August 25, 2012
Forget Godzilla and giant robots. Merchants in Tokyo's Akihabara district, the anime and electronics mecca of Japan, have been battling two truly ferocious foes this summer: slumping tourism and thrifty shoppers.
August 25, 2012
With clear skies and good visibility, visitors on the 634-meter-tall Tokyo Skytree tower’s observation deck often take photos of Mount Fuji in the distance, but Suguru Minamikawa did the opposite.
August 24, 2012
ISTANBUL--Family members of war correspondent Mika Yamamoto, who was killed while covering the civil war in Syria, viewed her bullet-torn body at a mosque in neighboring Turkey on Aug. 23.
August 24, 2012
KYOTO--In a candle-lit temple, worshippers put their hands together in prayer for people who died without relatives to mourn them.
August 24, 2012
Clocks in two domes at Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi building became visible to the public on Aug. 22, as work to restore the structure to its original 1914 appearance nears completion.
August 23, 2012
KILIS, Turkey--Japanese war correspondent Mika Yamamoto, who was killed Aug. 20 while covering the conflict in Syria, suffered massive blood loss caused by gunshot wounds to her back and spine, according to a judicial autopsy carried out by Turkish authorities.
August 23, 2012
SETO, Aichi Prefecture--An exhibition here of items engraved “Made in Occupied Japan” is providing a rare glimpse into Japan’s history immediately after its defeat in World War II.
August 23, 2012
A common sight in Japan's pet shops that brings squeals of delight from customers, newborn kittens and puppies may soon be required to be kept off the market for at least 45 days after birth.
August 22, 2012
Japanese researchers said Aug. 22 they have created white crickets using a genetic technology that leaves no trace of DNA manipulation, a development expected to fuel concerns about possible damage to the environment.
August 22, 2012
BEIJING--A Japanese comic storytelling performance in China designed to promote friendly relations has been suspended amid the resurgent territorial spat between the two countries, sources said.
August 22, 2012
Popular support for a nuclear-free Japan by 2030 has increased sharply to nearly 50 percent, according to a new polling method that gauges public opinion after selected voters have had a chance to discuss the issue among themselves.
August 22, 2012
With the remains of some 10,000 Imperial Japanese soldiers still unaccounted for on Iwojima island, one seemingly impenetrable final resting site is beneath a runway still in use.
August 21, 2012
Increasing numbers of Japanese students are traveling overseas for intern-style placements, despite the possibility of being left disoriented and vulnerable when arriving in an unfamiliar location.
August 21, 2012
Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is expected to shrink to a record level this summer, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Aug. 20.
August 20, 2012
HIGASHI-MATSUSHIMA, Miyagi Prefecture--Since most evacuees from last year's earthquake and tsunami could not attend the famed Aomori Nebuta Festival, a group of volunteers wondered, why not bring it to them?
August 19, 2012
With 48 of Japan's 50 nuclear reactors currently off-line for maintenance or inspections, a citizens' group is questioning the impartiality of some of the members who have served or are serving on governmental councils to assess their safety to be restarted.
August 19, 2012
EAST CHINA SEA--Ten Japanese nationalists landed early on Aug. 19 on a rocky island in the East China Sea at the heart of a territorial row with Beijing, with protests in several Chinese cities also indicating ties were worsening between Asia's two biggest economies.
August 19, 2012
PRANBURI, Thailand--They're better known as stealthy killing machines to take out suspected terrorists with pinpoint accuracy. But drones are also being put to more benign use in skies across several continents to track endangered wildlife, spot poachers and chart forest loss.
August 19, 2012
INAKADATE, Aomori Prefecture--In the hands of a true "artiste," just about anything can be transformed into a canvas for creative expression--even a rice paddy.