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Japan
NFT Gaming

Crypto In Japan May Soon Open Wider As Holdings Giant Pushes Expansion

by admin October 3, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Based on reports, Nomura Holdings is preparing to strengthen its footprint in Japan’s crypto market as trading activity picks up across the country.

The move comes through Laser Digital Holdings, a Nomura unit based in Switzerland that is now in pre-consultation with Japan’s Financial Services Agency to seek a license to offer trading services to institutional clients.

The talks signal a push to bring more traditional finance players into the market.

Nomura Deepens Its Bet

Laser’s CEO, Jez Mohideen, told Bloomberg the application reflects the group’s confidence in Japan’s digital asset scene. Laser was launched in 2022 and already won a full crypto business license in Dubai in 2023.

Nomura Holdings plans to expand in Japan’s digital-asset market through a subsidiary, as crypto trading in the country heats up https://t.co/vV6z8i9JTZ

— Bloomberg (@business) October 3, 2025

A Japanese subsidiary was set up that same year. If regulators approve the new application, Laser plans to act as a broker-dealer for banks, pension managers and crypto firms, and to support exchanges that operate in Japan.

A History Of Ambition And Mixed Results

Nomura created Laser to cover asset management, venture investments and trading services for digital assets. The unit has not been a steady profit engine.

Nomura disclosed a quarterly loss in Europe earlier this year that was partly tied to Laser’s activities. CFO Hiroyuki Moriuchi described the unit’s results as “not very good.”

Mohideen had predicted Laser would break even within two years of launch, but he later warned that turning a profit might take longer than originally expected.

BTCUSD now trading at $120,392. Chart: TradingView

Trading Volumes Double

According to the Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association, the value of crypto transactions in Japan rose to ¥33.7 trillion — about $230 billion — in the first seven months of the year, roughly double the previous pace.

On-chain value received jumped 120% in the 12 months to June 2025, outpacing markets such as South Korea, India and Vietnam.

Reports have disclosed that policy steps, including possible tax cuts and new rules for crypto funds, are helping attract both younger retail investors and larger institutional players.

Mainstream Firms Move Toward Crypto Collateral

Daiwa Securities recently allowed clients at its 181 retail branches to use Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for yen loans. That sort of move shows how some big financial firms are incorporating crypto into everyday financial services.

A yen-backed stablecoin issuer has also gained a license, adding more tools for traders and fund managers to use.

Profit Questions Remain

Even as trading and on-chain measures climb, the business case for some newcomers is still unproven. Laser’s early losses and delayed profit expectations highlight that risk.

Nomura’s expansion into Japan is a clear long-term play, but short-term returns are uncertain and will depend on how quickly institutional flows keep growing and how regulators set the rules.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.





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October 3, 2025 0 comments
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Exchange Review August
Crypto Trends

XRP, DOGE Zoom Higher as U.S. Shutdowns, Japan Bond Slowdown Charge Bitcoin Appetite

by admin October 2, 2025



A U.S. government shutdown and fresh stress in Japan’s bond market failed to derail digital assets this week, as traders positioned for looser global liquidity conditions.

With Friday’s U.S. payrolls report potentially delayed and Japanese yields climbing to their highest levels since 2008, crypto markets are showing signs of decoupling from broader macro caution.

The setup has fueled expectations that policymakers may eventually be forced to ease financial conditions, creating a friendlier backdrop for risk-taking.

“The U.S. government shutdown and weak employment numbers from ADP have impacted markets this past week. Traders believe that these catalysts could be making a case for the Fed to further stimulate the economy and cut rates through the rest of the year, which could boost stocks and cryptocurrencies,” said Jeff Mei, COO at BTSE, in a Telegram note to CoinDesk.

Shutdowns that delay data and weaken fiscal visibility often encourage central banks to act more cautiously, while rising yields in Japan hint at policy shifts that could ripple through global funding markets.

For crypto, these dynamics translate into speculation over fresh inflows and renewed appetite for volatility.

