North Korea claims to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb capable of being loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile, presenting the U.S. and its allies with a new and more potent challenge.

A test of self-driving bus services organized by the transport ministry kicked off at a roadside rest area in Tochigi Prefecture on Saturday. The ministry hopes to launch the autonomous bus services in fiscal 2020 to provide a means of transportation for elderly people living ...

The approval rating for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Cabinet is essentially holding level at 44.5 percent while again being surpassed by the disapproval rating, a new poll shows.

Since its messaging app debuted in June 2011, Line Corp. has shaken up the online communications landscape in Japan and morphed into a player in smartphone communications infrastructure. But the smartphone won't last forever in the fast-changing information technology industry. So Line is planting the ...

Princess Mako, the eldest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, will marry a former classmate at her university, the Imperial Household Agency announced in a much-anticipated news conference Sunday. The princess and her fiance, Kei Komuro, both 25, described their relationship in a very ...

The government begins a two-day disaster drill based on a hypothetical nuclear accident at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Genkai power station in Saga Prefecture.

People who were close to Princess Mako during her school days describe the 25-year-old bride-to-be as a lively, dependable woman. "I was very delighted to hear the happy news," a 25-year-old former classmate of Princess Mako at Gakushuin Girls' Senior High School in Tokyo said. ...

Democratic Party President Seiji Maehara plans to appoint Lower House lawmaker Shiori Yamao, the party's former policy chief, as secretary-general of the main opposition party, it was learned Sunday. The 43-year-old's ascent to the party's No. 2 position reflects the new president's resolve to make ...

The boom in cryptocurrencies and their underlying technology is becoming too big for central banks, long the guardian of official money, to ignore. Until recently, officials at major central banks were happy to watch as pioneers in the field progressed by trial and error, safe ...

Japan's labor market is getting so tight that companies are starting to convert contract and part-time workers into full-time, regular employees to prevent them from leaving — a move that could lift wages and spending but squeeze profits. The trend is a reversal from the ...

Islamabad's proxy jihadis cannot be defeated with half measures. And yet, we have coddled Pakistan as an important ally.

Meet Lulu Hashimoto, Japan's first "living doll" fashion model. Lulu — a full-body doll suit consisting of a wig, a mask and stockings patterned with doll-like joints — was born from one woman's desire to become cute. "I have always really liked dolls and for me, ...

Always in the fast lane? Here are some neat ideas for those who don't like to fuss around.

The fire that killed at least 80 people in London's Grenfell Tower in June, as well as similar apartment building blazes that recently occured in Dubai and Hawaii, has brought the world's attention to the issue of safety in high-rise residences. Grenfell Tower was relatively ...

One possible explanation for the inexplicable change in contract law: It is a giant experiment driven by academic hubris and bureaucratic ambition.

Government data shows air conditioning is becoming standard in most Japanese public schools, but a handful of cities and prefectures are resisting the trend for questionable reasons.

The dog formerly known as Parasol, a Japanese Chin mix, was first featured here in August of last year, when she was searching for a home. She has now found one with the Matsumotos of Tokyo.

Holders Urawa Reds were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the J. League Cup after losing to Cerezo Osaka on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw Sunday. Matej Jonjic opened the scoring early for Cerezo in the second leg at Saitama Stadium, nodding in ...

Alfredo Despaigne broke a scoreless tie with a game-ending RBI single in the bottom of the ninth as the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks defeated Tohoku Rakuten 1-0 on Sunday, the Eagles losing 10 straight for the first time in 12 years. Before 38,585 at Yafuoku Dome, ...

Shun Kubo failed in his first defense of the WBA super bantamweight title on Sunday, losing to American Daniel Roman in a ninth-round technical knockout. Kubo struggled with Roman's power at Shimadzu Arena Kyoto, where the southpaw was knocked down in the seventh and eighth ...

Hideki Matsuyama managed to avoid missing the cut for the second straight week after a second-round par 71 at the Dell Technologies Championship on Saturday. Matsuyama slid down five places on the leaderboard to 47th at the TPC Boston, but it was good enough to ...

A pair of runner-up finishes isn't a bad accomplishment for most teams. But the Kawasaki Brave Thunders don’t see it that way. The team notched a league-best 49-11 record during the B. League’s inaugural campaign last year. But it failed to capture any titles as it ...

Retiring Ai Miyazato shot a par 72 to fall nine strokes off the lead after the third round of the Portland Classic on Saturday, while compatriot Nasa Hataoka's 70 left her a share of eighth place. Former world No. 1 Miyazato, who went into the ...

Aaron Wolf won the men's 100-kg division at judo's world championships on Saturday, while compatriot Sara Asahina settled for silver in the women's over-78-kg class. As two Japanese judoka were eliminated in the second and third rounds of the men's over-100-kg category, the country ended ...

Leicester City striker Shinji Okazaki on Saturday warned Japan not to take its foot off the pedal when it faces Saudi Arabia away in its final qualifier for the 2018 World Cup finals. With Vahid Halilhodzic's men having already secured qualification for Russia after their ...