Japanese automakers are known for their strong focus on safety and have been leaders in developing new safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning systems.

The sushi conveyor belt, invented in the 1950s, revolutionized the way sushi is served in restaurants and made it more accessible to the average person.

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