Japan Trivia | New & Unusual Quiz about Japan

Japan’s longest-ruling Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe, who stepped down due to medical issues in Aug. 2020, was shot on July 8, 2022 – just two days before the nation’s parliamentary elections. Police arrested the attacker, Tetsuya Yamagami, a former member of Japan’s navy, and confiscated his homemade gun. Japan has strict gun laws. With a population of 125 million, it had only 10 gun-related criminal cases in 2021.

Arigato, in Japanese, means “thank you.”

Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony Fun Fact

The 32nd Summer Olympics came to a close in Tokyo on Sunday, Aug 8, 2021, with a big “Arigato” sign and tons of fireworks. By the way, the flashiest component of the ceremony, a formation of the five Olympic rings by tiny points of light, was played only on large screens and to television audiences – remaining invisible in the stadium.

A massive earthquake and tsunami damaged Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011.

What is “treated” radioactive water?

On April 13, 2021, Japan’s government decided to start releasing “treated” radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in two years. The government calls the water “treated,” as opposed to “not radioactive,” as nothing can reduce radionuclides in the water to zero. Some scientists say the long-term impact on marine life from such large volumes of “treated” water is unknown.

Modern Sudoku was introduced in Japan by Maki Kaji, president of the Nikoli puzzle company, in April 1984 as Sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru – Japanese for “Unmarried (or single) Numbers” – and in short, Sudoku. “Sudoku” is a registered trademark in Japan.

Maki Kaji’s Death

Maki Kaji, the “Godfather of Sudoku,” died Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021. He was 69 and had bile duct cancer.

Princess Mako is the niece of Japan’s Emperor Naruhito.

How did Princess Mako lose her royal status?

Japanese Princess Mako, 30, quietly married a commoner without traditional wedding celebrations on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. The marriage to Kei Komuro cost Mako her royal status. She received her husband’s surname — the first time she has had a family name. The couple will move together to New York to start a new life.

Japan is the only G7 country (the world’s seven largest advanced economies) that does not fully recognize same-sex marriage.

Does Tokyo recognize same-sex marriage?

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike on Dec. 7, 2021, said the Japanese capital will draw up a framework allowing same-sex partnerships early next year, making them legal in the fiscal year beginning April 2022. Under the system, same-sex partners can register their relationship and will be allowed to rent places to live together and gain hospital visitation rights.

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito made the opening declaration of the 2020 Olympic Games, Friday, July 23, 2021. He was the third Japanese Emperor to open an Olympics, following his grandfather Emperor Hirohito (1964 Summer and 1972 Winter Olympics) and his father Emperor Akihito (1998 Winter Olympics).

Jorō spiders, or Trichonephila clavata, are Japanese spiders with colorful yellow, blue and red markings that measure three inches (8 cm) in length. Jorō spiders are venomous but pose little to no threat to humans.

Joro in the USA

The Joro spiders took over north Georgia in 2021 and were spotted in South Carolina. According to a study of the Jorō spider species published in Feb. 2022 in the journal Physiological Entomology, they could also spread into the northeastern United States.

Guinness World Records has certified Japanese Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama as the oldest identical twins at 107 on Monday, Sept. 20, 2021. The announcement was made to coincide with “Respect for the Aged Day,” a national holiday in Japan. Sumiyama and Kodama were 107 years and 300 days old as of Sept 1, breaking the previous record set by Japanese sisters Kin Narita and Gin Kanie at 107 years and 175 days.

What is the world’s fastest aging nation?

According to Japan’s health and welfare ministry, about 29% of the population in Japan is 65 years or older. About 86,510 of them are over 100-years-old — half of whom turned 100 in 2021 — making Japan the world’s fastest aging nation.

Wasabi is Japanese horseradish. Japan saw a shortage in wasabi – an essential spice for many Japanese dishes – since Typhoon Hagibis slammed into eastern Japan in 2019. Along with a rural population drop due to aging, the output of wasabi farm-grown in clear-flowing water fell to half that of 2005, according to the Japanese Agriculture Ministry.

The Japanese government has launched a nationwide campaign to encourage people to drink more alcohol after alcohol consumption had fallen to an average of 75 liters per person a year in 2020, accounting for 1.7% of Japan’s tax revenue, down from 5% in 1980. Japan’s health ministry hoped the campaign would also remind people to drink only the “appropriate amount of alcohol.”