Science and technology minister Hagiuda Koichi says a capsule brought back by Japan's Hayabusa2 asteroid probe contained at least 5.4 grams of samples. That's more than 50 times the targeted volume.
Hagiuda spoke to reporters on Friday after observing the ongoing work to analyze the samples by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.
The Japanese government has decided to develop a new type of long-range "standoff missile" that can attack targets from outside enemy range.
The government approved the new missile defense policy at a Cabinet meeting on Friday.
A strong earthquake has rocked Tokyo's Toshima Island. It registered five minus on Japan's seismic intensity scale of zero to seven.
The quake occurred at around 6:09 p.m. on Friday, local time.
A Japanese expressway operator says its work to dig an underground tunnel likely caused a cave-in in a residential area of western Tokyo.
East Nippon Expressway announced interim findings of its probe into the matter on Friday.
Weather officials in Japan are warning of more heavy snow this weekend, mainly in coastal areas along the Sea of Japan.
A strong cold air mass brought a record snowfall of about 200 centimeters to mountainous areas in Niigata and neighboring Gunma prefectures from Tuesday to Thursday.
Japanese shipping firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has disclosed the possible causes of an accident that led to a massive oil leak off Mauritius.
The company announced on Friday its findings on the July 25 accident involving the bulk carrier Wakashio, which it had chartered. The oil leak has caused serious environmental pollution in the Indian Ocean nation.
The Japanese government plans to speed up preparations for coronavirus vaccinations in the country.
Vaccines developed by different pharmaceutical companies require different storage temperatures. The government is planning to secure special freezers for each vaccine, as well as dry ice to preserve them. As equipment and materials necessary for storage are expected to be in short supply in the summer, the government will call on manufacturers to boost production.
Record-breaking snowfall continues to down power lines and close off traffic arteries in northern and western Japan --- with little relief in sight. For some it's meant many hours stuck on the highway --- without food and with nowhere to go.
About 2,000 vehicles were stranded on this expressway which links Tokyo to Niigata - on Wednesday.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 664 new cases of the coronavirus in the Japanese capital on Friday.
The figure has topped 600 for the third day in a row.
The Japanese government has decided to develop a new type of long-range "standoff missile" that can attack targets from outside enemy range.
The government approved the new missile defense policy at a Cabinet meeting on Friday.
Another blast of heavy snow is expected for coastal areas of the country along the Sea of Japan starting around Friday evening.
Due to a strong cold air mass over the Japanese archipelago, coupled with the season's typical atmospheric air pattern, heavy snow continued falling in mountainous areas from northern through western Japan.
The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO has decided to register traditional Japanese techniques used in wooden architecture to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage discussed Japan's proposal and reached the decision in an online panel meeting on Thursday.
Unusually heavy snowfall for this time of the year is wreaking havoc across many parts of Japan. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has instructed his cabinet ministers to provide support for local governments affected.
Suga held a meeting with relevant Cabinet ministers on Thursday, as the heavy snow is forecast to continue this week.
Japanese authorities reported more than 3,200 cases on Thursday... the most ever. More than 191,000 people have now tested positive in the country. Over 2,800 people have died.
A record 822 cases were reported in Tokyo on Thursday.