Japan imposes new sanctions on Russia but keeps a diplomatic door open
TOKYO — Torn between maintaining solidarity with Washington and keeping a diplomatic door open with Moscow, Japan imposed new sanctions on Russia on Tuesday but kept them more limited than those recently ordered by the United States.
At polls, Tokyo rejects a plan for curbing nuclear power
TOKYO — Tokyo voters chose the governing party candidate to be their next governor Sunday, rejecting a former prime minister who had tried to turn the local election into a public referendum on the future of nuclear energy in Japan.
Biden faces delicate two-step in Asia
TOKYO — With Japan locked in a tense standoff with China over disputed airspace, Vice President Joe Biden arrived here late Monday for a weeklong visit to Asia intended to reassure a close ally and demand answers from a potential adversary.
Japan nuclear plant leak worries worsen
TOKYO — A crisis over contaminated water at Japan’s stricken nuclear plant worsened Saturday when the plant’s operator said it detected high radiation levels near storage tanks, a finding that raised the possibility of additional leaks.
Japan to begin restarting idled nuclear plants, leader says
TOKYO — Japan will begin restarting its idled nuclear plants once new safety guidelines are in place later this year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday, moving to ensure a stable energy supply despite public safety concerns after the Fukushima disaster.
Finance Minister chosen as Japan’s next prime minister
TOKYO — Japan’s governing party elected Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda to become the next prime minister on Monday, choosing a relative political unknown to lead this shaken nation’s recovery from the tsunami and nuclear accident in March, and revive its moribund economy.
Japanese Opposition Wins Elections in a Landslide
Japan’s voters cast out the Liberal Democratic Party for only the second time in postwar history on Sunday, handing a landslide victory to a party that campaigned on a promise to reverse a generation-long economic decline and redefine Tokyo’s relationship with Washington.
Yen Surges, Fueled By Abrupt End of Borrowing Scheme
Tumbling stock markets and falling currencies are causing global concern, but the Japanese yen is generating high anxiety for rising too much. The yen surged as much as 10 percent against the dollar last week. In the last month, it has gained an astounding 34 percent against the euro.