UN special rapporteurs have called on the Japanese government to act quickly to protect workers engaged in decontamination of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
The 3 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council jointly issued a statement on Thursday.
NHK has learned that two DNA experts have not been able to identify the remains of any Japanese soldiers among human parts collected and stored in the Philippines.
But the Japanese welfare ministry has not disclosed the experts' findings.
Japan's Meteorological Agency is warning that the volcano on Kuchinoerabu Island in the country's southwest remains active despite a decline in the number of volcanic earthquakes.
Only one volcanic quake had been detected as of 6 PM on Thursday, compared with 37 the day before, when the agency raised the eruption alert to the second highest level of 4.
Japan Meteorological Agency officials say intense seismic activity continued on Thursday from the Mount Shindake volcano on the island of Kuchinoerabu.
Residents living within 3 kilometers of the crater have been told to prepare to evacuate.
Weather officials are warning of possible mudslides, overflowing rivers, and flooding as heavy rains pound northeastern Japan.
People in these areas also need to watch out for lightning strikes and wind gusts, including tornadoes.
Japan Meteorological Agency officials say intense seismic activity continued on Thursday from the Mount Shindake volcano on the island of Kuchinoerabu.
Residents living within 3 kilometers of the crater have been told to prepare to evacuate.
A group of researchers conducted a test to develop technology for a space elevator that would link the Earth and outer space using cables.
The Japan Space Elevator Association carried out the experiment on Wednesday at the Fukushima Robot Test Field in Fukushima Prefecture.
People in Japan are commemorating the end of World War Two. Thousands gathered at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo to honor the fallen in an annual ceremony held every August 15th.
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko took part for the last time. The Emperor will abdicate next April.
Volcanic activity is intensifying on the island of Kuchinoerabu, in southwestern Japan.
At 10:30 AM on Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency raised the volcanic alert level from 2 to the second-highest level of 4.
No minister from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet visited Yasukuni Shrine on August 15th, the day Japan marks the end of World War Two, for the second straight year.
The shrine honors Japan's war dead. Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War Two.
A group of Japanese lawmakers visited Yasukuni Shrine on Wednesday, the day Japan marks the end of World War Two.
The Shinto shrine in Tokyo honors Japan's war dead.
Those remembered include leaders convicted of war crimes after World War Two.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says he cannot answer questions concerning the government's efforts for the release of a Japanese man recently detained in North Korea.
Foreign ministry sources say that the man was detained after entering the North earlier this month, but details of what happened are not yet clear.
Police are continuing to search for a man facing multiple charges who escaped from a police station in western Japan.
30-year-old Junya Hida broke out of the Tondabayashi police station in Osaka Prefecture on Sunday night.
People in Japan are commemorating the end of World War Two. Thousands have gathered in Tokyo to honor the fallen in an annual ceremony held every August 15th.
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko took part for the last time. The Emperor will abdicate next April.