Japan
Follow the latest Japan news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
June 6, 2024 at 2:46 PM

Japan, US, South Korean coast guards hold 1st joint drill off Japan's coast as China concerns rise

Japanese, U.S. and South Korean coast guard vessels have conducted their first three-way drill off Japan’s coast as the countries strengthen their maritime ties in response to increased assertiveness by China in pressing its territorial claims
June 6, 2024 at 2:46 PM
This photo provided by the Japan Coast Guard shows its patrol vessel Wakasa, from bottom, U.S. Coast Guard's cutter Waesche and (South) Korea Coast Guard's patrol vessel Taepyongyang 16 as a helicopter (in red) flies at right during a drill in waters off the northern coast of Maizuru, Japan, Thursday, June 6, 2024. The three countries' coast guard vessels conducted their first three-way drill on Thursday off Japan's coast as the countries strengthen their maritime ties in response to increased assertiveness by China in pressing its territorial claims. (Japan Coast Guard via AP)
June 6, 2024 at 7:42 AM

Tokyo City Hall is developing a dating app to encourage marriage and childbirth

Called “Tokyo Futari Story,” the city hall’s new site is just that: An effort to create couples, “futari,” in a country where it is increasingly common to be “hitori,” or alone
June 6, 2024 at 7:42 AM
FILE - The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building soars in Tokyo, on June 15, 2016. Called “Tokyo Futari Story,” the city hall online site is just that: An effort to create couples, “futari,” in a country where it is increasingly common to be “hitori," or alone. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)
June 5, 2024 at 7:42 PM

US flies bomber for first JDAM bombing drill in 7 years as tensions simmer

South Korea says the U.S. has flown a long-range B-1B bomber over the Korean Peninsula for its first precision-guided bombing drill with the South in seven years
June 5, 2024 at 7:42 PM
In this photo provided by the South Korea Defense Ministry, U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber, left, and South Korean fighter jets F-15K fly over the Korean Peninsula during the joint aerial drills between South Korea and the United States, South Korea, Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (South Korea Defense Ministry via AP)
June 5, 2024 at 5:10 PM

Japan's birth rate falls to a record low as the number of marriages also drops

The Japanese government data shows the country's birth rate fell to a new low for the eighth straight year in 2023
June 5, 2024 at 5:10 PM
FILE - A pedestrian crossing a street with a child is seen through a taxi window in Tokyo, Monday, July 19, 2021. Japan’s birth rate fell to a new low for the eight straight year in 2023, according to Health Ministry data released on Wednesday, June 5, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
June 4, 2024 at 4:06 AM

Japan police search for suspects in graffiti at controversial war shrine

Japanese police are searching for the suspects who spray-painted the word “toilet” on a Tokyo shrine that commemorates the country’s war dead
June 4, 2024 at 4:06 AM
Workers prepare to remove a graffiti on Yasukuni Shrine's stone pillar, covered under a blue sheet in Tokyo on June 1, 2024. (Kyodo News via AP)
June 3, 2024 at 6:30 AM

Earthquakes in north-central Japan collapse 5 homes that were damaged in deadly January quake

Earthquakes have again struck Japan’s north-central region of Ishikawa that is still recovering from the destruction left by a powerful quake on Jan. 1
June 3, 2024 at 6:30 AM
An emergency earthquake alert for Ishikawa Prefecture area is shown on a TV Monday, June 3, 2024, in Yokohama near Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
June 3, 2024 at 1:49 AM

Yuka Saso becomes first Japanese player to win U.S. Women's Open

Yuka Saso becomes first Japanese player to win U.S. Women's Open
June 3, 2024 at 1:49 AM
June 1, 2024 at 12:46 PM

Japan billionaire cancels moon trip due to uncertainty over SpaceX rocket development

Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa has canceled his planned flight around the moon on a SpaceX vehicle because of uncertainty about when it may be possible
June 1, 2024 at 12:46 PM
FILE - Space flight participant Yusaku Maezawa attends a news conference ahead of the expedition to the International Space Station at the Gagarin Cosmonauts' Training Center in Star City outside Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 14, 2021. Japanese billionaire Maezawa on Saturday, June 1, 2024, cancelled his planned flight around the moon on a Space X spaceship because of uncertainty about when it may be possible. (Shamil Zhumatov/Pool Photo via AP, File)
2 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.
2 months ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, April 11, 2024, in Washington.
2 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.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Biden and Japanese PM hold press conference ahead of state dinner
2 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.
2 months ago
VIDEO: Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan
2 months ago

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

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hold talks on Wednesday.
2 months ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shakes hands with President Joe Biden during a joint press conference at Camp David, August 18, 2023.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
4 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.
5 months ago

2 passenger planes collide at Japanese airport

Two passenger planes have collided in Hokkaido, Japan, according to Japanese media reports.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: 2 planes collide at Japanese airport
5 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.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Warning lights were not working on runway during plane crash in Japan: Officials
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway into deadly crash at Tokyo airport
5 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.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway in deadly plane collision in Tokyo
5 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.
5 months ago
Japan Airlines' A350 airplane is on fire at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Japan Jan. 2, 2024.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO:  After fiery collision at Tokyo airport, experts warn runway incursions are rising
5 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.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: 5 Japanese Coast Guard members dead after Tokyo runway collision
5 months ago

7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast

The race for survivors is underway as the death toll reaches 48.
5 months ago
VIDEO: 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Five Japanese coastguard crew members are dead after airport crash
5 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.
5 months ago
A house is damaged by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
5 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.
5 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.
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Massive earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Eyewitness captures quake chaos at Japan train station
5 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.
5 months ago
VIDEO: Panic, destruction seen after powerful earthquake strikes western Japan
6 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.
6 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.
6 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.
6 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
7 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.
7 months ago
VIDEO: Deadly US Air Force special operations Osprey crash off the coast of Japan
8 months 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.
8 months ago
A Monster Wolf, a scarecrow-like deterrent for wildlife, is seen in an undated image in Japan supplied by Ohta Seiki.
9 months 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.
9 months 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.
9 months 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.
9 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months ago
Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s (Tepco) Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, rear, in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, July 3, 2023.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months 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.
10 months ago
VIDEO: Biden holds milestone summit with Japan and South Korea
10 months 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.
10 months ago
VIDEO: Biden holds landmark trilateral meeting with Japanese, Korean leaders
1 year ago

Smile coach teaches how to get grins back after pandemic

Keiko Kawano believes that opportunities to smile have declined due to prolonged mask wearing. As a result, she says, some people have lost confidence in their smiles.
1 year ago
Smile coach Keiko Kawano teaches a man at a smile training course in Tokyo, June 22, 2023. Keiko Kawano's company Egaoiku, or 'Smiling Education', has seen an increase in demand as many people unmask following the easing of COVID-19 safety measures.
1 year ago

Fukushima water release plan approved by UN watchdog

The wastewater is being stored in about 1,000 tanks at the now-defunct Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.
1 year ago
The wastewater is being stored in about 1,000 tanks at the now-defunct Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.
1 year ago

Explosive attack on Japan's prime minister

An attacker targeted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida with an explosive device, nine months after a former prime minister was assassinated during a speech.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Explosive attack on Japan's prime minister
1 year ago

Japan's prime minister unharmed after explosion

A 24-year-old man has been arrested after an explosion during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's campaign event in western Japan.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Japan's Prime Minister unharmed after explosion where he was set to speak