Japan is commemorating the victims of the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima 65 years ago. The attack by the United States in 1945 was instrumental in ending World War II. Since then on each on August 6, a somber echo of a temple bell reverberates through Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park.
Japan is the only nation ever to have been attacked with atomic bombs. More than 140,000 people were killed instantly in Hiroshima or died in the days and weeks after the U.S. attack. Three days later, a U.S. plane dropped a …

Actor Shun Oguri (27) will star in a stage version of the Anthony Burgess novel "A Clockwork Orange," set to be performed early next year. This will be the first time that the story is adapted for the stage in Japan.
The best known adaptation of "A Clockwork Orange" is Stanley Kubrick’s film in 1971. However, it has also received multiple theatrical adaptations in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
According to Horipro, which is handling the production of the play, there have been plans to adapt the book to …

Just a week after the din of celebratory vuvuzela horns died down in South Africa, fresh World Cup fever is gripping nine candidates battling to host the showpiece in 2018 or 2022.

The sport’s world governing body FIFA on Monday kicks off a two-month inspection tour of Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Netherlands-Belgium, Russia, England, Spain-Portugal, the United States and Qatar in that order.

Next year, the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo will celebrate its 100th birthday. The theater has announced its 2011 schedule, which includes a performance of “Gone with the Wind” starring actress Ryoko Yonekura (34) as Scarlett O’Hara. This will be Yonekura’s first time performing at the historic venue.
“Gone with the Wind” was most recently performed in Japan as a musical in 2003, starring Mao Daichi (54). Yonekura, however, will be appearing in a non-musical version of the play, which was last done by Daichi in 1987.
Yasufumi Terawaki (48) will play …

Michael Jackson fans, some paying $1,000 for a sleepover among his possessions, swarmed to Tokyo Tower on Friday to commemorate the first anniversary of the singer’s death with a candlelight vigil, gospel concert and silent prayer session.
Though Jackson fans gathered around the world to mark his death one year ago, the Tokyo “Lifetime Collection” event was the only overseas exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that has the sanction of his estate, promoters said.
“I don’t know what to say, seeing all his things makes it all come back to me,” said Yumiko …

A pair of explosive eruptions Sunday on Mount Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture brought the total to 550 this year, setting a new annual record, the local meteorological observatory said.
Given that the volcano has been erupting roughly twice as frequently since last year, the number of eruptions could reach 1,000, the observatory said.
The previous record of 548 was set last year.
Read the rest of the story: Sakurajima busts eruptions record

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BionicBong, publisher of Things Japanese, a literary magazine on anything to do with Japan, is accepting submissions for its next issue. One Grand prize winner will receive $100 for best submission.*

A Japanese rocket blasted off early Friday carrying a Venus probe and a kite-shaped “space yacht” designed to float through the cosmos using only the power of the sun.

Japan has hosted the world’s first wedding to be conducted by a robot. The automated creature, known as the I-Fairy, oversaw the wedding of Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue in the capital, Tokyo. The couple decided to use the robot as they are both connected with Japan’s thriving robotics industry. Since robots had brought them together in the first place, they said, having one officiate at their wedding was a natural choice.
Read the rest of the story: Tokyo couple married by robot in rooftop wedding

High-tech Japan has promised to treat football fans worldwide to ultra-realistic live 3-D telecasts of World Cup matches should it win the right to host the 2022 edition.

The 550 billion yen (six billion dollar) “Universal Fan Fest” project is part of Japan’s bid submitted to football’s world governing body FIFA on Friday, the Japan Football Association said Monday.