Japan Reacts

Category: Entertainment

  • Producer Yasushi Akimoto Slammed for ‘Sexualizing Young Girls’ as Old Lyrics Resurface — CNN Once Grilled Him Too

    Criticism accusing songwriter-producer Yasushi Akimoto of “sexualizing young girls” is spreading again on social media, centered on lyrics from the idol songs he has produced over the years. The trigger was a news article revisiting his old lyrics, which also recapped how CNN once grilled Akimoto over the sexual exploitation of underage idols. The story was cross-posted to 5channel’s Geinou/Sports Breaking News+ board, where users cited lyrics and episodes from the AKB48 and Onyanko Club eras, sparking both defenses and criticism. Defenders pointed out that the original “1st generation” members were popular with female fans too, while critics mostly focused on the lyrics themselves and the industry’s structural problems.

    Amid the backlash against Yasushi Akimoto, the resurfaced lyrics for a “sexy elementary schooler idol” song are almost too much to stomach

    Hit-maker Yasushi Akimoto is facing a flood of “sexualizing young girls” criticism on social media.

    What was the “get-out-of-jail-free card” Akimoto once used when CNN grilled him over the “sexual exploitation” of minors?

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

    10AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:36
    Yeah, it's not "Life Isn't an Anime" — it's "Like Melos."
    "The Times Are Crying" has good lyrics too.
    48AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:41
    Re: #10
    Layzner's got good music, though.
    18AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:38
    It was tolerated back then, so…
    well, it's not great, but yeah.
    27AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:39
    Re: #18
    The recent lyrics are creepy too, though.
    20AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:38
    Tell 'em about "Banana's Tears" too.
    132AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:57
    Re: #20
    The worst of Akimoto's lyrics has to be
    "Oops, CHIKAN!" — a song that plays false groping accusations for laughs.
    21AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:38
    Honestly, I think it's a stain on Japan.
    And it all traces back to Fuji TV in the end.
    49AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:41
    Re: #21 Right, and that's exactly why Fuji TV ended up like this.

    They dragged "Shimiken" — no party animal, just a guy who quietly did serious work — up from deep in the ranks and made him president,

    stuck him with all the cleanup duty, and here we are.
    28AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:39
    With Akimoto, staying silent no matter what gets said is just standard practice.
    44AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:40
    Re: #28
    Shokotan and this guy are the poster children for "no reaction, no apology, no statement of feelings."
    57AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:43
    Akimoto himself is a genuinely decent guy —
    it's the shady "dragon tattoo" types swarming around him that are the problem.
    64AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:45
    Women are women's own worst enemy.
    This is exactly how women's jobs keep disappearing.
    Western motorsports used to have race queens too, but feminists got them criticized out of a job.
    The women who actually worked those jobs were furious at the feminists.
    127AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:57
    Re: #64
    Race queens disappeared simply because of the recession — motorsport declined and there's no money left.
    Teams are skimping even on mechanics' pay, so there's no way they're paying women just for decoration lol.
    And the women found AV (adult video) work paid better anyway, so race queens naturally died out.
    65AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:45
    For some reason everyone assumes Akimoto does absolutely everything by himself.
    73AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:47
    Re: #65
    Kind of like assuming Nakai did everything all on his own.
    77AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:47
    So this was 40 years ago, huh.
    82AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:48
    Re: #77
    "…I, the author, 53 this year, am one such person too, but when it comes to the 'ick factor' of the Nezumikko Club (likely a garbled name for Onyanko Club), Akimoto's lyrics are also—"
    it actually says that, lol.
    88AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:49
    Honestly, being able to properly convert "cute" into money is impressive.
    99AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:52
    Re: #88
    Converting "sexual," not "cute," into money is what's gross.
    In that sense it really does feel like it's pushing right up to the line.
    97AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:52
    Your elephant-san's
    scanty (skimpy underwear)
    must surely be me.
    108AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:54
    Re: #97
    Someone in an old Onyanko Club thread once told me it's actually about a condom.
    And yeah, listening to it now, that's exactly what it sounds like.
    117AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:55
    If there's no equal exchange it's exploitation, but if there is, it's not exploitation.
    125AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:56
    Re: #117
    Pretty much every member is just a sacrifice for the sake of a chosen few, you know?

    Background and Key Points of the Debate

    For nearly 40 years, from the Onyanko Club in the 1980s to AKB48 (formed in 2005), Yasushi Akimoto has planned and written lyrics for numerous idol groups. What’s being revisited now are lyrics from songs released during that span; claims that they depict minors as sexual objects have surfaced repeatedly before, and overseas media have previously covered the topic in the context of critiquing idol culture. In the thread, opinions split between those defending the material by pointing to the makeup of the fan base at the time, and those criticizing the lyrics themselves and the industry’s underlying structure. Unverified rumors about Akimoto’s personal life were also posted, but since the facts could not be confirmed, they are not covered in this article.

    *This article is compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5channel (Geinou/Sports Breaking News+) thread “[Entertainment] Backlash floods in against Yasushi Akimoto over ‘sexualizing young girls’ — “It’s creepy”: resurfaced explicit lyrics, and how CNN once grilled Akimoto too“.

  • Komeo Apologizes for TV Comments on Food Poisoning Scandal: ‘Some of My Wording Caused Discomfort’

    In the mass food poisoning case where 78 people reported feeling unwell after eating “chilled crab ramen,” restaurant owner Komeo apologized on X on September 12 for his comments during a TV appearance, saying “there was some wording that ended up causing people discomfort.” Salmonella bacteria were detected in food served at the August Azabu-Juban Summer Festival, and the restaurant “Kappo Komeo” was hit with a 7-day business suspension order. On the 5ch Entertainment/Sports News+ thread, commenters focused less on the apology itself and more on questions about his attitude — “why does he talk as if he speaks for the whole restaurant industry?” — along with questions about hygiene-licensing rules and whether victims had received any compensation.

    9/12 (Sat) 22:45

    Komeo, the self-styled “fighting chef” behind the mass food poisoning outbreak caused by his “chilled crab ramen,” updated his own X account on the 12th to apologize for what he called clumsy remarks made during a TV appearance.

    At the “Azabu-Juban Summer Festival” held August 22–23, 78 people who ate Komeo’s “chilled crab ramen” reported feeling unwell. On September 3, the public health center announced that Salmonella bacteria had been detected, and “Kappo Komeo” was issued a 7-day business suspension order.

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:11
    Just close up shop already
    and get out of the restaurant business for good, lol
    4AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:12
    Sounds like 20 people got sick at a track meet in Kyoto too,
    but thanks to Komeo that barely even registers now (´・ω・`)
    6AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:12
    I don't think anyone's actually confused about what happened here.
    It's more of a 'yeah, called it' feeling.
    7AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:12
    Why does everyone in this scene always talk like they're speaking for the whole industry?
    9AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:13
    Re: #7
    Because he wants to say it's not his fault.
    18AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:19
    Re: #7
    Because it makes him feel like he's doing something big!
    30AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:25
    Re: #7
    Why does he get to act like the spokesman for the entire restaurant industry?
    Does he think he's at the top of some hierarchy?
    Even long-established shops or Michelin-starred places wouldn't say something that arrogant.
    10AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:13
    Re: #1
    >"Kappo Komeo" was issued a 7-day business suspension order.

    I wonder if any of the affected customers actually paid for their meals.

