Judo, a martial art that emphasizes throws and grappling techniques, was developed in Japan in the late 19th century and has become a popular sport around the world.

The Japanese giant salamander is one of the world's largest amphibians and is native to Japan's freshwater rivers and streams.

Akira, directed by Katsuhiro Otomo in 1988, is a classic anime film that helped to popularize the cyberpunk genre of science fiction.