Harry Potter wizard invoked again as Japan hits back at ChinaThe diplomatic bickering between Japan and China has descended into name-calling in the British press, with claim and counter-claim by the countries' ambassadors invoking the fictional evil wizard of the Harry Potter series, Lord Voldemort.
06 January 2014
Tokyo fire stops bullet trains, strands holidaymakersA fire near a central Tokyo station threw parts of Japan's bullet train system into chaos on Friday, as tens of thousands of passengers tried to return home from New Year holidays.
03 January 2014
Japan PM Abe visits Yasukuni war shrineJapan's nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid tribute at Tokyo's controversial Yasukuni war shrine on Thursday, in a move Beijing condemned as "absolutely unacceptable".
26 December 2013
Japan's 'Tree Town' sculptors make living artWith a deft clip here and a gentle tug there, Makoto Ishibashi sculpts trees with the skill of an artisan whose work is far more than just a job.
26 December 2013
Fukushima operator readies new restructuring planTokyo Electric Power said it would submit a fresh restructuring plan to a Japanese government-backed fund Wednesday, which could see the creation of a special unit to dismantle the crippled Fukushima plant.
25 December 2013
Japan OKs record budget, sees deflation threat recedeJapan approved its biggest ever budget Tuesday, as an improving economy and a sales tax hike made room for more defence spending and the first step towards achieving a balanced budget.
25 December 2013
Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 80Thousands of people thronged Japan's Imperial Palace Monday to celebrate Emperor Akihito's 80th birthday, as he lauded his wife for standing by him in his "lonely" pursuit of leading the world's oldest monarchy.
Filipina crowned Miss International in JapanA Philippine beauty queen has been crowned Miss International in a pageant marred by allegations of intimidation that kept her predecessor away -- pledging to use her title to help victims of the country's devastating typhoon.
18 December 2013
Santa takes gourmet dinner to Japan nuclear evacueesWhen Santa arrived at a school hosting children who fled Japan's nuclear disaster, he brought the usual presents, but he also bore something a little less ordinary -- a gourmet Christmas dinner.
18 December 2013
Japan to pledge $20 bn aid to ASEAN: reportsJapan will pledge $20 billion in aid to Southeast Asian countries at a 11-nation summit this weekend as it looks to shore-up ties in a region increasingly dominated by China, reports said Friday.
13 December 2013
North Korea may be set for 'Cultural Revolution': JapanThe recent purge of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's once-powerful uncle could herald a period of radical upheaval comparable to China's Cultural Revolution, Japanese defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Thursday.
US House votes to get tough on child abductionThe US House of Representatives voted Wednesday to punish countries that do not promptly return abducted children, upping pressure in an issue that has soured relations with Japan and other allies.
12 December 2013
China seen as 'confident', 'belligerent': state mediaPeople around the world see China as "confident", "belligerent" and "arrogant", state-run media reported Tuesday in an unusually direct survey of attitudes towards the country.
10 December 2013
US envoy Kennedy visits Nagasaki atomic bomb siteWashington's new ambassador to Tokyo, Caroline Kennedy, visited Nagasaki on Tuesday and paid tribute at a memorial to those killed when the United States dropped its second atomic bomb on Japan.
10 December 2013
Pacific tuna cutbacks 'fall short of expectations'Cutbacks to tuna fishing agreed at a crucial Pacific regional fisheries conference to prevent over-fishing have fallen short of expectations, the head of the fisheries management body said Saturday.
08 December 2013
US looks to manage, not end, China air riftThe United States has strenuously objected to China's new air zone over islands managed by Japan, but experts say its best hope is to contain rather than end tensions.
07 December 2013
Japanese parliament passes controversial secrets lawJapan's parliament on Friday adopted a law on protecting state secrets despite a public outcry, with strong opposition from the media and academics who fear it will infringe on the right to information and free expression.
07 December 2013
N.Korea deports detained US citizen Merrill NewmanNorth Korea said Saturday it has deported an American veteran of the Korean War who had been detained there since October for what Pyongyang described as "hostile acts" against the communist country.