Kosei Homi and his lawyers had pleaded not guilty, claiming he could not be held criminally responsible by reason of insanity or diminished mental capacity.

Japan Mint began producing ¥500 and ¥100 coins Thursday stamped with the year of issue as "Reiwa one," following the start of the new imperial era on May 1. Five-hundred-yen coins, inscribed with Chinese characters reading "Reiwa gannen" and with milled edges, were discharged from ...

Junnosuke Taguchi, a former member of male idol group Kat-tun, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing marijuana in the first hearing of his trial at the Tokyo District Court. His partner, former actress Rena Komine, who faces the same charge, also entered a guilty plea. The ...

Mitsuhiro Ebara believes plastic sheets called "smart polymers" may one day prove to be a cheap solution to curing cancer. Cancer is known to respond better to the simultaneous use of hyperthermia and chemotherapy, and Ebara, a researcher at the National Institute for Materials Science ...

Japan and South Korea say they're willing to meet over Tokyo's move to tighten regulations on vital tech exports to its neighbor, but neither has much political incentive to climb down from one of their worst economic disputes in decades. Decades of mistrust make it ...

U.S. Forces Korea has said for the first time that North Korea's powerful Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) can hit targets anywhere in the mainland United States, with an estimated range of nearly 13,000 km (8,000 miles). USFK made its first official assessment of the ...

The U.S. will investigate a French plan to impose taxes on technology companies, a move that has been a prelude to new U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will have as long as a year to examine whether the plan ...

Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will build a new sport utility vehicle at a $1.6 billion joint venture assembly plant in Alabama rather than produce Corolla cars. Japan's top automaker announced in January 2018 it would build the factory in Alabama with Mazda Motor ...

Nintendo Co. has announced that a scaled back, cheaper version of its successful Switch game console will be released on Sept. 20 ahead of the holiday shopping season. The Nintendo Switch Lite will be a handheld device that can't be connected to TV sets, unlike ...

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. opened its first outlets in Okinawa on Thursday, giving it a presence in all 47 prefectures. The unit of Seven & I Holdings Co. plans to set up about 250 shops on the main island within five years. Okinawa and Tottori were the ...

Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit on Wednesday released a rocket from the wing of a modified Boeing 747 jetliner in midair in a key test of its high-altitude launch system for satellites, the company said. In the penultimate mission before Virgin Orbit offers commercial satellite launch ...

Under the bounds of the pacifist Constitution, Japan will likely have only limited options at its disposal, such as providing logistical support.

People packed the decks of the whale-watching boat, screaming in joy as a pod of orcas put on a show: splashing tails at each other, rolling over and leaping out of the water. In Kushiro, just 160 km south of Rausu, where the four dozen ...

Mayu Tomita, a former pop idol who was seriously injured during an attack by an obsessed fan before giving a live music performance about three years ago, filed a damages lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court on Wednesday against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as ...

Princess Mako showed her respects to Peruvians of Japanese descent at a ceremony in Lima on Wednesday to mark the 120th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the country. The ceremony, part of events for the princess during her stay in ...

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's apologies and explanations about a doomed extradition bill have failed to quell political tension, and her departure is now seen by many in the Chinese-ruled city as merely a matter of time in a drawn-out, long goodbye. On Tuesday, ...

U.N. experts and activists say at least 1 million Uighurs and other Muslims are held in detention centers in the remote western region.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday scored a crucial victory in a Democratic-backed lawsuit that accuses him of violating anti-corruption provisions of the U.S. Constitution with his Washington hotel. The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a set of decisions instructing a ...

Walmart Inc. is facing a strike by thousands of workers in South America amid the retail giant's push to increase automation at its physical stores. About 17,000 Walmart workers in Chile went on an indefinite strike on Wednesday after labor talks between the company and ...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was "working through" a bout of shaking that first occurred in mid-June and struck for the third time on Wednesday, though she insisted she was fine and that "just as it happened one day, so it will disappear. Earlier, ...

A 210,000-year-old skull has been identified as the earliest modern human remains found outside Africa, putting the clock back on mankind's arrival in Europe by more than 150,000 years, researchers said Wednesday. In a startling discovery that changes our understanding of how modern man populated ...

Abe may have showcased his deal-making prowess, but the country has crossed the Rubicon without a clear strategy to secure peace with Russia.

Rising tensions between China and the U.S. have put Japan in a uniquely privileged position vis-a-vis both countries.

From July 20 to Sept. 30, the ANA InterContinental Tokyo invites guests to taste summer with a wide selection of tantalizing sweets. At The Champagne Bar, guests can enjoy a colorful sweets buffet (¥4,600 on weekdays and ¥5,600 on weekends and public holidays). Arranged on ...

Momo, the goggle-eyed creature created by a Japanese artist that triggered a viral social-media hoax terrifying children and parents alike, is receiving a Hollywood makeover. Orion Pictures, a U.S. film producer owned by MGM, tweeted Wednesday that a film is in development. "The legend is real. ...

When it comes to kabuki, there are few names as recognizable as Ichikawa Ebizo. A member of the illustrious Ichikawa kabuki family, Ebizo has been a mainstay of Japanese traditional theater since his stage debut in "The Tale of Genji" in 1983 at the ...

Launched in 2004 to promote digital cinema, the Skip City International D-Cinema Festival (July 13-21) in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, has become a showcase for emerging filmmakers. Among the Skip City alumni who have gone on to thriving careers are Cannes Palme d'Or winner Nuri ...

Yokozuna Kakuryu and Hakuho stayed unbeaten on Thursday to keep their share of the lead at the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. The two Mongolians are tied at 5-0 with No. 7 maegashira Tomokaze and No. 16 Terutsuyoshi following five days of the 15-day tournament at ...

There are many ways to purchase sumo tickets. As with other sports, phone or online sales, as well as specialized ticket agents account for a large proportion of seats sold. The best seats in the house at five of the six yearly Grand Sumo tournaments, however, ...

Matt Cullen, who was the oldest player in the NHL last season, retired Wednesday at the age of 42. The forward played 21 seasons in the NHL, including last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, when he had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 71 ...

The first three seasons in league history zoomed by — or so it seemed — in the blink of an eye, with new stars emerging before our eyes and dominant teams and individuals producing many unforgettable moments and games. Team and league officials are now ...

Roger Federer racked up his 100th match win at Wimbledon on Wednesday to reach his 13th semifinal at the All England Club and a possible duel with old rival Rafael Nadal. Eight-time champion Federer recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Kei Nishikori 4-6, ...