SoraNews24 —Japan News—

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Record number of foreign children in Japan need help understanding Japanese in school

Casey Baseel
Dec 13, 2025
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As Japan’s foreign population grows, its foreign kid count is getting bigger too, and educational systems might not be keeping up with the country’s changing demographics.

Japan
(COK • education • foreigners in Japan • internationalism • Japanese language • linguistics • society)

Pokémon Christmas village event taking place nightly in Yokohama

Casey Baseel
Dec 13, 2025

Bayside park lights up every night with Electric-type Pokémon Christmas tree.

Japan
(Akarenga • anime • Christmas • cute • manga • Pikachu • Pokemon • Red Brick Warehouse • video games • Yokohama)

“Bear” voted Japan’s Kanji of the Year for 2025 in extremely close race

Master Blaster
Dec 12, 2025

It bear-ly beat out the second-place kanji.

Japan
(bears • COK • Japanese language • kanji • kanji of the year • Kanji of the Year 2025 • Kiyomizu Temple • language • linguistics • Myaku-Myaku • society)

Kyoto samurai house wants to share its history of seppuku, torture and gold coins with visitors

Oona McGee
Dec 12, 2025

If these walls could talk, they would probably scream.

Japan
(cool • culture • Edo period • Former Maekawa Residence • history • Kyoto • samurai • SNJO • tourists sites • travel)

Japan’s Hiepita forehead cooling strips, so popular they changed the language, are disappearing

Casey Baseel
Dec 12, 2025

Sales of the cooling strips are not so hot, but why?

Japan
(cooling gel strips • cooling strips • fever • health • Hiepita • society • wellness)

Japanese group to hold fashion show of colostomy bags and other stoma equipment in Paris

Master Blaster
Dec 12, 2025

Why hide it when you can accessorize it?

Europe, Japan
(art • colostomy bags • fashion • health • Japan Welfare & Medical Fashion Association • Kei Hirabayashi • kimono • ostomates • science • society • stoma • wellness • Yosuke Ishii)

U.S.A. now the fastest-growing market for Japan’s high-tech toilets, now selling quicker than ever

Casey Baseel
Dec 12, 2025

Toto’s Washlet is washing more and more backsides in the States, and there are likely two big reasons why the U.S. has started liking them for when it goes number two.

Japan, USA
(bidets • interior • Japanese toilets • society • Toilets • Toto • washlet • washlets • wellness)

This hot springs town in Japan sets fire across a mountain every winter in a beautiful tradition

Krista Rogers
Dec 12, 2025

Plus, another traditional festival involves giving a very icy bath to recently wedded grooms.

Japan
(beautiful • COK • crazy • culture • festivals • Japan travel • Niigata • snow • tourism • travel • Uonuma • winter)

Evangelion original anime studio Gainax is now completely dissolved, Eva’s creator mourns ruined friendships

Casey Baseel
Dec 11, 2025

Gainax goes out in a very Gainax-like way.

Japan
(anime • Evangelion • GAINAX • Hideaki Anno • Khara • manga • Studio Khara)

7-Eleven Japan has a hack for creating insanely delicious potato chip rice meals

Oona McGee
Dec 11, 2025

A new product so good it’ll likely go viral.

Japan
(7-Eleven • combini • convenience store finds • convenience store food • convenience store hack • convenience stores • cool • food • hack • Japanese convenience stores • Japanese food • konbini • potato chips • rice • SNJO • trends • viral)

Gundam and Reebok team up for new GQuuuuuuX Pumps【Photos】

Casey Baseel
Dec 11, 2025

GQuuuuuuX kicks are ready to help you walk around in mobile suit style.

Japan
(anime • Evangelion • fashion • GQuuuuuuX • Gundam • Gundam GQuuuuuuX • manga • mecha • Mobile Suit Gundam • Premium Bandai • Reebok • Reebok Pump • robots • shoes • sneakers • Strict-G)

Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start

Elliot Hale
Dec 11, 2025

A fully recreated Showa-style living room, with a modern surprise, awaits retro-seeking visitors.

Japan
(COK • cool • history • nostalgia • retro • Showa Era • Showa period • Showa retro • Showa Retro Fair • Tokyo)

Japanese woman sues man for 1.5 million yen for violating her “right to chastity”

Master Blaster
Dec 11, 2025

It really does pay to know your rights.

Japan
(COK • crime • dating apps • extramarital affair • law • lawsuit • relationships • right to chastity • right to sexual self-determination • romance • society • teisoken)

Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area

Casey Baseel
Dec 11, 2025

Proponents want cafes, convenience stores, and other takeout shops to take on greater responsibility as foreign tourist numbers and litter amounts grow.