Japan
Follow the latest Japan news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
October 9, 2024 at 1:58 PM

Ishiba dissolves Japan's lower house to set up an Oct. 27 parliamentary election

New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has dissolved the lower house of parliament to set up an Oct. 27 snap election
October 9, 2024 at 1:58 PM
Lawmakers give three cheers after dissolving the lower house, the more powerful of the two parliamentary chambers, during an extraordinary Diet session at the lower house of parliament Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
October 7, 2024 at 10:46 AM

IAEA team samples seawater near Fukushima plant to ensure safe release of wastewater

A team of international scientists is in Fukushima to ensure safety of the discharge of treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged nuclear power plant
October 7, 2024 at 10:46 AM
This photo shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, northern Japan, on Aug. 22, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
October 3, 2024 at 9:19 PM

US WWII bomb explodes at Japanese airport

A U.S. bombshell, likely dropped during WWII, exploded near a runway at a Japanese airport, causing nearly 90 flight cancellations.
October 3, 2024 at 9:19 PM
October 3, 2024 at 9:58 AM

An American bomb from WWII explodes at a Japanese airport, leaving a crater on the taxiway

A U.S. bomb from World War II has exploded at a Japanese airport, causing a large crater in a taxiway and the cancellation of more than 80 flights
October 3, 2024 at 9:58 AM
Workers are seen around a damaged taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, after an explosion was reported. (Kyodo News via AP)
October 2, 2024 at 9:42 PM

Stock market today: Wall Street edges higher as financial markets steady themselves

U.S. stocks edged higher and remain near their record levels
October 2, 2024 at 9:42 PM
FILE - Signs marking the intersection of Broad and Walls Streets appear near the New York Stock Exchange on Oct. 1, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)
September 30, 2024 at 9:10 PM

Stock market today: Wall Street sets more records to close a winning September and third quarter

Wall Street closed its latest winning month and quarter with more records
September 30, 2024 at 9:10 PM
FILE - The New York Stock Exchange is shown on Sept. 18, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)
September 30, 2024 at 11:34 AM

Japan's likely next leader says he will call an election once he takes office

Shigeru Ishiba, the head of Japan’s governing party, plans to call a parliamentary election on Oct. 27 after he is formally elected as prime minister on Tuesday
September 30, 2024 at 11:34 AM
Shigeru Ishiba, the head of Japan's governing party, the Liberal Democratic Party speaks during a press conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo Monday, Sept. 30, 2024 to announce that he plans to call a parliamentary election on Oct. 27 after he is formally elected as prime minister. (Kyodo News via AP)
September 28, 2024 at 11:42 AM

Japanese fans bid farewell to beloved panda pair before their return to China

Thousands of Japanese fans have bid farewell to their beloved panda couple that made their final public appearance at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo before returning to China for medical treatment
September 28, 2024 at 11:42 AM
Visitors wait to see the giant pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin at Ueno Zoo, a day before their return to China, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
September 26, 2024 at 9:26 PM

Japanese court acquits the longest-serving death row inmate of a 1966 quadruple murder

A Japanese court has found an 88-year-old former boxer not guilty after a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder
September 26, 2024 at 9:26 PM
Hideko Hakamada, center at right side, sister of 88-year-old former boxer Iwao Hakamada who has been on death row for nearly six decades after his murder conviction that his lawyers said was based on forced confession and fabricated evidence, is surrounded by journalists after a court ruled that her brother was not guilty in a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, in front of the court in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. The signs read "Acquittal to Mr. Iwao Hakamada, " right, and "Acknowledged fabrications of evidence." (Kyodo News via AP)
September 26, 2024 at 6:39 AM

Japan flexes in Taiwan Strait, sending warship through disputed waters

A Japanese destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the first time a modern Japanese warship has navigated this strategically sensitive waterway.
September 26, 2024 at 6:39 AM
Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida speaks during the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty at UN headquarters in New York City, Sept. 23, 2024.
2 months ago

Radio station shakes during Japan earthquake

A local radio station's office could be seen vigorously shaking in footage captured during a strong earthquake that rocked the coast of southern Japan on Thursday.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Radio station shakes during Japan earthquake
2 months ago

7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes coast of Japan

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 has rocked the coast of southern Japan.
2 months ago
Police officers stand guard near a building damaged following an earthquake in Miyazaki, southwestern Japan, August 8, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo.
6 months ago

Japan's Fumio Kishida stresses Ukraine aid, US world role in speech to Congress

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed Congress, praising U.S. leadership on the world stage as "indispensable" amid threats from Russia and China.
6 months ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, April 11, 2024, in Washington.
6 months ago

Biden and Japanese PM hold press conference ahead of state dinner

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed a range of topics during their bilat including defense partnerships, economic cooperation and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
6 months ago
VIDEO: Biden and Japanese PM hold press conference ahead of state dinner
6 months ago

Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan

ABC News’ Becky Worley follows 11 Lahaina students impacted by the Maui wildfires as they travel to Japan and learn how a community there recovered from their own life-changing disaster.
6 months ago
VIDEO: Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan
6 months ago

