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

The robotic pet, such as Sony's Aibo, has become a popular form of entertainment and companionship for people who cannot keep real pets.

The Japanese automotive industry is a major employer in Japan, with over 1.3 million people working in the industry.