joins his main contender, Taro Aso (left), and other members of the Liberal Democratic Party in shouting banzai after winning the party's presidential race Sunday. YOSHIAKI MIURA PHOTO

The 71-year-old House of Representatives member obtained 330 votes, or roughly 62 percent of the 527 valid votes cast by the LDP's Diet members and representatives of its 47 prefectural chapters.

Our Planet

A technician works on the assembly line at a solar panel manufacturing hub on the outskirts of New Delhi last October.
Amid fossil fuel shift in U.S., hope emerges for India and Japan tie-up on solar

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear