Japan’s auditors say the fast-breeder reactor only ran for 250 days over its troubled two-decade run and never cracked the secret to the plutonium fuel cycle.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is hopeful the Trump-Kim summit will help resolve the abduction issue and says that he’ll be in close contact with the U.S. president.

Protesters begin a three-day march against the relocation plan for a contentious U.S. Marine Corps base ahead of the 46th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion to Japanese control.

Finance Minister Taro Aso came under fire again on Friday for a comment during a Diet session that suggests a belittling attitude toward sexual harassment, saying his ministry's former top bureaucrat might have fallen into a trap by a female reporter. "Such a possibility can't ...

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.'s ambitions to expand in the lucrative U.S. health care market led the drugmaker to begin a painstaking examination of Shire PLC's assets more than two years prior to striking a $62 billion deal. In particular, Shire's neuroscience unit and its gastrointestinal products ...

Facing the worst labor shortage in decades, Japan's carmakers have seen the light: hire more women. The problem is they're all having the same epiphany at the same time, and so now find themselves fighting over the world's smallest pool of female engineering graduates. The story ...

Japan's three megabanks are considering the joint management and development of ATMs to cut costs and boost profitability, as they are currently struggling in the extremely low interest rate environment, a source close to the matter said Friday. MUFG Bank Ltd., Mizuho Bank Ltd. and ...

With the spread of electric vehicles and car-sharing hailing rapid transformation in the industry, Mazda Motor Corp. said Friday it will promote vice president Akira Marumoto to president on June 26 in what will be the first leadership change in five years. The promotion of ...

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visited Toyota Motor Corp.'s electric-vehicle parts factory in Hokkaido on Friday, as the government of the world's second-biggest economy looks to promote eco-friendly EVs to curb air pollution. Li was briefed by Toyota officials about the automaker's e-Palette autonomous driving EV ...

Mahathir Mohamad's shock Malaysian election win has raised concerns that his populist promises could undermine economic prospects at an increasingly challenging time for emerging markets, despite hopes elsewhere that he may revive his bold approach to economic management. The Malaysian economy, while vulnerable in some ...

A 104-year-old Australian scientist killed himself in Switzerland on Thursday by lethal injection in an assisted suicide he hoped would trigger more lenient euthanasia laws in his home country. British-born David Goodall, who was not terminally ill, personally triggered a lethal dose of a barbiturate ...

A damaging personal experience with sexual assault has led one young Japanese woman to examine her country's past. The woman, who uses the pseudonym Kaori Miyake, now draws on her own hurt together with what she has learned about the experiences of so-called comfort women ...

In June, the popular online flea market, Mercari Inc., is expected to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Mothers section, which is reserved for high-growth startup companies. According to an article in the April 18 Asahi Shimbun the value of the company's stock ...

The first international tournament for Okinawa style karate is scheduled for August, and expectations are growing that the martial art will become even more popular at home and abroad. A future vision for the martial art, crafted by the Okinawa Prefectural Government, local karate organizations ...

Three sold-out Kitaro concerts in Iran have been canceled after six U.S. nationals in the New Age musician's group were refused visas, the organizer announced Thursday. "Due to current conditions, unfortunately it is not possible to have these honorable artists in Iran," the announcement said, ...

Hawaii authorities scrambled to move tens of thousands of gallons of highly flammable chemicals from the path of lava on Thursday, and the state's governor warned mass evacuations might be needed as the Kilauea volcano's eruption became more violent. After a new fissure opened on ...

Beijing has gained an irreversible advantage in the South China Sea.

Washington places too much emphasis on reducing the trade deficit and not enough on investing in future U.S. competitiveness.

A mere Jetfoil away from Tokyo, travelers to Izu Oshima island can expect volcanic hikes, fresh local cuisine and an abundance of hospitality.

Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain's TV show has angered some Newfoundlanders after using a certain diminutive nickname many find offensive. The Twitter account for CNN's "Parts Unknown" used the term "Newfie" in a promotional tweet for this week's episode on local cuisine and landscapes in the ...

Tomoyuki Sugano threw his second shutout of the season as the Yomiuri Giants beat the Chunichi Dragons 6-0 on Friday. Sugano (4-2) allowed five hits, while striking out 13 and walking one. The right-hander, who won last season's Sawamura Award, has not allowed a run ...

Japan striker Yuya Kubo scored his 10th goal of the season on Thursday in Gent's 1-1 away draw with Genk in the Belgian First Division A championship playoffs. Kubo netted off a Giorgi Chakvetadze pass in the 15th minute to give the visitors an early ...

Kisenosato will pull out of the upcoming Summer Grand Sumo Tournament, extending his streak of missed events to a yokozuna-record-equaling seven meets, his stablemaster said Friday. The 31-year-old Kisenosato, the first Japan-born wrestler in 19 years to gain promotion to sumo's highest rank, has missed ...

James Borrego has been hired as the new head coach of the Charlotte Hornets. The sides agreed to a three-year deal with a team option in the fourth year, according to multiple reports on Thursday. Borrego, 40, spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach ...

Former Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic is planning to sue the Japan Football Association, possibly later this month, in the hope of learning what led to his abrupt dismissal in April and restoring his honor, sources familiar with the matter said Friday. The JFA terminated its ...

Ichiro Suzuki will act as bench coach in two games for the first time since taking an advisory position to the Seattle Mariners, manager Scott Servais said Thursday. Ichiro will be on the bench as Servais will miss Friday and Saturday's games against the Detroit ...

Jamie Joseph made five changes to the Sunwolves starting XV Thursday as Japan's Super Rugby franchise looks to bid farewell to its Tokyo faithful with a win over the Reds on Saturday. The Sunwolves (0-9) head into the Round 13 game against the Queensland-based side ...