Japan's Maritime-Self Defense Force has reportedly found what appears to be the missing tour boat on the seabed off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaido, northern Japan.
The boat, "KAZU I," carrying 24 passengers and two crew members, went missing off the Hokkaido coast on Saturday.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is beginning a tour of Southeast Asia and Europe on Friday to confirm cooperation in dealing with Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Kishida will visit Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy and Britain on the eight-day trip through May 6.
The Japanese government is planning a review of boat safety measures after the disappearance of a sightseeing vessel which has left at least 11 people dead and many more missing.
Three people, presumed to be among those unaccounted for were found on Thursday. The operator of the tour boat has apologized for allowing it to set out.
Japan's health ministry says researchers have detected a new strain of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in the country.
The ministry says the National Institute of Infectious Diseases analyzed earlier this month a sample taken from a person who had tested positive for COVID-19 in Sendai City.
NHK has learned that at least 100,000 coronavirus vaccine doses will have to be discarded in five municipalities in Japan after they expire.
NHK polled Japan's 20 largest cities and the 23 wards in the capital Tokyo on their plans for vaccine use.
Bank of Japan Governor Kuroda Haruhiko spoke about the rapid depreciation of the yen after the bank's 2-day policy meeting. He said he has not changed his view that the weak yen is favorable to the Japanese economy in general.
But Kuroda also warned about the prospect of extreme currency volatility. He said that it increases uncertainty and negatively affects business planning and other areas.
Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa has protested Russia's decision to expel eight Japanese diplomatic workers.
Russia's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that eight diplomats and officials at the Japanese Embassy in Moscow must leave Russia by May 10.
Japan's government has formally approved a plan to use Self-Defense Force aircraft to send relief supplies for evacuees to countries neighboring Ukraine.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees says more than 5 million people from Ukraine have fled to neighboring countries as Russia continues its invasion. The evacuees are reportedly struggling to obtain daily supplies.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will visit five countries in Southeast Asia and Europe in an eight-day tour starting Friday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu announced the prime minister's visit on Thursday.
Japan Coast Guard investigators are focusing on how navigational safety rules were observed by the operator of a missing tour boat.
The "KAZU I" went missing off the Shiretoko Peninsula in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido last weekend, with 26 people on board. Eleven passengers have been confirmed dead. The other 13 passengers and two crew members remain unaccounted for.
Russia's military says its missiles have struck a batch of Western weapons and ammunition provided to Ukraine. The United States and other countries are set to strengthen their support.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that cruise missiles hit a facility in Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine. It said the weapons and ammunition from the US and European countries were stored there.
Search and rescue operations continue in northern Japan after a tour boat disappeared on Saturday. But rough seas made it difficult on Wednesday.
The 19-ton "KAZU I" went missing off the coast of Hokkaido. It was carrying 24 passengers and two crew members. 11 are dead, and 15 are still missing. The ship set sail despite gale and high wave advisories.
The president of the operator of a tour boat that went missing off Hokkaido, northern Japan, has offered an apology for the accident.
Katsurada Seiichi, president of Shiretoko Yuransen, appeared in a news conference on Wednesday for the first time since the boat, named "Kazu I," went missing on Saturday.
The Japanese government's expert panel on the coronavirus response has discussed possible measures in case infections resurge after the upcoming holiday week that would put a strain on the healthcare system.
Experts noted at Wednesday's meeting that Japan has been able to keep numbers of infections and deaths low compared to other nations. They ascribed the situation to voluntary restrictions on movement, basic anti-infection measures, state of emergency declarations and quasi-emergency restrictions.