Japan PM Abe calls for talks with China's Xi at APEC
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday called for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a regional meeting in Beijing in November, the latest call from Tokyo for a face-to-face meeting amid testy diplomatic relations.
Softbank in deal to merge Sprint, T-Mobile: report
Japan's SoftBank and Deutsche Telekom of Germany have reached a basic agreement for a merger between their US affiliates Sprint and T-Mobile US, the business daily Nikkei reported.
Downgraded typhoon heading toward Fukushima plant
Tropical storm Neoguri churned toward the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant on Japan's east coast after leaving several people dead and causing havoc in other parts of the country.
News flush: Japanese toilet exhibition making a splash
In a country known for its high-tech 'smart loos', a Japanese exhibition dedicated to what gets flushed down them and featuring a giant toilet slide is making a splash in Tokyo.
Australian PM ribbed over 'cringe-worthy' Abe photo
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was taken to task on social media Thursday for tweeting a "cringe-worthy" photo of himself with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe posing by a giant tyre.
Japan shipping giant plans first regular Arctic route
Japan's Mitsui O.S.K. Lines announced plans for the world's first regular commercial shipping route through the Arctic Ocean, starting in 2018, in an attempt to reduce sailing times.
Typhoon Neoguri bears down on Japanese mainland
Typhoon Neoguri bore down on the Japanese mainland after slamming into the southern Okinawa island chain, killing two people and leaving a trail of damage.
Japan's Abe declares peace goals in historic Australia visit
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Tuesday declared his determination to pursue peace in Asia, as he strengthened defence ties with Australia and signed an ambitious free-trade agreement.
Japan on highest typhoon alert, 480,000 urged to take shelter
Japan braced Tuesday for one of its worst storms in years as typhoon Neoguri barrelled towards the southern Okinawa island chain, with the national weather agency issuing its highest alert and nearly half-a-million people urged to take shelter.
Skeletons found in El Salvador shed light on pre-Hispanic life
Japanese and Salvadoran archaeologists said they have found three human skeletons in El Salvador from more than 1,600 years ago that could shed new light on early human settlements in the region.
A dying business: family graves in Japan
Every once in a while, Kumiko Kano meets a group of people with whom she has decided to spend eternity, one of a growing number in Japan who are shunning the expense and commitment of a traditional family grave.
Japan to lift some sanctions on North Korea: PM Abe
Japan will revoke some of its unilateral sanctions on North Korea, the prime minister announced Thursday, after talks on the Cold War kidnapping of Japanese nationals.
US-based scientist makes potent version of H1N1 flu
A US-based Japanese scientist said he has succeeded in engineering a version of the so-called swine flu virus that would be able to evade the human immune system.
Toshiba nearing deal on Bulgarian nuclear reactor deal
Toshiba's US unit is nearing a deal estimated at almost $5 billion to build a nuclear reactor in Bulgaria, a report said Thursday, as Japanese firms eye atomic contracts overseas after the Fukushima crisis erased demand at home.
China workers strike over Japanese boss' war denial
Around 1,000 Chinese workers went on strike after their Japanese boss denied Tokyo had invaded China and said its 1930s actions were to "help" the country escape colonial rule, state-run media reported.
'Backpackers found living in squalor' after Sydney fire
At least 15 people, reportedly backpackers from Japan and South Korea "living in squalor" in minibuses, a shipping container and a caravan, had to be rescued from a raging Sydney fire.
Historic shift as Japan expands scope of military
Japan loosened the bonds on its powerful military, proclaiming the right to go into battle in defence of allies, in a highly controversial shift in the nation's pacifist stance.
Japan tax hike boosts inflation, hurts spending in May
Inflation hit a three-decade high and unemployment dipped further in Japan, data showed Friday, as the government's bid to jumpstart the economy takes hold, even as analysts warned it was too early for celebrations.
Japan hangs killer in first execution this year
Japan hanged a man on Thursday, the nation's first execution this year, and the ninth since the conservative government of Shinzo Abe came to power in December 2012.
Jail sought for Indonesian skipper in Japanese diver deaths
Indonesian prosecutors Tuesday sought a jail term of three years and six months for a boat skipper who lost track of seven Japanese women during a diving trip that left two of them dead.