Emoticons (顔文字 (かおもじ, "Kaomoji" or "Emoji" are facial expressions pictorially represented by punctuation and letters to express the mood the writer is currently in. The term "emoticon" blends the words emotion and icon. Emoticons are frequently used in text messages on cellphones, in emails and on the internet fora, where they are often rendered as smiley graphics (like on the Japan Forum). In the Japanese language, they are referred to as emoji...
Emoji - Japanese emoticons
Emoji - Japanese emoticons