Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has asked a panel of experts to come up with ideas by year-end to fundamentally reinforce defense capabilities within five years.
Kishida on Friday attended the first meeting of the experts on foreign affairs, defense, economics and public finance.
Tokyo police have arrested the president of the operator of one of Japan's largest sushi chains on suspicion of fraudulently obtaining confidential information on a rival company.
The Metropolitan Police Department on Friday arrested Tanabe Koki, the president of Kappa Create, which operates the Kappa Sushi conveyer-belt restaurant chain.
A Tokyo court has ruled that it is unfair and unconstitutional for the government to deny residency status to a non-Japanese spouse in a same-sex marriage.
Friday's ruling came in a damages suit filed by an American man who was denied long-term residency to live in Japan with his Japanese partner.
The Japanese government and the Bank of Japan spent a record amount intervening in the currency market this month to stop the rapid fall of the Japanese currency.
The Finance Ministry said on Friday that 2.8382 trillion yen, or nearly 20 billion dollars, was used to buy the yen and sell the dollar. The figure exceeded the previous record set in April 1998.
McDonald's Japan has raised its prices for the second time this year, due to soaring costs of ingredients and the yen's sharp depreciation. The price hike followed one in March.
This time, the company increased the prices of about 60 percent of its items by 10 to 30 yen on Friday. The price of a plain hamburger rose to 150 yen, or about a dollar, and a cheeseburger now costs 180 yen.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has condemned Russia's attempt to annex four Ukrainian regions during telephone talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kishida spoke with Zelenskyy for about 30 minutes on Friday.
Japan's Defense Ministry says the Maritime Self-Defense Force started joint drills with the US and South Korean navies in the Sea of Japan on Friday morning.
The ministry says the anti-submarine exercise involves an MSDF destroyer and five US vessels, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and a submarine, as well as a South Korean destroyer.
Japanese superstar Ohtani Shohei of the Los Angeles Angels has recorded his 15th win of the season.
And he came within a few outs of doing so in historic fashion.
Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio plans to spend nearly 7 billion dollars over five years in an economic stimulus package to be announced next week.
The main pillar of the package involves investing in training programs to help people find jobs in growing businesses.
Japan's defense minister will meet his US and Australian counterparts on Sunday to boost defense cooperation of the three countries amid China's increasing influence over the Pacific island nations.
Hamada Yasukazu said on Friday that he will leave for a three-day trip to Hawaii later in the day, and hold talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Sunday.
Japanese fishers have started this season's operations to catch Okhotsk Atka mackerel in waters around Kunashiri Island two weeks behind schedule. Kunashiri is one of four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan.
Gillnet mackerel fishing around the island began Friday, although it was originally scheduled for September 16.
Tokyo police officials have obtained an arrest warrant for the president of a company that runs the Kappa Sushi restaurant chain. He is alleged to have unlawfully acquired the trade secrets of a rival firm that used to employ him.
As early as Friday, the Metropolitan Police Department plans to arrest the president of Kappa Create, Tanabe Koki. He is suspected of having violated the Unfair Competition Prevention Act.
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says he will listen to a wide range of experts in reviewing his government's handling of the state funeral of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
Kishida told reporters on Thursday that the funeral two days before provided a solemn yet heartfelt occasion for bidding farewell to the former prime minister.
A Japanese astronaut who is set to embark on his fifth space voyage in October says he hopes to make it a mission that gives the next generations hopes and dreams.
Wakata Koichi was speaking to reporters on Thursday. He, two NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut are to head to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon craft.