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S Korea and Japan say N Korea test-fired ballistic missiles in latest military display
North Korea on Wednesday test-fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern seas, the South Korean and Japanese militaries said, adding to its military demonstrations as tensions with Washington and neighbors escalate. The launches come days after North Korea offered a rare view into a secretive facility built to enrich uranium for nuclear… Read
Japan sees sharpest rise in land prices since 1992
The average overall price of land in Japan as of July 1 rose 1.4 percent from a year earlier, marking the third consecutive year of increase and the sharpest advance since 1992, amid foreign investment due to the weak yen, government data showed Tuesday. Commercial land saw a 2.4 percent… Read
Kamikawa to make quick visit to U.S. before LDP leadership vote
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa will make a brief visit to the United States next week to attend U.N.-related meetings ahead of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election, which she is contesting, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. Kamikawa is set to arrive in New York on Monday and leave… Read
A glitch halts again robot's attempt to get sample from Fukushima nuclear reactor
Video feed issues halted on Tuesday the mission of a robot trying to retrieve the first sample of melted fuel debris from inside one of the damaged reactors at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the managing company said. This is the second time in less than a month… Read
Only 13 female CEOs among Japan's 1,600 top-listed companies: survey
There are only 13 female chief executive officers across the approximately 1,600 top-listed companies in Japan, a survey by Kyodo News showed, demonstrating that the Asian country is still slow to increase diversity among its corporate decision-makers. The results revealed that female leaders head just 0.8 percent of the 1,643… Read
Nine dead, 2,800 wounded as Lebanon's Hezbollah hit by pager blasts
Hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon Tuesday, killing at least nine people and wounding some 2,800 in blasts the Iran-backed militant group blamed on Israel. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the wave of explosions, which came just hours after Israel announced… Read
Instagram, under pressure, tightens protection for teens
Meta on Tuesday announced the creation of "Teen Accounts," designed to better protect underage users from the dangers associated with Instagram. Many experts and authorities accuse the hugely popular photo-sharing app of damaging the mental health of its youngest users through addiction to the app, bullying, and body image and… Read
Shizuoka Prefecture approves drilling survey for maglev train project
Shizuoka Prefecture said Tuesday it has granted Central Japan Railway Co permission to conduct a boring survey in preparation for the construction of a new high-speed maglev train line between Tokyo and Nagoya. The written approval marks a major shift in the prefecture's policy on the Linear Chuo Shinkansen project,… Read
Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleads not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering charges
Sean “Diddy” Combs presided over a sordid empire of sexual crimes, coercing and abusing women for years while using blackmail and shocking acts of violence to keep his victims in line, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday. The music mogul pleaded not guilty, standing to speak, after listening to the… Read
Climate finance: What you need to know ahead of COP29
Developing countries will need trillions of dollars in the years ahead to deal with climate change -- but exactly how much is needed, and who is going to pay for it? These difficult questions will be wrestled at this year's United Nations climate conference, known as COP29, being hosted in… Read
