Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has indicated the possibility of downsizing an annual cherry blossom viewing party now under scrutiny. He expressed regret that the event grew so big, citing ambiguousness in selecting guests.
Opposition parties have been accusing Abe of using the publicly funded event to entertain supporters from his constituency.
Shinzo Abe has become Japan's longest-serving prime minister, breaking a record set over a century ago. Prime Minister Abe's total tenure reached 2,887 days on Wednesday.
Abe told reporters on Wednesday morning, "Each and every day I have done my best to carry out the policies I promised the Japanese people I would. I believe I was able to reach this day through those efforts."
Shinzo Abe has become Japan's longest-serving prime minister after breaking a record set more than a century ago.
Abe's total tenure reached 2,887 days on Wednesday. Abe first became prime minister in 2006 but resigned a year later over health issues. Since returning to the top post in December 2012, he has worked to revive the economy, promote work-style reforms and provide childcare support.
Voice recordings acquired by NHK have revealed that a former education minister called for the introduction of private-sector English exams for admission to a top state university.
The University of Tokyo decided to introduce the exams in April of last year, just two weeks after a ruling Liberal Democratic Party meeting in which the recordings were made. Until then, the university had been taking a cautious stance on private-sector exams.
Japan is stepping up measures to prevent African swine fever from entering the country with help from China.
Outbreaks of the disease have been reported in China and other parts of Asia, but no cases have been confirmed in Japan.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has indicated that the government will review the quota set aside for lawmakers to invite guests to the prime minister's cherry blossom viewing party.
Critics say Prime Minister Shinzo Abe used taxpayer money for the annual event to entertain supporters from his constituency.
Land and transport minister Kazuyoshi Akaba says his ministry may release its nominated guest list for the annual cherry blossom viewing party hosted by the prime minister.
Akaba told reporters on Tuesday that the ministry has kept its nominated guest lists from the past 10 years. He said it plans to release them if requested, although personal information must be handled carefully.
Japan's labor officials have recognized power harassment as the cause of a Toyota Motor employee's suicide.
Lawyers for the family say the man joined the car manufacturer four years ago and started working at the head office in the vehicle design section.
Officials from Japan and South Korea are to hold their second round of trade talks as part of the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement process.
Japanese trade ministry official Junichiro Kuroda and his South Korean counterpart Chung Hae-kwan are due to meet on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland.
An Egyptian science and technology university established with assistance from Japan held a ceremony on Monday to mark the opening of a new campus.
Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology, or E-JUST, was founded nine years ago, with the goal of nurturing studies in science, engineering and international business. It now has more than 500 graduate and undergraduate students.
Diplomatic sources say a Japanese tourist was arrested by police in Hong Kong near the site of violent clashes between protesters and police.
A Japanese man in his 20s was reportedly detained on Sunday evening close to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus, which was besieged by the police.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's total tenure has tied the country's record for the longest-serving prime minister, set more than a century ago by Taro Katsura.
Abe achieved the milestone on Tuesday, with a total of 2,886 days in office.
Tokyo police say actress Erika Sawajiri is cooperating with an investigation into her alleged possession of illegal drugs.
The 33-year-old was arrested for possessing the synthetic drug MDMA at her apartment in Tokyo.
Pope Francis has expressed his wish for a nuclear-free world in a video message for the people of Japan. It comes ahead of his four-day visit to the country starting Saturday.
On Sunday, the Pope is expected to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons during visits to the atomic-bombed cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.