Bitcoin traded near $118,700, gaining more than 3% in the past 24 hours, while ether rose 5.6% to $4,374. Solana added nearly 7% to reach $223, and dogecoin surged almost 9% to $0.25, extending its outperformance among majors.

XRP steadied at $2.97 after volatile swings around the $3.00 level earlier this week. The broad rally lifted the market capitalization of all digital assets to over $2.37 trillion, per CoinMarketCap data.

Meanwhile, volatility metrics also reinforce the picture of steadier markets.

“The major theme this quarter is with lower implied volatilities, evident across equities, rates, FX, and even BTC. This has been driven by a collapse in realized volatilities thanks to an accommodative Fed, stabilizing global GDP, lack of significant tariff-passthroughs on CPI readings, and a flattening of geopolitics and tariff surprises,” said Augustine Fan, Head of Insights at SignalPlus, said in an email.

With bitcoin consolidating just under $119,000 and dogecoin pushing higher, the coming weeks may show whether flows can sustain momentum or whether renewed pressure from Washington and Tokyo will test crypto’s bid for decoupling.



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October 2, 2025 0 comments
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As the Western games industry spirals, TGS 2025 showed Japan is resurgent - though you might not recognize that over live streams
Game Reviews

As the Western games industry spirals, TGS 2025 showed Japan is resurgent – though you might not recognize that over live streams

by admin October 2, 2025


It’s fair to say that the Tokyo Game Show is back. This may have been the case over the last few years, to be honest – but this year marked my first post-pandemic return to Japan’s premier gaming festival – and in honesty, walking around the venue, I was shocked.

I’ve got a bit of a history with TGS. For many years I did something which few Western games media did: I went almost every year. That’s the influence of co-owning a website dedicated to role-playing games, a genre that has always been fairly Japan-centric. But that also meant that over the course of the 2010s I got to watch TGS dwindle. We talk a lot about the brutally swift decline of E3, but in those years the disintegration of TGS was arguably worse. By 2018, we’d reached the point where the show wasn’t even worth the cost of getting out there even to a website like RPG Site, where JRPGs were bread and butter. I tapped out.

This year, I returned to Chiba’s Makuhari convention centre on a bit of a whim. I didn’t really expect the show to be all that good, and I wasn’t really left all that excited by the snaking lines to get in on business day, for even when TGS was rubbish a lot of punters used to show up. But after a short exploration of the halls, I realized something: this show is brilliant again.

Watching the show from afar over livestreams, you could be forgiven for not necessarily recognizing that. In true Japanese industry tradition there’s a lot of stage shows where developers vaguely waffle without actually saying much while voice actors do little celebrity turns and the like. The live streams beamed westwards were relatively inconsequential too – a meagre obligation of a show from Xbox, casual streams from the big Japanese publishers, and a PlayStation State of Play that, while good, had next to nothing to do with what Sony was showing off in Tokyo.

This doesn’t necessarily feel unique to TGS, though. It charts the overall arc of the industry in the sense that publishers have moved away from wanting to showcase big drops all together and all in one place, therefore fighting amongst themselves for eyeballs and coverage. It’s easier to pick your own unique spot for your game’s big moment. That hurt all shows; just as we’re never getting E3 press conferences back again, Square Enix is unlikely to restore the mythical Closed Mega Theatre which was such a source of business for me back in the day.

TGS has pivoted, and in a sense the show has broadly become more about context. Take Capcom, for instance: it’s this show where it chose to contextualize the gameplay systems and overall loop of Pragmata after holding it back so that players could first understand its core shooting-meets-hacking combat concept. Likewise for getting deeper into how much Monster Hunter Stories 3 is breaking from its predecessors to try something new. There’s news to be had here, but not as big splashes – but in this new world, that’s fine.

Ain’t that the booth. | Image credit: Eurogamer

The proof that it’s fine is in the show floor, which in 2018 was anemic and primarily populated by the worst kinds of predatory mobile games and endless merch stands. I remember meandering the show floor with Martin Robinson, who was then back on Eurogamer, and the pair of us just turning to each other after a few hours and going: “is that it?” I remember I was clutching some TGS-exclusive vinyl record printing of the Mega Man 2 soundtrack, my only major gain of the day and totally useless from a work perspective. Martin characteristically had bought some Mega Drive stuff, I think. “Is it pub time already?” It was. But in 2025, the show floor is vibrant and exciting once again.

