Japan House London Showcasing History, Impact of Pictograms

London, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)--Japan House London, which promotes Japanese culture, is holding an exhibition that showcases the history, production process and influence of pictograms, which convey information through visuals.
Pictograms are commonly found in public spaces such as stations and airports, indicating emergency exits, toilets, information desks and others. They can convey meanings through designs without relying on language.
Japan played a major role in spreading pictograms, which are considered the prototype of the emoji used on social media.
During the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, Japan officially adopted them as symbols representing sports and venue facilities, pioneering their international use.
"Pictograms are part of everyone's daily lives, and Japan's impact on the development and popularity of these symbols cannot be overstated," said Simon Wright, director of programming at Japan House London.
(2025/08/25-14:55)
To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.
NATIONAL
-
08/25 23:02 Koizumi Visits Rain Disaster-Hit Southwestern Japan City
-
08/25 21:56 Tokyo Police Launch Probe into Murder of 2 Japanese in Manila
-
08/25 21:42 Japan, Kazakhstan Agree to Arrange Japan-Central Asia Summit Early
-
08/25 20:41 Japan's Average Retail Rice Price Up for 2 Weeks in Row
-
08/25 20:26 Kansai Electric to Annually Contribute 5 B. Yen to Fukui Pref.
-
08/25 20:16 Ishiba Presents Japan's Grand Cordon Honor to Ex-Singapore PM Lee
-
08/25 19:01 Central Japan City Proposes Daily Smartphone Use Limit of 2 Hours
-
08/25 18:55 G-7 Foreign Chiefs Seek Ukraine Peace Talks without Preconditions
-
08/25 18:54 Japan to Tighten Visa Requirements for Biz Managers
-
08/25 18:10 Ex-MUFG Bank Employee Reveals 1.7-B.-Yen Safe Deposit Thefts
-
08/25 17:31 80 Years On: Japanese Lecturer Digitally Recreates Siberian Detention Camp
-
08/25 17:25 Australian Defense Chief to Inspect Japanese Frigate Next Month
-
08/25 16:49 TEPCO Ends 3rd Round of Treated Water Release for FY 2025
-
08/25 15:43 Okinawa Town Elects Mayor Cautious about Defense Buildup
-
08/25 14:55 Japan House London Showcasing History, Impact of Pictograms
-
08/25 13:10 Japan Fully Joins Massive Drills in Indonesia
-
08/24 19:21 S. Korea's Lee, Japanese Lawmakers Vow to Promote Ties
-
08/24 12:30 Share of Female Managers in Japan Still Short of Govt Target
-
08/24 11:38 BOJ's Ueda Sees Wages Remain under Upward Pressure
-
08/23 22:19 (Update 2) Ishiba, Lee Vow to Promote Forward-Looking Japan-S. Korea Ties
-
08/23 21:16 Ishiba Inspects MSDF Destroyer, British Aircraft Carrier
-
08/23 20:42 (Update) Ishiba, Lee Vow to Promote Japan-South Korea Ties
-
08/23 14:36 Tick-Borne Infection Cases Hit Record High in Japan
-
08/23 12:49 South Korea's Lee Arrives in Japan
-
08/23 09:30 80 Years On: Japan's Fiscal Discipline as Wartime Lesson Eroding
-
08/22 22:49 (Update) Man Arrested over Murder in Japan's Kobe
-
08/22 22:20 FOCUS: Risk Reduction Key to Boosting Japanese Investment in Africa
-
08/22 22:20 Modi to Visit Japan Next Week
-
08/22 22:06 (Update 2) Japanese, African Leaders Reaffirm Importance of Multilateral Trade
-
08/22 21:55 Japan to Raise Assumed Bond Interest Rate for Fiscal 2026
-
08/22 21:11 Man Arrested over Murder in Japan's Kobe
-
08/22 20:54 Japan Emperor, Empress Hold Tea Ceremony for African Leaders
-
08/22 20:13 Japan to Launch New ISS Resupply Vehicle in Oct.
-
08/22 19:47 Japan Govt to Use More Soil from Fukushima Decontamination Work
-
08/22 18:52 U.N. Chief Guterres Calls for Security Council Reform
-
08/22 17:58 Ishiba Completes Marathon Meetings with African Leaders
-
08/22 17:57 Japan to Help Local Govts Deal with Bears
-
08/22 16:59 Japanese Princess Akiko to Visit Turkey in Sep.
