Japanese police officials have obtained an arrest warrant for an imprisoned gangster. They want to arrest him in connection with a separate case. They believe he was involved in the 2013 murder of the former president of the company that operates the Gyoza no Ohsho restaurant chain.

In December 2013, Ohigashi Takayuki was shot dead in front of the main office of his firm, Ohsho Food Service. The office is located in Kyoto City. Ohigashi was 72 years old at the time of his death.

The Japanese government is considering buying US Tomahawk cruise missiles to reinforce its defense capabilities.

It is exploring the possibility of using Tomahawks as deterrence and alternatives until fully deploying "standoff" missiles that can attack targets from beyond enemy range.

A group of people whose parents belong to the former Unification Church has called for swift legislation to relieve such children's suffering.

The group handed in a written request to Japan's ruling and opposition parties on Thursday.

Japan's education ministry says its survey shows the number of elementary and junior high students absent for long periods from school increased by 25 percent to a record high in the year to March.

The ministry cites changes in their life environment caused by the coronavirus pandemic as a reason.

Japanese musician Nakahashi Yuki won second prize in the composition division at the Geneva International Music Competition on Wednesday.

The prestigious competition is viewed as a gateway to a professional career for young musicians.

Japan's government has decided on the details of a new economic package aimed at tackling soaring prices and the weakening yen. The supplementary budget to fund the package is expected to exceed 29 trillion yen, or about 198 billion dollars.

The package plan was presented at meetings of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito on Wednesday, and basically approved by both.

Police in the northern Japanese prefecture of Hokkaido are investigating an auto crash that killed two people that was apparently caused by a deer.

Police said they received a call on Wednesday that a deer had collided with a vehicle on a national highway in Shibecha Town, Hokkaido.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has met with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Tokyo.

The 99-year-old Kissinger visited the prime minister's office on Wednesday. Their talks lasted about half an hour.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has met with former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in Tokyo.

The 99-year-old Kissinger visited the prime minister's office on Wednesday. Their talks lasted about half an hour.

Japan's weakening yen and accompanying rising prices are affecting plans for the 2025 World Expo due to be held in Osaka. And that's caused the latest estimate for the cost of the event to surge past the original plans.

The 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo will take place on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay.

Japan's Meteorological Agency says it will start issuing alerts in February for long and slow tremors that can sway skyscrapers, as part of its early warning system for powerful earthquakes.

The current emergency warning system issues alerts for expected strong quakes with intensities of lower 5 or more on the Japanese scale of zero to 7.

The Japanese government's "Go To Eat" meal coupon campaign has been resumed in Tokyo after a lapse of about two years. The program is designed to help the restaurant industry, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign offers people meal coupons worth 25 percent more than the sales price. The tickets come in smartphone and paper versions.

Japan's health ministry says it confirmed 4,347 new cases of the coronavirus in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The daily tally is up 143 from a week ago, marking four straight days of week-on-week increase.

More businesses in Japan are introducing technology and services to reduce the amount of edible food that is wasted.

Major food delivery company Oisix ra daichi has started processing substandard shape vegetables and other foodstuffs at a facility near Tokyo.