The idea has emerged as the government is devising a new residential status to accept more foreign workers amid the shrinking working-age population.

When 8-year-old Eiki Shimabukuro left Japan in 1959 with his parents and five siblings for the two-month sea voyage to Brazil, passengers were given ribbons linking them to those who stayed behind. As the ship pulled away, the ribbons unraveled, stretched, and finally broke. "It was ...

This year's heat wave is again lethal, having already killed over 30 people and sent more than 10,000 to hospitals since July 9 due to heat exhaustion and heatstroke. The extreme weather continued to scorch Japan this week, with many cities seeing their highest-ever recorded ...

The move comes after the March death in Tokyo of Yua Funato, which shocked the public as the extent of abuse came to light.

A jacket with built-in fans, a road coating that reins in heat, and factory mist sprayers were on offer at a three-day trade fair in Tokyo that wrapped up Friday as the capital struggles with record heat two years before it hosts the Summer ...

For decades, Hiroyasu Tagawa had no intentions of breaking his silence about the terrible experience he had as a child, having lived through the U.S. atomic bombing of his hometown of Nagasaki. He didn't want to relive his memories of Aug. 9, 1945, and its ...

On a Saturday in mid-April, a woman in her 50s sat on a bench munching a rice ball in front of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. She is one of several people interviewed that day who said they have family members or friends who are hikikomori ...

As recently as spring, the Abe administration was in disarray, weakened by what appeared to be an unstoppable flow of scandals and missteps.

The Tokyo District Court on Friday found Chikako Yamada, the former president of failed travel agency Tellmeclub, guilty of falsifying her company's financial records to fraudulently receive funding from two banks. She was sentenced to six years in prison. Yamada and her then-subordinate Toshiyuki Sasai ...

More Japanese are wearing sneakers to work as companies look to improve the health of their employees. In a country where rigid dress codes often place an emphasis on conformity, the sneaker trend can be seen as a breath of fresh air. Numerous kinds of sneakers ...

A breakthrough in the study of ghostly particles called high-energy neutrinos that traverse space, zipping unimpeded through people, planets and whole galaxies, is giving scientists an audacious new way to expand our understanding of the cosmos. Researchers say that for the first time they have ...

The nations say such imports pose no threat to U.S. national security., a claim made by U.S. president Donald Trump.

Japanese automakers have fallen behind Germany in the development of autonomous driving technologies.

The U.S. trade deficit with Germany on vehicles shows why EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker's idea for a car-tariff deal is a non-starter.

The new Japan Ferry Pass 21 gives travellers to Japan a new way to explore the country both comfortably and affordably on Japan's revamped long-distance ferries.

Get down and dirty during the assault-course race at the Kashima Gatalympics, just be careful not to get stuck in the mud.

Takahiro Shiomi and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles continued their strong runs on Friday in a 7-2 Pacific League win over the Seibu Lions. Pitching in his sixth game of the season, the 29-year-old Shiomi (2-1), allowed two runs on seven hits. He struck out ...

Kazuto Ioka, who announced his retirement last December after winning world titles in three separate weight classes, said Friday he is returning to the ring. The 29-year-old will move his base to Los Angeles, where he is scheduled to fight a super flyweight bout on ...

Sekiwake Mitakeumi beat Goeido at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament on Friday to move within one win of his first top-level title. Mitakeumi (12-1) holds the sole lead after the 13th day of the 15-day meet at Dolphins Arena, with two wrestlers sitting two wins ...

The All-Star break is over. It's right about now when the Chicago Cubs usually take off. Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBIs, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday for their fourth consecutive ...

Yuta Watanabe attracted positive attention during the Brooklyn Nets' five NBA Summer League Games in Las Vegas earlier this month. The prospective NBA player, who wrapped up his four years at George Washington University in the spring, showcased his 3-point shooting ability, defensive versatility, shot-blocking ...

Carmelo Anthony is done in Oklahoma City. A person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press the Thunder are sending Anthony and a 2022 protected first-round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Hawks guard Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala. Anthony will be waived ...

Marquee signing Andres Iniesta trained with Vissel Kobe for the first time on Friday morning. The Barcelona legend looked to be in good spirits as he warmed up with teammates and took part in passing drills during the early part of the training session open ...

The silver claret jug was on the first tee Thursday morning at Carnoustie, a trophy that Kevin Kisner knows all too well. Kisner flew home from the British Open last year with Jordan Spieth, a flight that was delayed while waiting on Spieth to finish ...