Author : Japan and Extra

On August 15, 1945, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender to the Allies. The Second World War was at an end. For the millions who heard his voice, this was a profound moment. For some, it was a relief after a long, painful war. For others, it was a betrayal. Some refused to believe it. Some […]

The Nazis had some interesting weapon systems. If they had been deployed earlier or in greater numbers, they could have made the war much more difficult for the Western Allies.But what about the Japanese? We often think of them as primitive with their banzai charges and kamikaze aircraft, but Japan produced some high-tech weaponry that […]

Japan can be an odd place. No other country in the world has experienced such a confluence of tradition, technology, and circumstance. Feudal samurai ideals clash with cutting edge computers; aged survivors of the only country which endured the full wrath of the atomic bomb mix with teenagers in Pokemon outfits. Although it hosts one […]

Japan has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. In a nation of more than 127 million people, it recorded only 440 homicides in 2014. Until 2005, the statute of limitations on murder was only 15 years. Because of this and an astonishingly high conviction rate of 99 percent (which might very well […]

Millennials, Gen Y, Snowflakes—these are all names for the generation who were born between 1980 and 1994 – and the butt of so many jokes. In Japan they are called “Yutori” and they have just as many critics. They are the first generation who grew up with a more relaxed style of education and now […]

“Buried voices” get the attention they deserve, and bring about positive change. As March 11 approaches, people around Japan are now reflecting on the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on this day ten years ago, and remembering all the thousands of lives that were forever affected by the disaster. Last night, Japan’s national television […]

Renowned for its beautiful architecture, scarily advanced technology, and strong tradition, Japan remains one of the most fascinating countries to culturally dissect. However, it is the nation’s eccentric game shows, colorful anime, and unusual gadgets that seem to generate considerable attention. The same fervent interest lies in Japanese food. Japan’s gastronomical delights have evolved through […]

The Japanese government has decided to exclude overseas spectators from attending this summer’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, officials with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday. The government and the Japanese organizing committee of the games are expected to hold a remote meeting with […]

The Rape of Nanking and the evil human experiments done by Unit 731 usually come to mind when we think of Japanese war crimes. Unfortunately, those awful incidents weren’t isolated cases. Fueled by racism, fanaticism, and finally desperation as their defeat seemed inevitable, the Japanese in World War II perpetrated several acts on par with […]

Officially known as the Aokigahara Forest, one of the most mysterious places on the planet is better known as the Suicide Forest. As the name suggests, this is because of the sheer number of people who have taken their own lives there. Literally, hundreds of people commit suicide in this most chilling stretch of woodland […]

After more than a century of civil war, Japan was reunited by military warlord Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1603. Tokugawa founded the Tokugawa shogunate, a dynasty that would rule Japan until its overthrow in 1867.This period of Japanese history is known as the Edo era, named after the country’s capital city (present-day Tokyo). For more than […]

Japan has always been known as a land full of diverse spiritual beliefs and mysticism. After World War II ended, Japan’s new pacifist Constitution gave its people greater religious freedom than never before. However, this tolerance to all beliefs also gave rise to a number of bizarre cults, with one of the most notorious being […]