Tokyo International News Agency

It has been announced that “comico,” the manga app widely recognized as a pioneer of vertical-scrolling web comics (webtoons), will terminate its service at 11:59 PM on Wednesday, January 6, 2027. News of the impending closure of this veteran platform, which has enjoyed massive popularity since its launch in 2013, has prompted a wave of surprise and heartfelt nostalgia across social media. According to the official announcement, preparations are underway to transfer content purchased on comico to the digital manga storefront “Mecha Comic,” allowing users to continue accessing their paid titles. comico played a crucial role in popularizing full-color, vertically scrolling comics tailored specifically for smartphones. Over the years, the platform spawned numerous breakout hits, most notably ReLIFE —which received both an anime adaptation and a live-action film—as well as How to Keep a Mummy , Momokuri , Nanbaka , and Recovery of an MMO Junkie . Furtherm...

A research facility of the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) in Chiba City was flooded following record-breaking torrential rains, raising concerns of a potential leak of stored radioactive liquid waste. According to the institute, no radiological impact on the surrounding environment has been detected. According to the announcement, the heavy rainfall submerged the facility's underground storage area, causing water to flow around tanks containing radioisotope (RI) liquid waste. Subsequent investigations revealed that the remaining radioactivity concentrations were far below national regulatory discharge limits. In addition, water samples collected around the facility showed radioactivity levels below the limit of detection. Following the incident, public reactions on social media were mixed. While some expressed relief, noting that "it is reassuring to hear there is no impact on the surrounding environment," others voiced concerns and called fo...

Remarks by historian Tatsushi Fujihara in an interview with the Tokyo Shimbun have ignited widespread debate across social media. His observation that "the lifting of arms export restrictions marks a turning point that entangles Japan in perpetual warfare" and his warning that "rearmament does not follow war; rearmament causes war" have drawn strong reactions from the public. In the interview, Fujihara voiced deep concern over striking parallels between Japan's recent trajectory and the historical path of Nazi Germany, which used the defense industry as an economic stimulus before ultimately plunging into full-scale conflict. He delivered a stark warning: "War has already begun." While many echoed his concerns—lamenting what they see as Japan's uncritical drift into militarization and calling for a fundamental reconsideration of defense-first policies—others pushed back, criticizing the argument as "an extreme stance" or expressing skepti...

Takara Tomy's popular board game 'The Game of Life' and the beloved national RPG series 'Dragon Quest' are teaming up to release 'Dragon Quest: The Game of Life,' causing a major buzz on social media. Planned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 'Dragon Quest' series, the game is scheduled for release on October 24, 2026. The familiar car-shaped pieces have been replaced with 'carriage' specifications, and the game is packed with unique Dragon Quest elements, such as gathering companions like warriors and priests, and changing jobs at Alltrades Abbey. Furthermore, the ultimate goal—which corresponds to the 'goal in life' in the standard Game of Life—is none of other than 'defeating the Archfiend Zoma.' Immediately after the announcement, social media was flooded with joyful reactions from fans of both series, such as 'I want this so badly!', 'The carriages and pieces are too cute!', and 'Having the go...

Recent reports have revealed that during the Second Sino-Japanese War, military doctors at the Army Medical College conducted human experiments by infecting hospitalized Japanese soldiers suffering from mental illness with malaria via mosquitoes. According to the reports, the experiments were carried out in 1940 at facilities such as the Konodai Army Hospital in Chiba Prefecture. Mosquitoes that had fed on the blood of soldiers already infected with malaria were used to bite 10 soldiers with psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia to observe whether they would contract the disease. While the experiments were reportedly justified under the guise of research to prevent the domestic spread of the infection, they have sparked widespread criticism and concern. Critics point out that it is difficult to argue the subjects fully understood and consented to the risks, and many are disturbed by the fact that soldiers with mental illnesses were specifically targeted. The context On social media...

Excitement and fierce discussions have erupted on X (formerly Twitter) among 'Saniwa' (players) following the introduction of a brand-new sword warrior in the popular browser and smartphone game 'Touken Ranbu ONLINE'. Alongside the official announcement of the Tachi sword 'Kogarasaki Tametsugu', players flooded social media with posts regarding the acquisition of a new sword warrior as an event reward, the appearance of a mysterious character and a figure in black within the storyline, and deeply symbolic background details. In particular, visual motifs such as a Western-style umbrella, a glass pen-like accessory, and prayer bead decorations sparked intense speculation and theories linking the character to Murasamemaru or Bakin Kyokutei from the classic epic 'Nanso Satomi Hakkenden'. Fans also shared voice actor predictions and expressed astonishment at the remarkably high production quality of the artwork. The timeline transformed into a festive atmosph...

Recent reports regarding the romantic relationship between Daichi Shiozaki, a member of the popular idol group M!LK, and actress-gravure idol Rina Koyama—specifically highlighting a "10-year relationship"—have sparked a massive trend on social media, drawing a mix of surprise, congratulations, and bewilderment. According to the reports, the two have been dating for a decade, meaning they began building their relationship when they were still teenagers in school. Regarding this fact, which some might call a "long-term pure love," many users expressed positive and favorable reactions, such as "It's amazing and so pure since they were in middle school," "They spent most of their youth together, so at this point, it's actually endearing," and "It's wonderful, feeling more like a partnership than just a romance." On the other hand, there are quite a few critical views stemming from the nature of the idol profession. Some fans exp...