takes over as defense minister from Masahiko Komura on Wednesday. KYODO PHOTO

Shigeru Ishiba, a 50-year-old Lower House member from Tottori Prefecture, is widely known for his expertise on weapons systems, complicated legal issues regarding defense, and above all his hobby of assembling and painting elaborate plastic models of warships and airplanes.

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