Sincerity, reciprocity and symbiosis
The 32nd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting showed that Asia-Pacific economies are able to work together to build a regional community that prospers together
Azia Phreak Mail Surver
Dragon Quest King Slime eye drops fly off shelves in less than a day
It’s a critical hit!The hit role-playing video game franchise Dragon Quest is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, and one way they’re marking the occasion is by teaming up with Rohto Pharmaceutical. These two brands have teamed up in the past to release versions of Rohto Z! eyedrops in containers that resemble the game’s most popular monster, the Slime.The first version came out in 2017 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Rohto Z! and the second came about in 2023 for the 25th ann
Anne Hathaway creates PR frenzy in Japan after mentioning Tottori in Devil Wears Prada interview
Casual mention elicits enthusiastic response from commonly overlooked tourist destination.Japan has become one of the world’s top tourist destinations, welcoming a record-breaking 42.7 million international visitors in 2025, a 15.8-percent increase from 2024, and on track to break the record this year. While this is great news for big cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, where tourists tend to spend most of their time and money, there are 44 other prefectures in Japan that are crying out fo
7-Eleven Japan reinvents convenience store fruit sandwiches with new salty pink sakura peach variety
We find out if salty sakura pink bread is really a good way forward for the chain. Japan has a penchant for white bread sandwiches. Commonly featuring fluffy slices of shokupan, made with an enriched dough containing milk, these sandwiches aren’t just confined to savoury fillings as they pair well with sweet ingredients too, opening the door for some eye-popping sweet creations that defy Western traditions.Right now, 7-Eleven is pushing the envelope even further by turning some of its whi
East Japan Railway announces plans to abolish magnetic-strip tickets
End of an era is coming for ecological and economic reasons.Train travel in Japan is going to be looking a little different, as East Japan Railway Company, a.k.a. JR East, has announced that it’ll be making a major change to its ticket design. Right now, JR East tickets have your starting station and fare printed on the front, and a magnetic strip on the back. At the gate, you slide your ticket into the slot, the gate opens up, and your ticket pops back up from another slot on the other side of
Trigun Legacy Cafe coming to two Japanese cities this summer to salute series’ original form
Humanoid Typhoon to hit Shibuya and Namba this July.Trigun Stargaze, the sequel series to Trigun Stampede, was released earlier this year, and while there’s fun to be had in the CG-reimagining of the adventures of Vash the Stampede, for many fans there’s just no substitute for the original hand-drawn Trigun manga and 1998 anime TV series.So now there’s a Trigun Legacy Cafe coming to Tokyo and Osaka.Hosted by Chugai Grace Cafe, a themed restaurant subdivision of department store Marui, the cafe w
Starbucks Japan releases new “torori” drinks exclusive to 7-Eleven convenience stores
A new limited-edition drink you can’t even get at Starbucks.Competition is fierce amongst Japan’s top three convenience store chains, 7-Eleven, Family Mart and Lawson, but right now 7-Eleven is edging ahead of the competition with a new tie-up Starbucks drink that you can’t get anywhere else, not even at Starbucks.Called Fruity Cheers Torori, this new beverage comes in two flavours, Strawberry Berry Bergamot and Mango Passionfruit, with each one blending the rich aroma of frui
Shakey’s Japan creates matcha mochi, Kyoto fish, and Kansai Chili Con Carne pizzas
Japan’s Kansai region inspires some very bold baking in Shakey’s Japan’s ovens.A while back, Shakey’s celebrated its 50th anniversary of arriving in Japan with a special selection of pizzas that it called the “American Pizza Tour.” But having passed the half-century mark in Japan now, the chain has seen some very tasty stuff in this country too, and brings us to Shakey’s newest creations, pizzas inspired by the culinary traditions of central Japan’s Kansai region.We start with the Kansai Chili C
Pump yourself up with Yokohama’s new extravagant Cool Fuel ice cream
With its slogan “Melt the Rule,” Cool Fuel offers a new kind of five-layered ice cream-eating experience centered on Mascarpone cheese flavor.New ice cream brand Cool Fuel opened on May 29 in the Yokohama Hammerhead shopping complex. We’d heard rumblings that it was supposed to be an ultra-luxurious dessert experience, far different than eating regular ice cream. Never ones to resist an icy sweet treat, we paid the new shop a visit on the morning of the fourth day it was open.▼
Burger King Japan offering all-you-can-eat quad-burgers, whoever eats the most gets more in December
Beefy gauntlet has been thrown down once again by Burger King Japan.Burger King Japan understands that there are times when a regular-size hamburger just won’t cut it, which is why they offer what they call the One Pounder series, a line of sandwiches with four patties. Sometimes, though, a person’s bottomless well of burger love equals the infinite capacity of their stomach, and so for them, later this month Burger King Japan is offering all-you-can eat One Pounders.First, let’s take a look at
7-Eleven Japan releases a chocolate chip sandwich… that tastes like ice cream
