Ex-Defense Minister Ishiba chosen to lead Japan's ruling party and become prime minister

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s governing party on Friday picked former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as its leader, setting him up to become prime minister next week. The party leadership is a ticket to the top job because the Liberal Democratic Party’s governing coalition controls...

Japan's soon-to-be prime minister faces big challenge as he tries to move past ruling party scandals

TOKYO (AP) — The person chosen Friday to lead Japan's governing party, and become prime minister next week, is a veteran politician with deep policy experience, a taste for curry and anime — and big challenges ahead of him as he tries to unite a fractious party and hold off an opposition eager...

Japan’s ruling party picks former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba as leader. He will become prime minister next week

Japanese court acquits the longest-serving death row inmate of a 1966 quadruple murder

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese court found an 88-year-old former boxer not guilty on Thursday after a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, reversing a decision that made him the world's longest-serving death row inmate. Iwao Hakamada’s acquittal by the Shizuoka District Court makes him...

Who will replace Kishida to become Japan's new prime minister?

TOKYO (AP) — The governing party of outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a key vote Friday that will establish a new national leader. The vote is limited to the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party's parliamentarians and dues-paying members. Because the party's...

Nine ruling party candidates vie to replace Japan's outgoing Prime Minister Kishida

TOKYO (AP) — A record nine candidates are running in Japan's ruling party election Friday to replace outgoing Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. A former defense minister who is a longtime veteran, the relatively young son of a popular former prime minister and the economic security...

Steelworkers lose arbitration case against US Steel in their bid to derail sale to Nippon

An arbitration board has ruled that U.S. Steel may proceed with its proposed acquisition by Nippon Steel, a deal that faces strong opposition from its workforce. The board, which was jointly chosen by U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers to decide disputes between them, said...

Japan issues a tsunami advisory for remote islands south of Tokyo after a strong earthquake.

Japanese warplanes use flares to warn a Russian spy plane to leave airspace

TOKYO (AP) — Japan said its warplanes used flares to warn a Russian reconnaissance aircraft to leave northern Japanese airspace on Monday. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara told reporters that the Russian Il-38 plane breached Japan’s airspace above Rebun Island, just off...

Japan celebrates as Ohtani becomes the first major leaguer to reach 50-50 milestone

TOKYO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani’s feat of becoming the first major leaguer with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season was met with extra editions of newspapers for fans to read on their way to work on Friday morning in Japan. Ohtani raced past the 50-50 milestone as he...