Tokyo International News Agency

It was revealed by the 28th that Takeharu Yamanaka, the mayor of Yokohama City, has decided to resign to take responsibility for a power harassment issue involving municipal staff. He is expected to formally announce his intention to step down at a supporters' meeting to be held on the afternoon of the same day. According to sources and reports, Mayor Yamanaka had been accused of making abusive remarks that degraded staff members' dignity, such as calling them "useless pieces of junk" or "human trash." A third-party investigation also confirmed the harassment. Although he initially showed a willingness to stay in office, moves by the Liberal Democratic Party and other factions in the city assembly to submit a motion of no confidence gained momentum, making the continuation of municipal administration extremely difficult. Following the reports of his resignation, social media was flooded with harsh criticism, with users commenting that "verbal abuse by t...

The latest theatrical release of the popular anime series 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica' has finally hit theaters, generating immense excitement as the title trended heavily on social media. Delivering a brand-new installment eagerly awaited by fans for over a decade since the 2013 release of '[New Feature] The Rebellion Story,' passionate fans rushing to theaters have shared wave after wave of enthusiastic reviews. From opening day, movie theaters across the country were packed with audiences, with bustling merchandise areas and long lines reported everywhere. Social media platforms overflowed with joyous posts celebrating the culmination of years of anticipation, with comments such as 'I never thought I'd get to see a new installment in the Reiwa era' and 'I'm so glad I'm alive.' Fans have also been actively reviewing the story of the previous film and discussing its connections to spin-off titles before heading to the theater. At the same tim...

A new wave of excitement and shock is sweeping through the VTuber world following the release of a surprise cover song of "Fire Dance" featuring four popular VTubers: Toya Kenmochi, Rena Yomi, Salome Hyakumantenbara, and Trout Nagisa. This unexpected and star-studded lineup immediately triggered an explosion of surprise and excitement on X (formerly Twitter), with fans posting comments like "What is this lineup?!" and "This lineup is unbelievable, way too insane." Praise flooded in, calling it "absolute perfection" and expressing deep gratitude for the killer performance. Despite seeming like an unlikely combination at first glance, fans have been overwhelmingly positive about the chemical reaction between their vocals, noting that "their voices mesh way too well" and praising how each member's unique quirks combined to create something amazing. Many fans were completely captivated by specific highlights, such as the rap exchange be...

A special live broadcast of the radio program personality-driven by Ren Nagase of the popular group King & Prince, titled 'King & Prince Ren Nagase's Radio GARDEN ~"So Honey EP" Release Commemoration! 2nd Live Broadcast SP~', recently aired and became a major topic of discussion. During the broadcast, Nagase's close friend Yoshinori Masakado of Aぇ! group appeared as a guest, entertaining listeners with witty banter that highlighted their strong bond. The conversation turned to their experience with live radio broadcasting. While Masakado has experience with around 100 live broadcasts including his trainee days, Nagase, who only has two live broadcast experiences under his belt, jokingly acted like a senior by telling him, 'If there's anything you don't know, just ask me. Relax.' This prompt led to a flurry of heartwarming comments on social media from fans, such as 'The interaction between Masakado, who has over 100 live broadcasts,...

Popular virtual Liver group Nijisanji has announced the debut of a new music unit called "RhyZyGy," generating significant excitement. Among the members, Taiga Kaminaga and Ryuichiro Yamada, it is Ryuichiro Yamada—with his surprisingly relatable yet impactful name and striking visual contrast—who has captured the hearts of many fans and listeners across social media. Ryuichiro Yamada boasts a serious background, currently attending a music college while making a living through music composition, arrangement, and piano performance. On his official X (formerly Twitter) account, he reached out to fans with the message, "The debut stream relay starts on August 28th at 20:00. Please come hang out," and has already shown flashes of being an "intriguing guy" by incorporating puzzle-solving elements into his very first posts. Social media has been flooded with rave reviews, such as "This is the first time someone with such a quintessentially Japanese name has...

A tragic accident occurred in a laboratory at Hokkaido University, where a graduate student was drenched in hydrofluoric acid—a substance known for its extreme toxicity—triggering widespread shock and sorrow across the internet. According to reports, the student is believed to have accidentally spilled or splashed hydrofluoric acid over their head for unknown reasons while conducting an experiment. Hydrofluoric acid is an extremely powerful and dangerous chemical strong enough to dissolve glass. When it penetrates the skin into the body, it not only causes excruciating pain but is also said to dissolve bone. Known also from past dental accidents and overseas films, researchers and general users alike, aware of its terrifying nature, expressed astonishment and doubt, with comments such as "It is too terrifying just to imagine" and "How could a situation happen where someone is drenched from the head down?" The context On social media, individuals who have actually ha...

On August 27th, the hashtag "#ViviBirthday2026" trended on social media as fans flooded platforms with celebratory posts and impressions of FLOW GLOW member Kirara Vivi's very first 3D birthday live stream. Before the concert began, Vivi posted an enthusiastic message saying, "My first 3D birthday live is about to start!! I'm heading in!!" Once the curtain rose, fans were completely captivated by the cute and charming stage production, sharp choreography, and a meticulously curated setlist. During the MC segments and spoken lines, her adorable behavior, such as asking, "How was it? Cute?? I know~," drew a wave of enthusiastic praise from fans with comments like, "This just makes me love her even more," and "Every Hololive fan needs to watch this right now, it's mind-blowing." Many viewers also shared how they were moved to tears by the guest collaborations and emotional lyric distributions. Furthermore, a special fan-club-on...