that we love stories about unique snacks, and we’re particularly delighted when they’re treats we can actually go buy and try ourselves. So, when we heard that special “doughnut sandwiches“ were being sold at Tokyo Station, we naturally had to get our hands on them and see how they taste.
We’ve already told you about how croissant doughnuts were making their presence known here in Japan, but could these doughnut sandwiches be the next big thing? Well, there was only one way to find out!
Just because you’re out fighting enormous monsters all day doesn’t mean you have to smell like you’ve been fighting enormous monsters all day. Slaying titans is stinky business. We can’t imagine anything that big and skinless has the scent of anything but “ewwwwwww,” so we imagine the heroes of Attack on Titan need a pretty healthy spray or 10 of deodorant each morning.
Well, fortunately, they’ll soon be able to splash on some specialty fragrances! Kodansha has announced the addition of four more scents to its line up of Attack on Titan fragrances, again based on characters from the franchise. Find out who made the sweet-smelling cut below!
Ever find yourself alone in a situation where a cloned version of yourself would really help? Unfortunately, not all of us have access to Kim Jong Un-level technology, but one talented Japanese singer has found a way around that by duplicating himself on video to make a series of pretty creative covers.
Last week, his cover of “Wrapped in Kindness,” the end theme from Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service became a huge hit with Japanese netizens who couldn’t get enough of his great voice(s). Click below to see the video where one singer becomes a six-man band!
The power of makeup is both awe-inspiring and downright terrifying. With the swipe of a single brush, people can transform themselves into completely different beings (just take a look at Ukraine’s real-life Barbie when she’s not wearing makeup). After you get used to someone wearing makeup all the time, it can even be a shock to see that person bare-faced.
Take this panda, for instance. On the left you see a typically adorable panda. On the right, well, we’ve got an image of what a panda would look like without any of its trademark “eye makeup.” And boy, what a difference it makes!
While the typical itinerary for visitors to Japan is Tokyo, Kyoto, and then home, western Japan has a lot to offer. As a matter of fact, as I type this, I’m just about to leave for a few days of enjoying the beautiful sights and delicious food of Hiroshima Prefecture.
In order to maximize my time there, I’m hopping on an overnight bus. But while that’ll get me there bright and early, it’s not nearly as stylish as the new sleeper train that was just announced by Japan Railways.
You never know what’s going to cause a mini Twitter storm in this day and age. One grumpy commuter caused fellow netizens to take sides on an issue that is surely one of the great debates of the modern era – should teachers be making their students sit on the floor of a train?!
At 4:55 p.m. today, the company behind many of Japan’s larger idol groups, AKS, released a statement regarding an attack on members of AKB48 and event staff during a handshake event in Iwate Prefecture this afternoon.
Members Rina Kawaei (19) and Anna Iriyama (18), as well as a male member of the venue staff, are said to have been injured, with a 24-year-old male taken into police custody.
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Number of foreigners living in Japan has grown 50 percent in four years, hits historic high
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Is Daiso’s microwave Japanese rolled omelet maker worth your time and money? [Taste test]
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Man in Japan falls into hole with a bear in it
Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan releases a new Cream Puff Frappuccino for a limited time
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Silicone testicle covers banned from Japanese sauna following cups being left behind and on shelves
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Japanese government planning higher ticket prices for foreign tourists at Tokyo National Museum
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Studio Ghibli now sells Ursula’s backpack from Kiki’s Delivery Service at its anime shop in Japan
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Foreigners accounting for over 80 percent of off-course skiers needing rescue in Japan’s Hokkaido
Super-salty pizza sends six kids to the hospital in Japan, linguistics blamed
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Foreign tourists in Japan will get free Shinkansen tickets to promote regional tourism
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to localsStudio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime characterNine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your homeJapan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Man in Japan falls into hole with a bear in it
Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
One Piece creator has hidden secret of anime treasure’s identity in chest at bottom of real-world ocean
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
Break out your rags and incense! Let’s learn to clean a grave the right way this Obon season
Take a trip to Japan’s Dododo Land, the most irritating place on Earth
Room 404: What happened when we stayed in an unlucky hotel room in Japan
The Sailor Scouts and their Sanrio sidekicks are finally here with adorable new collectable goods
“Bumping men” are a uniquely Japanese class of criminals that are hard to deal with
Exclusive Super Mario Yoshi figure to be given away at Dodgers Stadium [Video]