A former Japanese abductee who returned from North Korea 20 years ago has called on Japan's government to take action to immediately bring back other people who were abducted.
Chimura Yasushi made the urgent appeal at a rally in the city of Fukui, central Japan, on Sunday.
Japan's government will urge seniors and people with underlying health issues not to use its domestic tourism campaign to travel to and from Tokyo. The decision is in line with a request from the capital where coronavirus cases are surging.
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide and Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko agreed on Tuesday that they will ask people aged 65 and older and those with existing health conditions to refrain from making such trips.
Sweltering heat continued in Japan on Monday, with temperatures topping 38 degrees Celsius in some eastern and western parts of the country.
The highest temperature recorded by 02:00 p.m. was 38.6 degrees in Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture.
The head of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, or ICAN, has urged Japan to launch discussions on whether to join the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
ICAN won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its contribution to the adoption of the treaty.
Weather officials are urging continued caution against river floods due to torrential rain for people in Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
The Meteorological Agency says unstable atmospheric conditions brought record levels of rainfall to parts of the prefecture on Tuesday.
The mayor of Yoron, a remote island town in southwestern Japan, is urging people to refrain from visiting due to a recent outbreak of the coronavirus.
Yama Motomune spoke to NHK after 34 cases were confirmed in the five days through Sunday. He pointed to the limited medical capacity in Yoron, a popular tourist destination in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is urging people to stay home over the holiday weekend starting on Thursday. The call comes the same day the nation hits an all-time high for daily cases.
Tokyo officials met with experts on Wednesday and decided to maintain the highest level of alert. Over the past week, an average of more than 230 new cases have been reported each day. Untraceable cases are on the rise.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is urging people to stay home over the holiday weekend starting on Thursday.
The capital remains on the highest level of alert for the coronavirus, as newly confirmed cases bring its total virus count above 10,000.
Officials in Tokyo have called for precautionary measures against the coronavirus at night clubs in the Shinjuku Kabukicho area, one of the largest entertainment districts in Japan.
The recent surge in virus infections in the capital is partly blamed on nightlife drinking locations, such as host or hostess bars.
The family of a TV star who died in a suspected suicide due to cyber-bullying has filed a complaint with Japan's Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement Organization, known as the BPO.
Kimura Hana, a 22-year-old professional Japanese wrestler, was one of the stars of "Terrace House," a reality show produced by Fuji Television. She is believed to have taken her own life in May after being cyber-bullied by anonymous online users.
Torrential rains are swamping parts of Japan. The extreme wet weather has moved into the central and eastern part of the country, after causing widespread damage in the southwestern region of Kyushu. More than 55 people have died, and over 15 others are missing.
The Meteorological Agency has switched a heavy rain emergency warning for Gifu and Nagano prefectures to a warning. But officials are telling residents to stay vigilant as the water is still rising in local rivers.
In Japan's southwestern region of Kyushu, the heavy rainfall is now being blamed for the deaths of more than 50 people.
Weather officials have switched a heavy rain emergency warning issued for Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures to a warning.
A Japanese surfers' association is asking its members to stay at home because a state of emergency is in place for the coronavirus pandemic.
The Nippon Surfing Association posted a message on its website on Wednesday, ahead of the spring holidays that begin next week.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise in the Japanese capital. Tokyo officials say there were 78 new cases on Tuesday.... bringing the total in the capital to more than 500.
Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko met Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on Tuesday to discuss the situation.