The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.

The first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written in Japan in the 11th century by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are set to take place in 2021.