South Korea has reopened a complaint with the World Trade Organization over Japan's tightened export controls on three high-tech materials.

Officials of South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy revealed the reopening to NHK on Thursday.

Japan's former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Kawai Anri have been arrested by prosecutors over an alleged violation of the election law. Both are lawmakers, formerly with the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Prosecutors arrested the couple on Thursday and searched their offices.

Japan's former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Anri have been arrested by prosecutors over an alleged violation of the election law. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has apologized to the public for the arrests of the Kawais, who are lawmakers, formerly with the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Abe made the comments at a news conference, one day after the ordinary session of the Diet came to a close.

The Japanese government has decided to ease entry restrictions from countries and territories where coronavirus infections are deemed to be under control.

The government coronavirus task force met on Thursday and decided on easing its policy, starting with business people under certain conditions.

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo says the government will lift travel restrictions across prefectural borders on Friday, as the daily number of coronavirus cases continues to fall nationwide, except in a few localities.

Abe made the announcement at a meeting of the government's taskforce on the coronavirus on Thursday.

Former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Anri have been arrested by prosecutors over an alleged violation of the election law. Both are lawmakers, formerly with the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

Prosecutors say Katsuyuki used 220,000 dollars of campaign funds in cash handouts to local politicians and other individuals to secure votes for his wife.

Japan's former Justice Minister Kawai Katsuyuki and his wife Anri, both lawmakers, have been arrested by prosecutors over an alleged violation of the election law.

The Japanese government says smartphone users will be able to download a coronavirus contact-tracing app starting Friday.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Nishimura Yasutoshi, the minister in charge of the government's coronavirus response, said he wants people to install the app to protect lives.

NHK has learned that Japanese prosecutors have asked two lawmakers to turn themselves in for questioning over their alleged vote-buying.

They are expected to arrest Kawai Katsuyuki, a former justice minister and Lower House representative, and his wife, Kawai Anri, an Upper House member, on suspicion of violating the election law as early as Thursday.

An airport in central Japan has partially resumed international flights following a suspension of more than two months due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Philippine Airlines restarted service between the Chubu international airport in Aichi Prefecture and Manila on Wednesday.

A bill that created a heated debate in Japan over the retirement system for public prosecutors has been scrapped.

The legislation aimed to raise the retirement age for public prosecutors in stages to 65. The Cabinet would have also allowed senior prosecutors to stay in their positions for up to three additional years.

Kansai Electric Power Company has filed a lawsuit for 18 million dollars in damages against five former executives over a bribery scandal.

The utility filed the suit against former chairman Yagi Makoto, former president Iwane Shigeki and three others at the Osaka District Court on Tuesday.

The Bank of Japan has decided to maintain its policy of massive monetary easing to support the country's economy during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a two-day policy meeting that ended on Tuesday, the central bank also decided to increase its financing support for businesses to about one trillion dollars.

The Governor of the Bank of Japan says it will not hesitate to draw up additional easing measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kuroda Haruhiko was speaking to reporters on Tuesday after a two-day policy meeting at which the BOJ decided to expand its corporate financing support program to over one trillion dollars.