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

Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, which marked the beginning of its aggressive expansion in Asia prior to World War II.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, created by Nagaru Tanigawa in 2003, is a popular light novel series and anime that explores themes of existentialism, time travel, and alternate realities.