Japan's soon-to-be-anointed new emperor is a musician and historian, both mild-mannered and quietly tenacious, a team player and a loyal husband and friend who will bring an unusually global perspective to an ancient institution when he ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday asked the leaders of three Central European countries for help in a long dispute with North Korea over the abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago.
Japan and Italy agreed Wednesday on the need for high quality infrastructure that can achieve both economic growth and fiscal sustainability, as Rome plans to promote projects under China's "Belt and Road" initiative.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday told a Japanese ruling party senior official that he will visit Japan in June to attend this year's summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka.
Japan's parliament enacted legislation on Wednesday to pay 3.2 million yen ($28,600) state compensation to each person who underwent forced sterilization under a now-defunct 1948 eugenics law.
Foreign Minister Taro Kono will make a three-day trip to Moscow to hold talks with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on May 10 on a territorial dispute that has kept the two countries from concluding a postwar peace treaty, Japan's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Tuesday to coordinate closely in addressing global economic, trade and environmental issues before Japan hosts a Group of 20 summit in June.
A cross-party group of about 70 Japanese lawmakers on Tuesday visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine to pay respects to the country's war dead during its annual spring festival.
Japan expects a limited impact from the U.S. decision not to renew waivers previously granted on Iran oil import sanctions, the country's trade and industry minister said on Tuesday.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a crushing defeat in Sunday's lower house by-elections in Okinawa and Osaka prefectures seen as a harbinger for an upper house election only a few months away.
Foreign Minister Taro Kono plans to visit Moscow in mid-May for a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to advance talks on a postwar peace treaty that has been stalled over a territorial dispute, a Japanese government source said Wednesday.
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