Former Japanese residents of Kurile Islands make trip to visit ancestors’ graves

A chartered flight took a group of Japanese from the city of Nakashibetsu, Hokkaido prefecture, to Russia on Saturday so that they could visit their ancestors’ graves on the Kurile Islands, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.

Le Japon commémore la fin de la guerre du Pacifique

Le Japon commémorait mardi sa capitulation qui, il y a 72 ans, marqua la fin de la sanglante guerre du Pacifique, le Premier ministre ayant pour sa part fait une offrande au sanctuaire Yasukuni où sont honorés les morts pour la patrie.

North Korea says 'no' to joint celebration of holiday with South

 North Korea declined an offer from the South to jointly celebrate National Liberation Day on Aug. 15, a holiday observed in both Koreas to mark the end of Japanese colonial rule.

Japan's Diet enacts law allowing emperor to abdicate

Japan's parliament passed a law Friday allowing Emperor Akihoto to become the first monarch to abdicate the throne in 200 years.

Japan's Cabinet approves bill for abdication of emperor

The Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday approved a bill to allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate the Chrysanthemum throne and hand his duties over to Crown Prince Naruhito.

Abe sends ritual offering to notorious Yasukuni Shrine

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 Class-A convicted war criminals among 2.5 million Japanese war dead from WWII.

Japan suicides costing country $4.1 billion annually

Japan's high suicide rate is costing the country.

Abe, Obama lay wreaths at Pearl Harbour memorial

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Barack Obama made a symbolic visit to Pearl Harbour, laying wreaths for the victims of a stealth attack that triggered America's entry into World War Two.

Japan’s Abe Said to Resist Obama’s No First Use Nuclear Proposal

As US President Barack Obama considers formalizing a "no first use" nuclear policy, he’s getting pushback from a surprising ally.

Tokyo, Seoul agree on spending priorities for $9.9M comfort women fund

The foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea agreed on how $9.9 million in funds would be used to help comfort women, former sex slaves forced to serve in wartime brothels during World War II.

Nagasaki urges world to draw on wisdom to abolish nuclear weapons

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue on Tuesday urged the international community to draw upon its "collective wisdom" to realize a world without nuclear weapons, as the southwestern Japan city marked the 71st anniversary of its atomic bombing by the United States in the final stages of World War II.

China bashes Japanese defense minister's denial of Nanjing atrocities

China's Defense Ministry on Friday denounced new Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada's attempts to deny any "killing contest" in Nanjing during WWII.

Japan: Boats set out on journey to replicate migration 30,000 years ago

Two boats made of bulrush set out on a journey Sunday to replicate part of a hypothetical migration by a group of ancient settlers from what is now Taiwan about 30,000 years ago.

Japanese emperor expresses wish to abdicate

Japanese Emperor Akihito has expressed the intention to end his reign in coming years, local media reported, quoting government sources.

Over 1/4 of Japan's population aged over 65

Japan's population is aging at unprecedented levels, with over 1/4 Japanese people aged 65 or older as of Oct.1 last year, creating challenges for the government and economy, showed government statistics on Wednesday.

Japanese ward off evil spirits with cute dolls on Hina Matsuri

1,000 neatly arranged and opulently clothed dolls would be an odd sight in most places and at most times, but it's not in Japan, where Thursday the country celebrates Hina Matsuri - Doll's Day, or Girl's Day.

Japan rejected 99 percent of refugees in 2015

Japan rejected 99 per cent of asylum applications last year, accepting only 27 refugees, government figures have shown.

The country's justice ministry said on Saturday it received a record 7,586 asylum applications in 2015, up 50 percent compared to the year before.

S.Korea, Japan reach agreement on sex slavery

South Korea and Japan on Monday reached an agreement on Japan's wartime sexual slavery of Korean women during World War II as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an official apology for the atrocities.

Pearl Harbor attack remembered in Washington

A memorial service was held at the National World War II Memorial in Washington to honor the dead in the Japanese bombing on Pearl Harbor 74 years ago.

S.Korea, Japan to speed up 'comfort women' talks

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed Monday to speed up talks on Japan's wartime sex slavery of Korean women to reach an agreement on the issue at an earliest possible date, Park's office said.