The airbag, which was co-invented by Yasuzaburo Kobori and Allen K. Breed in the 1980s, has become a standard safety feature in automobiles worldwide.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan's northeast coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Japan has produced several successful Olympians, including swimmer Kosuke Kitajima and figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.