The Japanese government has decided to set up a new entity to help prevent high-end domestic fruits and other farm products from being illegally grown overseas.

The decision comes after items such as high-quality "Shine Muscat" and "Ruby Roman" grapes were found growing in other countries.

Japan's Environment Ministry has decided to establish an expert panel early next year to discuss how to deal with possibly toxic compounds detected near US military bases in the country.

The panel, made up of experts in public health and other fields, is expected to decide domestic targets to keep concentrations of the organofluorine compounds PFOS and PFOA at low levels. The experts will also consider ways to monitor water quality.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to soon dock with the International Space Station with four astronauts on board. It's the world's first operational mission of a privately-developed space vehicle.

The team, led by Commander Michael Hopkins, consists of two other Americans and Japanese astronaut Noguchi Soichi. They will stay at the ISS for about six months to conduct scientific experiments and other missions.

A center for coronavirus prevention will be in operation during the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics next summer.

Officials from the Japanese government, the Tokyo Metropolitan government and the Tokyo Organising Committee met on Tuesday at the Prime Minister's Office to discuss the matter.

The Japanese government plans to come up with guidelines to prevent coronavirus infections among people who visit shrines or attend other large-scale events during the New Year holidays.

Economic Revitalization Minister Nishimura Yasutoshi spoke at the inaugural meeting of an expert panel on Friday.

Japan's Defense Ministry plans to enhance its electronic warfare capability by creating six specialized units across the country.

Electronic warfare involves monitoring and jamming enemy radio communications and radars.

NHK has learned that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be in Tokyo early next month for talks with his Japanese, Australian and Indian counterparts.

The four also met in New York in September last year. In October, they are expected to discuss China's increased maritime activities, and reaffirm their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law.

The new leader of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Suga Yoshihide, is set to be elected as prime minister in the Diet on Wednesday.

The vote among lawmakers is virtually assured to name Suga as the successor to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, since an LDP-led coalition controls both houses.

Japan is on the cusp of getting a new Cabinet---and NHK is learning details about who will serve in key posts.

Aso Taro will remain as deputy prime minister and finance minister. Health Minister Kato Katsunobu will become chief cabinet secretary.

There isn't much to discuss on the surface here, but news that Honda is preparing its second electric car is of great interest to us. The company's first EV — the Honda E — is not sold in America, and based on how Honda is framing this car, it won't be sold in the U.S. either.

Honda's teaser image is a preview of a concept car that will be fully revealed at the Beijing Motor Show. Honda says it indicates "the direction of the future mass-production model of the Honda brand's first EV to be introduced in China." The teaser is posted to Honda's global news site, but not its North American site, suggesting even further that this car isn't meant for us.

Japan's government is set to add Tokyo to the "Go To Travel" domestic tourism campaign on October 1. The travel discount program is aimed at boosting consumer spending.

Trips to and from Tokyo were excluded from the campaign at its launch in July due to an increase in coronavirus cases in the capital at the time.

The Infiniti QX60 has been around for nearly a decade (since the days of the JX), and it’s in dire need of a replacement. Luckily, the Japanese carmaker is planning a little surprise for us come September 24.

Japan's government says it will aim to secure enough coronavirus vaccine for all citizens in the country by the first half of next year.

A government taskforce decided on a set of measures to deal with the outbreak on Friday, with Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and Cabinet ministers in attendance.

Japan's second-largest opposition party, the Democratic Party for the People, has decided to dissolve itself and form a new party through a merger with the largest opposition group, the Constitutional Democratic Party.

The decision came at a meeting of more than 60 Lower and Upper House members of the party on Wednesday.