You might think that teaching a robot to tell jokes is a piece of cake. But not so fast! Researchers tried to get a robot to master rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of storytelling. They gave the robot a speech synthesizer so it could mimic human storytellers. The goal? To see how the robot's jok
Ever wondered how to bridge the filmmaking worlds of Japan and Hollywood? Well, the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) have just the thing for you: a new program called Beyond Japan. This initiative, supported by the Japanese governm
“Ghost of Tsushima” didn’t need to be historically precise because it focused on fun, not teaching history lessons. A recent analysis by Kensaku Namera from Nomura Securities, translated by Automaton, showed why Japanese fans loved the game even with its inaccuracies. Namera explained that a game ca
In 2023, a gripping murder-mystery series called "The Aosawa Murders" is set to captivate audiences. This series is based on a prize-winning Japanese crime novel of the same name by Riku Onda. The story unfolds in the enchanting coastal city of Kanazawa, Japan, focusing on the infamous "Aosawa Case.
On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, a group of Japanese survivors from the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This honor recognizes their continuous efforts to eradicate nuclear weapons. Jørgen Watne Frydnes, the chair of the committ
The release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant has sparked a wave of nationalism online, with influencers using jingoistic rhetoric and conspiracy theories to gain attention. This trend has even led to acts of vandalism against historic sites like the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo by
In the heart of Silicon Valley, a piece of California's history is about to be erased. The Sakauye family farm, one of the last remaining Japanese-owned farms in the state, will soon be demolished to make way for a massive urban housing project. But this farm holds more than just memories - it repre
Ever wondered how a company like Skybound Entertainment expands into new markets? Well, they hire experts who know the territory inside out. That’s exactly what Skybound did when they brought on board Mitsuru Oda to lead their Japanese unit. With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment indu
Japan's Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, recently said something that made a big splash in the financial world. He didn't seem too keen on hiking interest rates anymore. This news sent the Japanese yen into a tailspin against the US dollar, hitting an all-time low of 147.15. But experts aren’t so sur
In the upcoming anime series Dan Da Dan, two young adults, Okarun and Momo, find themselves entangled in a supernatural adventure that tests their relationship. The show, based on the manga by Yukinobu Tatsu, follows the duo as they battle aliens and yokai, all while trying to find Okarun's missing