-
08/22 16:57 (Update) TICAD 9 Adopts Yokohama Declaration Valuing Multilateral Trade
-
08/22 15:57 Govt Corrects Number of Potential Megaquake Evacuees
-
08/22 15:57 Play Keeps Memories of Sunken Tsushima Maru Alive, 81 Years On
-
08/22 15:20 TICAD 9 Closes, Reaffirming Importance of Multilateral Trade
-
08/22 14:40 U.S. Torpedo Attack Victims Remembered in Japan 81 Years On
-
08/22 13:07 Japan, 21 Others Condemn Israel's West Bank Settlement Plan
-
08/22 12:27 Japan Core Consumer Prices Up 3.1 Pct in July
-
08/22 12:22 Japanese American Museum Blasts Trump's Use of Internment Camp
-
08/22 09:34 ANA Plane Lands on Runway with Vehicle in Operation
-
08/22 09:00 Japan LDP Moriyama in Spotlight after Upper House Poll Rout
-
08/21 23:17 Completion of LDP Review of Upper House Election to Be Postponed
-
08/21 21:31 Fire on U.S. Warship in Okinawa Extinguished
-
08/21 20:55 Free Sanitary Items Offered in Restrooms at Osaka Expo
-
08/21 20:21 Japan, South Korea to Expand Working Holiday Program
-
08/21 19:38 Ishiba Vows Aid to Nurture AI Experts in Africa at TICAD 9
-
08/21 19:01 Damage in Japan from Cambodia-Based Fraud Totals at Least 1.4 B. Yen
-
08/21 18:23 Typhoon Lingling Makes Landfall in Kagoshima
-
08/21 18:06 JR East Cancels Luxury Train Run over Crew's Boozing
-
08/21 17:51 80 Years On: Ex-Residents Yearning to Return to Russian-Occupied Islands
-
08/21 16:57 S. Korea's Lee Reiterates Intention to Uphold Past Accords with Japan
-
08/21 16:39 Kyoto Court Rules Video Platform FC2 Founder Guilty
-
08/21 16:21 Japan Vows 5.5 B. Dollars to Boost African Private Sector
-
08/21 16:04 Japan, S. Korea Experts Call for Strengthening Economic Cooperation
-
08/21 15:54 Possible Attacker at Large after Woman Found Dead in Kobe
-
08/21 15:02 INTERVIEW: WFP Wants World to Pay Attention to Africa
-
08/21 14:19 Japan Calls for Private Investments in Africa at TICAD 9
-
08/20 23:25 Fire Hits U.S. Warship off Naval Facility in Okinawa
-
08/20 21:54 Aichi Police Arrest 29 Fraud Suspects Extradited from Cambodia
-
08/20 21:02 Ishiba Starts Series of Talks with African Leaders on TICAD Sidelines
-
08/20 20:56 Probe Finds 2 GSDF Members Killed by Lightning in Oita Pref.
-
08/20 20:21 (Update) Ishiba Unveils New Economic Initiative as TICAD 9 Starts
-
08/20 20:01 Downtown's Matsumoto May Return to Show Biz in Nov.
-
08/20 19:35 (Update) Foreign Visitors to Japan Total Record 3.43 M. in July
-
08/20 19:25 Megaquake Alert Would Urge 520,000 People to Evacuate
-
08/20 19:00 Japan's Iwaya to Visit Central Asia from Sun.
-
08/20 18:59 Japan Govt Panel Suggests Hepburn Style Romanization
-
08/20 18:46 INTERVIEW: Nippon Paper Eager to Boost Exports, M&A
-
08/20 18:10 Japan Average Pump Price Falls for 1st Time in 5 Weeks
-
08/20 17:25 Osaka Expo Organizer Aims to Prevent Recurrence of Train Issue
-
08/20 16:53 Foreign Visitors to Japan Total Record 3.43 M. in July
-
08/20 16:43 Ishiba Unveils New Economic Initiative as TICAD 9 Starts
-
08/20 16:37 Nikkei Average Falls Further on Chip Selling
-
08/20 15:18 Japan to Begin Antidumping Probe on S. Korea, Taiwan Plastic Material
-
08/20 14:19 Japan Extends Deadline for Stockpiled Rice Sales
-
08/20 13:33 Japan Core Machinery Orders Up 3.0 pct in June
-
08/20 12:58 Japan's U.S.-Bound Exports Fall for 4th Straight Month
-
08/20 12:26 Famed Japanese Rocket Engineer Tomifumi Godai Dies at 92
-
08/20 11:17 Japan-U.S. Tariff Document to Be Released "Weeks Away": Lutnick
-
08/20 11:15 Japan to Provide 550 M. Dollars to "Gavi" Vaccine Alliance
-
08/20 10:30 80 Years On: Japan's Media Deployed as Propoganda Tool
-
08/20 08:30 Japanese Manufacturers Relocating Headquarters
-
08/20 08:26 Rakuten Mobile Gets Administrative Guidance over Illegal Access
-
08/19 23:49 Defense Ministry Seen Seeking Record 8.8-T.-Yen Budget
-
08/19 21:59 Putin Issues Statement on WWII Soviet Attack on Japan
-
08/19 21:56 Japanese Suspected of Ordering Killings of 2 Nationals in Manila
-
08/19 21:22 (Update) Japan to Participate in Security Guarantees for Ukraine
-
08/19 20:57 Tohoku Electric to Halt Onagawa N-Plant Reactor
-
08/19 20:47 LDP Begins Talks on Possible Early Leadership Poll
-
08/19 20:11 Pachinko Parlor Worker Arrested in Robbery Case
-
08/19 19:30 Junglia Opens with Hope of Revitalizing Northern Okinawa
-
08/19 18:11 Japan to Extend Deadline for Stockpiled Rice Sales
-
08/19 18:01 3-Year Prison Term Sought for Ex-Kadokawa Chairman over Bribery
-
08/19 17:10 Japan Steel Industry Urges Govt to Close Anti-Dumping Loopholes
-
08/19 15:32 Japan to Participate in Security Guarantees for Ukraine
-
08/19 15:23 JR Train Demand Strong during Bon Holiday
-
08/19 12:51 Kyoto Univ. Group Successfully Creates Jawbone from iPS Cells
-
08/19 12:30 80 Years On: State Policy Victimized Manchuria Pioneers
-
08/19 12:03 "Kokuho" Makes over 10 B. Yen in Box Office Revenue
-
08/19 10:42 Japanese Retail Prices of Rice Climb in Early Aug.
-
08/19 10:30 80 Years On: Hibakusha Gives Account in English, Urging Dialogue for Peace