Emperor Naruhito is now 60 years old.

Ahead of the Sunday occasion, the Emperor expressed his thoughts to the media. It was his first news conference since he ascended the throne last May.

Japan's Cabinet has approved a package to fund most of an emergency plan to tackle the outbreak of the new coronavirus. The spending totals 10.3 billion yen, or 93.8 million dollars. The total plan is worth about 140 million dollars.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters on Friday that the government wants to implement "firm and urgent countermeasures to stop the further spread of the virus." He also said it wants to promote urgent support plans for affected industries.

The Japanese government will broaden its entry ban to cover people from the Chinese province of Zhejiang to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan. Many cases of the virus have been found in Zhejiang.

Japan currently bans the entry of foreign nationals who were in Hubei Province within 14 days before their arrival in Japan, or those who hold passports issued by the Hubei provincial government, unless they have special reasons.

A powerful activist investor has built a stake in SoftBank Group, potentially pressing the Japanese tech giant to make changes to boost its share value.

US media say Elliott Management has amassed a 2.5-billion-dollar-stake in SoftBank Group.That's about 3 percent of the Japanese firm's shares.

Officials at Japan's transport ministry say they have talked by phone with five Japanese nationals on board the cruise ship, Westerdam.

The ship was refused permission to dock at several destinations including Japan after leaving Hong Kong amid fears of the spreading coronavirus.

It may be one of the oldest sports cars in production, with the original one being around since 2007, but the Nissan GT-R has been constantly updated over the years, so it's still very competitive.

The uniforms that Japanese athletes will wear for the opening ceremonies and other official events of the Summer Olympics and Paralympics were unveiled at an event in Tokyo on Thursday.

Six athletes appeared in the uniforms for the opening ceremonies. The uniform comprises a white jacket and a red skirt or trousers. The colors are based on Japan's national flag.

Japan's Justice Ministry has responded to criticism of the country's criminal justice system by offering a point-by-point explanation on its website.

A section on frequently asked questions features 14 questions and answers in Japanese and English.

Japan's Cabinet has approved a record budget for fiscal 2020 that includes ballooning funding for social security programs.

Government officials submitted the draft budget to the regular Diet session on Monday.

The Japanese Diet convened its ordinary session on Monday. The governing and opposition parties are expected to hold heated debates, as the opposition camp is set to step up an offensive over scandals, including an alleged bribery case over planned integrated resorts.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will address the plenary session of both houses in the afternoon.

The Japanese car market is probably the world's most peculiar because it features so many models that are only sold there, the ones enthusiasts know as JDM specials.

Japan's justice minister says former Nissan Motor Chairman Carlos Ghosn's criticism of Japan's justice system was mostly abstract, unclear or baseless.

Masako Mori rebutted Ghosn's remarks in a news conference shortly after 9 a.m. Japan time on Thursday.