Shonen Jump, a weekly manga magazine published by Shueisha, has been a major influence on the development of anime and manga culture in Japan, and has produced many popular anime series such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto.

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.

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