    477: Anonymous: 2026/09/04 (Fri) 01:06:05.61 ID:Muua95Pb0

    There are plenty of big-spending regulars paying 500,000 yen a year, so this isn't like some ordinary neighborhood diner.
    53AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:42
    Re: #10
    Sounds like this kind of thing gets passed around within their inner circle.
    11AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:14
    15AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:16
    What people actually want here is for him to shut the business down for good, I'd say
    17AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:18
    He doesn't even understand what's going on,
    so he can't even manage a decent excuse.
    23AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:21
    Using food poisoning — basically quasi-manslaughter — to boost his own name recognition? Isn't this guy seriously messed up?
    24AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:22
    Shouldn't taking care of the victims come before rebuilding the restaurant's reputation?
    Did he even pay out any condolence money?
    25AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:22
    Just stop showing your face in public already.
    Seriously, it's nothing but unpleasant at this point.
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:23
    I bet there are still customers who'll keep going there even after all this.
    33AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:27
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:32
    Re: #33
    Plenty of ramen shops put out free MSG (Ajinomoto) as a topping —
    so what exactly is this 'special dedication' of his supposed to be?
    50AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:40
    Re: #50
    Not dictating customers' taste buds is fine, I guess —
    but it's a bit much that his idea of 'dedication' apparently extends to the restroom.
    52AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:41
    Re: #50
    That's not dedication — that's just called having no standards.
    54AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:44
    Some people are getting confused here: you don't need a chef's license to run a restaurant,
    but you do need someone on staff with a food hygiene manager qualification.

    Hygiene management matters more than cooking skill, which is exactly why it gets drilled into you through traditional apprenticeship training.
    And this is what happens when people go around saying apprenticeships are pointless.
    56AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:47
    Re: #54
    What's actually required is a 'food hygiene manager' (shokuhin eisei sekininsha) qualification,
    and it only needs to be held by someone on staff —
    it doesn't have to be Komeo himself.
    59AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:50
    Re: #54
    The secret art of Japanese cuisine: 'kick it, don't touch it with your hands, or you'll create a hygiene problem.'
    If you can't pick up on that, you'll never amount to anything.
    60AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:50
    Re: #54
    It's just a one-day course you sit through, right?
    And then it's good for life, no renewal needed, lol
    55AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:47
    There's a grimy ramen shop near me where the spoons and cups never quite get washed clean, but somehow it's never caused a food poisoning outbreak. What's the difference?
    I still go there because I think the food's good.
    58AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:49
    Re: #55
    Basically, if the food's properly cooked through, you're usually fine.
    Even at ramen shops, there've been plenty of food poisoning outbreaks from clueless owners serving undercooked chicken chashu.
    65AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:54
    It's infuriating that a guy like this can basically scam customers and still keep his business running.
    68AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:57
    Re: #65
    The honest, no-excuses types just disappear,
    but the ones who keep begging 'please, please'
    eventually wear everyone down,
    so they end up better off.
    That's exactly why Maeyama keeps grinding away.
    67AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:56
    No matter how this plays out, this guy keeps talking like it's someone else's problem.
    He fundamentally doesn't understand any of it, does he.
    73AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:02
    Re: #67
    Honestly, I'm kind of impressed he can even use words like 'priorities' and 'fundamentally' — wasn't expecting that.
    70AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:00
    Wait, are restaurants actually required to keep a hygiene management log!?
    Doesn't seem like something an old couple running a mom-and-pop diner would bother with…
    75AnonymousSep 13, 2026 00:05
    Re: #70
    It's just a checklist for stuff like 'cleaned today,' right?
    I feel like they were told to keep one…
    though maybe I'm just imagining that.

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Behind this uproar lies some broader confusion over Japan’s restaurant hygiene regulations. A chef’s license isn’t required to run a restaurant, but a shop only needs one staff member holding a “food hygiene manager” (shokuhin eisei sekininsha) qualification — a credential obtainable through a single one-day course with no renewal required, a detail that drew surprise on the thread. Komeo himself isn’t required to hold that qualification personally, though some posts conflated the two. There’s also a discrepancy in the reported victim count: 78 according to the public health center’s official announcement, versus a figure of 120 circulating on the thread — a reminder to be careful not to confuse official figures with hearsay. More than the apology itself, what drew the strongest backlash on the thread was the sense that Komeo talks as if he represents the entire restaurant industry.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “Komeo Apologizes for TV Comments on Food Poisoning Scandal: ‘Some of My Wording Caused Discomfort’.”

  • Iran’s Coach Slams Grueling 3-Match Schedule: ‘Why Is This So Insane?’

    Iran defeated Australia 3-1 to reach the final of the Men’s Asian Volleyball Championship. The win puts Iran on the verge of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but head coach Roberto Piazza exploded with frustration over a schedule that forces teams into three straight matches with zero rest days starting from the quarterfinals, saying “Why is this so insane?” On 5ch, opinions split over whether the grueling schedule was driven by TV broadcast and tournament-organizing interests, and whether Japan’s national team alone was getting a favorable schedule.

    ◆Volleyball ▽ Men’s Asian Championship, Day 9, Semifinal: Iran 3-1 Australia (September 12, at Kitakyushu City General Gymnasium)

    Iran (2nd in their preliminary pool), chasing a fifth title and their first in two tournaments, edged out Australia (6th in their pool) 3-1 (25-21, 17-25, 25-17, 25-22) to clinch a spot in the final. Though the win puts Iran on the verge of securing a berth at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, head coach Roberto Piazza exploded with frustration over the schedule after the match.

    Looking back on the match against Australia, he said, “It was a tough match. Australia has experienced players. We knew it would be a very, very, very difficult match for us. Winning the second set and bringing the match back to even was the key point,” reflecting a sense of satisfaction.

    Source: hochi.news / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:59
    Still better than that ball-kicking World Cup in America (dismissive slang for soccer).
    8AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:02
    Volleyball's not that demanding, they can play back-to-back matches lol
    10AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:05
    If they'd stop pointlessly celebrating and spinning around every time they score, their workload would drop a lot lol
    11AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:06
    This is the downside of commercialism.
    Only the host country benefits from it, so I get why he's angry.
    12AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:06
    Volleyball seems to have an international tournament every single month, doesn't it.
    14AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    I only know the results, but Australia seems disappointing at pretty much every sport.
    19AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    Re: #14
    Maybe just rugby and cricket.
    72AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:54
    Re: #14
    Australia seems to love these mystery sports that only exist in Australia lol
    15AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    What a joke lol
    Japan gets 3 rest days while other countries get zero?
    This is exactly why Japan volleyball (the organizers) is hated worldwide.
    30AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:14
    Re: #15
    Re: #1 actually says:
    "Like Japan, Iran plays three straight matches too — quarterfinal on the 11th, won today's semifinal, and the final on the 13th"
    …so?
    16AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    They move less than in soccer or basketball, right?
    17AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    Dunno, but they don't move as much as soccer or basketball.
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:13
    Re: #17
    Still, they should at least give them one rest day, right?
    They move more than baseball players do.
    18AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:07
    Whose fault is this anyway, it's irritating.
    21AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:10
    Re: #19
    Don't you know Australia got knocked out in the group stage at the last Rugby World Cup?
    Both rugby league and union are losing popularity domestically too.
    Cricket's doing great though.
    23AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:10
    Volleyball always seems to give Japan an especially easy schedule.
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:13
    Makes me think Japan's really fallen on hard times when a resale/pawn shop is the title sponsor…
    33AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:15
    Re: #26
    It's an international tournament.
    The Asian federation decides the tournament sponsors.
    27AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:13
    Re: #5
    "Daikichi~" (doing an IKKO impression)
    32AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:15
    Re: #27
    Reminds me of the pitcher on Aichi's team doing an Antonio Inoki face impression at last summer's Koshien lol
    28AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:13
    Volleyball doesn't have the workload soccer or basketball does.
    Though obviously more than baseball.
    31AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:15
    That's how the Asian Championship always is.
    If you want rest days, go earn more success.
    35AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:16
    At the All-Japan high school tournament, making it to the final means 6 matches in 5 days — got a problem with that?
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:17
    Japan's schedule is also the same three-straight-match grind, so the conditions aren't actually different, but this schedule really is abnormal.
    48AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:26
    Re: #38
    Since the tournament started, Japan's matches have all had a fixed 7:30 PM start time, so the conditions are actually quite different.
    Within the same jam-packed week-plus schedule, other countries' start times vary day to day, anywhere from 10 AM to 7:30 PM.
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:20
    In volleyball you run maybe 3 meters at most.
    There's no way any player is actually tired after a match lol
    44AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:24
    Re: #39
    Volleyball players get tired because they jump, just like the Maasai (known for their jumping dance).
    69AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:51
    Baseball teams play every single day.
    Volleyball players are being way too soft.
    70AnonymousSep 12, 2026 22:52
    Re: #69
    Sure, go have the same starting pitcher throw every single day then.
    83AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:09
    For matches other than Japan's, the stands must be so empty and embarrassing they don't even bother uploading official footage lol
    87AnonymousSep 12, 2026 23:20
    Re: #83
    Well, that's just soccer being a special case.

