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Japan

Tokyoites watch Hideo Nomo pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers at Sony Plaza on June 30, 1995.

How Baseball Has Strengthened the Relationship Between the United States and Japan

The effects of war, economic tension and accidental deaths have been mitigated by a sport that both cultures treasure

Google Japan Now Has Street View From a Dog’s Perspective

It’s like riding an Akita around Japan

The new species of tardigrade, Macrobiotus shonaicus found in the moss of a Japanese parking lot.

New Tardigrade Species Found in Parking Lot in Japan

The adorable microscopic critter has a unique leg fold and lays unusual eggs

"Reflections of the Weeping Willow on the Water-Lily Pond" Claude Monet

Long-Lost Monet, Sent Away for Safekeeping Before WWII, Found in Louvre Storage

The painting was acquired by Japanese art collector Kōjirō​ ​Matsukata in the 1920s. It will go on view at the National Museum of Western Art in 2019

Intense Footage of Kamikaze Attacks During WWII

U.S. marines faced a battle unlike any they had faced before: the Japanese intentionally crashed over 1,900 planes in suicide kamikaze dives on them

Discover a Hidden Side of Japan: Venturing Out of Tokyo to Fukushima

Beyond Tokyo’s bright lights and cutting-edge innovation, Fukushima offers travelers a fascinating journey through Japan’s samurai history, mountain villages, celebrated food culture, and timeless traditions—all just a short train ride away

This World Heritage Site in Japan Is One of the Snowiest Places on the Planet

And you thought Boston got a lot of snow

The Next Pandemic

When a Medical “Cure” Makes Things Much, Much Worse

In 1960s Japan, a bizarre outbreak of hairy green tongues failed to set off alarms around the world

Kono Yasui at Tokyo University.

Women Who Shaped History

How a Pioneering Botanist Broke Down Japan’s Gender Barriers

Kono Yasui was the first Japanese woman to publish in an academic journal, forging a new path for women in her country

Pearls have been a symbol of extreme wealth for thousands of years.

Here’s Why Pearls No Longer Cost a Fortune

Coming up with ways to lower the price of pearls—either through culturing or by out-right fakery—took centuries

A "comfort women" monument is seen at St. Mary Square in San Francisco, the United States, on Sept. 22, 2017.

‘Comfort Women’ Statue Prompts Osaka to Cut Ties with San Francisco

The monument pays tribute to women who were forced to work in Japanese military brothels

Cool Finds

Einstein’s Maxims on Life Fetch $1.8 Million at Auction

The notes were given as a tip to a Tokyo bellboy in 1922

The Ainu, the Indigenous people of Japan, have fought Japanese domination for centuries. As this century unfolds, their efforts are finally paying off.

How Japan’s Bear-Worshipping Indigenous Group Fought Its Way to Cultural Relevance

For a long time, Japanese anthropologists and officials tried to bury the Ainu. It didn’t work

A painting of an aurora seen in Japan on September 17, 1770, in the book "Seikai"

Using 18th-Century Writings and Illustrations, Scientists Model an Ancient Magnetic Storm

The vibrant aurora lit up the night sky over the city of Kyoto, Japan, some 250 years ago

Chick Parsons (center and top) was the toast of prewar Manila, a convivial, polo-playing expat businessman with an eagle tattooed across his chest.

Secrets of American History

Without Chick Parsons, General MacArthur May Never Have Made His Famed Return to the Philippines

The full story of the American ex-pat’s daring feats has not been told—until now

A bell from the doomed ship

Trending Today

After 72 Years, Wreck of USS Indianapolis Found, Closing Chapter on Tragic Tale

After the ship was sunk by a Japanese torpedo, surviving crew members had to battle dehydration, exposure and deadly shark attacks

WWII veteran Marvin Strombo, right, and Tatsuya Yasue, an 89-year-old farmer, left, hold a Japanese flag with autographed messages that belonged to Yasue's brother Sadao Yasue, who was killed in the Pacific during World War II.

U.S. Veteran Returns Flag to Family of Dead Japanese Soldier

Marvin Strombo took the flag from the body of Sadao Yasue during the Battle of Saipan, but promised that he would one day return it

The enigmatic Yayoi Kusama built a museum for her work in near total secrecy

Yayoi Kusama Secretly Built a Museum

Opening October 1, the Tokyo museum will showcase art and archives from the visionary avant-garde Japanese artist

Chinese laborers comprised the largest non-European workforce during World War I, and were tasked with everything from digging trenches to manning factories.

World War I: 100 Years Later

The Surprisingly Important Role China Played in WWI

In turn, the peace talks that ended the war had an enormous impact on China’s future

In the hours before the Sun rises, Tsukiji bustles with traders buying seafood for the coming day

Fire Breaks Out at Historic Tokyo Fish Market

As Tsukiji Market faces an uncertain future, a fire torches several stores at the edge of the century-old landmark

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