Tokyo

North Korea has informed Japan that it will launch a satellite within two weeks, but Tokyo believes it could be a ballistic missile and is therefore taking precautions, AFP reported.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said his country has no plans to join NATO, but acknowledged the security alliance's plan to open a liaison office in Japan.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Thursday announced Japanese investment of more than $22 billion into the UK, but accepted carmakers' concern about Brexit trade rules as he confirmed talks with the European Union.    

Asian and European markets rose yesterday, tracking a rally on Wall Street fuelled by a strong rebound in U.S. regional banks and forecast-beating jobs data that eased fears over a recession in the world's top economy.    

Middle East Technical University's (ODTÜ) students, together with a prize-winning Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, have built a specially designed "paper log house" to be used in the earthquake zone.

ODTÜ's Architecture Department's students created the "Emergency Design Studio" after the twin earthquakes jolted the country's east in early February.

The leaders of South Korea and Japan are to meet Sunday for their second summit in less than two months, as they push to mend long-running historical grievances and boost ties in the face of North Korea's nuclear program and other regional challenges.

Turkish wrestler Rıza Kayaalp became European Champion for the 12th time on April 22 in the Greco-Roman style 130 kg category at the 2023 European Wrestling Championship in Croatia.

Kayaalp defeated Sabah Saleh Shariati from Azerbaijan with a 2-1 result to win the gold medal in Zagreb.

U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson won her first solo race of 2023 in sensational style on April 8, clocking a wind-aided 10.57sec to win the Miramar Invitational 100m.

Ryuichi Sakamoto, a world-renowned Japanese musician and actor who composed for Hollywood hits such as "The Last Emperor" and "The Revenant," has died. He was 71.

Japan's recording company Avex said in a statement on April 2 that Sakamoto died on March 28 while undergoing treatment for cancer.

A new species of orchid with delicate, glass-like blooms has been discovered by Japanese scientists, who found the pink and white plant hiding in plain sight.

Despite its presence in Japan's parks and gardens, it took researchers at Kobe University a decade to confirm that the plant, dubbed the "Spiranthes hachijoensis," was a previously unknown species.