Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide says the country is committed to making its contribution toward a world free of carbon emissions.
On Wednesday, he spoke at the first meeting of a government expert panel on realizing a carbon-free society, ahead of international climate talks, including COP26.
A senior South Korean foreign ministry official is visiting Japan for bureau chief-level talks on outstanding bilateral issues.
South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong revealed at a news conference on Wednesday that the director general for Asian and Pacific affairs, Lee Sang-ryol, left for Tokyo earlier in the day.
Osaka Prefecture in western Japan, which is now reporting more daily coronavirus cases than anywhere else in the country, plans to ask the central government for a new designation that would allow its governor to enforce stricter anti-virus measures.
Osaka officials confirmed nearly 600 new infections on Wednesday. That marks the first time in more than two months that its daily tally has surpassed 500.
NHK has learned that a Japanese court ruled that the unauthorized posting of parts of a comic on a spoiler website is an act of copyright infringement. The court also ordered the website operator to disclose who posted the content.
The serial comic "Kengan Omega" is available on an app operated by Japanese publisher, Shogakukan.
The United States will invite top national security officials from Japan and South Korea this week for the first high-level trilateral security talks since the inauguration of US President Joe Biden.
The White House released a statement on Tuesday announcing that US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will hold three-way talks on Friday with the Secretary General of Japan's National Security Secretariat, Kitamura Shigeru, and South Korea's National Security Advisor, Suh Hoon.
The mother of a professional wrestler who took her own life after becoming the target of online harassment says she is launching an organization dedicated to preventing cyber bullying.
Wrestler Kimura Hana was a cast member of popular Japanese reality television show aired on Fuji TV, "Terrace House." She became the target of malicious attacks on social media due to her conduct and remarks on the show. She killed herself in May last year.
The head of the Japanese government's panel of experts on the coronavirus has proposed applying special measures to Osaka Prefecture, allowing officials there to take stronger steps to curb the spread of infection.
Omi Shigeru told a Lower House committee meeting on Wednesday that Osaka is nearing stage 4 -- the highest alert level. He added that the strain on the local medical system is steadily increasing.
Sumo wrestler Terunofuji is set to reclaim his title of ozeki, the second-highest rank in the traditional Japanese sport.
The Japan Sumo Association approved the promotion at an extraordinary meeting of its board of directors on Wednesday.
The Japanese government plans to withhold new aid to Myanmar for the time being to urge its military to stop violence against civilians and restore democracy.
The measure is aimed at putting pressure on Myanmar's military while staying engaged with it. Japan's government thinks suspending its economic assistance to Myanmar is more effective than sanctions imposed by some Western nations.
Officials are considering tougher measures in the western prefecture of Osaka, which reported the most daily cases anywhere in the country on Tuesday.
Health authorities said there were over 400 new infections that is the highest figure since a state of emergency was lifted last month.
The Japanese government has decided to extend its sanctions against North Korea for a further two years.
Japan has imposed unilateral sanctions against North Korea since 2006 in response to nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches carried out by the country.
Japanese organizations provided free food and drinks to university students in financial difficulty due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nine groups in Chiba Prefecture -- including local agricultural, fishery and consumer cooperatives -- joined forces to help students facing hardship.
The US spacecraft, Crew Dragon, will be launched to the International Space Station on April 22 Japan time carrying Japanese astronaut Hoshide Akihiko.
Science and technology minister Hagiuda Koichi revealed the news to reporters on Tuesday.
Japanese immigration authorities have filed an objection to a UN panel's report which says that the country's long-term detention of foreign nationals refusing deportation violates an international covenant.
The UN Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention studied a case of two foreign nationals who were denied refugee status in Japan. The Iranian and a Kurd of Turkish nationality had sought asylum, fearing persecution at home. They were held in long-term detention after refusing deportation.