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

Nagoya is Japan's fourth-largest city and a major industrial center, with a population of over 9 million people in the greater Nagoya area.

The Japanese women's national soccer team, also known as the Nadeshiko Japan, won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2011 and has been a dominant force in women's soccer.