Any dog that thinks it can swipe a duck’s paddling pool is in for a honking great lecture.
angry
Japanese media seems to be run on the principal that adding attractive women to anything makes it better. Commercial for beer? Cast a high-profile actress. Serious news program? Let’s make a former bikini model the co-host. Posters encouraging people to fill out their census forms? We think they’ll be more effective if we use 75 percent of the space for a picture of a girl with a cute smile.
A new TV program seems set to carry this strategy to its illogical conclusion. Instead of enhancing the appeal of something men generally like or feel indifferent towards, broadcaster TV Tokyo’s idea is to create a miniseries that’s nothing but a good-looking girl chewing out the camera.
A message left by a Twitter user claiming to be trapped under rubble after a powerful earthquake later turned out to be fake, causing outrage across Japan.
In the early evening of Friday, December 7, a magnitude-7.3 earthquake with its epicentre off the northeast coast of Japan caused tremors so large that the Tokyo cafe in which my boss and I sat fell silent as patrons no doubt began wondering whether they ought to take cover beneath their tables. Windows rattled and the entire building creaked and swayed for almost five minutes after the tremors stopped.
As people reached for their mobile phones, expressions of concern could be seen throughout the room as talk of “possible tsunami” and “northeast Japan” appeared on social networks and news sites.
Soon after, a tweet (pictured above) appeared online asking for help and requesting that the message be shared as much as possible. Within the next hour, concerned Twitter users had retweeted the message more than 13,000 times, with many sending messages asking for more information about the user’s location and encouraging them to remain calm.
When the writer of the original tweet resurfaced hours later, however, and began mocking those who fell for the prank, people were understandably very upset, and soon began demanding that the tweet writer’s real identity to be determined and for them brought to justice.
The dubbed Blu-ray version of recent hollywood smash The Avengers hasn’t even made it into stores yet, but Japanese film fans are already writing it off as junk.
Despite the Japanese releases of previous superhero movies – The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and Thor included – being voiced by professional, suitably cast voice actors, the dubbed version of The Avengers in cinemas featured none of the same voices, despite the movie being based around the premise of bringing these much-loved heroes together in one spot.
Movie buffs had hoped that Disney Japan, the company behind the Japanese Blu-ray release, would reinstate the original super heroes’ Japanese counterparts for the home release, but it has become clear that those wishing to enjoy the action movie without subtitles will have to put up with the same subpar voice acting that was shoehorned into the cinema release.


Majority of Japanese women in survey regret marrying their husband, but that’s only half the story
Visiting Japan’s Gyarados Pokémon park in the city with a special connection to Magikarp【Photos】
Massive manga collaboration bringing 100 years of Shueisha manga to Uniqlo T-shirts【Photos】
Japanese vending machine serves up unique drinks at four Tokyo train stations
Häagen-Dazs opening sophisticated ice cream lounge in Tokyo’s Jingumae neighborhood
Tokyo’s new burger chain isn’t new, is disappointing, tasty, and hopeful all at once【Taste test】
Bear meat noodles?!? Tokyo restaurant adds a new kind of niku soba to its menu【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Pikachu’s chunky original design is back as a plus-sized plushie【Photos】
Japanese fashion brand Heather releases line for people 5 feet and under
Starbucks Japan releases new Frappuccino and latte for Valentine’s Day
Totoro cream puffs and Catbus cookies are finally available in downtown Tokyo
Japan’s kid-friendly ski program is now selling Pikachu snowboards for a limited time only
Japanese women showing rebounding interest in giving Valentine’s Day chocolate【Survey】
McDonald’s Japan releases a Mushroom Mountain and Bamboo Shoot Village McFlurry
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
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
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 home
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
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Tokyo’s new burger chain isn’t new, is disappointing, tasty, and hopeful all at once【Taste test】
Bear meat noodles?!? Tokyo restaurant adds a new kind of niku soba to its menu【Taste test】
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Pikachu’s chunky original design is back as a plus-sized plushie【Photos】
Japanese fashion brand Heather releases line for people 5 feet and under
The Yellow Lucky Bag from Village Vanguard is so bad it may damage Japan-US relations
Japan’s Valentine’s chocolate Slimes let you say you say I love you like the Dragon Quest mascot
In Kyoto, “Hey, you’ve got a really nice watch” is NOT a compliment, Japanese businessman says
Japanese beauty trends of the 20th & 21st centuries, and predicting future fashions
Rakuten randomly offers 58 New Year’s osechi feasts in Japan, but did we get a star or a dud?
Massive Godzilla figure stands more than six feet tall, costs more than $40,000
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
We get lost in a world of steamy boy-on-boy fantasies at Ikebukuro’s BL cafe