News On Japan

Universal to close Spider-Man ride in Japan

May 17 (themeparkinsider.com) - The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man are about to come to an end. Well, in Japan, at least.

In the latest development in the ongoing drama over the theme park rights to Marvel characters, Universal Studios Japan announced today that it will close its Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride permanently on January 22, 2024. A former co-winner of our Theme Park Insider Award as the world's best attraction and a current top-five pick on our Best Attractions list, Spidey has been thrill fans in Osaka since January 23, 2004.

With Universal losing the Marvel rights in Japan, that clears the way for the Avengers and other Marvel characters to make their debut at the Tokyo Disney Resort. They won't be part of the big Fantasy Springs expansion that is expected to open in early 2024 at Tokyo DisneySea, but it's hard to see Disney waiting much longer to bring Marvel to Tokyo in some form, whether that be by building an Avengers Campus or through at least some form of attraction retheme. ...continue reading

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China’s Foreign Ministry announced that it will extend visa-free entry for Japan, France, and 43 other countries until the end of December 2026, as the government seeks to attract more overseas investment and tourists amid a prolonged economic slowdown.

Japan’s record-breaking bear crisis has entered a new and deadly phase, with authorities confirming that a 79-year-old woman missing in Akita Prefecture was found dead in the mountains, believed to be the 13th fatality from bear attacks this year.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at a poultry farm in Eniwa City, Hokkaido, prompting authorities to begin culling operations on Sunday afternoon.

Japan’s worsening bear problem has prompted calls for national intervention, but legal and operational barriers have complicated the government’s response. In 2025, bear attacks have reached record levels, leaving 12 people dead—double the previous high of six fatalities in 2023.

Kyoto’s prized bamboo shoots, a seasonal delicacy that graces dining tables each spring, are facing an unprecedented crisis this year. The culprit is the Chinese bamboo moth (Sinachiku nomeiga), whose larvae feed on bamboo leaves, weakening the plants and severely reducing harvest yields.

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