Latest Japan government News

Japanese court says government's policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

May. 30, 2023 06:49 AM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese court ruled Tuesday that the government's policy against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, in a closely watched decision that supporters say is a step toward marriage equality. The Nagoya District Court in central Japan, however, rejected a request by a...

Japan PM's son to resign after public outrage over private party at official residence

May. 29, 2023 20:44 PM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday his son is resigning as his executive policy secretary to take responsibility for using the prime minister’s residence for a private party at which the merrymaking was exposed in magazine photos that triggered public outrage. ...

North Korea notifies neighboring Japan it plans to launch satellite in coming days

May. 29, 2023 16:26 PM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — North Korea on Monday notified neighboring Japan that it plans to launch a satellite in coming days, which may be an attempt to put its first military reconnaissance satellite into orbit. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said he ordered Japan’s Self Defense Force to...

South Korea experts say Japan carefully answered questions on plan to release radioactive water

May. 24, 2023 09:40 AM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — The head of a South Korean team of experts said Wednesday they saw all of the facilities they had requested to visit at Japan’s tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant and Japanese officials had carefully answered their questions about a contentious plan to release treated but...

Japan to provide 100 military vehicles to Ukraine

May. 24, 2023 07:31 AM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — Japan held a ceremony on Wednesday marking its planned donation of about 100 military vehicles to Ukraine, as Tokyo seeks to provide equipment that can be of broader military use than its earlier shipments of helmets and hazmat suits. In a ceremony at the Defense...

South Korean experts visit Fukushima nuclear plant before release of treated water into sea

May. 23, 2023 10:27 AM EDT

TOKYO (AP) — A team of South Korean government experts began a two-day tour of Japan's tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Tuesday to examine a contentious plan to release treated but still slightly radioactive wastewater into the sea. Officials from the Japanese...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cheered by 20,000 fans at Sydney stadium

May. 23, 2023 07:26 AM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed by around 20,000 cheering fans, many chanting “Modi,” at a Sydney stadium on Tuesday during his second visit to Australia as his country's leader. Modi shared the stage with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who...

Australian prime minister says he is working effectively to free WikiLeaks founder

May. 22, 2023 05:56 AM EDT

CANBERRA, Australia: (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was working in the “most effective way possible” to secure the release of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, but declined an invitation Monday to meet the Australian citizen’s wife. Independent...

World summits' 'family photos' show Putin's isolation

May. 21, 2023 20:24 PM EDT

They're known as “family photos,” the images of world leaders posed in faux relaxation during global summits. And like portraits of a family that has isolated a dysfunctional member, recent “family photos” from the G7 and G8 — the world's most industrialized nations —...

G7 ends with Ukraine in focus as Zelenskyy meets world leaders and Russia claims disputed gains

May. 21, 2023 09:51 AM EDT

HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy huddled with some of his biggest backers as the Group of Seven summit closed in Hiroshima on Sunday, building momentum for his country's war effort even as Russia claimed a battlefield victory that was quickly disputed by Ukraine. ...