Japan

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have embarked on an 8-day state visit to Britain. The Emperor and Empress departed on a government plane from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Saturday. Crown Prince and Princess Akishino were among those seeing the Imperial couple off. The visit was initially…

The US State Department said Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink, will make a two-day visit to Hanoi from Friday. This comes a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin made a state visit to Vietnam. The announcement says Kritenbrink is set to meet with senior Vietnamese…

Weather authorities are calling on people in the southern part of Kyushu, southwestern Japan, to be on high alert for landslides and flooding, as torrential rains are pounding the region. The Meteorological Agency says warm moist air is moving toward a seasonal rain front stretching near Kyushu, making…

Displaced Palestinians in the southern part of the Gaza Strip have reportedly been killed in airstrikes. The casualties have further pushed up the death toll in the enclave. Israeli troops continued their offensive in Gaza on Wednesday. Palestinian health authorities say 24 people died and 71 others were injured…

Toyota Motor President and CEO Sato Koji apologized to customers and shareholders over the company's failure to follow vehicle testing procedures. Sato pledged to prevent a recurrence at a meeting of shareholders on Tuesday. Toyota earlier this month admitted it falsified data to obtain government test…

Russia's presidential office says Vladimir Putin will visit North Korea from Tuesday to Wednesday to meet with the country's leader, Kim Jong Un. North Korea's state-run TV has also reported Putin will come to the country at the invitation of Kim. Putin's visit to the country is his first in 24…

People from various age groups have taken part in a unique competition to overturn a low table while they shout out their wish or frustration. The event took place in a northern prefecture of Iwate in Japan on Saturday. Young members of a commerce group in the Town of Yahaba in the prefecture has…

Japanese and US officials have held talks on the US military's extended deterrence capabilities to safeguard Japan, including nuclear and conventional weapons. They confirmed efforts to enhance capabilities to deal with challenges to the regional security environment. A working-level Extended Deterrence Dialogue…

Japan's Diet has passed a bill aimed at replacing the technical intern system for foreign nationals with a new training program. The bill to revise the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act and relevant legislation was approved at the Upper House plenary session on Friday, with a majority in favor. The…

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has arrived in Italy to attend a Group of Seven summit. Kishida arrived in the southern region of Puglia on Wednesday night. The summit begins Thursday. The G7 leaders are expected to discuss regional issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East and the…