China an ‘important neighbour’
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (pic) has called China an "important neighbour" and pledged to build a stable relationship between the rival nations in a policy address.
US Marine arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of murder
A US Marine stationed on the southern island of Okinawa was arrested on suspicion of the murder of a Japanese woman, police said.
A costlier path to staying
THE country has toughened requirements for foreigners wanting to obtain permanent residency, as part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's push to tighten immigration controls.
Human voices protected in AI clone ruling
A Tokyo court has awarded legal protection to the human voice in a landmark case in which a popular Japanese anime voice actor demanded that TikTok close an account over its unauthorised use of artificial intelligence clone of his trademark baritone.
Animal cafes face nationwide scrutiny
The country has started its first nationwide survey of animal cafes amid concerns over animal welfare, hygiene and public health, a government official said, bringing greater scrutiny to the popular but lightly regulated sector.
Stem cells give heart patients hope
A hospital in the country has carried out the world's first surgery using sheets of commercially available heart muscle stem cells after the ground-breaking therapy was approved this year, one of the surgeons said.
Tokyo suffers longest streak of rainy days
Tokyo has logged 34 straight days of rain, marking the longest streak on record, Japan's weather agency said.
Voice actor fights TikTok over AI voice cloning in landmark suit
A high-profile Japanese anime voice actor has taken TikTok to court over videos he says feature an artificial intelligence clone of his "lustrous" baritone.
Father held for throwing kids off balcony
A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly throwing his two daughters off the balcony of his sixth-floor apartment in Gifu prefecture, Kyodo News reported.
At least four killed as typhoon batters coast
Torrential rains brought by a powerful typhoon lashing the country's Pacific coast caused landslides that killed four people with six missing, public broadcaster NHK said, while snapping electricity supply to about 45,000 homes.
