Japan

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeated his plans to deploy the Self-Defense Forces to the Middle East to ensure the safety of its ships, even as tensions in the region erupt in the wake of the United States' killing of one of Iran's top military commanders.

Japan will send a warship and patrol planes to protect Japanese ships in the Middle East as the situation in the region, from which it sources nearly 90% of its crude oil imports, remains volatile, Japan's top government spokesman said on Dec. 27.

Pope Francis arrived for his four-day visit to Japan, expected to make a call for nuclear disarmament tomorrow, BTA reported.

The Thai Airways plane with the Pope, accompanied by a Vatican delegation and journalists, arrived in Tokyo after a six-hour flight from Bangkok.

Turkey will open a consulate in Japan's Nagoya city, the fourth largest city of the Asian country, under a presidential decree.

Bulgaria hopes a Japanese carmaker will invest in it. Japan's investments in Bulgaria have been the focus of talks between Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva and Japan's first diplomat Taro Kono.

Japan's Foreign Minister visits Bulgaria at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Zaharieva. This is the first visit at this level in 12 years.

The bitter U.S.-China trade war and signs of slowdown in the global economy have overshadowed a two-day Group of 20 (G20) summit that kicked off in Osaka, western Japan, on June 28 with a session on the world economy and trade.

Japan's booming animation industry is in crisis with low pay, long hours and a huge shortage of artists just as its global popularity has never been higher.

Vucic sent his best wishes for success in the responsible duty and Japan's further progress, his office announced on Thursday.

Japanese Emperor Naruhito formally took up his post on May 1 a day after the abdication of his father, saying he felt a "sense of solemnity" but pledging to work as a symbol of the nation and the unity of its people.

A Japanese court on Feb. 20 awarded nearly $4 million in fresh damages to scores of residents forced to flee their homes after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown.