Japan, EU Officials Condemn N. Korea’s Latest ICBM Launch

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Josep Borrell, the European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, met in Tokyo on Friday and condemned North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile the previous day.

Nakatani criticized the ICBM…[Read more]

Japan, EU announce new defense pact

Japan and the European Union announced a sweeping new security and defense partnership in Tokyo on Friday. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hailed it as a historic and “very timely” step.

Borrell and his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, unveiled the pact to develop cooperation on joint military…[Read more]

Sekiguchi Eyed as Next Head of Japan’s Upper House

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is planning to push Masakazu Sekiguchi as the next president of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, several party sources said Friday.

Sekiguchi, 71, who currently leads LDP members in the Upper House, would succeed current Upper House…[Read more]

Japanese man convicted of creating malware using generative AI

A Japanese court has convicted a man for creating malware using generative conversational artificial intelligence.

The Tokyo District Court sentenced Ryuki Hayashi, 25, to three years imprisonment, suspended for four years, for producing code that could be used as ransomware in…[Read more]

Fujikyu Railway weighs legal action over foreign tourist dance video

Fujikyu Railway is considering taking legal action over a dance video posted on social media that features people who appear to be foreign tourists performing in the middle of a train.
“We will not tolerate any dangerous or disruptive behavior in our vehicles, or any behavior t…[Read more]

Japan’s parliamentary election: Why it matters

Japanese voters go to the polls after new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called a snap election. The outcome could strengthen him, or further weaken the governing LDP.

Voters in Japan head to the polls on Sunday to elect members of their House of Representatives in an election seen as a test for t…[Read more]

Japan’s ruling party loses its majority in blow to new PM

The coalition led by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost its majority in parliament, its worst result for over a decade.

Opposition parties secured more than half the seats in the lower house, provisional election results showed.

With 22 seats left to declare, the L…[Read more]

A Japanese boy was killed in China. Was cyber-nationalism to blame?

On a Tuesday morning in September, a 10-year-old boy was approaching the gates of a Japanese school in Shenzhen in southern China, when a stranger walked up and stabbed him.

He died of his injuries. The killing shocked Japan and China, and sparked a diplomatic furore.

The…[Read more]

Japan aid agency official punished for Philippines project info leak

An official of the Japan International Cooperation Agency leaked information regarding a bid for a railway rehabilitation project in the Philippines financed by low-interest yen loans, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

JICA imposed a one-month suspension on the official in…[Read more]

Only own-goals as Japan and Australia draw 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying

Two own-goals saw the points shared Tuesday as Japan and Australia drew 1-1 in Asian World Cup qualifying.

Shogo Taniguchi accidentally put Australia ahead just before the hour at Saitama Stadium, but Australia’s Cameron Burgess returned the favor soon after to leave…[Read more]

Election to test Ishiba’s ability to build a strong political base

The Oct. 27 general election — the first nationwide vote since a slush funds scandal was uncovered within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party — comes as an early test of the leadership of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is already grappling with a fragile party support base and…[Read more]

Ishiba omits divisive proposals in first policy speech as PM

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gave his first policy speech to parliament on Friday, omitting some of the most divisive proposals he made during last month’s Liberal Democratic Party presidential campaign and instead prioritizing quickly actionable measures.
While he did not touch on p…[Read more]

The man behind Japan’s $170bn bid to prop up the yen

For several years, Masato Kanda hardly slept.

“Three hours a night is an exaggeration,” he laughs as he speaks to the BBC from Tokyo.

“I slept for three hours consecutively before being woken up but I then went back to bed, so if you add them up, I got a bit more.”

So why was this 59…[Read more]

Japan PM warns ‘today’s Ukraine could be tomorrow’s East Asia’

TOKYO: Japan´s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba warned in his first policy speech on Friday that “today´s Ukraine could be tomorrow´s East Asia”, saying that the world is becoming ever more divided.

The 67-year-old former defence minister, who took office this week, also dubbed th…[Read more]

Runway closed at Japan airport after WWII bomb explodes on taxiway

An unexploded World War II-era bomb exploded on a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan on Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of its runway, although no injuries were reported, authorities said.

Video footage from the Civil Aviation College, which uses the airport…[Read more]

Fifth time’s a charm as former defense minister finally wins Japan ruling party leadership contest and will become country’s next leader

Former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan’s new prime minister after winning his party’s leadership contest on Friday, following a crowded race that ended in a runoff vote.

The 67-year…[Read more]

Shigeru Ishiba to become Japan’s next PM

Shigeru Ishiba, a veteran politician with a reputation for irking his conservative colleagues, is set to become Japan’s next prime minister after winning the leadership race for the Liberal Democratic Party Friday.

Ishiba, a 67-year-old former defense minister, defeated socially conservative foreign pol…[Read more]

Who’s in the running to be Japan’s next prime minister?

Japan’s governing party is choosing a new leader in a race analysts say is more unpredictable than usual.

Japan’s governing party will choose a new leader on Friday to replace Fumio Kishida who announced his resignation in August.

The winner of the contest for leadership of the Liberal…[Read more]

Japan’s Ex-Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba Set To Become PM Next Week

The 67-year-old train lover beat arch-nationalist Sanae Takaichi — who would have been the country’s first-ever woman leader — 215 votes to 194 in a run-off.

Former defence minister Shigeru Ishiba will become Japan’s prime minister next week after winning the conservative…[Read more]

Shinkansen makes emergency stop when cars uncouple en route to Tokyo

A shinkansen made an emergency stop between northeastern Japan and Tokyo on Thursday after its two linked trains uncoupled, railway operator JR East said, but no injuries were reported among the some 320 people aboard.

The incident involving the Komachi and Hayabusa high-speed…[Read more]