US, Japan to make 'historic' announcements at summit: Official

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hold talks on Wednesday.
6 months ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shakes hands with President Joe Biden during a joint press conference at Camp David, August 18, 2023.
8 months ago

Trapped pod of orcas off Japan appears to have escaped sea ice

A pod of killer whales, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
8 months ago
In this Jan 6, 2024, photo shared by a local Japanese wildlife organization, Wildlife Pro LLC, shows a pod of at least 10 killer whales struggling in a small gap between ice flows off the coast of Japan.
8 months ago

Killer whales trapped by sea ice in Japan have seemingly escaped

A pod of orcas, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
8 months ago
A pod of orcas, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
8 months ago

Challenging the norm: The fight against racial profiling in Japan’s policing

Japan’s justice system, known for pre-trial detentions and forced confessions, is facing a pivotal lawsuit against racial profiling spearheaded by a naturalized citizen.
8 months ago
Syed Zain, left, and other plaintiffs of a lawsuit filed in Tokyo District Court stand together in front of the Tokyo District Courthouse in Tokyo Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. A civil lawsuit filed Monday in the Japanese court is demanding an end to what it calls racial profiling by police.
8 months ago

Lawsuit alleges racial profiling by Japan police

The suit against the National Police Agency and local governments in Tokyo and Aichi seeks monetary damages and legal recognition that racial profiling violates Japanese law.
8 months ago
The suit against the National Police Agency and local governments in Tokyo and Aichi seeks monetary damages and legal recognition that racial profiling violates Japanese law.
9 months ago

2 passenger planes collide at Japanese airport

Two passenger planes have collided in Hokkaido, Japan, according to Japanese media reports.
9 months ago
A Korean Air plane, left, and Cathay Pacific aircraft, right, are seen after a collision at northern Japan's New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, Jan. 16, 2024.
9 months ago

2 planes collide at Japanese airport

Two passenger planes collided at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, in the northern part of the country, at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time, according to Japanese media reports.
9 months ago
VIDEO: 2 planes collide at Japanese airport
9 months ago

North Korea tests ballistic missile, Japan and South Korea say

The launch appeared to have been a shorter-range ballistic missile based on its flight time, officials said.
9 months ago
People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on Jan. 14, 2024.
9 months ago

Warning lights were not working on runway during plane crash in Japan: Officials

It is unclear if that contributed to the crash at Haneda Airport when a Japan Airlines plane struck a Coast Guard aircraft.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Warning lights were not working on runway during plane crash in Japan: Officials
9 months ago

Investigation underway into deadly crash at Tokyo airport

A passenger plane burst into flames after colliding with a small plane on the runway.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway into deadly crash at Tokyo airport
9 months ago

Runway warning lights were broken at time of Japan Airlines plane fire: Report

The warning lights telling pilots if a runway is clear were not working at the Haneda Airport the night a Japan Airlines plane caught fire, according to aviation data.
9 months ago
An aerial view shows burnt Japan Airlines' Airbus A350 plane after a collision with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan January 3, 2024.
9 months ago

Investigation underway in deadly plane collision in Tokyo

Japan Airlines Flight 516 carrying 379 people collided with a Japanese coast guard plane on Tuesday, killing five on the coast guard jet.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway in deadly plane collision in Tokyo
9 months ago

Japan Airlines plane bursts into flames with 379 people on board

A Japan Airlines plane landed while on fire at Haneda Airport on Tuesday.
9 months ago
Japan Airlines' A350 airplane is on fire at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Japan Jan. 2, 2024.
9 months ago

After fiery collision at Tokyo airport, experts warn runway incursions are rising

A commercial flight with hundreds on board erupted in flames after it struck a small plane at Haneda Airport the day after a strong earthquake struck the country.
9 months ago
VIDEO:  After fiery collision at Tokyo airport, experts warn runway incursions are rising
9 months ago

Aftershocks rattle Japan as death toll rises after powerful earthquake

At least 55 people are dead after a massive earthquake struck the west coast Monday, according to The Associated Press.
9 months ago
A firefighter looks up the rubble and wreckage of a burnt-out marketplace following earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
9 months ago

Japan Airlines plane collides with airliner on runway

A desperate search is underway after a powerful earthquake rocked the western region of Japan. ABC News’ Matt Gutman reports from Tokyo.
9 months ago
VIDEO: 5 Japanese Coast Guard members dead after Tokyo runway collision
9 months ago

7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast

The race for survivors is underway as the death toll reaches 48.
9 months ago
VIDEO: 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast
9 months ago

5 Japan Coast Guard crew members are dead after airport crash

Japan Airlines says 379 passengers got out safely after their plane collided with a Coast Guard plane on a runway and burst into flames.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Five Japanese coastguard crew members are dead after airport crash
9 months ago

At least 8 dead after powerful earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning

At least eight people have died after a powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck Japan on Monday, officials said.
9 months ago
A house is damaged by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
9 months ago

