The Upper House of Japan's Diet has condemned Myanmar's military coup and called for quick restoration of the country's democratic political system.
A draft resolution to that effect submitted by a nonpartisan group was adopted unanimously in an upper chamber plenary session on Friday.
Japan's Diet has enacted a revised national referendum law three years after a related bill was first submitted to the Diet for debate.
The Upper House passed the bill to amend the law on Friday with a majority vote from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner Komeito, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party and others. The bill had passed the Lower House last month.
A Japanese minister has admitted telling officials to 'threaten' a contractor for an Olympics-related app project over cost-cutting negotiations.
Digital Transformation Minister Hirai Takuya was asked by reporters on Friday about a story in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
Japan's health minister is encouraging people to watch and cheer the Olympics and Paralympics at home. Tamura Norihisa also says that local governments that cancel public viewing events are acting appropriately.
A growing number of municipalities say they won't be holding public viewing events because of concerns about coronavirus infections.
The Japanese government says coronavirus vaccinations may proceed at evacuation sites for natural disasters if conditions permit.
Japan is entering the annual season of heavy rain and tropical storms. The government explained what to do in case of disasters if evacuation sites are being used for inoculations.
Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has left for the UK to attend the Group of Seven summit.
The meeting will be held in Cornwall in the southwestern part of England from Friday through Sunday.
The Japanese government has decided to lift anti-virus restrictions in three prefectures this week because the COVID situation is improving there.
The intensive preventative measures in Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto prefectures will end on Sunday. That means things like business hours at restaurants can be extended in some cities.
Russian authorities have released a Japanese fishing boat and its 14 crew members after nearly two weeks of detention.
Russian authorities took the trawler into custody last month accusing the vessel of operating inside Russia's exclusive economic zone.
A shrine in Kyoto has set up a grass hoop for people to walk through and pray for good health this summer.
At Kamigamo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Shinto priests in white robes performed a ritual to mark the start of the annual festival on Thursday.
Japan's government says it will not allow Belarusian airlines to fly into the country amid international criticism of Belarus over the recent forced landing of a plane carrying a dissident journalist.
Belarusian authorities last month ordered a passenger plane carrying Roman Protasevich to land in the capital Minsk while it was passing through the country's airspace. Protasevich was then detained. He had been rallying opposition to the Belarusian government.
The Japanese government's coronavirus advisory panel has approved a plan to lift anti-virus restrictions on three prefectures.
The intensive preventative measures on Gunma, Ishikawa and Kumamoto prefectures are set to end on Sunday.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide will leave for Britain on Thursday to attend the Group of Seven summit chaired by his British counterpart, Boris Johnson.
The meeting will be held in Cornwall in southwestern Britain from Friday to Sunday. It will be the leaders' first face-to-face G7 summit in two years.
The president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee says Japanese media crews will be vaccinated against the coronavirus before the Tokyo Olympics to ensure safety.
Hashimoto Seiko made the remark at a news conference on Wednesday after her panel briefed an online IOC executive meeting about the preparations for the Games.
A panel of advisers to Japan's government is calling for the creation of a more powerful system and command center to respond to any emergency of infectious diseases.
The proposal was contained in a draft of this year's basic policies for economic and fiscal management and reform, which was submitted at a meeting of the Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy on Wednesday.