This is where you get the image of a resurgent Japan. Which, to be fair, we all know they are – we all see that in Capcom’s climb to become arguably the best third party publisher in games, in Konami returning to gaming proper after years away, and in a Sega that seems to have a thrilling plan to chase in Capcom’s wake. But all of this is more corporeal on the ground with enormous stands and excited throngs of excited gamers. You sense it more. You also sense that the importance of TGS, and Japan in general, is not just in the big Japanese publishers.

The game mix has shifted, for instance. Mobile gaming is still massively important – one of the biggest culture shocks visiting Japan as a gamer is always how everyone is gaming on their phones, all ages, all genders – they’re all in one gacha mine or another on their commutes. That isn’t going away, but it feels like console games are cemented again, no longer in retreat.

The recognized importance of Japan comes in the form of a huge international presence. The big Chinese and Korean brands have absolutely enormous stands. The biggest game of the show is undoubtedly Ananta, the fascinating free-to-play action game out of China which at once channels GTA, Spider-Man, Genshin, and countless other things. Indie-signing publishers like Annapurna Interactive and Red Dunes Games show up big. There’s huge government and trade body sponsored stands from countries like Italy, Germany, and France, where local trade shows are peddled to the Japanese and chosen indies get to ply their wares to a whole new audience.

Is Konami really, actually, back? | Image credit: Eurogamer

As Eurogamer, it feels important to note that Britain had no such presence at all – which feels like a huge loss and error on the part of the UK government, UKIE and the like. But the fact I am saying that is in itself a sign of how TGS has changed: a few years ago, I would’ve been calling these countries absurd, rolling my eyes at a waste of money on an undynamic market that didn’t appear to care. Now, however, I’m frustrated to see my own country missing the opportunity. In short, it feels that TGS is once again a place to be seen internationally.

And then there’s the after hours. Grabbing a drink or dinner, catching up with industry colleagues in Japan, one really does get the impression that this country’s industry is once again happy, confident, and building. Once again, it’s a massive contrast to the vaguely panicked and lost Japanese industry I experienced in the 2010s.

It also draws a sharp contrast to the West. At one point I sat with some Western-based publisher employees and one of them basically described walking around TGS in the terms of that classic “I’m starting to get this feeling…” scene from Peep Show. Things on our side look so bad – and Japan looks so good. The fact an excellent TGS has been followed with another round of brutal studio layoffs and an EA deal that is sure to have terrible consequences seems to only underline matters.

But Japan? Japan feels like it has found its mojo again. TGS is a representation of not only its industry, but in how it is perceived by the rest of the world – and it feels like the good times are back again. Is it necessarily worth all that outlay to travel there as media, in raw input/output terms? Well, I’m sure my accountant would say no. But being there feels right again – which hasn’t been the case for years.



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October 2, 2025 0 comments
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Bitcoin
GameFi Guides

Historic Kimono Brand Changes Name To ‘Bitcoin Japan’ In Rebranding Move

by admin September 30, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

According to reports, a long-running Japanese kimono and textiles maker will formally rename itself “Bitcoin Japan” at a shareholders meeting set for November 11 as it begins to hold Bitcoin on its balance sheet.

The company also plans to adopt “Bitcoin Japan Corporation” as its English name and said it will focus on crypto treasury operations. Some of these moves were announced in a company release this week.

Company Rebrands To Signal New Focus

Bakkt’s June agreement to buy a controlling stake in the business helped trigger the shift. Reports have disclosed that Phillip Lord, president of Bakkt International, will take the CEO job at the newly named firm, and Akshay Naheta, co-chief executive officer of Bakkt Holdings, will become chairman of the board.

The company stated the new leadership will better align directors and shareholders and said it aims at medium- to long-term improvement in corporate value.

