News On Japan

Yakuza: 10 Best References To The Real World In The Series

Sometimes, Yakuza can feel too real. That's not a coincidence, with plenty of real-world references dotted about the series.

Jun 26, 2022 (thegamer.com) - From its debut to Like A Dragon, the Yakuza series has melded influences and locations from the real world into the raucous, wild world of the games.

The series' developer, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio (RGG), takes the details of Yakuza very seriously, making the games prime real estate to spot fun Easter Eggs and nods to the outside world.

Despite their unusual lifestyles, series regulars Kiryu Kazama and Goro Majima live in a world that isn't as distant from real life as it may seem. These Yakuza legends eat, play, and live in a setting many Japanese locals would recognize as if it were just outside their doors. Playing through Yakuza is as unexpected as it is satisfying, as the series keeps players on the lookout for clever moments that blur fantasy and reality.

Paul Lim — A Living Darts Legend

As you may remember, Dartslive has a product partnership with Yakuza. Perhaps their biggest collaboration came with the inclusion of a substory where Kiryu challenges Paul Lim, a real darts champion. Paul Lim completed a nine-dart finish in the 1990 World Dart Championship, to achieve a perfect 501 score in the fewest possible attempts.

Paul Lim was brought in to voice himself for the Yakuza appearance, and is also the only character to speak English in the entire entry. During the substory Paul teaches Kiryu how to play, as one of the game's legends shares his knowledge with the legendary Dragon of Dojima. Once you have what it takes to succeed your master, you'll receive the best darts in the game as compensation — a fitting reward from one of darts' most famous players. ...continue reading

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Entertainment NEWS

Akihiro Miwa, the singer and actor whose career spanned chanson, theater, film, television and voice acting, died of old age on June 20 at the age of 91, her management office said.

Hiroji Miyamoto, one of Japan’s leading rock singers, marked his 60th birthday with an appearance on News23, reflecting on a life spent in music and performing the program’s ending theme, "Close Your Eyes," in the studio.

When exploring an online dating platform for the first time, it helps to know which features actually shape the experience — and which ones are just window dressing.

Aesthetic calm and peace in japan.

Japan's parliament on June 17 enacted a revised copyright law that creates a new right allowing singers, musicians, and record companies to receive royalties when their recorded music is used as background music in commercial facilities such as cafes in Japan and overseas.

A fashion event produced by Kansai Collection was held on June 13 at COMTEC PORTBASE in Minato Ward, Nagoya, where 300 participants were chosen as the inaugural Nagoya Select Models through audience voting.

Tamayo Nakamura, the actress and television personality whose career spanned more than seven decades and bridged the worlds of traditional Japanese theater, film, television drama and variety entertainment, died of pneumonia on June 9th. She was 86.

The YOSAKOI Soran Festival, one of Sapporo's signature early-summer events, opened on June 10, bringing together 275 dance teams for five days of performances across the city.