Japan

The discovery of potentially millions of tons of valuable "rare earth" elements in sea sludge off Japan has raised hopes that Asia's number-two economy can reduce its dependence on Chinese supply.

This Saturday begins the 13th Festival for Asian Culture Enthusiasts. It is expected that thousands of anime and manga fans, gamers, dancers and many others will gather in the Universiada Hall in Sofia.

The grand festival will be held on March 31 and April 1 at 9:00.

A study by one of the major credit and debit card companies shows that Japan has been the most visited country in the past two years. For the first time the country of the rising sun displaces the United States of America.

Collaborations between Japanese and Turkish firms in third countries, especially in Africa, could bring success, since the two countries complement each other, a Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) senior official said on Feb. 20.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe restated Tokyo’s opposition to revising a 2015 agreement on “comfort women” in talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Feb. 9, calling the deal a promise between nations and the basis of two-way ties.

BELGRADE - Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said Monday he was very pleased to be visiting Serbia for the first time, adding that the country was key to regional stability.

Japan’s sewerage industry has found a way to clean up its dirty and smelly image: elaborately designed and colorful manhole covers with 12,000 local varieties nationwide -- including, of course, a Hello Kitty design.Appealing to a Japanese love of detail and “kawaii” (“cute”), bespoke manhole covers adorn the streets of 1,700 towns, cities and villages across Japan and have spawned a collection

 U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile programs needed to be fully implemented by Pyongyang and other countries, Reuters reported.

Three small and medium-sized enterprises in Japan intend to start production in Bulgaria. This was made clear during the meeting of the Executive Director of the Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Marieta Zaharieva with the Ambassador of Japan to Bulgaria HE. Masato Watanabe. 

A Japanese railway operator has issued a deep apology for the "tremendous nuisance" caused by a train departing 20 seconds early, surprising even a nation renowned for both punctuality and politeness.