Tokyo International News Agency

The winners of the Japan Game Awards 2026, one of the country's largest gaming celebrations, have been announced, with 'Poco à Pokémon' taking home the Grand Award in the Annual Works Division. Maintaining the core enjoyment of a sandbox game while captivating numerous players with its charming worldview and scenario, the title has received a wave of congratulatory messages across social media. Additionally, a wide variety of notable titles were selected for the Award for Excellence. These include the gothic mystery 'Mahō Shōjo no Majo Saiban (Mano Saba)', which drew attention for its dark worldview and authentic trial system, and 'Kirby's Air Riders', supported for its exhilarating action as the first new installment in 22 years. Other winners featured 'Digimon Story: Time Stranger' and 'Silent Hill f'. Furthermore, the 'Movement Award', given to titles that gained broad support and created a societal impact, was awarded to '...

The latest episode, Part 13 titled "Shopping Club," of the YouTube channel "Theatrical Version Jutaro" hosted by Jutaro Yamanaka, who is active as a member of the idol group M!LK, has been released and is generating massive buzz on social media. Not only is his visual appeal in glasses stunning, but his natural and slightly surreal demeanor while enjoying a shopping trip captivated many fans. In this video, Yamanaka—despite being an exceptionally handsome man—glued fans to their screens with a series of highly relatable actions, such as unfolding a paper map to check his current location and comically rolling his newly purchased suitcase around with visible delight. On social media, fans jokingly and affectionately praised the video as the "ultimate unromanticization channel" and a "treasure box of unromanticization" while showering him with enthusiastic comments embracing the gap in his persona, such as "No matter what he does, he's ult...

Konosuke Tatsumi of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp has set a new professional baseball record for the most stolen bases as a pinch runner in a single season. Entering the game as a pinch runner in the 9th inning, he successfully stole second base. This brought his season total of pinch-running stolen bases to 26, marking a historic milestone that breaks the previous Japanese record of 25 set 47 years ago in 1979 by Shiro Fujise of the Kintetsu Buffaloes. On this day, the Carp's offense erupted, fueled by standout performances including Shosei Nakamura's first home run of the season—a 2-run blast—leading the team to a resounding victory. The celebratory fan cry of "Koi-ho!" echoed across social media as fans rejoiced over the team's consecutive wins. In particular, an outpouring of congratulatory messages has been dedicated to Tatsumi, who joined the Carp through the现役 draft (active player draft) and has steadily seized every opportunity with unwavering dedication. At the...

On September 15, 2026, during a game against the Yomiuri Giants at Yokohama Stadium, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo of the Yokohama DeNA BayStars hit a historic home run, marking his 250th career home run in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Although the team conceded the opening run in the top of the first inning, they immediately bounced back with a game-tying home run by Shugo Makis in consecutive games to turn the tide. The offense exploded in the second inning with a three-run homer by Keita Sano, followed by Tsutsugo's milestone solo shot—his 148th at Yokohama Stadium, breaking the solo record for the venue, and his 250th overall in NPB—as well as a home run by Tatsuo Ebina. Ultimately, the BayStars secured a resounding victory with 17 hits and 13 runs, completing a sweep against the Giants. The team celebrated a furious seven-game winning streak and returned to a positive win-loss record for the first time in 123 days. Starting pitcher Katsuki Azuma also delivered a steady performance...

The popular online lottery service for the mega-hit character franchise 'Chiikawa' has announced a brand new product that fans have been eagerly waiting for: the 'All Kurimanju Lottery.' According to the announcement, the 'All Kurimanju Lottery' costs 1,100 yen (tax included) per draw, with the sales period running from Thursday, September 24 at 11:00 AM to Thursday, October 1 at 11:59 PM. Prizes are scheduled to be shipped sequentially starting in late February 2027. Featuring the concept of a 'viscera-soaking lottery' and showcasing the beloved character Kurimanju in various forms, the announcement has sparked a wave of excitement and anticipation on social media, with fans commenting, 'The Senpai is finally getting an all-darlake lottery!', 'Every single prize is a win!', and 'I am definitely playing!' Additionally, it was simultaneously announced that an 'All Shisa Lottery' is scheduled to be held in October, prompting...

Yoshitomi Shibata, who continued to actively race as the Japan Racing Association's (JRA) first-ever sexagenarian jockey, has abruptly announced his retirement. Despite aiming for a comeback from repeated right-shoulder injuries, he was unable to recover sufficiently, bringing an end to his illustrious 42-year career in the saddle. Since debuting as a member of the first graduating class of the JRA Horse Racing School, Shibata captivated numerous racing fans with his clean riding style and exceptional skill with the reins. Affectionately known by the nickname "The Counselor," he achieved a remarkable total of 2,341 career JRA wins, ranking sixth all-time. He also secured nine G1 victories, staging numerous historic battles that remain in racing lore, including consecutive Yasuda Kinen and Tenno Sho (Autumn) wins with Yamanin Zephyr, and a Yasuda Kinen victory with Just a Way. On social media, fans and industry insiders have posted numerous messages of gratitude and sorrow...

Popular rock band Mrs. GREEN APPLE has officially announced the schedule and launch of a special website for their brand-new live tour, "Harmony2," across their official social media channels. This sudden big news has sparked an outpouring of surprise and excitement from fans everywhere. According to the announcement, an impressively large number of performances are scheduled, drawing passionate comments from fans such as "20 shows is incredible!" and "I am definitely going!" Coming as a surprise announcement while fans were still eagerly anticipating previous live series and other performances, social media platforms have erupted into a festive mood. Attention is also focused on the news that serial codes will be included with their CDs, leading to endless enthusiasm and determination to secure tickets, with comments like "The code inclusion is so kind!" and "I'm definitely going to win a ticket." With massive attendance and large-...