Unpopular policies and a slew of scandals triggered a slide in public support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that led to a heavy election defeat. That was in 2007, when he abruptly resigned, citing health issues, after losing the Upper House of the Diet. A ...

A proposal that residents be required to give their My Number before entering a casino could severely restrict access, the leader of a ruling party panel working on plans for the Singapore-style resorts said in an interview. Identification cards with chips that contain data including ...

An executive at one of the country's biggest defense companies has bemoaned government barriers to exporting military equipment, as changes to the law have failed to bring the bonus some expected for the domestic industry. Speaking at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.'s booth at the MAST ...

A childhood New Year's holiday spent playing cards with his family planted the seeds of a gambling compulsion that ravaged decades of one man's life. Now 67, the former salesman from western Japan fell into debt time and time again as his addiction drew ...

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's coalition partner warned that a proposal to broaden the military's role to strike back against enemy attacks risks upsetting Japan's neighbors. "Japan has gained the trust of neighboring countries by adopting an exclusively defensive posture," Natsuo Yamaguchi, who leads the Buddhist-backed ...

Renho, leader of the struggling Democratic Party, says Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s policies are failing Japan’s women and the pacifist charter.

The latest advice from the Japanese government on how to prepare for a ballistic missile strike includes watching TV and preparing a handkerchief.

Ever thought about how many times to knock on the door when you are heading into a job interview? In Japan, it matters. A shortage of young people means there are two job openings for every applicant, prompting some Japanese companies to consider hiring foreign ...

Graduate recruitment in Japan looks a bit like a scene from the movie "The Matrix." Hordes of students dressed in identical black suits and white shirts make the rounds of seminars, tests and interviews. Even as jobs outnumber applicants, these "Agent Smiths" still fight it ...

The owner of a car repair business in northwest Tokyo has been digging into his retirement fund to keep his shop going. He's in his mid-60s, he's not making money and he knows he'll eventually have to close down. But for now, he's managing to ...