Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 80
Thousands 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.
Kazakhstan hockey team skates into semi finals of Universiade
The Kazakhstan hockey team has qualified for the semi finals of the Universiade in Tretino, Italy.
Filipina crowned Miss International in Japan
A 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.
Santa takes gourmet dinner to Japan nuclear evacuees
When 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.
Japan to pledge $20 bn aid to ASEAN: reports
Japan 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.
North Korea may be set for 'Cultural Revolution': Japan
The 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.
Japan Buddhists launch Monks Without Borders
First it was the doctors, then came the reporters, now a group of religious men in Japan have formed Monks Without Borders.
US House votes to get tough on child abduction
The 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.
China seen as 'confident', 'belligerent': state media
People 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.
US envoy Kennedy visits Nagasaki atomic bomb site
Washington'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.
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.
US looks to manage, not end, China air rift
The 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.
Japanese parliament passes controversial secrets law
Japan'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.
N.Korea deports detained US citizen Merrill Newman
North 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.
Science-driven economy is impossible without an effective education system: Nazarbayev
Kazakhstan is going to focus on hard sciences to further enhance the country's growing economy.
Biden says US 'pivot' to Asia cannot be derailed
US Vice President Joe Biden said Friday there should be no doubt about US commitment to its strategic shift to Asia as he started the final leg of a regional tour dominated by security concerns.
Japan, SE Asia in talks to expand currency swap
Japan and Southeast Asian countries are in talks over expanding currency swap arrangements to help cushion their economies in financial emergencies, an official said Thursday, ahead of a Japan-ASEAN summit next week.
Tokyo to launch $53.8 bn stimulus package
Tokyo will announce a spending package worth almost $54 billion on Thursday, media reports said, in a bid to offset a tax hike that comes into effect next year and which critics fear will derail Japan's economic recovery.
Japan Tobacco and Philip Morris buy 40% of Russian distributor
Japan Tobacco (JT) and Philip Morris will each buy a 20 percent stake in Russian distributor Megapolis for a total of more than $1.5 billion, as the rivals move to tap the world's second-biggest cigarette market.
Haruki Murakami novel Japan's 2013 best-seller
The new novel by literary superstar Haruki Murakami was Japan's biggest-selling book of 2013, the nation's largest distributer said.