    Background and Talking Points

    The Men’s Asian Championship carries Los Angeles Olympic qualification stakes, and reaching the final means playing three matches with zero rest days between them starting from the quarterfinals. As the article notes, Iran — just like Japan — was also forced into this same three-match grind, and it was later pointed out in the thread that some posters had misread the article and jumped to the conclusion that “only Japan is being favored.” That said, there’s also the point that Japan’s matches have been fixed at a 7:30 PM start time throughout the tournament, while other countries’ matches have varied start times ranging from 10 AM to 7:30 PM — so it isn’t simply a clear-cut case of fair versus unfair. The grueling schedule itself appears to stem from TV broadcasting and sponsor considerations, and opinions were also divided on just how physically demanding volleyball really is, depending on whether posters compared it to soccer or to baseball.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment & Sports News+) thread “[Volleyball] Iran reaches final but coach explodes with frustration: ‘It’s insane. Only at this tournament. Why is it so insane?’ — grueling 3-match schedule from the quarterfinals“.

  • Zion Suzuki’s 40m Bullet Throw Stuns Foreign Fans: ‘Just Like Schmeichel’

    Aston Villa’s Japan international goalkeeper Zion Suzuki became a hot topic after his roughly 40-meter long throw in the September 9 UEFA Champions League clash with Club Brugge (won 3-2). Not only did he record 5 saves in his CL debut — the first ever by a Japanese goalkeeper — showing a strong presence at both ends of the pitch, but the throw itself, launched with no run-up, drew comparisons to Peter Schmeichel. On the thread, the conversation expanded from the throw’s distance into comparisons with pro baseball players and Shohei Ohtani’s speed, and even a survey on the popularity of baseball versus soccer in the US.

    [UEFA Champions League] Club Brugge 2-3 Aston Villa (September 9 JST / Jan Breydel Stadium)

    Aston Villa’s Japan international goalkeeper Zion Suzuki unleashed a stunning 40-meter long throw that has also sparked a huge reaction among fans overseas.

    On September 9 JST, Suzuki started in the opening match of the UEFA Champions League (CL) league phase against Club Brugge. Making his CL debut as the first-ever Japanese goalkeeper to do so, he conceded 2 goals but recorded 5 saves, showing a strong presence at both ends of the pitch and playing a big part in the team’s 3-2 win.

    Source: times.abema.tv / Original article here

    7AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:50
    Even now, the 'Kawaguchi and Narazaki were way better' guy is bound to show up (legendary former Japan national team goalkeepers).
    28AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:00
    Re: #7
    Kawaguchi had a presence you couldn't capture in stats.
    One of a kind.
    8AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:51
    He could easily throw 60 meters.
    12AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:52
    Re: #8
    It's not one-handed though, right?
    35AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:02
    Re: #12
    If it's not one-handed, how else would you throw it…
    45AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:10
    Re: #35
    Nice one, Commissioner Murofushi (Koji Murofushi, Olympic hammer-throw medalist and former head of Japan's Sports Agency).
    15AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:54
    Never seen a keeper with footwork this good.
    Great with his left foot too.
    It's like Xabi Alonso is playing goalkeeper.
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:59
    Re: #15
    Probably because he learned from Nishikawa at Urawa Reds.
    He wasn't especially known for his kicking before that.
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:00
    Right now his throwing distance beats pro baseball players.
    Just for distance, he can throw a soccer ball 60 meters.
    The average Japanese handball throw is 25 meters, so you can see how absurd that number is.
    33AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:02
    Re: #29
    There's a difference between a throw and a pitch.
    37AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:04
    Don't you guys play soccer? lol
    48AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:11
    Re: #37
    Too far out in the countryside, there's no one to play with.
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:04
    Never expected Zion to get this much recognition.
    The World Cup really is something — it makes players grow.
    41AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:08
    Re: #38
    I played on a school team up until 25 years ago.
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:04
    Does doing this get you like 5 goals worth of credit?
    56AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:14
    Re: #39
    Not like idiotic 'baseball' (yakyu, a mocking spelling used to deride the sport) where you get 10 points just for exit velocity.
    Tough crowd, huh.
    43AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:09
    Even with this one guy at world-class level, the reality is Japan's still stuck at the Round of 32 at the World Cup.
    52AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:12
    Re: #43
    One world-class player alone isn't enough against Brazil.
    58AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:15
    Re: #50
    Shohei Ohtani is slower than Maya Yoshida (Japan national soccer team defender), but in baseball he's considered fast, right?
    63AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:16
    Re: #58
    Come on, quit it lol
    81AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:30
    Re: #58
    Ohtani is actually slow. Stolen bases depend on your jump timing since the distance is short, so plenty of slow guys still steal a lot of bases. Though his steal count last year was a bit absurd.
    66AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:19
    Guess Japan really is a baseball country — he probably became a keeper because he couldn't make it as a pitcher.
    68AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:21
    Re: #66
    If Zion or Rui Hachimura (NBA player) had played baseball, going two-way pro would've been a breeze.
    Such a waste, seriously.
    74AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:24
    Seems like in the US, soccer fans who watch a full match are rare — most are casual fans.

    According to a survey published by Ipsos in 2026, the percentage of the total sample who answered YES to 'Have you watched a full game of this sport in the past year?':

    NFL: 55%
    College football: 37%
    MLB: 36%
    NBA: 29%
    NHL: 21%
    WNBA: 18%
    International soccer: 12%
    US soccer (including MLS): 12%
    75AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:26
    Re: #74
    They say watching a full baseball game means your brain's rotted.
    More boring than waiting in a checkout line.
    Brain rot.
    Poor guy, getting roasted by his own fellow Americans.
    76AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:27
    Re: #68
    That level of physicality is a dime a dozen in America.
    79AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:30
    Re: #76
    Guys with Ohtani's physicality are all over the place in America.
    Well, apparently Americans these days don't play baseball at all anymore.
    83AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:32
    Re: #81
    Ohtani's that slow, yet apparently he's near the top in sprint times in MLB.
    Makes you wonder just how slow baseball players' legs really are.
    90AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:38
    Let's go pitcher-and-goalkeeper two-way player!
    92AnonymousSep 12, 2026 21:41
    Re: #90
    Pitcher, batter, baseball, goalkeeper —
    he could easily be a four-way player.

    Background and talking points

    Zion Suzuki is a product of Urawa Reds’ youth system and currently plays goalkeeper for Aston Villa. His given name, ‘彩艶,’ is read ‘Zion’ — a coincidence that happens to match the name of NBA player Zion Williamson, something the thread brought up repeatedly. The long throw is one of the modern ways goalkeepers get involved in attack, valued for delivering the ball forward quickly in addition to kicking ability. Figures like ’60 meters’ came up in the thread, but readers should note that’s fan exaggeration based on impression rather than an officially measured record. The latter half of the discussion also drifted a lot into baseball comparisons and US sports-popularity surveys — tangents separate from the main topic of evaluating Suzuki himself.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geisports Sokuhou+) thread ‘”Unbelievable” — Zion Suzuki’s “40m Bullet Throw” Stuns the World! “He’s launching it with no run-up,” “Just like Schmeichel” — Overseas Fans Amazed,’ available here.

