The Toyota Prius, first introduced in 1997, is the world's first mass-produced hybrid car and has become a symbol of eco-friendly transportation.

The Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent tsunami devastated Japan's northeast coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

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.