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Japanese government sets up new group to deal with trading card boom

Trading cards have become so popular in Japan that the government is now getting involved, but what does this mean for fans?Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has announced plans to establish a new parliamentary group dedicated to the country’s rapidly growing trading card industry. The group will hold its inaugural meeting on 23 July, when lawmakers will hear from industry organisations and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) about the state of the market a

Yakuza members arrested for building a road on mountain they don’t own

Darn gangsters! Building infrastructure without permission.On 15 July, about 120 officers with the Hiroshima Prefectural Police conducted a search of the headquarters for the Harada faction of the Kyosei-kai yakuza group in Hiroshima City.▼ Video of the search, with so many officers pouring into there you’d think it was led by a pill-popping Gary OldmanThe search was a part of an investigation into the boss and four members of the Harada faction, who were arrested 14 July on suspicion of b

If you love Pokémon and cats, you’ll love Japan’s cat Pokémon cat toys and feeding dishes[Photos]

Some Pokémon fun to share with your real-world Meowth, Litten, or Sprigatito.“Pokémon” is short for “Pocket Monster,” but there are more than a few Pokémon species that aren’t exactly monstrous in appearance or attitude. Sure, they may still be fantastical fictional creatures, but there are definitely Pokémon that look like they’d make fine pets here in the real world. For example, what cat lover wouldn’t be thrilled to welcome Litten, Sprigatito, or Meowth to their home?And while those three Po

Taco sandwiches appear in Japan with new Lunch Pack sandwich pocket flavor[Taste test]

Yamazaki’s beloved series branches out with a new fluffy taco offering.At the risk of being figuratively flowery in multiple ways, walking down the bread aisle of a Japanese supermarket or convenience store is a little like strolling through a garden and seeing what sort of wonderful seasonal things are appearing. That’s especially true with Yamazaki Baking’s Lunch Pack series, Japan’s favorite brand of sandwich pockets. Sometimes Lunch Pack goes sweet, like with the sakura-flavor dessert ones w

Studio Ghibli’s new moving keychains are the angry, adorable bugs from Nausicaa [Photos]

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’s Ohm want to be the holders of your keys.So let’s say you’re talking to a friend, and he says “I’ve got this really cool bug in my pocket!” That’d be kind of weird, but hey, you and your friend are both pretty intense anime fans, so your comfort level regarding unique and oddly specific enthusiasm is probably a littler higher than most people’s, right? You might get a little more concerned, though, when your friend then reveals “It moves really fast!”, and you

Brand new Shinkansen bullet train unveiled in Japan… but it won’t carry passengers

Meet “SOAR”, the next-generation Shinkansen designed to protect the rails.On 14 July, East Japan Railways (JR East) announced it would be adding a brand new Shinkansen to its network, but this would be no ordinary bullet train. Called SOAR, the seven-car train won’t be carrying passengers, as it’s been built for one purpose only – to inspect the railway line, and protect the trains and passengers that use it.This new “inspection Shinkansen” will replace the company’s current East-i i

Sanrio eco-friendly plushies are here for the earth-conscious lovers of all things kawaii

This cute line-up is made from sustainable materials and will make your friends green with envy.While we’ve seen Hello Kitty decked out in all kinds of colors before, even she’s not usually green. That’s one reason why longtime fans may want to get their hands on one of the lovely new leaf-green-tinted Sanrio plushies being released next month as part of Bandai Namco Nui’s “Eco Nui” plushie series, which are made from entirely recycled and/or sustainable fabri

Japanese curry rice burger gets all the attention in Mos Burger’s new birthday celebration campaign

There are some showstoppers in this limited-time promotion, but the unique twist on Japanese curry rice is all we can look at.If you’re in the mood for fast food with a distinctly Japanese flair, Mos Burger is here to satisfy your cravings. As the chain that first created the rice burger, which swaps out bread buns for grilled rice patties, Mos Burger has long been a trailblazer for Japanese flavour combinations, and now it’s taking things up a notch with the release of a new Dry Curry Rice Burg

Beautiful exclusive Totoro tenugui towel is a gift from Disney to Ghibli physical media buyers

Picking up a Studio Ghibli film on disc this summer could get you a tenugui too.The best time to buy Studio Ghibli anime on physical media in Japan is pretty much whenever you see it for sale. There aren’t many home video releases with as verdant an evergreen appeal as these prestigious animated films that have captivated audiences for decades, and that consistent demand means that Blu-rays and DVDs of Ghibli’s films don’t often get heavily discounted in either the new or second-hand market in t

Starbucks Japan unveils new peach milk pudding drink that’s like a decadent dessert

Limited-edition chilled cup combines summer fruit with creamy pudding pieces in new “Delight Me” release.Starbucks has welcomed the early throes of summer this year with a bevvy of peachy releases, covering Frappuccinos, teas, and fizzy sodas. Now, the chain is giving us a fresh take on the summer fruit, by releasing the Starbucks Delight Me Peach Milk with Creamy Pudding.This latest flavour in the chain’s chilled cup drink series, which can be found in supermarkets and convenience stores, aims

Giant Snorlax, other snoozing Pokémon appear in Yokohama for Pokémon Sleeping Faces Research [Pics]

Sleepy Pokémon and smiling faces from an adorable fan event going on in Japan right now.There’s that old joke that starts “Where does an 800-pound gorilla sleep?” with the answer of “Anywhere it wants,” and if we’re making 800 pounds the cutoff, then an animal that weighs 1,014.1 pounds definitely qualifies too, right? However, it’s not just the species’ official Pokédex-listed weight that gives Snorlax unlimited unilateral sleeping space selection privileges, but also how adorable the perpetual

Cup Noodle releases cold-water instant ramen in Japan, but can it really be made with just cold water?

