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

The Toyota Motor Corporation is the largest automaker in Japan and one of the largest in the world, producing over 10 million vehicles per year.

The Muromachi period, which lasted from the 14th to the 16th century, was a time of great artistic and cultural achievement, including the development of tea ceremony and the Noh theater.