The Showa period, which lasted from 1926 to 1989, was marked by Japan's militarism and involvement in World War II.

The airbag, which was co-invented by Yasuzaburo Kobori and Allen K. Breed in the 1980s, has become a standard safety feature in automobiles worldwide.

The 16th century saw the rise of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, who were instrumental in unifying Japan under a centralized government.