The mascots enjoy celebrity status across the country and ... The Choko Group mascots school in Japan was founded 20 years ago, by Choko Oohira, who wanted to make sure only the best mascots ...

Walk the grounds for more than five minutes and you’ll see it: Countries from around the globe have brought their own mascots to the party, and many of them owe a debt to Japan’s particular ...

There’s also a culture gap. Consider the yuru-chara, Japan’s many mascots. They’re like Pokémon, sort of. Everyone's got one: In Kyoto, for example, there was a parking lot mascot ...

The designs of some of the mascots are based on the culture of Japan. The expo begins on April 13 and brings together 158 countries and regions. "This will be a fun event that can only be enjoyed ...

TOKYO, April 1 (Reuters) - In Japan, policymakers and economists are ... anime characters, cuddly mascots or any "oshi" - the Japanese term for the object of one's adulation.