The United States has deployed chemical weapons and a battalion equipped to deal with nuclear and chemical attacks in South Korea. Japan has warned North Korea against its ‘provocative statements’ after Pyongyang stepped up its war rhetoric against the US threats. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday, “Our government does not believe we should be pushed around and... 

Tight squeeze: A Tokyo local shows a Japanese news crew around her tiny ‘coffin apartment’ In one of the most densely populated Asian cities, Tokyo, real estate prices are so undemocratic that a part of the population of the city is forced to live in most bizarre and unusual “apartments.” So-called Internet refugees permanently live in the booths and cubicles of Internet cafe.... 

Aerial shot taken on September 15, 2010 shows the disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea. Japan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned China’s ambassador in protest at the sailing of Chinese ships near the group of islands in the East China Sea disputed by Beijing and Tokyo. “The foreign ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador over ships entering... 

A Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic showroom in Tokyo. Embattled Japanese consumer electronics giants Panasonic and Sharp have posted more than USD11 billion in combined losses over the nine-month period ending in December. On Friday, Sharp announced its losses had doubled in the nine months leading to December to USD4.6 billion. Panasonic, meanwhile, said it had lost about USD6.77 billion... 

A fish containing over 2,500 times Japan’s legal limit for radiation in seafood has been caught in the vicinity of the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, the facility’s operator reported. ­A ‘murasoi’ fish, similar to a rockfish, was caught at a port inside the plant, according to AFP. Plant owner Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) indicated that the amount of cesium measured 254,000... 

Outgoing US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned China over its territorial dipute with Japan on East China Sea islands. American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has issued an indirect warning to China, vowing that the US opposes any efforts to challenge “Japanese administration” of disputed islands in East China Sea. Clinton’s remarks came at joint press conference on Friday following... 

A US Air Force Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle Japan is considering plans to deploy US spy drones over the East China Sea to monitor a group of islands disputed by both Tokyo and Beijing. Japan’s Kyodo News said on Monday that the Japanese Defense Ministry was making arrangements to introduce the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft in order to boost surveillance of its waters near the islands, known... 

Toyota, the third largest carmaker in the US market, has settled a US lawsuit that blames the company for defects in the speed control system in its vehicles. The class action has been the biggest safety crisis in the Japanese company’s history. The key accusation is that millions of Toyota cars accelerate unintentionally, with the proposed settlement set to cover economic losses from possible safety... 

Japan launched 8 fighter jets in response to an airspace “violation” by a Chinese plane that strayed into territory above disputed islands in East China Sea. Japan slammed the move as “deplorable” and lodged a formal complaint against the Chinese. The Japanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement, saying a Chinese state aircraft had strayed into airspace over the disputed archipelago, prompting... 

A massive earthquake hit the northeast of Japan triggering a tsunami on March 11, 2011. A one-meter tsunami wave has hit Japan following a strong earthquake measuring 7.3 that struck off the northeast coast, Japanese media say. The wave hit the city of Ishinomaki at 6:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) on Friday, the same area which was badly hit by the devastating quake and tsunami that struck Japan on... 

Otome 3D compnay will open the world’s first 3D printing photo booth in Japan. The world’s first 3D printing photo booth, creating life-like miniature photos, is set to be unveiled at the Eye of Gyre exhibition in Japan. A Japanese company known as Omote 3D is planning to offer the 3D photo printing service at the Eye of Gyre exhibition that will be held in Tokyo’s Harajuk. According... 

Japan has launched naval drills with the US in spite of heightened tensions with China over a territorial dispute. The exercise was initially planned to simulate an island re-occupation, but was scrapped for naval operations to avoid agitating China. The 11-day drills are aimed at boosting the defense of Japan’s southwestern island territories and will involve more than 37,000 Japanese personnel... 

Panasonic Corp., Japan’s second largest TV maker, saw its credit rating cut by two levels by Standard & Poor’s after it forecast a $9.5 bn loss 30 times bigger than analyst estimates. ­S&P said it has downgraded long-term debt to BBB, down from A-, as “huge losses for the second year in a row weaken the company’s financial profile and could further slow its recovery in the next... 

China is boosting its efforts aimed at returning the jurisdiction over the disputed Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku). In late October, the Chinese ships began regular patrols of the waters, despite the protests of Tokyo. Some analysts argue that the parties have exhausted all diplomatic means. Beijing is clearly hinting at the possibility of using force. On Tuesday, the leading news agencies once again reported... 

China sent its first aircraft carrier into formal service on Tuesday amid a tense maritime dispute with Japan in a show of force that could worry its neighbours. China’s Ministry of Defence said the newly named Liaoning aircraft carrier would “raise the overall operational strength of the Chinese navy” and help Beijing to “effectively protect national sovereignty, security and development...