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July 09, 2026
 

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SANRIO

A Sanrio store in Tokyo's Asakusa district. Sanrio is launching a new gaming brand, with some 10 titles to be released over the next three years.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 21, 2026
Sanrio launches gaming brand, tapping fast-growing global market
Sanrio’s push into gaming reflects a broader trend among Japanese intellectual property owners to diversify revenue by extending popular franchises into interactive entertainment.
Sanrio said Thursday it has suspended an executive suspected of receiving off-the-books compensation totaling several hundred million yen from a subsidiary.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 17, 2026
Sanrio executive suspended amid accusations subsidiary gave him extra money
Kiyoshi Saito is believed to have received compensation from a U.S. subsidiary of the group that he was in charge of, on top of his executive salary.
Hello Kitty designer Yuko Yamaguchi poses with a "Fairy Hello Kitty" at an exhibition during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Japanese cartoon character in Hong Kong in 2005.
BUSINESS
Feb 13, 2026
Hello Kitty designer bows out after 40 years in charge
Yuko Yamaguchi has been responsible since 1980 for the design of Kitty, overseeing her rise to the epitome of Japan’s kawaii soft power.
People take photos of Sanrio characters at an event organized by a transportation and real estate firm in the city of Okayama in July. Hello Kitty celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, while My Melody reached its 50th anniversary this year.
BUSINESS
Sep 28, 2025
Oshikatsu consumption grows in Japan, buoying related stocks
According to research company Intage, 35.1% of 5,000 people said they support certain characters or celebrities, and this proportion was higher among younger respondents.
Sanrio characters Kuromi (left) and My Melody star as rival bakers in a big contest in Netflix’s “My Melody & Kuromi.” When mystical forces threaten their world, the pair team up to find a solution.
CULTURE / TV & Streaming / Wide Angle
Aug 27, 2025
From foil to fan favorite, Kuromi embodies Sanrio’s darker side of cute
Once My Melody’s mischievous antagonist, Kuromi is now outshining her pastel-pink counterpart, with a rebellious personality that resonates with today’s audiences.
Originally debuting on a coin purse, Hello Kitty became a national phenomenon in Japan and is now the second highest-grossing media franchise worldwide.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 20, 2024
Hello Kitty looks pretty at 50 (and is worth more than ever)
Kitty’s broad appeal, especially to adults, helped popularize the Japanese concept of kawaii (cuteness), which has since become a global trend.
A Hello Kitty fan poses with a costumed character at the Sanrio Smile Shop on its opening day at Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California. Hello Kitty marks its 50th anniversary on Nov. 1.
CULTURE
Oct 30, 2024
The ‘CEO of supercute’: Hello Kitty turns 50
She is the undeniable queen of kawaii culture in Japan — and her likeness continues to make billions for her creators at Sanrio.
Sanrio, the owner of the Hello Kitty brand that operates two indoor theme parks, has enjoyed a 93% gain in its stock this year, as the ongoing heat and heavy rain keep visitors away from outdoor entertainment.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 4, 2024
Hello Kitty stock soars 93% as Tokyo heat sends tourists indoors
Ongoing heat and heavy rain have been key factors in keeping visitors away from outdoor entertainment facilities.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Mar 4, 2023
‘Aggretsuko’ swansong urges youth to rage
The Netflix show’s fifth and final season turns its attention from workday dilemmas to death-metal outbursts aimed at the political state of modern Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Dec 11, 2022
Gudetama, the incredible, miserable egg
Sanrio’s world-weary character stars in a new Netflix series.
Japan Times
CULTURE / TV & Streaming
Jan 8, 2022
‘Aggretsuko’ digs into toxic work culture and self-worth
The newly released fourth season of ‘Aggretsuko’ digs into some truly bleak storylines about the realities of work, but still finds a way to humanize even its most unlikeable characters.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Oct 5, 2019
Floresta’s doughnuts get a (sort of) spooky spin for Halloween
‘Nature doughnuts’ chain Floresta is getting into the spooky Halloween spirit with a corporate tie-up with Sanrio’s kawaii My Melody characters.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Mar 6, 2019