New Hiyashi Cup Noodle cuts out the need for boiling water, so we put it to the test.This year looks set to be a historic one for Japanese noodle-maker Nissin, as it doesn’t just mark the brand’s 55th anniversary, it also marks the release of its first-ever chilled Cup Noodle.Unlike a regular Cup Noodle, which needs boiling hot water to rehydrate the noodles, the new “Hiyashi Cup Noodle” (“hiyashi” means “chilled”) requires only cold water, thanks to a newly patented manufacturing process called

Japan’s “edible fireworks” wagashi sweets return, but only for a limited time [Photos]

In business for over 70 years, this traditional confectioner figured out how to turn the suspension of a Japanese tradition into a new one of their own.Summer is the season for fireworks in Japan, as brilliantly colored pyrotechnics put a percussive-sounding punctuation point on fun festivals around the country. Of course, here at SoraNews24 we’re of the mindset that any and all seasons are the season for desserts, which brings us to today’s topic: edible fireworks.We can thank Okamedo, a wagash

Mos Burger opens Mosh Burger ＆ Bar in Ginza, but is it fated to be a short-lived sensation?

The curse of the specialty burger store threatens to strike again in Tokyo.On 1 July, Japanese fast food chain Mos Burger opened a brand new store called Mosh Burger ＆ Bar, in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza district. Keen to find out if it was as fancy as the neighbourhood around it, we sent our roving reporter Mr Sato along to pay it a visit.According to Mr Sato, the name “Mosh” is a familiar one, as he first heard it four years ago, in November 2022, when Mos Burger opened a store called Mosh Grab’n Go

Japan’s popular curry chain Cocoichi has an elusive delivery-only noodle menu

We investigated a suspicious noodle store on Uber Eats only to have our curry udon dreams come true.For many visitors to Japan, including myself, Curry House CoCo Ichibanya (colloquially known as Cocoichi) is usually their first experience of what Japanese-style curry is, and the experience can often be fascinating. The sheer level of customization over what the final form of your curry will take is mind-boggling, as different levels of spice, a variety of toppings, several different curry sauce

Japanese convenience store releases Japanese convenience store-flavor fried chicken

Famima’s newest fried chicken and potato chip flavor is also Famima.For convenience stores in Japan, the ideal situation is to provide customers with both familiar favorites and new eating experiences. Those might seem like opposite objectives, but one way to have it both ways is to offer special-flavor variants of items that are already proven hits. You’ll see this often with convenience store fried chicken. If a chain’s regular version is selling well, maybe they add a version with the flavor

We found the world’s first Yakult 1000 soft serve, and it’s hidden away in Nara

Unique Yakult find leaves us with a satisfied belly and a happy heart. Many people know about the wonders of Yakult, Japan’s famous lactic acid bacteria drink, but there’s another drink that’s gained a cult following, and it’s called Yakult 1000. This supercharged version contains 1,000 billion bacteria, compared to Yakult’s 10 billion, and it became incredibly popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, when rumours spread about its potential health benefits, making it extreme

Starbucks Japan releases new fireworks collection that captures the beauty of a summer festival

Mysterious colour-changing cups and sparkly Bearista straw caps, inspired by a Japanese fireworks festival.Summer in Japan is synonymous with fireworks festivals, where people dress in traditional yukata kimonos, cool themselves with flat fans known as “uchiwa”, and gaze towards the heavens to stare in awe at the sparkly displays.It’s a beautiful time of year, and it’s one that Starbucks wants to honour with a new range dedicated to summertime fireworks. Covering a couple of cute mini gifts, a c

“Stab-kill for two deaths” and other fun Japanese baseball terms

And it’s one, two, three strikes you’re dead at the old ball game!The rise of Shohei Ohtani has completely cemented Japan’s already famous reputation as a country that has wholly embraced the sport of baseball. However, there’s a common misconception that baseball came to Japan as a result of the American occupation following World War II, when in fact the sport’s roots here go back much further.Baseball is said to have been introduced to Japan around the mid to late 19th century, just as Japan

Japan’s favorite quasi-local curry launches convenience store version – Does it match the real deal?

Is it worth go going to Family Mart to try the convenience store version of Go Go Curry?Go Go Curry has kind of an unusual spot in Japan’s curry pantheon. It’s considered by many foodies to be a representative chain of Ishikawa Prefecture and the city of Kanazawa, where the chain originated. At the same time, there are now close to 100 Go Go Curry branches in Japan, stretching far beyond the borders of Ishikawa, and the chain also has around 20 branches overseas now.That said, 100 branches for a