Japan's space agency has given up on a plan to land its Omotenashi probe on the moon's surface.

The unmanned lunar lander failed to establish stable communications with controllers on Earth, after it lifted off atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket from Kennedy Space Center last week.

A fatal car accident involving a 97-year-old driver is raising questions about Japan's testing requirements for elderly license holders.

Police say the driver had cleared a cognitive impairment screening when he renewed his license two years ago.

Japan's Defense Ministry says a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force ship protected US and Australian navy vessels in a trilateral drill. The ministry says it is the first time that the MSDF has engaged in asset protection for the two nations' warships at the same time.

The Defense Ministry said the Setogiri guarded four ships during the training exercise, conducted off Japan's Pacific coast on Saturday and Sunday, at the request of the US and the Australian militaries.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has dismissed another Cabinet minister. Internal affairs minister Terada Minoru has been under fire over a series of allegations of inaccurate political funding reports. Kishida has now lost three ministers in just one month.

"A number of Cabinet ministers have resigned during the Diet session. I sincerely apologize and deeply feel my responsibility for appointing them," Kishida said.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has dismissed a Cabinet minister who allegedly reported political funding details inaccurately.

Kishida summoned internal affairs minister Terada Minoru to the prime minister's office on Sunday evening and dismissed him by having him submit his resignation.

Japan's health ministry says 7,777 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on Sunday.

The daily tally is up 855 from a week ago, making it the 16th straight day of week-on-week increases.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio will make a decision soon on whether to dismiss one of his cabinet ministers, who has been under fire over allegations of inaccurate political funding reports.

Internal Affairs Minister Terada Minoru came under scrutiny after media reports claimed a group related to his political funding listed a dead person as his accountant. Terada said it was just an administrative mistake.

Japan's Defense Ministry says its Air Self-Defense Force and the US Air Force conducted a joint exercise on Saturday over Kyushu in southwestern Japan.

Ministry officials say the exercise over northwest Kyushu involved five F-2 fighters from Japan and two B-1 bombers from the US.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has called his eight-day trip to Southeast Asia an important step to protect Japan amid a deteriorating international situation.

Kishida spoke to reporters in Thailand on Saturday, after a series of international meetings and summit talks with the leaders of the United States, China, and South Korea and others.

Japan's health ministry says 9,457 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Tokyo on Saturday.

The daily tally is up 1,436 from a week ago, making it the 15th straight day of week-on-week increases.

A plan to transfer a popular giant panda from Japan to China at the end of the year has been rescheduled for next spring.

Five-year-old Xiang Xiang was born at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo. Her parents are on loan from China, and she will be transferred to the country as part of the agreement.

Japan's space agency says it will be difficult for its probe to make a successful landing on the moon.

The Omotenashi probe lifted off on Wednesday from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was aboard the Space Launch System rocket launched by NASA. The probe is designed to become Japan's first spacecraft to land on the moon.

Japan's Immigration Services Agency says an Italian who was being detained at a facility in Tokyo has apparently committed suicide.

Officials say the man in his 50s was found unconscious in his room at around 7:20 a.m. on Friday. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Japanese Defense Ministry officials have released video footage and photographs of what could be the smoke trail of an intercontinental ballistic missile launched on Friday by North Korea.

An Air Self-Defense Force fighter jet captured the images during a flight over the Sea of Japan, west of Hokkaido, at around 11:23 a.m.