Ahead of Tokyo Rainbow Pride week later this month, we hear from from people in the LGBTQ community about recent moves to raise awareness of sexual minorities in Japan.

In Japan's ancient Shinto religion, purity comes before morality. Indeed, purity is morality. Women are impure. They menstruate and bear children. The exclusion of women from certain religious and ceremonial functions went unquestioned for millennia. It no longer does — but it is not ...

Although not directly related, the allegation that former Administrative Vice Minister Junichi Fukuda was a sexual harasser was initially reported as a sideshow to the ongoing Moritomo Gakuen influence scandal that is dogging both Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Finance Ministry. Fukuda was ...

Over the past six months, media organizations at home and abroad have published articles that have examined whether or not Japan has embraced the Me Too movement. The social media campaign, which encouraged victims of sexual assault and harassment to speak up about their experiences, ...

North Korea’s suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests draws wary praise and skepticism from experts less than a week before a pivotal inter-Korean summit.

The Defense Ministry in Tokyo confirmed Saturday that for the first time China has conducted a drill in the Pacific with its sole operating aircraft carrier. The ministry said it had detected several apparent fighter jets being launched from the Liaoning, which was sailing eastward ...

European Union and Italian authorities are investigating suspected wide-scale tax fraud by Chinese criminal gangs importing goods via Greece's largest port of Piraeus, a trade gateway between China and Europe, officials said. "The VAT is completely evaded, with enormous damage to the national tax authorities ...

The U.S. State Department expressed concern Friday about sexual harassment in Japan, saying it remained "widespread" in the workplace. The view was expressed in an annual report on human rights around the world issued two days after a top Finance Ministry official decided to quit ...

The Group of 20 finance chiefs and central bankers conclude their annual meetings in Washington united against trade wars but baffled on how to prevent them.

A ban on gay content has set off a furious backlash.

Naoyuki Kawahara quit his job as a medical attache for the Embassy of Japan in Sudan to set up a non-profit organization, Rociantes, and provide much-needed medical care in Sudan.

At 1,000 restaurants in, what keeps this insatiable food writer hungry?

Despite the unassuming setting, chef Hideyo Dezaki delivers seasonal, creative fare at Liaison.

Critters Burger may be turning 10 but their burgers are as on-point as ever.

Japanese coffee shops are more international than ever, yet manage to preserve a unique sense of kodawari, an uncompromising dedication to the craft.

Baskin Robbins' ongoing tie-up with confectionery maker Fujiya has produced a bumper crop of tasty sweets available at convenience stores across the country. But so far, none of them have been particularly daring. The candies tend to highlight a pretty basic palette of flavors ...

Kimono artist Masanobu Ota on traditional Japanese customs, his design process and sneakers.

Landing in the Japanese capital in 1975 was a bit of a shock. "The crowds, the noise, the visual excess" — everything seemed over-the-top.

The "Sarashina Nikki" is a classic of Japanese literature. The life of the narrator, one spent largely turned away from the world, is revealed in translation through prose that transcends cultural and historical distance.

Masao "Mas" Arai, a humble gardener from Southern California, is a righteous dude. Carrying the ashes of his lifelong friend and fellow hibakusha (A-bomb survivor) Haruo Mukai, the 86-year-old Arai arrives for what he realizes will be his last visit to Japan.

Takatoshi Furukawa scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and four teammates also reached double figures in points as the Ryukyu Golden Kings outplayed the host SeaHorses Mikawa, winning 82-70 on Saturday afternoon. In a potential preview of this year's B. ...

Defending J. League champions Kawasaki Frontale rubbed more salt into Kashima Antlers' wounds with a resounding 4-1 win over last season's runners-up on Saturday. Frontale, who snatched the title from under Kashima's noses on the final day of last season, took a fifth-minute lead at ...

Yuki Nishi threw eight scoreless innings, guiding the Orix Buffaloes to a 3-1victory over the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Saturday. Nishi (1-3) struck out six, while allowing a walk, a hit batsman and three singles. Chris Marrero put the Buffaloes in front at Rakuten Seimei ...

The defending champion Crusaders scored two early tries and then lost their way in a hailstorm before running away to a 33-11 win over Japan's winless Sunwolves in Super Rugby on Saturday. The Christchurch-based Crusaders started as expected with a try in the first minute ...

World No. 22 Naomi Osaka defeated Heather Watson in straight sets Saturday before Kurumi Nara lost her match, giving Japan a 1-1 tie with Britain in their Fed Cup World Group 2 playoff. Osaka beat the 77th-ranked Watson 6-2, 6-3 in Japan's opening rubber at ...

The Indiana Pacers kept insisting this team was different. Anyone who doubted them coming into the playoffs understands now. On Friday, the one-year anniversary of a historic playoff collapse against Cleveland, Indiana flipped the script by rallying from a 17-point halftime deficit and held on for ...

Kei Nishikori moved closer to his first Masters title on Friday, with a 6-4, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3 quarterfinal win over Croatia's Marin Cilic. Cilic, who had won both of their two career finals meetings, including the 2014 U.S. Open, had not lost to Nishikori since ...

Jeff Samardzija had just loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth inning of his season debut when San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy went out to the mound, mainly to give his big righty a rest. "He wasn't going anywhere, trust me," Bochy ...

Japan won its second straight Women's Asian Cup on Friday night with a 1-0 victory over Australia in the tournament final. Substitute Kumi Yokoyama scored the 84th-minute winner at Amman International Stadium in a replay of the 2014 final, when Nadeshiko Japan edged the Matildas ...