Japan has produced several successful Olympians, including swimmer Kosuke Kitajima and figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu.

The Japan Professional Football League, also known as the J.League, was founded in 1992 and has become one of the most successful professional soccer leagues in Asia.

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