The first novel ever written, The Tale of Genji, was written in Japan in the 11th century by a noblewoman named Murasaki Shikibu.

The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack by the Aum Shinrikyo cult shocked Japan and led to increased scrutiny of religious groups.

Sailor Moon, created by Naoko Takeuchi in 1991, is a popular anime series that follows the adventures of a teenage girl who transforms into a magical warrior to fight evil.