Japan has hosted several major international sporting events, including the 1964 Summer Olympics and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

The Japanese green pheasant, also known as the "kiji," is the national bird of Japan and is often depicted in Japanese art and folklore.

Astro Boy, created by Osamu Tezuka in 1963, is considered the first modern anime and helped to popularize the genre both in Japan and around the world.