Tokyo International News Agency

Yoshiharu Tsuge, a distinctive manga artist who profoundly influenced the manga world, has passed away at the age of 88, prompting an outpouring of tributes from many fans. The cause of death is reported to be aspiration pneumonia. Yoshiharu Tsuge was renowned for his numerous avant-garde works with unique worldviews, including masterpieces like "Neji-shiki" (Screw-Style) and "Muno no Hito" (The Man Without Talent), as well as "Akai Hana" (Red Flowers), "Realism no Yado" (Inn of Realism), and "Gensenkan Shujin" (Lord of Gensenkan). He sparked the "Tsuge Boom" in the late 1960s. His works broke traditional manga conventions with surreal depictions hidden within everyday life, fantastical stories where dreams and reality intertwined, and a deep realism that plumbed the depths of the human psyche and social absurdities. His series depicting hot spring resorts, desolate rural villages, and the turbulent post-war era from a child...

On March 27th, as the 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) season kicked off, a historic first was recorded. Yomiuri Giants' player Cabbage and Yokohama DeNA BayStars' player Shugo Maki each blasted a leadoff home run in their respective opening games, etching their names into baseball history. In the Giants' clash against the Hanshin Tigers, Cabbage launched a powerful blast against the opposing opening day starter. This marked the Giants' first leadoff home run in an opening game in 19 years, providing significant momentum for the team. The team went on to secure a splendid victory in their season opener, highlighted by rookie pitcher Kazuyuki Takemaru earning the franchise's first-ever opening day win for a rookie starter, and new foreign import Dalbec hitting his first home run in Japan. Meanwhile, in the BayStars' game against the Hiroshima Carp, Shugo Maki, batting leadoff for the first time in his professional career, responded by crushing the very fir...

The popular idol training game 'Gakuen Idolmaster' (Gakumasu) is abuzz on social media with the unfolding of its new event, 'STEP3'. In particular, the announcement of Yume Hanami's 'STEP3' has sent fan excitement and anticipation soaring. The official Idolmaster account announced a live broadcast, 'Hoshigakuen HR #STEP3 Yume Hanami,' featuring Yume Hanami, scheduled for April 3rd (Friday) at 7:00 PM JST, with many 'P's (Producers) eagerly awaiting the stream. Fans have voiced their excitement with comments like 'Yume's STEP3 is here!' and 'So looking forward to Yume's STEP3 scenario,' indicating high expectations for her new story arc. Yume Hanami's new costume is also garnering significant attention. Praises for its exquisite design include 'Love Yume-chan's STEP3 outfit,' 'Yume-chan's STEP3 is too cute...,' 'Yume's STEP3 is incredibly good. This kind of significant visual change i...

The 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) opening day was an absolute spectacle, with powerful solo home runs flying out of ballparks across the country, sending fan excitement soaring to new heights. Each valuable blast, hit by star sluggers and new talents alike, repeatedly swung the momentum of games. Central League Highlights In the Central League, Yokohama DeNA BayStars' Shugo Maki launched a leadoff solo home run to right field on the very first pitch he saw. The impressive arc drawn across the Yokohama night sky gave the BayStars a perfect start to their season. The Yomiuri Giants also saw their new foreign players make an immediate impact. Cabbage hit a leadoff home run to put the Giants on the board first, and Dalbec followed with his first solo home run in Japan, significantly contributing to the team's opening day victory. Notably, Dalbec showed remarkable clutch ability, making up for an earlier out in a scoring opportunity with his solo shot. Kensuke Kondo also a...

Haruo Ikegami, a hunter from Sunagawa City, Hokkaido, has won a landmark victory in the Supreme Court, overturning the revocation of his firearm permit related to a brown bear culling operation. The Supreme Court ruled the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission's decision illegal, bringing a conclusion to a seven-year legal battle. The lawsuit originated from an incident in 2019 when Mr. Ikegami was dispatched to cull a brown bear at the request of Sunagawa City. During the operation, a ricochet from his rifle accidentally struck a building. The Hokkaido Public Safety Commission subsequently revoked his hunting license, but Mr. Ikegami filed a lawsuit, arguing that the revocation was unjust. Both the Sapporo District Court and the Sapporo High Court had previously ruled against Mr. Ikegami, making the Supreme Court's reversal a highly anticipated and significant decision. The Supreme Court criticized the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission's revocation, deeming it an "abuse o...

The highly anticipated live performance video for the song “Starmine” from Nijisanji’s popular live event, “Nijisanji WORLD TOUR 2025 Singin’ in the Rainbow! Yokohama Performance,” has been officially released, igniting a fervent response from fans. This footage is set to be included in the Blu-ray, which will be available on Wednesday, June 10th, and is currently enjoying robust pre-order sales. Following the release of the “Starmine” video, social media platform X (formerly Twitter) was inundated with excited comments such as “Absolutely incredible,” “God-tier,” and “Beyond good.” Many fans also expressed their strong emotions with exclamations like “YES!!!!” and “I’m crying.” A particular highlight drawing significant attention is the fresh camera work not seen during the initial internet broadcast. Comments such as “There was camera work I missed on the online ticket, so I’m genuinely excited for the Blu-ray!” and “I feel like the camera movements are slightly different, but maybe ...

In a case involving the revocation of a male hunter's gun permit after culling a brown bear in Sunagawa City, Hokkaido, the Supreme Court on March 27, 2026, delivered a judgment declaring the revocation illegal, thereby cementing an overturned victory for the hunter. This landmark ruling marks the first time the judiciary has recognized the agonizing decisions made on the front lines of wildlife damage control, bringing an end to a long-standing dispute. The incident originated in 2018. Haruo Ikegami, then head of the Hokkaido Hunting Association's Sunagawa branch, responded to a request from Sunagawa City to cull a brown bear that had appeared in an urban area. City officials and police were present. Although initially hesitant because it was a cub, Ikegami ultimately fired, taking maximum safety precautions. However, a ricocheting bullet struck a nearby building, leading the Hokkaido Public Safety Commission to revoke Ikegami's hunting gun permit. In response, Ikegami fil...