  • BEYOOOOONDS Announce 7th Single — Revealed on Instagram Live

    On the night of September 12, Hello! Project group BEYOOOOONDS held the second installment of their “BEYOOOOON AIR” livestream on Instagram. They streamed simultaneously on TikTok LIVE, prompting posts on 5channel’s Hello! Project board comparing which platform was faster and had better picture quality. The highlight of the broadcast was the announcement that their 7th single, “Shoshi Senban / Shori no Sentaku” (roughly, “Utterly Ridiculous / The Choice of Victory”), will be released on November 25 — their first single since the group’s lineup change. Once again, the audio was hard to hear, and at one point viewers could even hear staff fumbling to adjust the sound live on air.

    1AnonymousSep 12, 2026 17:07
    @BEYOOOOONDS_
    📻BEYOOOOON AIR Part 2📻
    Live today✨
    2AnonymousSep 12, 2026 17:07
    I want to tear Miimi's plush toy to shreds (hyperbolic fan affection, not literal)
    3AnonymousSep 12, 2026 17:11
    Sometime between 20:00 and 21:00 tomorrow
    we'll be doing BEYOOOOON AIR (Instagram Live)!

    All the members will be there✌︎

    And also,
    we've got some happy news to share during the stream!

    We'll let you know the exact time once it's set,
    so please keep an eye on X!
    4AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:20
    A single release announcement, huh
    5AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:28
    Sho, sho, sho~
    6AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:45
    BEYOOOOONDS
    @BEYOOOOONDS_
    Today's #ByoOnAir 📻

    Streaming starts at 20:00!📣

    Anyone want to spend this week with Byo-chan too~✋🏻✨
    7AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:52
    Siiiiingle's so cooooool
    8AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:53
    Hoping we break 2,000 viewers tonight
    9AnonymousSep 12, 2026 19:56
    BEYOOOOONDS
    @BEYOOOOONDS_
    This is a last-minute heads up…
    Today we'll also be streaming live on TikTok at the same time‼

    🔗 https://tiktok.com/@beyooooonds_?_r=1&_t=ZS-99fY2y7JhR4

    Please come join us🫶🏻

    #ByoOnAir #ByoLiveNow #BEYOOOOONDS #Byoonzu #HelloProject
    17AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:05
    TikTok's faster and higher quality
    18AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:06
    Instagram: 1,500 viewers / TikTok: 600
    22AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:07
    It's started — TikTok's a little ahead
    23AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:08
    TikTok's shot is more zoomed in (narrower frame)
    27AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:10
    [Breaking] BEYOOOOONDS's 7th single confirmed for November 25 release, IT'S HAPPENING ｷﾀ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!!
    https://kizuna.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/morningcoffee/1789211368/
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:10
    They're releasing a 7th single?! I had no idea!!
    30AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:10
    Bet 'Sentaku' is some goofy double meaning (it can read as either 'choice' or 'laundry')
    31AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:11
    'Shoshi Senban' should've just been a coupling track on the first-press limited edition A, honestly
    33AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:11
    This single's giving off kind of a meh vibe
    63AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:15
    Same with Tsubaki's Instagram Live earlier — guess they're allowed to bring out personal phones for this kind of thing now
    67AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:16
    Re: #63
    Is it actually personal?
    Seems more like a company phone to me
    68AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:17
    I feel like short hair would suit Yuna-bo
    73AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:19
    I love how Yuna's 'impressions' are literally just her reciting the member's part lolol
    74AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:20
    Staff never learn — people tell them to fix the livestream audio every single time and nothing changes
    77AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:24
    Can't make out a single word they're saying
    78AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:25
    When everyone talks at once you can't understand anything at all. I've given up lol
    85AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:26
    They've been doing Insta Lives since the pandemic started and it's still at this level
    98AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:27
    Re: #85
    I mean, it's still better than the Digital Agency, at least (Japan's digital ministry, notorious for tech blunders)
    93AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:27
    You can hear some middle-aged staff guy talking lol
    Sounds like the crew's huddled up trying to figure out the volume settings live
    (that's what rehearsals are for)
    101AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:31
    Couldn't tell what anyone was saying, but Honopi looked like she was having fun goofing around with the junior high schoolers, so it's fine
    105AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:32
    Not sure how we got here, but they just randomly broke into an a cappella
    128AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:34
    Turns out the single announcement really was the only news lol
    130AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:37
    Yuna-bo confidently raised her hand when asked 'anyone here a big eater?'
    Then she went speechless when it turned out her max was 3 donuts, while Maeda's was 12 donuts and Kojima's was 30 pieces of bread — that was the highlight lol
    This girl's hilarious as always lol
    133AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:38
    There's something weirdly hilarious about how Yuna's just a total little kid at heart lol
    134AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:39
    'I'll do an impression of Hirai' → Yuna just recites Hirai's part
    'I'll do an impression of Maeda' → Yuna just recites Maeda's part
    ↓
    Everyone: 'sooo cuuute~~~' ♡♡♡
    135AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:41
    Re: #134
    And on top of that she's singing while everyone's feeding her the lyrics
    136AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:42
    For the announcement part, they could've at least had cue cards off-camera or something — even for an Instagram Live, that was way too sloppy
    137AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:43
    BEYOOOOONDS
    @BEYOOOOONDS
    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HSA30ORbMAAjbIB.jpg:orig#.jpg
    _
    Announcement📣

    Just revealed on our live stream!

    BEYOOOOONDS 7th Single
    "Shoshi Senban / Shori no Sentaku"

    Releasing 11/25 (Wed)✌🏻🏅

    Our first single with the new lineup — please be sure to check it out!👀

    #BEYOOOOONDS #Byoonzu #HelloProject
    139AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:47
    Re: #135
    Even during the Hirai impression she's slightly getting the lyrics wrong lol
    141AnonymousSep 12, 2026 20:51
    The audio's just as bad as ever so I basically couldn't tell what anyone was saying, but watching the members goof around happily together is fun enough on its own

    Background and Talking Points

    BEYOOOOONDS is a Hello! Project group formed in 2018, and this broadcast marked the group’s first single announcement since its recent lineup change. The audio clarity issues repeatedly pointed out in the thread have been a recurring problem ever since the group started doing Instagram Lives during the pandemic, and complaints piled up again this time since nothing had improved. As for the title “Shoshi Senban / Shori no Sentaku,” opinions in the thread were divided over the track list and the intended meaning of the wording, with some posters speculating about the coupling track. Regarding the smartphone that appeared to be a personal device on stream, opinions were split over whether it belonged to a staff member or was official equipment, and this can’t be confirmed from the stream alone. This also wasn’t the first time they’ve streamed simultaneously on TikTok LIVE, and comments comparing speed and video quality come up every time.

    ※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5channel (Hello! Project board) thread “■ BEYOOOOONDS ■ Instagram ‘BEYOOOOON AIR Part 2 Instagram Live’ ■ 8PM-9PM ■“.

  • Yutaka Ozaki: Official YouTube and TikTok Channels Launch for His 60th Birth Anniversary

    To mark Yutaka Ozaki’s 60th birth anniversary, an official YouTube channel and TikTok account have been launched. Music videos for “Graduation,” “15 no Yoru” (“Night of the Fifteen-Year-Old”), “I LOVE YOU,” and other career-defining tracks, along with official live footage, are set to be rolled out over time. On 5channel, reactions ranged from shock (“Wait, he’d be 60 now if he were still alive”) to speculation about whether he could still have belted out his signature hits in his sixties, to nostalgic reflections on the fervent fan culture that surrounded him back in the day.

    September 12, 2026, 12:00 PM

    Yutaka Ozaki’s official YouTube channel and official TikTok account have been launched to commemorate what would have been his 60th birthday.