Japan Airlines plane bursts into flames with 379 people on board, all escape

The flight, JL516, which was travelling from Chitose, Hokkaido, may have struck a Japan Coast Guard plane as it was landing, officials told Japanese broadcaster NHK.
9 months ago
The flight, JL516, which was travelling from Chitose, Hokkaido, may have struck a Japan Coast Guard plane as it was landing, officials told Japanese broadcaster NHK, saying it was a preliminary assessment.
9 months ago

Massive earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning

The magnitude 7.5 quake hit on New Year's Day, with tens of thousands facing power outages in the cold.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Massive earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning
9 months ago

Eyewitness captures quake chaos at Japan train station

An eyewitness captured scenes of panic in a train station in Kanazawa city after a massive earthquake hit central Japan.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Eyewitness captures quake chaos at Japan train station
9 months ago

Panic, destruction seen after powerful earthquake strikes western Japan

Footage showed buildings shaking, a massive fire and crowds panicking after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan.
9 months ago
VIDEO: Panic, destruction seen after powerful earthquake strikes western Japan
10 months ago

Osprey aircraft grounded by US military after last week's deadly crash

The U.S. military is grounding all of its Osprey V-22 aircraft in the wake of last week’s deadly U.S. Air Force crash off the coast of Japan that left eight dead.
10 months ago
In this July 16, 2020, file photo, a USAF Boeing Bell CV-22 Osprey 12-0065 'KNIFE 71' takes off for an evening training sortie from  RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, England.
10 months ago

Wreckage found in search for crashed Osprey in Japan, US Air Force says

The CV-22 Osprey crashed near Yakushima Island, Japan, on Nov. 29, U.S. officials said.
10 months ago
The members of Japanese Coast Guard carry the debris which are believed to be from the crashed U.S. military Osprey aircraft, at a port in Yakushima, Kagoshima prefecture, southern Japan, Monday, Dec. 4, 2023
10 months ago

Deadly US Air Force special operations Osprey crash off the coast of Japan

According to witnesses, the plane inverted before an engine caught fire and the aircraft plunged into the sea.
10 months ago
VIDEO: Deadly US Air Force special operations Osprey crash off the coast of Japan
1 year ago

Electronic wolves with glowing red eyes watch over Japanese landscapes

Monster Wolf, bearing lifelike proportions and glowing red LED eyes, stands as a guardian against wildlife, sitting at the crossroads of technology and tradition.
1 year ago
A Monster Wolf, a scarecrow-like deterrent for wildlife, is seen in an undated image in Japan supplied by Ohta Seiki.
1 year ago

Japan launches moon probe, hopes to be 5th country to land on lunar surface

Japan launched a rocket Wednesday night, carrying a moon probe that it hopes to land on the lunar surface and would make Japan the fifth country to reach the moon.
1 year ago
A H-IIA rocket carrying a small lunar surface probe and other objects lifting off from the Tanegashima Space Centre on Tanegashima island, Kagoshima prefecture, Sept. 7, 2023.
1 year ago

Japan launches moon probe in hopes to be fifth country to land on the lunar surface

Japan launched a rocket Wednesday night, carrying a moon probe that it hopes to land on the lunar surface and will make Japan the fifth country to reach the moon.
1 year ago
Japan launched a rocket Wednesday night, carrying a moon probe that it hopes to land on the lunar surface and will make Japan the fifth country to reach the moon.
1 year ago

UN nuclear watchdog greenlights Fukushima water release plan

The United Nation's nuclear watchdog has approved plans by Japan to release water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday.
1 year ago
Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s (Tepco) Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, rear, in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, July 3, 2023.
1 year ago

Japan readies Fukushima water for Pacific release on Thursday

Japan plans to begin a decades-long process of releasing treated wastewater from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdown into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.
1 year ago
Fisherman Haruo Ono stands on one of his fishing boats at Tsurishihama Fishing Port, Shinchi-machi of Fukushima Prefecture, some 60 kms north of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on August 21, 2023, ahead of a government's plan to begin releasing treated water from the plant into the Pacific Ocean.
1 year ago

Japan begins releasing Fukushima's treated radioactive water into Pacific

Executives of the company, known as TECPCO, told reporters they would immediately halt the release of the treated water into the Pacific if any issues were detected.
1 year ago
This aerial view shows the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima, northern Japan, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, as its operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings has begun releasing its first batch of treated radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.
1 year ago

What is the impact of the Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater discharge?

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began dumping radioactive wastewater into the ocean on Aug. 24 for the first time since the 2011 nuclear meltdown. The impact remains to be seen.
1 year ago
 The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began dumping radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean on Aug. 24 for the first time since the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown. The impact on the environment and economy remains to be seen.
1 year ago

Biden holds milestone summit with Japan and South Korea

The president's historic summit in Camp David is where Japan and South Korea agreed to expand security and economic ties.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Biden holds milestone summit with Japan and South Korea
1 year ago

Biden holds landmark trilateral meeting with Japanese, Korean leaders

ABC News’ Selina Wang is at Camp David where President Joe Biden is set to hold a trilateral meeting with Japanese and South Korean leaders.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Biden holds landmark trilateral meeting with Japanese, Korean leaders