In Japan, ‘cute’ is a big deal ... Every product, business and even government department has some kind of cartoon mascot. Kawaii is to be charming, child-like, innocent, and of course ...

Unlike Mickey Mouse and Snoopy, Hello Kitty didn’t start as a cartoon. A young Sanrio ... stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes ...

In recent years, Japan's kawaii culture has exploded in popularity. WSJ's Eric Bellman speaks with author Manami Okazaki about how cuteness has gained a global fanbase.