    The channels will roll out rare video content over time, including official music videos for “I LOVE YOU,” “15 no Yoru,” and “Graduation,” as well as official live performance footage. Fans can now enjoy Ozaki’s raw expressions and the sheer intensity of his live performances in high-definition, vertical-format video right in the palm of their hand.

    Source: news.livedoor.com / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:40
    Guess he'd be 60 now if he were still alive
    78AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:38
    Re: #2
    Wonder what kind of songs he'd be singing these days.

    Would've loved to hear it.
    80AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:47
    Re: #78
    He couldn't keep up the childish act forever, so when he tried to change direction, his die-hard fans just wouldn't let him lol
    82AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:53
    Re: #78
    You really can't sing "15 no Yoru" ("Night of the Fifteen-Year-Old") or "Jūnana-sai no Chizu" ("A 17-Year-Old's Map") at 60…
    Even if he'd lived, I bet he'd have had to retire those songs at some point.
    5AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:41
    The guy who could never kick the drugs, right? (referring to his stimulant-drug arrest)
    10AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:42
    He was 178cm tall and genuinely good-looking too
    15AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:44
    Inspired by "Musunde Hiraite" (a kids' song) —
    riding off on a stolen bike —
    graduating from this Emperor's Cup in the night school building, graduating from Ryogoku (a joke mashup of Ozaki's "Graduation" lyrics with sumo terms like the Emperor's Cup and the Ryogoku sumo arena)
    16AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:44
    "Riding off on a stolen bike" would get you an instant ban these days (line from "Graduation")
    30AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:53
    If only he'd had a grandkid — we could've hoped the "awakening" genes carried on (a dark pun: kakusei also means "stimulant," a nod to his drug arrest)
    32AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:57
    Graduation songs released in 1985:
    January 21, 1985 — "Sotsugyo" (Graduation) by Yutaka Ozaki
    February 21, 1985 — "Sotsugyo" (Graduation) by Yuki Saito
    February 27, 1985 — "Sotsugyo" (Graduation) by Momoko Kikuchi
    35AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:04
    Even if the account gets "stolen," forgive the guy who stole it (playing on the "stolen bike" line from "Graduation")
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:10
    The world's three great "Yutaka"s:

    Yutaka Ozaki
    Yutaka Yamakawa
    Yutaka Okawa
    42AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:12
    The world's three great "Ozaki"s:

    Yutaka Ozaki
    Kiyohiko Ozaki
    Jumbo Ozaki

    And in the goddess slot:
    Ami Ozaki
    46AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:15
    Going to the trouble of making an official channel means we can expect good stuff, right?
    Show us that '91 Yoyogi footage!
    54AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:34
    Even the haters are fanatical about it — it's almost like a religion
    60AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:43
    Re: #54
    You think so? The haters just seem dumb to me lol
    All they can say is "chuunibyou" (main-character, edgy-teen syndrome) or "pay for the bike you stole"
    The slightly smarter ones just say he ripped off Springsteen and Jackson Browne — that's really the only two types of hater there are
    73AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:04
    I always figured rock was all about the melody, with lyrics you could barely make out, so it was a shock hearing him enunciate every single word so clearly.
    Looking back, his style was probably closer to folk.
    75AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:17
    Re: #73
    Some self-proclaimed music connoisseurs lose their minds if you say Japanese lyrics matter lol
    But of course Japanese people care about the Japanese language — that's just natural, isn't it lol

    Background and key points of this discussion

    Yutaka Ozaki was one of the defining rock singers of the 1980s, known for songs like “Graduation,” “15 no Yoru” (“Night of the Fifteen-Year-Old”), and “I LOVE YOU” that captured the rebellious feelings of Japanese youth. The launch of his official YouTube and TikTok accounts is being framed as a video-archive rollout timed to his 60th birth anniversary, with music videos and live footage set to be released over time. Thread reactions ranged from surprise that he would have turned 60 had he lived, to speculation over whether he could have kept performing his old rebellious material into his sixties, to remarks that lyrics like “riding off on a stolen bike” would read as far more extreme by today’s standards. At the same time, the circumstances of his sudden death and his personal relationships have long been the subject of speculation online, much of which remains unconfirmed — readers should be cautious about treating rumors circulating on the internet as established fact.

    *This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Yutaka Ozaki: Official YouTube Channel & TikTok Account Launched to Mark 60th Birth Anniversary.”

  • ‘We Need a Festival Precisely Because People Are Leaving TV’ — Nippon TV Revives Ultra Quiz After 30 Years

    On September 10, Nippon Television held a briefing on its October programming lineup at Shiodome, Tokyo, announcing that to mark the show’s 50th anniversary, it will revive “Ultra Quiz: Across America” as a New Year’s special for the first time in about 30 years. Shuichi Oi, head of the network’s General Programming Center, reportedly explained that it’s precisely because viewers are drifting away from TV that a big “festival”-style production is needed. On the 5ch Entertainment/Sports News+ thread reacting to the announcement, posters traded opinions on whether America — once a dream destination — still holds the same appeal for today’s youth, who might host the show, and whether the budget will match the show’s heyday.

    Nippon Television held its October programming briefing on the 10th at its Shiodome offices in Tokyo. Regarding “Ultra Quiz: Across America” (slated to air over the New Year holidays), which returns after roughly 30 years to mark the show’s 50th anniversary, General Programming Center department head Shuichi Oi explained why now — amid the ongoing drift away from television — is the moment to bring it back.

    ■ “The weak yen makes it tough, doesn’t it” — yet here’s why they’re reviving it anyway

    During the Q&A portion of the briefing, on the subject of “Ultra Quiz: Across America,”

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

    3AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:33
    Isn't summer vacation the only time high schoolers could even take part?
    58AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:49
    Re: #3
    High schoolers can't participate in the first place.
    12AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:37
    Because America just isn't the dream country people admired anymore.
    133AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:07
    Re: #12
    Young women travel domestically or to Korea, and young guys would rather stay home gaming than travel at all.
    146AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:11
    Re: #133
    Korea? No way lol.
    It'd be more like Malaysia or somewhere like that.
    158AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:15
    Re: #133
    Korea's not really it these days.
    That's more of a misconception 40-somethings have.

    Young people now are into places like Europe — especially the Nordics. Finland in particular got some odd promotion from feminist circles too.
    21AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:39
    Meanwhile, 5channel itself
    is packed with lonely old men,
    so there's no fix left for the aging, dwindling userbase.
    It survives purely on traffic to the live-commentary and news boards —
    boards that just freeload
    off old media.
    73AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:54
    Re: #21
    Sorry to say, that's us.
    Sitting in the living room with TV as our only pleasure.
    24AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:40
    Even if Fukutome's too old for it now, Fukuzawa was still an option for MC.
    Why a Johnny's talent?
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:42
    Re: #24
    Akira Fukuzawa is only associated with the High School Quiz to me.
    64AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:51
    Re: #24
    I think they're saying a Johnny's talent is the Reiwa-era equivalent of Kyosen Ohashi or Fukutome, so we should just accept the new Ultra Quiz.
    But honestly, that same move's already been done to death on other big TV specials nobody normally cares about anyway.
    78AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:55
    Re: #24
    Don't underestimate how brutal the Ultra Quiz location shoots are.
    Fukuzawa's already a grandpa in his 60s.
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:44
    It's bound to have way less budget than back in the day and end up super cheap-looking.
    You don't even need to watch it to know that.
    42AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:45
    Re: #38
    I'd love to hear that BGM again — the one that plays after you answer every question right.
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:44
    Wisdom, stamina, and the luck of the moment (the show's classic tagline) —
    that's what I want from it. It'd be a letdown if it just turns into a festival for quiz nerds.
    52AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:47
    Re: #39
    But then there's the dilemma that without quiz nerds, the matches won't be exciting to watch.
    43AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:46
    Re: #1
    @
    I actually took part in Ultra Quiz: Across America 🇺🇸.
    Spotted a few famous contestants too!
    So happy I got to join 👍👍👍

    It airs January 1st and 2nd next year.
    With the Hakone Ekiden also on, NTV's ratings are guaranteed to skyrocket 🫵🫵🫵

    51AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:47
    ?
    Every young Japanese person today admires Korea —
    they probably don't even know a country called America lol.