Bakkt Holdings has finalized the acquisition of the domain https://t.co/AVELNw1uzx, strengthening our presence in Japan with a premier web address.

👉 Read the full press release : https://t.co/XxHU3hm1Rf pic.twitter.com/Jon5t2iYnw

— Bakkt (@Bakkt) September 22, 2025

The Change Comes After Struggling Results

Marusho Hotta is no startup. Founded in 1861, it opened one of Japan’s first kimono wholesale stores in 1894 and listed on the Tokyo Exchange in 1974.

Yet the company has struggled in recent years. Based on reports, Marusho Hotta logged a net income of minus 407 million yen ($2,724,400) for its most recent fiscal period.

Other textile players have also reported losses: Kitabo recorded a net loss of $785,000 for FY2024, even as it plans to buy about $5.4 million worth of Bitcoin as it moves into crypto and real-world asset ventures.

BTCUSD trading at $113,998 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView

Textile Firms Shift Into Bitcoin

A number of Japanese companies in the fashion and textile sectors have announced plans to buy Bitcoin or offer crypto-related services.

Reports note that Metaplanet has amassed enough Bitcoin to rank among the global top five corporate Bitcoin treasuries.

Loyalty firm Remixpoint, game maker Gumi, and retailer ANAP are other recent examples that have said they will add Bitcoin to their corporate strategies.

A Company Reinventing Its Identity

This is more than a name swap. For an organization founded in 1861 to become Bitcoin Japan signals a striking corporate pivot.

Whether the plan restores profitability or simply changes the company’s public image remains to be seen. The market will watch how shareholders react on November 11 and whether other traditional firms follow with larger Bitcoin treasuries.

Featured image from KKDay, chart from TradingView

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.





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September 30, 2025 0 comments
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Forza Horizon 6 Takes Players To Japan Next Year
Game Updates

Forza Horizon 6 Takes Players To Japan Next Year

by admin September 25, 2025


Forza Horizon 6 was the main headliner of Xbox’s Tokyo Game Show broadcast, which served as a fitting venue given that the next entry brings the Horizon Festival to Japan. 

Developer Playground Games released a short teaser trailer and is keeping gameplay details to a minimum; don’t expect to see Forza Horizon 6 in action until early next year, according to an Xbox Wire developer interview. In the meantime, the studio teases locations such as Tokyo and Mt. Fuji, as some of the recognizable spots players will race in and around. 

 

Although we don’t know what the vehicle roster looks like, expect Japanese car culture to play a prominent role in this entry. In Horizon tradition, seasonal weather changes will shake up the visuals while also affecting how players drive. 

Forza Horizon 6 will launch first on Xbox Series X/S (including day one on Game Pass) and PC via Windows and Steam in 2026. The game will also be released on PlayStation 5 sometime post-launch. You can read our review of the series’ previous entry, 2021’s Forza Horizon 5, here. 



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September 25, 2025 0 comments
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Nintendo's first-ever UK pop-up store is coming to London so you can buy merchandise typically only available in Japan
Game Updates

Nintendo’s first-ever UK pop-up store is coming to London so you can buy merchandise typically only available in Japan

by admin September 25, 2025


Nintendo has revealed its first-ever UK pop-up store is on the way to London, filled with merchandise usually sold in its permanent stores in Japan.

The store will be available on the ground floor of Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush from 22nd October until 16th November.

However, for the first week you’ll need a ticket reservation (which will go live on 7th October) for a specific timeslot, which requires a Nintendo Account. Then, from 27th October onwards, a standard queuing system will be implemented.

Children aged six and under won’t need a ticket, but they will need to be accompanied by an adult who does.

Nintendo promises the store will “showcase an extensive range of official Nintendo merchandise, from collectible keyrings, pins, and charms to cosy apparel, stylish bags, and home essentials, including other exclusive items sold at the permanent stores in Japan”.

Announcing the Nintendo POP-UP STORE in LONDON!

