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AUTHORS
Mathias Cena
Mathias Cena
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'Geek' hangout to tourist draw: Japan's maid cafes
by Mathias Cena - May 17, 2026 - 2:00pm
These "maid cafes" — inspired by the traditional maid outfit that has long been a motif in Japanese pop culture — have evolved from niche subculture hangouts 20 years ago into a mainstream attraction...
Far cry from 16-pixel start, Mario makes it 'so big' on screen: creator Miyamoto
by Mathias Cena - April 2, 2026 - 1:40pm
In the earliest Mario arcade games, the character was only 16-pixel tall, a far cry from the rich visuals of the new film, a sequel to 2023 smash hit "The Super Mario Bros. Movie."
Hooked on the claw: how crane games conquered Japan's arcades
by Mathias Cena - December 26, 2025 - 4:18pm
Some 80 percent of the 22,000 arcades Japan had in 1989 have shut down, but revenues have held up thanks to claw machines.
Japan Airlines suffers delays after carrier reports cyberattack
by Mathias Cena - December 26, 2024 - 2:02pm
Japan Airlines reported a cyberattack on Thursday that caused delays to domestic and international flights but later said it had found and addressed the cause.
Demand for Japanese content booms post 'Shogun'
by Mathias Cena - December 26, 2024 - 9:17am
Fueled in part by the success of TV hit "Shogun," foreign studios are hungry for quality Japanese content and local creators are adapting to meet demand.
Two decades of Nintendo's top-selling DS console
by Mathias Cena - November 21, 2024 - 3:21pm
The Nintendo DS remains the Japanese company's biggest commercial success, having sold 154 million units worldwide, making it the second most-sold video game console, behind Sony's PlayStation 2.
PlayStation 5 Pro goes on sale, will gamers pay hefty price to play?
by Mathias Cena - November 7, 2024 - 12:16pm
The PlayStation 5 Pro hits shops with a price tag that has raised eyebrows among gamers, but growing sticker shocks in the tech industry have yet to deter consumers.
Japan to release water from Fukushima nuclear plant
by Mathias Cena - August 24, 2023 - 9:13am
Engineers at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant were due to start releasing wastewater on Thursday in an operation that Japan insists is safe but which has angered China and caused unease elsewhere.
'Dream come true': Japan reopens to tourists
by Mathias Cena - October 11, 2022 - 3:37pm
Japan reopened its doors to tourists Tuesday after two-and-a-half years of tough COVID-19 restrictions, with officials hoping an influx of travellers enticed by a weak yen will boost the economy.
Adored and endangered: the complex world of the Japanese eel
by Mathias Cena - December 15, 2021 - 8:44pm
Tsuyoshi Hachisuka gently places skewered eel on a grill, preparing a much-loved Japanese delicacy that is now so endangered it commands eyewatering prices and the attention of international traffickers.
Adored and endangered: the complex world of the Japanese eel
by Mathias Cena - December 14, 2021 - 2:00pm
Pressures on wild stocks ranging from pollution to overfishing mean supplies have dwindled dramatically in recent decades.
Anime 'Demon Slayer' set to dethrone Ghibli classic for Japan box office crown
by Mathias Cena - December 18, 2020 - 2:46pm
An anime epic in which a teenager hunts down and beheads demons has become the surprise sensation of Japanese cinema during the pandemic, and could soon be the country's top-grossing film of all time.
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