Japan's yakuza-linked justice minister quits
Japan's justice minister, who has admitted past links with organised crime, resigned Tuesday just three weeks into the job, citing "health problems".
Japan's radiation monitoring unreliable: Greenpeace
Government radiation monitoring in areas near Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is unreliable, Greenpeace charged on Tuesday, with heavily populated areas exposed to 13 times the legal limit.
Tokyo shows China film despite producer protest
Organisers of the Tokyo International Film Festival said Tuesday they had gone ahead with the screening of a Chinese-made film, despite requests by producers to shelve it because of a territorial row.
China flexes muscles with drills amid island row
China was set to dispatch naval vessels and aircraft to the East China Sea on Friday, flexing its muscles in exercises likely to further stoke a bristling territorial dispute with Japan.
South Korea angered by Japan war shrine visit
South Korea reacted angrily Thursday to a visit by Japanese opposition leader Shinzo Abe to a Tokyo war shrine, saying Japan should "have the courage" to face up to its brutal wartime aggression.
Fukushima panel chief hopes for change in Japan
The head of a hard-hitting panel that blamed cultural factors for the Fukushima nuclear disaster voiced hope Tuesday that the tragedy would help open up Japan's system of government.
World economy needs action from China, EU: Geithner
US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Saturday the global economy was on the mend, but more needed to be done to stoke domestic demand in China and fix Europe's fiscal woes.
Japan's Noda pressured by minister's yakuza link
Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is facing mounting pressure following his justice minister's admission to past links with a yakuza gang, just 10 days after he was appointed.
Fiscal policy should be 'growth friendly': IMF body
The world economy needs to balance austerity with growth if it is to recover fully from the global financial crisis, a key IMF committee said in Tokyo on Saturday.
'Wartime' debt threat to global economy: Lagarde
Public debt in developed countries standing at "wartime levels" is the biggest threat to the global economy, IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned in Tokyo on Friday.
IMF: US 'fiscal cliff' would set back world economy
The International Monetary Fund warned US leaders that hitting the looming "fiscal cliff" would not only crush the American economy but spin havoc through the rest of the world.
IMF meet in Tokyo to address anxiety about growth
Finding ways to boost the slowing global economy and helping poor nations fend off financial shocks will be on the agenda at meetings this week of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank in Tokyo.
Japan hosts IMF meet 50 years after economic miracle
The last time Japan hosted an International Monetary Fund summit nearly 50 years ago, the nation was a leader in innovation and economic growth that made it the envy of the world.
World leaders meet on disaster management in Japan
Politicians and aid officials gathered on Tuesday in the northeast of Japan, devastated by last year's quake and tsunami, to discuss what lessons can be learned from disasters.
IMF cuts global forecast, says risks rising
The IMF slashed its global growth forecast and warned things could get much worse if the eurozone crisis is not quelled and Washington fails to reverse the looming "fiscal cliff" austerity plan.
Japan auto giants to halve Chinese output: report
Japan's top three carmakers will halve production in China following a sales slump there sparked by a backlash over a territorial row between Tokyo and Beijing.
Japan mini-satellite to flash code from space
A palm-sized Japanese satellite in orbit around Earth will flash a Morse code message that will be visible around the world from next month.
Japan insurers stop China riot coverage: report
Big Japanese insurers have stopped covering firms against riots in China, a report said Friday, a move seen likely to hit investment there as the countries remain stuck in a festering territorial row.
Australia hits out at Japan at whale research launch
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke Thursday hit out at Japan's "alleged" scientific whaling as researchers hailed the testing of new acoustic tracking technology for the endangered blue whale.
World's 2nd largest steel firm born in Japan
Japan's Nippon Steel and rival Sumitomo Metal Industries formally merged on Monday, creating the world's second largest steelmaker amid intensifying global competition.