🗓️ Oct 22nd – Nov 16th
📍 Westfield London (Shepherd’s Bush)

There’ll be an extensive range of Nintendo merchandise available, from collectibles, home essentials and more.

Get the info: https://t.co/2XAVwXCZVR pic.twitter.com/AtnqSSqQZC

— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) September 25, 2025

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You can expect merch from across its franchises, including Super Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Pikmin, Splatoon, and Kirby – no Pokémon here.

Image credit: Nintendo

Nintendo has official stores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto in Japan, as well as New York and the recently opened San Francisco in the US.





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September 25, 2025 0 comments
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crypto
NFT Gaming

Japan Emerges As APAC’s Fastest-Growing Crypto Market In 2025 – Report

by admin September 25, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

As crypto adoption continues to grow, Japan has emerged as the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region’s fastest-growing crypto market in 2025, eclipsing the likes of India, South Korea, and Vietnam. Several important advances in the crypto industry can be credited for Japan’s growth in the emerging sector.

Japanese Crypto Ecosystem Witnesses Strong Growth

According to a recent report by Chainalysis, titled “APAC Crypto Adoption Accelerates with Distinct National Pathways,“ the APAC region was the fastest-growing region in the world in terms of on-chain value received.

While typical digital assets leaders such as India, South Korea, and other countries continued to make strides in terms of adoption, Japan emerged as the unanticipated leader in 2025, growing its on-chain value received by 120% in the 12 months to June 2025.

Source: Chainalysis

In comparison, Indonesia saw an increase by 103%, while South Korea witnessed a 100% growth in on-chain value received. Similarly, India’s on-chain value surged by 99%, while Vietnam’s increased by 55%.

It should be noted that in the previous years, Japan’s crypto market had been relatively subdued compared to its Asian neighbors. The report attributes the growth in the Japanese digital assets ecosystem to the numerous favorable policy developments it has initiated in recent years.

For example, earlier this year, leading stablecoin issuer Circle announced that it would deepen its business operations in Japan and ensure easy access for the Japanese to its flagship USDC stablecoin. This comes after years of regulatory bottlenecks that restricted the listing of stablecoins on Japanese crypto exchanges.

Another potential factor is the Japanese traders’ growing interest in digital assets trading, especially altcoins. Over the 12 months to June 2025, XRP accounted for $21.7 billion in fiat trading activity. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) saw $9.6 billion and $4 billion in fiat trading activity, respectively.

The high-volume trading in XRP is important, as it shows that Japanese investors may be becoming more comfortable taking bets on the real-world utility of the XRP token, following Ripple’s strategic partnership with SBI Holdings.

India and South Korea Score High In Adoption

Besides Japan, India and South Korea emerged as the two other major crypto countries in the APAC region. However, the growth factors that spurred their digital assets ecosystem differ.

For instance, India’s digital assets growth is a result of grassroots adoption and institutional strength. In addition, India’s broader digital economy provides further growth to the budding digital assets industry in the country. However, high taxation remains a concern for digital assets businesses.

Similarly, South Korea’s crypto industry benefited due to rapid growth in stablecoin usage in the country. Notably, the Korean won (KRW) purchases of stablecoins reached $59 billion in the 12 months to June 2025.

That said, higher crypto adoption is bringing a new set of challenges for regulators. Recently, a South Korean lawmaker called for measures to address the high number of suspicious digital assets transactions. At press time, BTC trades at $113,752, up 0.8% in the past 24 hours.

Bitcoin trades at $113,752 on the daily chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image from Unsplash.com, charts from Chainalysis and TradingView.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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September 25, 2025 0 comments
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Avalanche (AVAX)
Crypto Trends

AVAX Surges as Avalanche Powers Stablecoin Payments in Korea and Japan

by admin September 19, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Avalanche (AVAX) is steadily expanding its international presence and now operates in Asia, gaining momentum in both Korea and Japan with new stablecoin payment solutions.

The South Korean custodian BDACS recently launched KRW1, the country’s first Korean won–backed stablecoin, fully collateralized with deposits at Woori Bank. The stablecoin is in its pilot phase after a successful proof of concept, putting Avalanche at the forefront of Korea’s digital asset integration.

