Japan-Korea Celebrate 60 Years of Friendship

Sep 28, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Japan and South Korea marked the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations with the opening of the annual Japan-Korea Exchange Festival in Tokyo over the weekend, drawing large crowds to enjoy food, cultural exhibits, and student exchanges.

The event featured booths showcasing everything from traditional cuisine to youth exchange programs, filling the venue with visitors eager to experience both nations’ cultures. One high school student who joined the exchange program said, "I want to learn not only about K-pop but also about Korea’s history and politics."

At the opening ceremony, South Korea’s new ambassador to Japan, Lee Hyuk, who arrived the day before to assume his post, made an appearance. "The most important thing is to move Japan-Korea relations forward," Lee said, noting that a positive atmosphere has taken shape since President Lee Jae-myung took office.

In the evening, Japanese and Korean artists performed together. Among them was Aiko Sumida, who had appeared in a joint Japan-Korea audition program and gained attention in South Korea after performing Japanese songs on a Korean television music show. "Even though countries and languages are different, people are the same," Sumida said. "I always sing with the hope that my feelings can reach others, even just a little." She added that she wants her songs to cross borders and touch people’s hearts.

Source: TBS

Typhoons 28 and 29 Forecast to Turn North Around Weekend

Two typhoons are moving across the Pacific east and southeast of Japan, with both expected to change course around the weekend and remain well away from the main Japanese islands, though high waves and stronger winds could affect some areas. Typhoon No. 28, a strong storm, was moving west near Wake Island at about 45 kilometers per hour as of 3 a.m. on October 7, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Qilin Hacker Detained in Japan

A core member of the international ransomware group Qilin was detained in Japan and handed over to German authorities, according to people familiar with the case, as Japanese companies and institutions face a growing wave of cyberattacks that has exposed nearly 15 million pieces of personal information this month alone.

Year of the Sheep Postcards Arrive in Hokkaido

New Year postcards for 2027 arrived at post offices across Hokkaido on October 6, with designs featuring sheep for the upcoming Year of the Sheep as Japan's traditional New Year card market continues to shrink.

Japan Holds Sleep Contest With 2.22 Million Yen Prize

A first-of-its-kind sleep competition was held in Tokyo on October 5, with contestants competing for a 2.22 million yen top prize by trying to achieve the deepest, fastest and most stable sleep during a 90-minute session.

Japan Ends Asian Games With Record 83 Golds and 269 Medals

Japan brought the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games to a close on October 4 with a record 83 gold medals and 269 medals overall, finishing second behind China after 16 days of competition that produced historic victories in swimming, athletics, judo, wrestling, softball and other sports, while a closing ceremony in Nagoya marked the end of the first Asian Games held in Japan in 32 years.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Entertainment NEWS

Tamori Among Three Recognized as Honorary Tokyo Citizens

Entertainer Tamori and two other prominent figures were named Honorary Citizens of Tokyo on October 1 in recognition of their contributions to the capital's development and the lives of its residents, with an award ceremony held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters on Tokyo Citizens' Day.

Candy Caries Wins Grand Prize at Ottawa Animation Festival

Japanese director Tomoki Misato's stop-motion animation Candy Caries has won the Grand Prize in the children's category for ages 7 and up at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in Canada, one of the world's three major animation festivals.

Composer of Kobe Earthquake Recovery Song Remembered in Special Tribute

Makoto Usui, the composer of "Shiawase Hakoberu Yoni," a song written in the aftermath of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake that has become a symbol of hope for disaster survivors across Japan and overseas, died in July at the age of 65, leaving behind a musical legacy that his former students are determined to carry forward.

No Time Off for Kyoto Actors

While millions of people across Japan enjoyed this year's five-day Silver Week holiday, workers at Kyoto's Toei Uzumasa Eigamura film studio theme park and a 24-hour smartphone repair service faced packed schedules, with some working late into the night to keep holidaymakers entertained and respond to emergencies.

AI Enka Singer to Debut With Neo Kobushi

Japan's oldest record company is turning to artificial intelligence to reshape one of the country's most traditional musical genres, unveiling an AI-generated enka singer as part of a new label combining the technology with the distinctive vocal style of Japanese ballads.