I try not to form stereotypes about other cultures but... well, there's no denying Japan produces some really, really weird popular culture. Japan's penchant for weirdness was out in full force this ...

On paper, Babymetal sound absurd: a Japanese trio who fuse their national culture of cute – “kawaii” – with the chainsaw chug of heavy metal. But in the studio and on stage, their “kawaii metal” ...

Japan's "Iron Lady" listens to… Iron Maiden? The country's parliament elected veteran ultraconservative lawmaker Sanae Takaichi to serve as the next prime minister on Tuesday, making her the first ...

President Donald Trump offered complimentary words about Sanae Takaichi — Japan’s first female prime minister — upon arriving in Japan on Monday. Takaichi’s resume blends her strong brand of ...

Japan’s incoming prime minister is a heavy metal drummer with an iron will — that insiders say gives her an in with President Trump. Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan’s first female prime minister ...

Here is the best Japanese rock/metal band from each of the last five decades, as chosen by Ryujin's Ryoji Shinomoto. There are so many incredible acts under the nebulous heavy music umbrella that have ...

Kawaii Metal: A music genre combining cute J-pop elements with heavy metal instrumentation. Fox God (Kitsune-sama): The mystical entity in BABYMETAL's mythology who guides their destiny. The One: What ...

Japanese heavy metal legends have been around for 43 years and released a wealth of good music, with their most recent release, the 2021 album Sunburst, being their 28th studio recording. They first ...