Japan's Meteorological Agency says Tropical Storm Chan-hom may approach the country over the weekend.
Weather officials say Chan-hom was advancing northward on Tuesday over waters south of Japan and is expected to develop a storm zone.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has arrived in Tokyo to attend a foreign ministerial meeting taking place on Tuesday with Japan, Australia and India.
Pompeo landed at a US military base in suburban Tokyo early Tuesday morning.
The Japanese government has lodged a protest against China's new digital "museum" that underscores Beijing's claims to the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu told reporters on Monday that Japan filed the protest with China via diplomatic channels, calling for the website to be deleted.
A character representing dreams and hope from the disaster-hit city of Rikuzentakata in northeastern Japan has won an annual contest to decide the country's most popular local mascot.
Local authorities, companies and other organizations create mascots to promote their communities and activities. Such mascots, called "Yuru-Chara," usually feature cute, yet unsophisticated designs.
Japan is expected to agree with South Korea to start allowing people to travel between the two countries for business purposes as early as this week.
The Japanese government is gradually easing entry restrictions that have been put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The Japanese government will cover the cost of vaccinations against coronavirus infection. It will also pay compensation to people who develop side effects.
The government presented a vaccination plan to a panel of experts at the health ministry on Friday. It stipulates that anyone who develops side effects will be eligible for financial support and other relief measures.
Japan's Defense Ministry plans to enhance its electronic warfare capability by creating six specialized units across the country.
Electronic warfare involves monitoring and jamming enemy radio communications and radars.
Japan is easing entry restrictions on Thursday for foreigners from around the world, excluding tourists.
The Japanese government had denied entry of people from 159 countries and regions in principle due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has already resumed businesspeople's travel to and from Vietnam, Taiwan and some other places where infection is under control.
Japan's Defense Ministry is seeking a record 52 billion dollar budget for the fiscal year starting in April 2021.
The ministry decided on the amount, which is 3.3 percent more than the initial budget for the current fiscal year, at a meeting on Wednesday attended by Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo.
NHK has learned the Japanese government will likely boost economic aid for remote, inhabited islands close to the country's maritime borders.
Seventy-one remote islands have the government's special designation as areas that should be kept inhabited to help protect Japan's territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.
Russia says it has started military drills on the Kuril Islands. The island chain includes Japan's Northern Territories.
Russia's Eastern Military District announced on Tuesday that more than 1,500 soldiers were taking part in drills on two islands. They are Etorofu and Kunashiri, two of the four Russian-controlled islands claimed by Japan.
Japanese officials say more than 60,000 people have lost or are about to lose their jobs - as COVID-19 takes a wrecking ball to a number of industries.
The labor ministry says this number only reflects people who have reported unemployment to regional offices. So the full picture could be even worse.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu says the government is watching with concern the human rights situation of Uighurs in China.
Kato was speaking to reporters on Monday about China's policy for the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated at a meeting to discuss Xinjiang policies that Beijing will continue to exercise ideological and religious control in the region.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato Katsunobu says the government will look into a minor collision between a Japanese patrol vessel and a Taiwanese fishing boat as necessary and deal with it in an appropriate way.
The Japan Coast Guard says the incident took place in Japan's territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Sunday afternoon. It says the Taiwanese boat was illegally operating in the waters.