This chilled sando is a convenience store must-try.When you’re travelling around Japan and learning the language, you’ll find yourself picking up new words in odd places, and right now the word at 7-Eleven is “yokubari“. Literally translating as “greedy” or “indulgent“, the chain is using the word to describe a range of single-serve “one-piece” sandwiches that are so loaded with decadent fillings they’re bulging at the seams, and
This shop combines traditional Japanese sweets with…mayonnaise?!?[Taste test]
Even with a shop name like Mayo x Mayo, we weren’t expecting this much mayo.The word “original” has a bit of a different nuance in Japanese. It’s not so much used to describe something revolutionary or inventive so much as something that’s unique to a specific place. So, for example, a restaurant that makes its own roux from scratch, as opposed to using any sort of pre-made version, might boast about its “original curry,” even if the restaurant’s curry itself is pretty orthodox in style.But we r
Starbucks adds new Fruit Gummy sweets to stores in Japan
Sure, Starbucks knows how to make a good Frappucino, but do they have what it takes to make good gummies? Starbucks is known around the world for being a coffeehouse chain that specialises in drinks like the Frappuccino, but here in Japan you can come across some other unique surprises. Right now, the biggest surprise of all is that the chain is branching out into the sweet world of gummies, with a new release called Fruit Gummy.We came across this new discovery when we spotted the sweets next t
Gun found in Japanese convenience store restroom, traced to forgetful on-duty cop
A public restroom stall shock that had nothing to do with cleanliness.Whether you’re looking for a Pokémon frappe, chocolate chip sandwich, or surprisingly high-quality T-shirt, Japan’s convenience stores have got you covered. As a matter of fact, it can start to become easy to become desensitized to the very wide variety of things you can find in a Japanese convenience store, but earlier this month a customer at one in the town of Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture came across something that sti
New Square Enix Cafe reveals Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Nier, and Fullmetal Alchemist menu items
Tokyo’s new video game/anime eatery has a lot to love (and eat).June 12 is the grand opening of the brand-new Square Enix Cafe in downtown Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood, and the eatery has released a sneak peek at what’s going to be on the menu. As you might expect, food and beverages inspired by the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises will be on offer, but there’s one other dark-horse candidate for your dining and drinking attention, and an anime/manga mega-hit too.Beginning with Final Fa
Shinto shrine’s night sky firefly sweets are Japan’s newest breathtaking, mouthwatering desserts.
Firefly-viewing season provides the inspiration for breathtaking Japanese confectionaries.Japan loves to celebrate the changing of the seasons, and Japan loves sweets, so Japan really loves seasonal sweets. Sometimes, finding those crossover opportunities is easy, like releasing sakura-flavored confectionaries as the cherry blossoms come into bloom, or using premium matcha just as the first batch of green tea for the year is being harvested.Things get a little trickier, though, if you’re looking
Dushanbe hosts Asia-Pacific meeting ahead of 2026 UN Water Conference
DUSHANBE, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 United Nations Water Conference was held on Monday in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, in conjunction with the 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development," 2018-2028.
Family Mart commits “reverse fraud” in new Giant All-Star Festival, and we couldn’t be happier
At this Japanese convenience store chain, big is an understatement. It’s been a great few months for convenience store fans in Japan, with chains like 7-Eleven and Lawson upsizing a number of their products with special limited-time campaigns.▼ Now, Family Mart is bringing joy to its customers with a “Giant All-Star Festival“.With 14 items in the lineup, covering products like coffee, sweets and sandwiches, there’s something here for everyone. However, unlike 7-Eleven and
Retro fashion magazines from Tokyo’s street market remind Mr. Sato of a special gift from his dad
Mr. Sato is filled with appreciation for the other Mr. Sato.Tokyo has a number of neighborhoods, such as Shibuya and Harajuku, that celebrate trendy, youthful fashions and culture. There’s also a part of the city, though, with a focus on a more mature clientele.Located part-way between Ikebukuro and Ueno on the Yamanote loop line that encircles the city center, Sugamo is a gathering place for Tokyo’s senior citizens, and while it’s an interesting spot to check out on any day, our ace reporter Mr
Godiva melts minds by releasing a new corn chocolate drink in Japan
We find out if this new limited-edition Chocolixir really tastes like corn potage soup.With summer now upon us, stores all over Japan are releasing limited-edition seasonal products to keep us feeling cool and refreshed. Over at Godiva, though, the focus is more on seasonal produce, with a new release that’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.Called the Sweet Corn Chocolixir, this new take on the chain’s signature chocolate-based Chocolixir drink is said to taste like sweet co