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.
Taiwan Japan museum row solved
A row between Tokyo and Taipei over the loan of a host of treasured artefacts to Japan has been solved, Taiwanese officials said, with the exhibition set to open on schedule.
Honda recalls 2 mn vehicles worldwide for airbag defect
Japan's Honda Motor recalled more than two million vehicles worldwide over an airbag defect that could pose a fire risk.
Japan's clubland weathers dancing ban
Famous for its neon lights and wild nightlife, Tokyo's status as one of the world's clubbing capitals looks set to survive a potentially ruinous police crackdown on -- of all things -- dancing.
No charges for Japanese in Anne Frank diary vandalism case
A 36-year-old Japanese man arrested for vandalising library copies of Anne Frank's "The Diary of a Young Girl" will not be charged after he was found to be mentally incompetent, a report said.
Japan robot firm showcases thought-controlled suits
A Japanese robot-maker on Wednesday showed off suits that the wearer can control just by thinking, as it said it was linking up with an industrial city promoting innovation.
Japan wife 'beat husband to death' over 40-year-old fling
A 79-year-old Japanese housewife who allegedly clubbed her husband to death in a row over an affair he had four decades ago has been arrested, police and press reports said.
Japan bans child porn possession
Japan on Wednesday finally fell into line with other developed countries and made the possession of child pornography illegal.
Japan minister apologises for Fukushima money gaffe
A Japanese cabinet minister apologised after appearing to suggest people in nuclear disaster-hit Fukushima could be persuaded to put up with contaminated waste if the government threw cash at them.
Japan kills 30 whales in first post-ICJ hunt
Japan has slaughtered 30 minke whales off its northeast coast, in the first hunt since the UN's top court ordered Tokyo to stop killing the animals in the Antarctic, the government said.
Mother, three children jump to death: Japan police
Police in Japan are probing a possible family suicide after a mother and her three small children plunged to their deaths from an apartment complex, they said.
Man, 85, arrested for stalking woman, 80, in Japan
Police have arrested an 85-year-old man in western Japan for allegedly stalking an 80-year-old woman he reportedly met when she shared a hospital room with his now-dead wife, they said Monday.
10 countries granted visa free entrance to Kazakhstan for one year
Kazakhstan opens visa-free entry for ten countries starting July 15, 2014 to July 15, 2015.
Pacific nations look to increase tuna fishing fees
Pacific island nations announced plans to dramatically increase the fees they charge tuna fishing boats for the right to enter their waters, saying it will boost revenue and help conservation efforts.
Japan summons China envoy over 'dangerous' flights
Japan on Thursday summoned the Chinese ambassador to complain about fighter jets flying "dangerously" close to two of its military planes over the East China Sea, officials said.
Japan prosecutors arrest ex-Novartis employee over data
Prosecutors on Wednesday arrested a former employee of the Japanese unit of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis for allegedly manipulating research data to exaggerate the benefits of a popular blood-pressure drug.
Japan's Q1 growth fastest in more than two years
Japan's economic growth in the first three months of 2014 hit its fastest pace in more than two years, data showed Monday, while analysts said a pick-up in consumer confidence indicated sentiment was improving despite the impact of a sales tax hike.