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.

Kitakyushu is a major industrial city in southwestern Japan, located on the island of Kyushu, and is known for its steel and automotive industries.

The Japanese men's national basketball team has competed in several Olympic Games and has produced several NBA players, including Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe.