May 23, 2012
Few political insiders expect progress in next week’s meeting between Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and kingmaker Ichiro Ozawa, but they agree the consequences could be enormous: the potential disintegration of the ruling party.
May 23, 2012
Industry minister Yukio Edano left open the possibility of several of Japan’s nuclear power plants operating well into the future, despite the government’s policy of reducing Japan’s reliance on nuclear power.
May 22, 2012
The main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, clearly frustrated over Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda’s wavering ways, has resorted to threats to force decisive action on legislation to raise the consumption tax rate.
May 22, 2012
VIENNA--The U.N. nuclear watchdog director said on May 22 he expected to sign a deal with Iran soon to unblock an investigation into suspected work on atom bombs, potentially brightening prospects for big-power talks with Tehran to stop a drift toward conflict.
May 22, 2012
Japan's main opposition party appeared to offer a compromise after months of stalemate over a proposed sales tax hike, with a senior official saying it could cooperate with the government on the tax plan if it dropped its costly welfare spending pledges.
May 22, 2012
SEOUL--Japan, the United States and South Korea will press a reluctant China to turn up the heat on an increasingly provocative North Korea at a trilateral foreign ministers’ meeting to be held in July.
May 22, 2012
One of China's top military officials has canceled a planned visit to Japan, citing pressing duties at home, Japanese government sources said.
May 22, 2012
VIENNA/DUBAI--The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief held talks in Tehran on May 21 ahead of a meeting between major powers and Iranian officials this week, but there was no immediate sign of a breakthrough in the tense confrontation over Iran's nuclear program.
May 21, 2012
Despite growing international concerns over the state of spent fuel rods at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, two government experts said on May 21 that there are no plans to speed up their scheduled removal by 2015.
May 21, 2012
VIENNA/DUBAI -- The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief began rare talks in Tehran on May 21 after voicing hope for a deal to investigate suspected atomic bomb research -- a gesture that Iran may count on to get international sanctions relaxed and deflect threats of war.
May 21, 2012
The new president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) wants to create a framework that would allow for working together with China in providing assistance to developing nations.
May 20, 2012
Central government officials are realizing they will have to depend on Fukui prefectural officials for a restart of the Oi nuclear power plant in the prefecture anytime soon.
May 20, 2012
CAMP DAVID--World leaders backed keeping Greece in the euro zone on May 19 and vowed to take all steps necessary to combat financial turmoil while revitalizing a global economy increasingly threatened by Europe's debt crisis.
May 19, 2012
Without fanfare, Osamu Fujimura will become the Democratic Party of Japan’s longest-serving chief Cabinet secretary on May 25.
May 19, 2012
CAMP DAVID, Maryland -- A growing chorus of world leaders on Friday pushed for a shift toward more pro-growth policies to help ease a European crisis that threatens to oust Greece from the euro zone and reverberate throughout the global economy.
May 19, 2012
Just 48 hours after the natural disaster that befell Japan last year, an unmanned U.S. military aircraft was surveying the devastation and relaying real-time information to rescue crews on the ground.
May 17, 2012
SEOUL--North Korea has resumed construction work on an experimental light water reactor (ELWR) in a move that could extend its capacity to produce more material for nuclear weapons, website 38North reported on May 17.
May 17, 2012
Sadakazu Tanigaki, the leader of Japan’s largest opposition party, is in a bind.
May 17, 2012
In March, reporters who gathered for the announcement of a new vehicle at a factory in central Vladivostok, Russia, feasted their eyes on the Actyon, an SUV from South Korean maker Ssangyong Motor Co.
May 17, 2012
DALLAS--Talks on a regional free trade agreement between the United States and eight countries in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region made good progress over the past week, but tough issues remain, the top U.S. trade negotiator on the deal said on May 16.