China, Japan agree to restart ruling party talks after six-year hiatus

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ China and Japan have agreed to resume regular talks between their ruling parties for the first time in six years, officials from Japan’s coalition government said… Read more

Kishida, new U.S. command chief vow to achieve regional stability

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the new chief of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Wednesday affirmed their countries’ commitment to peace and stability for the… Read more

SDF member dies after hand grenade explodes during training

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ A male Japan Self-Defense Forces member died Thursday after handling a grenade that exploded during a training session at a facility in Yamanashi Prefecture, the SDF… Read more

U.N. rights group says Japan needs to do more to counter human rights abuses

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ A group working under the U.N. Human Rights Council has issued a wide-ranging report about rights in Japan, including discrimination against minorities and unhealthy working conditions.… Read more

Apple to allow iPhones to function as My Number cards

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ Holders of Japan’s My Number national identification card will be able to use their iPhone in place of the physical card from next spring, the government… Read more

Japan rail firms to swap magnetic tickets for QR codes in green push

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ Eight east Japan rail operators, including the one operating the Tokyo Monorail to the capital’s Haneda airport, announced Wednesday they will transition from paper tickets with… Read more

McDonald’s says $18 Big Mac meal was an ‘exception’ and news reports overstated its price increases

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases. In a post on the company’s website Wednesday,… Read more

Nissan in U.S. warns owners of older vehicles not to drive them due to risk of exploding air bag inflators

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ Nissan is urging the owners of about 84,000 older vehicles to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators have an increased risk of exploding… Read more

Provinces reject governance change, sparking fears of ‘civil war’ in New Zealand rugby

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ Domestic provinces have overwhelmingly rejected a new governance plan for New Zealand Rugby in a move some observers fear will fracture the national sport along amateur… Read more

Oilers down Stars to level NHL Western Conference final

Tokyo, 30 May, /AJMEDIA/ The Edmonton Oilers turned the tables on the Dallas Stars to score a series-leveling 5-2 victory Wednesday in the NHL’s Western Conference final. Edmonton squandered a… Read more