Four teachers at an elementary school in Kobe have been removed from their positions and are facing further disciplinary action for allegedly rubbing hot soup into the eyes of a colleague and forcing him to drink alcohol, among other acts. A teacher in his 20s ...

He may have become a far-right internet meme in the West, but Pepe the Frog's image is being rehabilitated in Hong Kong, where democracy protesters have embraced him as an irreverent symbol of their resistance. Throughout the more than 100 days of protests rocking the ...

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kicks off the extraordinary Diet session by tweaking his social welfare vows to appeal more to seniors and people with disabilities as he targets Article 9.

Kansai Electric reportedly told the deputy mayor of a town hosting one of its nuclear plants about dozens of projects that a construction firm linked to him won.

The Ise Bay typhoon, a killer storm that swept through the Chubu region on Sept. 26, 1959, claiming more than 5,000 lives, became an opportunity for the nation to make great progress in disaster prevention efforts, including the construction of seawalls and river levees, ...

The climate change campaigner and former U.S. vice president says Japan’s enthusiastic support for coal as an energy source is ruining its credibility as a leading economy.

Finance Minister Taro Aso on Friday dismissed the need to boost fiscal stimulus to counter the impact of the consumption tax hike, despite expectations the government and the Bank of Japan may act to reduce pressure on the world's third-largest economy. The government rolled out ...

With the number of foreign tourists to Japan increasing by the year, authorities are warning visitors to steer clear of so-called rip-off bars. Such establishments have been a problem for a number of years but police are no closer to being able to shut them ...

Interpreters have been provided for almost every team competing at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but in a country with a very limited number of Georgian speakers, a 28-year-old man is supporting the squad all by himself. Hayate Sotome, who is assisting the Georgian players ...

President Donald Trump on Thursday publicly encouraged China to investigate Democratic political rival Joe Biden, snubbing his nose at an impeachment inquiry into whether a similar, private appeal to another foreign government violated his oath of office. Trump declared at the White House, "China should ...

The government Friday began discussing new legislation to bolster regulations on domestic and global information technology giants, and protect consumers' privacy amid concern that some companies are abusing their market share to secure growth. "It is necessary to lead international debate on issues surrounding digital ...

NHK President Ryoichi Ueda denied Thursday that outside complaints caused the cancellation of a program about inappropriate sales practices for Japan Post Insurance Co. products. "It's not the case that independence or freedom of creating programs has been impaired," Ueda told a regular news conference. Regarding ...

Indonesia's biggest student demonstrations in decades are testing President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's pledge to go all out in his second term to boost growth in Southeast Asia's largest economy, a former finance minister and a government adviser say. Tens of thousands of students have hit ...

The Tokyo District Court ruled Thursday against a government deportation order issued to a U.S. activist opposing dolphin hunts when he tried to enter Japan three years ago. The government had argued that when Richard "Ric" O'Barry, 79, who featured in the Oscar-winning documentary "The ...

The Cabinet must pursue management of the economy that will achieve near-term stimulus and medium- to long-term growth.

Historical and territorial disputes have consistently marred bilateral ties, but relations between the two democracies have hit a new low.

Minutes from Tamachi Station, the area of Shiba, is a maze of weathered watering holes, chain restaurants, karaoke joints and gritty izakaya (Japanese pubs), like an east Tokyo version of Shinjuku's Golden Gai.

The latest episode of "Terrace House" was like a cup of hot cocoa: sweet, heartwarming and the perfect thing to lull me into a peaceful frame of mind. Peppe's story about his orange-flavored first kiss must have intrigued Haruka because she's definitely showing some interest ...

Groups of women had traveled for days to find care for their starving children in Chad, blankly staring in exhaustion and with little hope. But other women smiled, relieved to see their children "fattened" by a new and simplified initiative for hunger. In an interview ...

Gamba Osaka put some distance from relegation with a 5-0 demolition of visiting Consadole Sapporo in the J. League first division on Friday. After a 3-1 loss to Cerezo in the Osaka derby last weekend, Gamba moved up to 11th place on 34 points, six ...

South Africa fullback Cheslin Kolbe scored two tries to lead his team's seven-try attack and flyhalf Handre Pollard added 14 points on four conversions and two penalty goals as the Springboks trounced Italy 49-3 on Friday at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa. South Africa (2-1) earned five ...

Scotland's Adam Hastings said playing at the Rugby World was a "lifelong dream," after making history by following in the steps of his father, Gavin, one of his country's greatest players. When the Glasgow flyhalf came off the bench with just two minutes left in ...

Tonga is taking inspiration from samurai swordsmen as it seeks to repeat its famous 2011 victory over France at the Rugby World Cup. The Tongans will play France on Sunday in Kumamoto, a city famous for its samurai heritage, and they said Japan's renowned warrior ...

Argentina is using the selflessness of axed flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez to bond even more before it make-or-break Rugby World Cup match against England on Saturday. Argentina must win or it will be eliminated in the pool stage for the first time in 16 years. England wants ...

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson's four touchdown passes included a 5-yard strike to Chris Carson with 2:28 to play Thursday in the Seahawks' wild 30-29 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Wilson's stellar night was almost overshadowed — but Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 44-yard ...

Brett Howden broke a tie with 4:09 remaining, and the New York Rangers beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-4 in a wild season opener on Thursday night. Mika Zibanejad had a goal and three assists, Jacob Trouba had a goal and two assists, and Artemi Panarin ...

Alex Ramirez is going to play this one by the numbers. That goes for the lineup he'll field against the Hanshin Tigers in the first stage of the Central League Climax Series and also his starting pitcher. Kenta Ishida will get the call over ace ...

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Friday put on a stunning show of supremacy at the Rakuten Japan Open with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Lucas Pouille of France. The Serb more than overwhelmed his opponent in the quarterfinal match, showering Pouille with a barrage ...

Japan will head into its Rugby World Cup Pool A game with Samoa this weekend hoping to repeat recent history. Four years ago, Japan produced some of its best rugby under Eddie Jones to beat the Samoans 26-5, having done so much in the first ...

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt said Thursday the humidity in Japan has posed a challenge for his team's Rugby World Cup campaign, and that he will continue to monitor the conditions ahead of his team's final Pool A clash with Samoa. Following Ireland’s 35-0 win ...

New Zealand utility back Jordie Barrett insists he is ready to rise to the challenge of being named as the All Blacks' starting standoff to face Namibia on Sunday — despite never having played the position in a test match before. New Zealand head coach ...

The Europa League game between Dudelange and Azerbaijani club Qarabag had to be briefly suspended in the first half Thursday after a drone flew over the field carrying what looked like an Armenian flag. The drone incensed Qarabag players, who tried to hit it with ...

The doping case of banned track coach Alberto Salazar is "very worrying" and raises questions about Olympic race results being affected, IOC President Thomas Bach said Thursday. The International Olympic Committee wants more information from the World Anti-Doping Agency about the long investigation by American ...

Mickey Callaway went 11-1 in his first 12 games as manager of the New York Mets. After that, nothing ever seemed to go smoothly for him again. Following more than a year of near-constant speculation about his job security, Callaway was fired Thursday by the ...

Faster than anyone else since 1985, Salwa Eid Naser stormed past Shaunae Miller-Uibo to win the women's 400 meters at the IAAF World Athletics Championships on Thursday. Competing for Bahrain, Naser took the lead on the second turn and held off Olympic champion Miller-Uibo ...

Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong each hit two-run doubles in the ninth inning as the St. Louis Cardinals overcame shaky defense and a wild finish to extend Atlanta's postseason misery, holding off the Braves 7-6 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series ...