Similarly, in Japan, Avalanche is collaborating with industry giants such as SMBC, one of the nation’s largest banks, and retail groups like Densan to develop stablecoin-powered payment systems.

AVAX Network Activity and DeFi Boom

The expansion of stablecoin utilities coincides with a surge in network activity on Avalanche. In August alone, decentralized exchange (DEX) volume surpassed $12 billion, marking an eightfold increase in just two months.

Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization on Avalanche has also exceeded $450 million, with institutions like Grove Finance and SkyBridge driving adoption.

DeFi protocols such as UNI, Pharaoh, Benqi, and LFJ are thriving, pushing Avalanche’s total value locked (TVL) above $2 billion. UNI, for example, has posted a 97% gain in the past month, reflecting growing user activity and liquidity across the network.

AVAX’s price trends to the upside on the daily chart. Source: AVAXUSD on Tradingview

Avalanche Price Targets $42 as Institutional Interest Grows

Currently, AVAX is trading near $33, up over 9.4% in the past 24 hours. The token recently broke above a key pivot at $31.05, supported by bullish technical indicators including an RSI of 68.44 and a positive MACD histogram.

Analysts suggest that a decisive breakout above $34.50 could propel AVAX toward its next resistance at $42.

Institutional adoption is also on the horizon. With four AVAX ETF filings awaiting regulatory approval, inflows from traditional finance could act as a major catalyst for price growth.

Combined with Asia’s growing stablecoin market and Avalanche’s thriving DeFi ecosystem, AVAX aims to become a leading Layer-1 blockchain prepared to challenge rivals in the next crypto bull cycle.

Cover image from ChatGPT, AVAXUSD chart from Tradingview

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



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September 19, 2025 0 comments
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Two women use their smartphones while wearing kimono in Japan.
Esports

Japan sets new record with nearly 100,000 people over 100 years old

by admin September 14, 2025



Japan has hit a staggering new milestone, with its government confirming the number of citizens aged 100 or older has climbed to nearly 100,000.

The figure marks the 55th consecutive year that Japan has broken its own record for centenarians, driven by the country’s high life expectancy and long-standing reputation as home to the world’s oldest living people. In the 1960s, only 153 Japanese citizens were aged 100 or older, now that number is 99,763.

Women account for an overwhelming 88% of the total, with experts pointing to low obesity rates, healthier diets rich in fish and vegetables, and daily physical routines like Radio Taiso group exercise as major factors. The oldest living person in Japan is Shigeko Kagawa, 114, while Kiyotaka Mizuno, 111, is the country’s oldest man.

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Japanese centenarian stats released ahead of Elderly Day

The announcement comes ahead of Japan’s Elderly Day on September 15, a national holiday where new centenarians receive a congratulatory letter and silver cup from the prime minister. This year alone, more than 52,000 people became eligible for the tradition.

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Japan’s centenarian population has grown steadily since the government began tracking it in 1963, when the count was just over 150. That rose to 1,000 in 1981, 10,000 by 1998, and now stands just short of 100,000.

While some studies question whether global centenarian figures are fully accurate, Japan’s record underscores its status as the world’s fastest-aging society, and shows no signs of slowing down.

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September 14, 2025 0 comments
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Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track
Esports

Pulisic rates 9/10 as Japan win gets USMNT back on track

by admin September 10, 2025


Goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Folarin Balogun led the United States men’s national team to a 2-0 victory over Japan in a friendly at Columbus, Ohio’s Lower.com Field on Tuesday.

Following Saturday’s 2-0 loss to South Korea, the USMNT quickly bounced back with a more proactive attack through an experimental 3-4-3 formation. In a first half that included 63% possession, the home side created danger through high-pressing fullbacks Max Arfsten and Alex Freeman. After a clever dribble from Arfsten in the 30th minute, the 24-year-old launched a cross that found Zendejas, who impressively volleyed the ball into the back of the net.

The U.S. continued its attacking influence in the second half.