    A Korea-crossing Ultra Quiz could be done on an even grander, more epic scale.

    America's old news lol.
    The era belongs to Korea now,
    and K-pop culture is what Japanese people admire.

    Get it, Japanese media?
    55AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:48
    Re: #51
    Admiring Korea? That's such a 40-something uncle-and-auntie thing to say.
    56AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:48
    No, scrapping things like TVer (Japan's free catch-up streaming app) would do more to stop people leaving TV, wouldn't it?
    59AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:49
    Re: #56
    That'd just push people further away.
    66AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:52
    The only one who could host Ultra Quiz these days is TBS's Azumi.
    He can throw some venom in too.
    81AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:56
    Re: #66
    I think it'd work to have a different announcer at each location, then narrow it down to whoever gets the best response from viewers.
    Announcers would probably go all out too, knowing there's a real shot at becoming the face of Ultra Quiz —
    basically running the actual broadcast and an audition at the same time.
    67AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:52
    Crossing America, hitchhiking across Eurasia —
    NTV really loves a continent-crossing show, huh.
    72AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:53
    Re: #67
    They've got the know-how from overseas shoots.
    This time the Ultra Quiz is being run by the staff behind Itte Q (World's Best Adventurers).
    80AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:56
    I hear places like Saipan have turned into ghost towns since Japanese tourists stopped coming — are they still gonna do the mud quiz there?
    102AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:00
    Re: #80
    They're not going anywhere like Saipan.
    111AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:02
    Re: #80
    Wherever Japanese tourism dropped off, Chinese and Korean tourists are probably spending the money there instead.
    87AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:57
    Re: #1 nah lol
    What's actually needed right now is solid dramas and programs.
    Just airing properly researched content like National Geographic or the History Channel would already put you ahead of the pack.
    115AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:03
    Re: #87
    Nobody's gonna watch some deadly serious show like that lol.
    91AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:58
    The High School Quiz is probably the only quiz show left with regular people as contestants.
    Everything else has celebrities as the answerers.
    138AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:08
    Re: #91
    There's Attack 25, though it's on BS.
    96AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:59
    Going overseas at this point isn't much of an impact anymore — you'd need something like space to really land.
    105AnonymousSep 12, 2026 16:01
    Re: #96
    I used to think that by the 21st century we'd have quiz shows going to space, but I guess we haven't progressed that far after all.

    Background and Key Points of Debate

    “Ultra Quiz: Across America” was a beloved NTV special that drew huge popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, and this marks its revival after roughly 30 years to coincide with the show’s 50th anniversary. Nippon TV’s stated reasoning — that now, amid the ongoing drift away from television, is exactly the right time — reflects a backdrop in which the spread of streaming services keeps eroding real-time viewership among younger audiences; the network appears to be betting that a large-scale location shoot can generate buzz by recreating that old “festival” atmosphere. Thread opinion split mainly along two lines. The first concerns the pull of “America” itself as a destination: several posters noted that between the weak yen and the wider range of overseas travel options now available, it no longer holds the same aspirational status it once did. The second is the choice of host: names like Isao Fukutome and Akira Fukuzawa, who hosted in the show’s heyday, came up nostalgically, but no actual casting has been confirmed, and it’s worth noting that most of these comments are speculation predating any official announcement. Some posters also worried about a shrunken budget or fewer filming locations, though the briefing didn’t reveal any specifics on production details.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt and summary of the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “‘We Need a Festival Precisely Now, With TV Losing Viewers’ — NTV’s Thoughts Behind Reviving ‘Ultra Quiz: Across America’ With a Massive Production Budget.”

  • Aiko Wada’s Favorite High-End Restaurant Bans Foreign Tourists — Reason Had Her ‘Laughing to Death’

    On a radio program aired on the 12th, Aiko Wada shared a story about her favorite high-end shabu-shabu restaurant in Akasaka. According to the episode, a foreign tourist who ordered sukiyaki was afraid of the raw egg and asked for it to be swapped for a fried egg instead — and the restaurant subsequently banned inbound tourists altogether. Wada recalled that she “laughed to death” over it. On 5channel, opinions split between sympathetic voices saying “it can’t be helped, since raw-egg culture doesn’t exist overseas,” and others saying “asking for a change like that while the dish is already being prepared in front of you is just strange.” The thread also picked up an eyewitness account of a tourist pouring barley tea into a hot pot, expanding into a broader discussion about differences in food culture.

    9/12 (Sat) 12:50

    Singer Aiko Wada (76) appeared on the Nippon Broadcasting System show she hosts, “God Afternoon: Akko’s About Time for 1000 Episodes” (Saturdays, 11:00 AM), which aired on the 12th. She revealed she was shocked by the reason her favorite restaurant gave for banning inbound tourists.

    Opening the show, she began: “I’ve got one story that’s got nothing to do with anything. You know that little restaurant in Akasaka you’ve all been to? The one with great shabu-shabu. It’s a bit pricey. I went there recently with my brother, and…”

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Read the original article here

    5AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:03
    Well, foreigners not being able to handle raw eggs, sure, I get that. But is it really a laugh-to-death kind of thing?
    31AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:15
    Re: #5
    Probably because that's a tourist who pushed past that fear (and ordered it anyway).
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:17
    Re: #5
    That's exactly how ignorant, stupid people act — they mock things they don't understand themselves. There was a celebrity on a location shoot who laughed at an ordinary person for pronouncing "teiji-ro" (T-junction) as "teijiro."
    120AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:43
    Re: #5
    Sure, everyone gets that some people won't or can't eat raw eggs — the issue is they said this at a high-end restaurant while the dish was already being prepared right in front of them mid-order. That's the "what are you even saying" part. If they'd asked ahead of time, fair enough.
    7AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:04
    Guess this person doesn't realize there's no raw-egg-eating culture overseas.
    32AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:15
    That's fine, isn't it? There's no rule saying the egg has to go in.