Hello Kitty headed for Hollywood after years of talks on film rights
One of Japan’s most beloved cat cartoon characters is headed for Hollywood.
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
Dec 1, 2018
Netflix hopes to attract new anime fans with old favorites
After launching in Japan in September 2015, Netflix has aggressively gone after the nation’s streaming market with an array of content. Original programming such as “Aggretsuko,” “Terrace House” and a reboot of “Ainori” have helped capture the attention of many cordcutters who want the...
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / Japan Pulse
May 19, 2018
Sanrio characters in ‘Aggretsuko’ reflect the realities of life at work — rage included
Sanrio Co. is known for churning out some of the most adorable creatures out there, including Hello Kitty and the bunny My Melody. Its characters are often cute and colorful, and usually silent.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Oct 23, 2016
Shibuya’s tourism car gets Sanrio makeover to ward off Halloween chaos
In a bid to thwart the more rambunctious revelers who gather in Shibuya Crossing on Halloween night, the green train car and information center in front Shibuya Station has been dressed up to look like Sanrio’s popular character Pom Pom Purin.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: FASHION
Jan 9, 2016
Avatar models, Sanrio menswear and disheveled clothing — fashion at its oddest
Louis Vuitton is being struck by Lightning
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Dec 22, 2015
Sanrio database leak seen covering info on 3.3 million Hello Kitty fans
A database for Sanrio, the Japanese owner of the Hello Kitty brand, was breached, putting the data of 3.3 million of its users at risk, according to security website CSOonline.com’s report.
Japan Times
CULTURE / CULTURE SMASH
Dec 26, 2014
Sanrio’s ‘Nutcracker’ offers visual experience in 3-D
For anyone raised in the West, the year-end holidays in Japan can be a jarring experience, at least for the uninitiated. Decorated trees, illuminated boulevards and carols in convenience stores coincide with Colonel Sanders statuettes remade into Santa Claus and mini-skirted chorus girls in reindeer...
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Nov 1, 2014
Hello Kitty: still fabulous at 40
Who is only five apples high and has no mouth — yet is one of the country’s biggest cultural ambassadors?
Japan needs caregivers. Young Indians are answering the call.
Young people in India's northeast are increasingly studying Japanese in hopes of building new lives and careers in Japan.
Osaka trumps Tokyo as both ranked among world’s top 10 most livable cities
Osaka’s infrastructure earned higher marks than Tokyo’s in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Global Liveability Index.
Japanese teen arrested for booting users off streaming service
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested a 15-year-old boy for allegedly creating a malicious program and canceling subscription accounts on the Bandai Channel.
Long-stalled maglev line finally gets green light from Shizuoka Prefecture
Environmental concerns relating to the construction of Central Japan Railway’s high-speed maglev line had contributed to years of delays for the project.
Violence toward ambulance crews in Tokyo higher in 2025 and rising this year
A bloodstained helmet worn by an ambulance crew member who became involved in a case of violent abuse against the crew
Japan bets on character IP to drive global growth
Born on social media platforms in 2022, Opanchu Usagi has become a major hit, especially among Generation Z.
Filmmaker explores history of discrimination against foreign nationals in Japan
Takashi Nishihara, the director of "Now and Then," in Tokyo on Wednesday. The director has spent 10 years traversing politically charged terrain while exploring youth-driven grassroots political movements that scrutinize the status quo.
Japanese nail salons are tourists’ new obsession
Tourists in Japan have always been interested in quintessentially Japanese approaches to modern culture, and, increasingly, visits to nail salons have become the new hot thing.
Okinawa’s prized seaweed under threat as oceans warm
Local harvesters gather <i>mozuku</i> during low tide at Hyakuna Beach in the city of Nanjo, Okinawa Prefecture. As the planet warms, rising ocean temperatures are placing increasing pressure on the seaweed industry.
‘Defense,’ not ‘warfare,’ stressed as pacifist Japan beefs up capabilities
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends an annual training session near Mount Fuji at Higashifuji Training Field in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture, on June 7.

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