In 64th minute, the Americans doubled their lead after a pacey run from Christian Pulisic led to an assist for Balogun’s goal. Despite Japan shaking things up with second-half subs that wrestled back some of the momentum, the 2-0 result was cemented by the final whistle for the home team that had a late second wind in the dying minutes of the match.

Looking ahead in their ongoing World Cup preparation, coach Mauricio Pochettino and his U.S. roster will take part in friendlies next month against Ecuador on Oct. 10 and Australia on Oct. 14.

Manager rating (scale of 1-10)

Mauricio Pochettino, 8 — Credit where credit is due. Pochettino took a tactical gamble after not only ringing in five different changes from his previous XI but also testing out a 3-4-3 formation. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, there were some questionable defensive moments in the new setup and goalkeeper Matt Freese was kept fairly busy by Japan’s opportunities. Nonetheless, the overall performance is a step forward after the loss to South Korea.

– As the World Cup nears, does Pochettino know USMNT’s starting XI?
– USMNT Player Performance Index: Top 50 Americans ranked by club form
– Carlisle: USMNT loss to South Korea another misstep in World Cup prep

USMNT Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best; 5 = average)

GK Matt Freese, 9 — USA’s starting spot in net appears to be his to lose after earning a clean sheet thanks to his six saves. He fumbled the ball during one of those interventions, but it didn’t end up hurting the scoreline.

DF Tim Ream, 6 — An inconsistent but decent evening for the captain. While he was a vital distributor that was able to get forward, Ream also found himself losing aerial deals and occasionally chasing attacking players.

DF Chris Richards, 7 — Not bad from the Premier League player who added more confidence to the backline. Provided crucial interventions but also had some imprecise passes going forward.

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DF Tristan Blackmon, 6 — An improvement after his shaky debut last week. Although his decision-making may not be at an elite national team level, Blackmon still dished out some important clearances.

MF Max Arfsten, 8 — Looked much more comfortable in an advanced role. Wasn’t the strongest during defensive moments, but that may not matter much when you consider his attacking presence that created the assist for the first goal.

MF Cristian Roldan, 6 — A mixed bag from the central midfielder that was able to win back possession, but also didn’t regularly win his duels in the heart of the XI.

MF Tyler Adams, 7 — It wasn’t a vintage Adams performance, but it was still a big improvement from last week. Some crucial interventions in the midfield and plenty of accurate passing.

MF Alex Freeman, 7 — Granted, Freeman wasn’t superb defensively and could have done a better job with his distribution, but he should hold his head high with the ground he covered on the right flank and his overall involvement in the attack. A promising 90+ minutes.

FW Christian Pulisic, 9 — Roamed around, created his own opportunities with recoveries, dropped deep and then clinched the well-earned assist for Balogun’s goal.

Christian Pulisic, right, was among the USMNT’s best as Mauricio Pochettino’s men bounced back from Saturday’s loss against South Korea to defeat Japan 2-0. John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

FW Folarin Balogun, 8 — A clear upgrade over Josh Sargent. Balogun linked well with the frontline and created plenty of danger with his attacking presence. Briefly went quiet before scoring the second goal of the match.

FW Alex Zendejas, 9 — Zendejas dove into a tackle that earned a yellow card early on but quickly bounced back with his goal and clever movement in the final third. A statement performance from the highly involved Club America winger.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

FW Diego Luna, 8 — An energetic cameo from the young player that was a focal point in the buildup and almost earned an assist in the final minutes.

MF Jack McGlynn, 8 — Nearly scored twice, with the second shot rocketing off the crossbar.

MF Sergiño Dest, 7 — Provided the pass that led to McGlynn’s shot that hit the crossbar. Another player that could benefit from Pochettino’s change in formation.

MF Luca de la Torre, 7 — Accurate with his distribution and almost secured an assist from McGlynn’s first short-range opportunity.

FW Damion Downs, N/A — Subbed on in the 79th minute.

DF Nathan Harriel, N/A — Subbed on in the 84th minute.



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September 10, 2025 0 comments
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