Japan News

Japan to fund infrastructure in Afghanistan: report

AFP - Saturday, October 31

TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan will fund a programme costing up to five billion dollars to help build roads and boost agriculture in conflict-torn Afghanistan, a newspaper reported on Saturday. More »

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Dalai Lama says China overpoliticizing his travels
AP - Saturday, October 31
TOKYO - The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, said Saturday that China was overpoliticizing his travels and claimed his decisions on where to go were spiritual in nature, not political.
Sony stays in the red, trims annual loss forecast
AP - Saturday, October 31
TOKYO - Sony reported a smaller-than-expected 26.3 billion yen ($289 million) quarterly loss as cost cuts combined with healthy sales of PlayStation 3 game consoles and Michael Jackson hits helped it inch toward recovery.
New portable Nintendo DS console meant for groups
AP - Saturday, October 31
TOKYO - The newest version of Nintendo's popular handhold game console, with its large screen that's easier on the eyes and bigger stylus similar to an ordinary pen, has led some to assume it is intended to lure older gamers.
Strong quake hits off southern Japanese coast
AP - Friday, October 30
TOKYO - A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit off Japan's southern coast Friday, according to Japan's Meteorological Agency.
Japan eyes new law to allow NKorea cargo inspections
AFP - Friday, October 30
TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan's government submitted a bill Friday to allow its coastguard and customs officers to inspect North Korean shipments suspected of including nuclear and missile-related materials.
Nintendo profit dives, others in red amid slump
AP - Friday, October 30
TOKYO - Brandname Japanese technology companies, including Nintendo, reported dismal earnings Thursday with Sharp emerging an exception in doubling profits on brisk sales of flat-panel TVs in China, Japan and the U.S.
Nintendo's profit dives as global Wii demand dips
AP - Friday, October 30
TOKYO - Nintendo's first-half profit plunged by more than half as sales of its hit Wii home console fizzled in a saturated market, forcing the maker of Super Mario and Pokemon games to slash its forecast for the full year.
Japan shoots down missile in test off Hawaii: US
AFP - Thursday, October 29
WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Japanese naval forces successfully shot down a medium-range missile off Hawaii in a test of Tokyo's missile defense weaponry, the US military said on Wednesday.
$Japan's new govt may 'fracture' US alliance: opposition$

Japan's new govt may 'fracture' US alliance: opposition
AFP - Thursday, October 29
TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan's conservative opposition leader warned on Wednesday that a six-week-old centre left government had harmed the traditional US alliance over a lingering dispute centred on a US military base.
Former sex slaves urge Japan PM to resolve issue
AP - Thursday, October 29
TOKYO - Japan's new prime minister should keep his word and give official apology and compensation to women across Asia who were forced into sex slavery during World War II, a South Korean victim said Wednesday, representing dozens of others.
McDonald's worker dies of 'overwork': officials
AFP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO (AFP) - - A store manager with hamburger chain McDonald's in Japan who died of a brain haemorrhage was a victim of "karoshi" or death by overwork, a regional labour office said Wednesday.
Japan probes collision between navy, SKorean ships
AFP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan on Wednesday launched an on-site investigation into a collision between a naval destroyer and a South Korean container vessel the previous evening, officials said.
Japanese hope Obama will visit A-bomb cities soon
AP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO - A speech and a Nobel prize have raised hopes in Japan that Barack Obama will become the first sitting American president to visit Hiroshima or Nagasaki, the two cities devastated by U.S. atomic bombs in World War II.
Japan warship collides with commercial vessel
AP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO - A Japanese navy destroyer has collided with a commercial vessel off southern Japan, starting fires on both ships and injuring three crew members, defense officials said Tuesday.
Japanese, S.Korean ships 'collide in Japan'
AFP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO (AFP) - - A Japanese naval escort ship and a South Korean container ship collided late Tuesday between two islands in southern Japan, the Defence Ministry said.
Japan eyes naval refueling for anti-piracy mission
AP - Wednesday, October 28
TOKYO - Japan is considering sending warships to help refuel vessels combating piracy off Somalia after its current refueling mission in support of the U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan ends early next year, officials said Tuesday.
Japan mulls anti-piracy naval plan: minister
AFP - Tuesday, October 27
TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan may send a naval refuelling mission now backing the NATO-led Afghan campaign to support anti-piracy efforts off Somalia next year, the defence minister said Tuesday.
Japanese pop star Sakai pleads guilty to drug charges
AFP - Tuesday, October 27
TOKYO (AFP) - - Japanese pop star Noriko Sakai pleaded guilty Monday to illegal drugs charges and prosecutors demanded 18 months' jail in a trial that has sparked intense public interest and frenzied media coverage.
Typhoon Lupit nears southern Japan
AFP - Monday, October 26
TOKYO (AFP) - - Typhoon Lupit approached Japan's southern islands Monday and was forecast to churn along the country's east coast, brushing Tokyo the next day, the weather agency said.