Every Sunday we gather the week’s weird and interesting Japanese news and present it to you in our Sunday News column. It might not always be hard-hitting news, but we hope that it still informs and entertains you. Enjoy!

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Masked Wrestler City Councilman Forbidden to Wear Mask During Sessions, Describes Maskism as “Frustrating”: Wrestler-turned-local-politician Skull Reaper A-ji isn’t the first (or even second) masked politician in Japan. But what does set Mr. Reaper apart is that he’s been banned from city council meetings due to his mask. The only way I can see this conflict being solved is through weeks of grandstanding, a folding chair or two, and Jerry “The King” Lawler. Mah gawd!
[/threecol_two] [threecol_one_last]An Energy Coup for Japan: ‘Flammable Ice’: Japan has an energy problem, as it gets most of its energy from foreign sources and its nuclear energy program is growing more and more unpopular. So how does it solve this problem? By mining undersea deposits of frozen fuel. The future is here.

First gay wedding held at Tokyo Disney Resort: While the Japanese government doesn’t officially recognize same-sex marriage, a higher authority does – Mickey Mouse. A lesbian couple was the first ever same-sex couple to get married at Tokyo Disneyland, paving the way for future couples to marry at the amusement park. Couples who buy a FASTPASS can get married even sooner![/threecol_one_last]

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[threecol_one]The Kyary Pamyu Pamuseum: Sugary-Sweet J-Pop Fashion Up Close: One of the most interesting Japanese pop stars in recent memory, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, has reached a level of fame that allows her a museum (albeit, a temporary one) all of her own. It might not be as educational as most museums, but at least you can pretend to wear weird dresses.

At BitSummit, Japan’s Indie Game Creators Come Out of Hiding: When you think of Japanese video games, you think big-budget games from Nintendo, Sega, Konami, and the like. But like the US, there are plenty of indie game makers in Japan too. Maybe in the future, the Japanese can buy their own Humble Indie Bundle and never play any of the games.[/threecol_one] [threecol_two_last]

FOR SALE: North Korea’s Japan Headquarters: The Japanese headquarters of the pro-North Korean group, Chongryon, has been seized by the Japanese government. While the obvious implication of this is that North Korea’s defacto embassy in Japan has been shut down, the more important consequence is that the Kims don’t have a place to rest after a long day at Tokyo Disneyland. Poor li’l guys! [via Reddit][/threecol_two_last]

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