    Re: #7
    Where did it say that?
    62AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:26
    Re: #7
    Even so, a fried egg is just wrong. If that's the case, don't go there in the first place.
    9AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:06
    It's like a Japanese person abroad being told, 'eat this raw chicken, it's fresh,' and just not being able to do it. Though I don't actually know of a country that eats raw chicken.
    13AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:08
    Re: #9
    They eat it in Kyushu, Japan (torisashi). It's pretty well known.
    24AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:12
    Re: #9
    By that logic, this tourist ordering the fried egg would basically be saying, 'I eat raw eggs back home, but here in Japan it's a bit scary…'
    18AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:10
    Rocky drank raw eggs, though.
    23AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:12
    Re: #18
    Wasn't Stallone actually pretty reluctant to do that?
    42AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:19
    Re: #23
    Wait, didn't Stallone write the Rocky screenplay himself?
    132AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:48
    Re: #23
    It was his own idea.
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:12
    This happened when I went to a sukiyaki and shabu-shabu place. A tourist, probably Chinese, poured the barley tea they'd been served straight into the hot pot and ate it that way. Maybe they mistook it for some kind of dipping sauce?
    56AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:25
    Re: #26
    Could be a mix-up. There is such a thing as tea-based shabu-shabu broth, for what it's worth — light and tasty.
    37AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:17
    Does she not realize that, worldwide, eating raw eggs is the unusual thing to do?
    46AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:21
    Re: #37
    They specifically came to enjoy Japanese culture, and then go 'muri desu' (can't do it)? That's the funny part.
    49AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:23
    Re: #37
    Silence! This is Japan! — straight out of Onoda (lol) (referencing WWII holdout soldier Hiroo Onoda's famous defiance)
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:18
    Overseas, raw eggs have the image of making you sick. It's the same feeling a Japanese person would have about eating raw ground pork — like, no way. That's why the raw-egg scene in Rocky lands as a far more striking moment for them than the Japanese take of 'he wants to get strong that badly…!'
    73AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:29
    Re: #39
    Lol, that completely rules out milkshakes too (raw egg is a classic ingredient)
    47AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:21
    Re: #1
    If you're serving sukiyaki specifically to court inbound tourists, you'd better have a substitute for the raw egg ready to go.
    50AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:23
    Re: #47
    It's not like they started serving sukiyaki to target inbound tourists — the place already served it, tourists just showed up on their own and demanded a fried egg instead. That's the funny part.
    65AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:27
    For foreigners, eating a raw egg probably takes the same kind of resolve as us eating street food from an Indian food stall.
    79AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:31
    Re: #65
    If anything, that just shows how amazing Japanese eggs are. And cheap, too.
    86AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:32
    Re: #65
    We are forgiven! — straight out of "Chilled Crab Ramen Komeo" (lol) (a viral meme catchphrase)
    87AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:32
    "What, you didn't know they don't eat raw eggs overseas?! (smug face)" — that's not the point. Not being able to eat it is fine, but making them change it into a fried egg is the weird part. It's like a Japanese tourist going to Italy and ordering Napolitan (a Japanese-invented pasta dish, not authentic Italian) — think about how that'd look.
    102AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:36
    Re: #87
    Well, even if a foreign visitor figured a fried egg was the only way they could manage eating egg in that situation, I still don't feel like laughing at it.
    94AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:34
    It's basically the same as going abroad, being served raw beef yukhoe, and asking them to cook it — and the locals being exasperated by that.
    101AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:36
    Re: #94
    What country abroad even serves raw yukhoe?
    103AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:36
    Re: #94
    Over there they have a raw crab dish called ganjang-gejang — if you're unlucky, parasites can really mess you up.
    111AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:39
    Re: #94
    That's not yukhoe, lol. That's steak tartare, dude (lol)
    124AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:45
    Beaten raw egg isn't something you're absolutely required to use anyway. Some people just prefer eating it plain.
    127AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:46
    Re: #124
    Yeah, it actually tastes better without the egg.
    133AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:48
    Re: #124
    I hated the beaten egg with sukiyaki as a kid, but I grew to love it as an adult (lol)
    134AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:49
    Re: #124
    My family doesn't use egg at all — we just season the sukiyaki itself.

    Background and Key Points of This Topic

    In Japan, eating raw chicken eggs is common, but that’s thanks to a distribution system built around thorough egg washing, sterilization, and expiration-date management as a countermeasure against salmonella. In many countries, differing hygiene standards mean there’s no custom of eating raw eggs at all. So it’s not unusual for visitors to Japan to shy away from raw eggs, and the thread had plenty of sympathetic voices. What split opinion, though, wasn’t “not eating raw eggs” itself but how to judge “demanding a sudden change mid-preparation at a high-end restaurant” — a point that requires separating cultural understanding from consideration for how a restaurant is expected to respond. It’s also worth noting, since it’s easy to misread, that the eyewitness account of a tourist pouring barley tea into a hot pot came from a different poster’s personal experience, unrelated to the incident Wada described on air. As for the reason behind banning inbound customers, the reporting only specifically explains this one episode — the full chain of events behind the restaurant’s final decision hasn’t been made public.

    *This article is compiled by excerpting and summarizing the 5channel (Geino/Sports News+) thread “Aiko Wada Shocked by the Unexpected Reason Her Favorite High-End Restaurant Banned Inbound Tourists: ‘Laughed to Death’.”

  • Mercari: ‘We Won’t Take Our Selling Fee’ Amid Chiikawa Collab Stolen-Goods Scandal

    The “Chiikawa” collaboration run by conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi was called off on September 5 after misconduct by an employee came to light. The problem: as early as September 3 — apparently before the collab had even begun — merchandise that hadn’t been distributed yet was already showing up for sale on the flea-market app Mercari. On September 7, Mercari officially responded to these listings, stating it “will not collect any selling fees” on them, but reports say that as of September 10 — three days later — plenty of matching listings were still up. On 5ch, opinion split over whether waiving fees alone actually stops the listings, and what responsibility Mercari bears for leaving suspected stolen goods up once it knows about them.

    September 12, 2026, 7:00 AM

    Searching “Chiikawa” on Mercari’s site on the afternoon of September 10 still turns up numerous listings for “this” merchandise — three days after Mercari publicly addressed the controversy on its official X account on the 7th.

    “Conveyor-belt sushi chain Kura Sushi had been running a ‘Chiikawa’ collaboration campaign scheduled from August 21 to September 30, but announced its cancellation on September 5 after misconduct by an employee came to light. On the major flea-market app Mercari, listings for merchandise that hadn’t been distributed yet were already confirmed as of the 3rd, and suspicions that an employee had been skimming stock had been circulating even before Kura Sushi’s announcement.” (IT journalist, same throughout)

    Source: news.livedoor.com / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:47
    Guess I'll watch Peace-kun — the world's most famous capybara, from Omiya Zoo — on YouTube while I have my snack
    9AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:49
    The government needs to properly rein in these gangster-tier companies (hansha, slang for firms tied to organized crime)
    12AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:50
    Even Rakuichi Rakuza (Nobunaga's old free-market policy) had someone accountable for it
    The government needs to hurry up and regulate this stolen-goods marketplace already
    13AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:50
    Stolen goods are being fenced right out in the open
    Imagine if this were an actual licensed secondhand dealer (kobutsushō) — this would be a massive deal
    14AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:51
    Is it true the person who reported this got their account suspended?
    16AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:53
    This guy's always blowing up with complaints, huh
    19AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:55
    So not taking a fee just means it's prime time for scalpers now?
    20AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:56
    If you can't handle it, just shut the service down already, idiot
    23AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:57
    Why bring this up only now?
    25AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:58
    Does 'only one store was involved' still hold up? If so, narrowing down the suspicious-looking accounts shouldn't be that hard
    Everything else is legitimate resale
    'Legitimate resale'?
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:59
    Mercari, X, Amazon — always getting dragged, huh
    27AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:59
    I honestly think Japan would be a little better off if Mercari just went under
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:00
    Re: #1
    Sorry, I have no idea what you're even trying to say
    30AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:00
    I wonder how they're even determining what counts as fraudulent here
    31AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:00
    Just scrap limited-edition collab merch entirely already
    It always either ends like this or turns into scalper bait
    32AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:00
    Mercari: 'Next time, just use our Private Listing feature and pull it off smoothly!'
    34AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:01
    The dark web — or should we say, the gray web: Mercari
    35AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:02
    Well, Mercari's basically Japan's black market at this point
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:03
    Re: #35
    Though the salaries there are pretty good
    36AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:02
    Just rename the app 'Thief Market' already
    37AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:02
    They're not even taking a fee? So it's pure profit for the criminal then?
    38AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:03
    Embezzling company supplies and offloading them happens more than you'd think
    And they do it with a totally straight face too
    That's terrifying
    40AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:03
    Re: #1
    Scalper: 'Wait, seriously? My margins just went up, guess I'll flip even harder now lol'

    That's exactly what's gonna happen, you idiot
    50AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:07
    Usagi's like 'Wha— huh?!'
    Meanwhile Hachiware's saying 'This isn't about money — just turn it into a proper criminal case.' (Usagi and Hachiware are Chiikawa characters)
    53AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:08
    Re: #50
    ???: 'I just wanna sell the stuff I stole!!'
    52AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:08
    Once arrests happen and they actually identify the sellers, they won't be able to just keep saying 'no fee for us' — a decent company has to at least look like it's trying
    68AnonymousSep 12, 2026 15:15
    Following Kura Sushi, JR Central's 'Chiikawa collab' goods may also be getting mass-resold
    https://hayabusa9.5ch.io/test/read.cgi/mnewsplus/1788850896/

    'Tokaido Shinkansen Tsutsu-Ura-Ura Journey' mini tote bag

    – Limit: 1 per person per day
    – Reselling or transferring the bonus item is prohibited

    ↓

    Only about a week since the campaign started, yet
    the same account has listed around 60 of them on Mercari
    and every single one has sold

    ↓

    People are speculating someone's been skimming stock

    ↓

    JR Central: 'We're ending on-site redemption and switching to mail delivery instead'



    i.imgur.com/KGtvP36.jpeg

    Background and key points of the debate

    “Not collecting a fee” is a separate measure from pulling listings down or issuing refunds — it just means Mercari is giving up a slice of the revenue it would otherwise have earned. Kura Sushi’s “Chiikawa” collaboration began on August 21 and was called off on September 5 over employee misconduct, but reports say that on Mercari, merchandise that hadn’t even been distributed yet was already listed as of September 3 — before that announcement — and that listings believed to match the stolen goods were still up on September 10, three days after Mercari’s official response. Thread opinion split two ways: one side argued that merely forgoing fees doesn’t actually stop the listings or cut into scalpers’ profits, while the other raised the regulatory question of what liability applies under the Secondhand Goods Business Act for knowingly leaving listings of stolen merchandise up. Worth noting — something easy to miss from the replies alone — around the same time JR Central’s Shinkansen collab goods were also reported mass-listed by a single account, framing this as a structural problem with flea-market-app skimming and resale that goes well beyond any one company.

    *This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Mercari says it “will not collect selling fees” on transactions involving stolen Chiikawa collab goods.”

  • Chiba Rock Star JAGUAR Announces First New Song in 8 Years — 5ch Reacts: “You’re Still Alive?!”

    JAGUAR, Chiba’s “legendary rock star,” has announced his first new work in eight years. Public comments from him had dried up since 2021, when his agency announced he had “returned to Planet JAGUAR,” but after topping the Kanto/Koshinetsu block in FLASH magazine’s “Local Star Ranking,” he shared an update on his life for the first time in about five years. On 5ch, reactions spanned generations — from confused posters asking “Wait, wasn’t he dead?” to nostalgic memories of him buying his own TV airtime in the ’80s and recollections that his day job was running a clothing store.

    Published 9/12 (Sat) 6:00 AM

    SmartFLASH

    JAGUAR, Chiba’s legendary rock star, had his agency announce back in October 2021 that he had returned to Planet JAGUAR. This time, after he topped the Kanto/Koshinetsu block in the “Local Star Ranking” published in FLASH (September 23, 2026 issue), we reached out to his agency for an interview. They responded, “Since JAGUAR has returned to Planet JAGUAR, we can only accept questions handled through the agency.” So we sent over some questions and asked how he’s doing — his first comments in roughly five years.

    Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

    2AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:08
    Guess I'll eat dinner while watching Peace-kun, the world's most famous capybara from Omiya Zoo, on YouTube.
    3AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:10
    Wait, wasn't he dead?
    19AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:18
    Re: #3
    You've got no dreams, man. That's a boring way to be.
    24AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:20
    Re: #3
    Listen up.
    Great Muta is not Keiji Mutoh.
    Got it?
    103AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:33
    Re: #3
    I feel like I saw that same news a few years back too.
    4AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:11
    Let's go grab a bite at Nikke Colton Plaza~ (a real Chiba shopping mall)
    29AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:22
    Re: #4
    Places to eat there have really thinned out, huh (´・ω・`)
    9AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:13
    Could this be an AI JAGUAR?
    12AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:14
    He used to buy his own broadcast airtime, right?
    What's his actual day job?
    28AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:22
    Re: #12
    Murakami, the clothing-alterations guy.
    13AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:14
    I thought I'd heard news of his death too, but it was just me misremembering.
    Guess this is what got misread as that:

    > On October 4, 2021, his agency announced, "He has returned to Planet JAGUAR, from the Earth he loved so much."
    84AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:14
    Re: #13
    That's right, there's never actually been a death report.
    And that's exactly what makes it great……
    15AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:16
    Oh, the guy who used to be on TV for a while?
    I remember him, Jaguar-san.
    16AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:16
    Woohoo!
    Jaguar-san is the greatest!
    20AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:18
    Maybe some half-finished recordings or sheet music were left behind, and his buddies finished it for him?
    21AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:18
    TV interviews are off-limits but he can still record music?
    Kind of a rude question, but is he living in a nursing home now?
    22AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:19
    It's not 'Jaguar' — it's 'Jaguaaar.'
    55AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:40
    Re: #22
    Professor Tokudaiji, may you rest in peace.
    26AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:21
    Who's the idiot that started the death rumor?
    I told you, he just retired due to old age.
    33AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:23
    Wasn't he the president running several clothing stores?
    34AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:26
    I wonder what Jaguar-san makes of this recent heavy rain in Chiba.
    35AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:28
    So it really is pronounced 'Jagyuaa,' huh?
    39AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:30
    Jaguar-san's physical body isn't even on Earth anymore, is it?
    Is he AI now?
    40AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:30
    He's a company president, right?
    Something with a clothing store?
    44AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:33
    Re: #40
    Wasn't it a clothing-alterations shop?
    41AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:31
    In Chiba,
    is he maybe more famous than X JAPAN?
    43AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:31
    I first learned about him when he showed up on that Famitsu DVD-focused release.
    46AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:35
    A legendary figure that X (JAPAN) owes a debt to.
    53AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:39
    Re: #46
    Yeah, that tracks.
    Saber-Tooth Tiger.
    90AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:21
    Re: #46
    I heard it's not just X — plenty of amateur bands in Chiba from that era owe Jaguar-san one way or another.
    49AnonymousSep 12, 2026 13:38
    According to Wikipedia, he's 81-82 years old.
    70AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:01
    You're still alive?! (a stunned Kansai-style exclamation of disbelief)
    75AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:05
    Re: #70
    Seriously, exactly this.
    Was he hospitalized or something?
    76AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:08
    Re: #75
    Isn't this the second-generation one?
    71AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:02
    Jaguar-san, who used to write a column in Comptiq.
    95AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:25
    Re: #71
    I liked Tsuribata Gekihiko.
    89AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:20
    Who's that?
    I'm not some TV-obsessed geeky otaku like the old guys on 5ch, so I wouldn't really know.
    97AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:27
    Re: #89
    A rich guy from Chiba.
    Back around the '80s, he bought up broadcast airtime to promote his own self-written songs.
    100AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:28
    Didn't Matsuko and Murakami already wave bye-bye up into the sky?
    101AnonymousSep 12, 2026 14:31
    Re: #100
    Well, if he went back to his home planet, that'd make sense.

    Background and Key Points of This Story

    JAGUAR is a Chiba-based local star known since the 1980s for his distinctive method of buying his own TV and radio airtime to broadcast his self-written songs — a figure said to have influenced Chiba’s amateur music scene. In October 2021, his agency announced that he had “returned to Planet JAGUAR,” and because many took the metaphor literally, rumors of his death spread; several posters in the thread likewise reacted with “Wait, wasn’t he dead?” In reality, it was simply his own idiosyncratic way of describing his retirement/hiatus — according to Wikipedia he is currently 81-82 years old and very much alive. This time, after placing first in the Kanto/Koshinetsu block of FLASH magazine’s local-star feature, he gave his first comments in about five years, leading to the announcement of his first new work in eight years. The thread also features nostalgic memories of his day job as “president of a clothing store,” along with jokes mixing him up with the pro wrestler Great Muta — all pointing to a figure whose fame varies sharply by generation.

    ※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[Music] “I’m watching over everyone on Earth!” — Chiba musician JAGUAR makes shock announcement of “first new work in 8 years”.”