Japan’s bid to elevate ties with the Southeast Asian bloc will show what a ‘rules-based order’ can do to bring peace and stability in the region, analysts say.

Even as Japan is ‘rapidly globalising’, many people are reluctant to speak English, a move one observer says is ‘self-defeating’ for the world’s third-largest economy.

Atsushi Ozawa ploughed his taxi into a flock of pigeons at a speed of 60km/h, killing one. He was arrested for violating wildlife protection laws.

What do Japan’s longest-living people have in common? A researcher reveals four longevity-boosting habits shared by those Japanese who reach a ripe old age.

Nvidia will build a network of semiconductor plants in Japan in partnership with the country’s companies to meet demand for graphic chips used in artificial intelligence projects, chief executive Jensen Huang said.

The Air Force Special Operations Command said search teams were able to locate remains along with the main fuselage of the aircraft wreckage.

In recording shown by Israel’s public broadcaster Kan, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar said: ‘We will do this everywhere, in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in Turkey, in Qatar’.

Veteran actor-director Takeshi Kitano has joined calls for the industry to clean up its act after a spate of reputation-damaging sex abuse scandals and suicides linked to overwork and bullying.

Firing darts from a blow gun, throwing spiked ninja stars, meditating under an icy waterfall – learn the ninja arts in Mie, Japan, or enjoy a lighter take on its history as a home of the warrior assassins.

More South Koreans are travelling to Japan and increasing their purchases of Japanese goods amid the yen’s weakness.

Chinese president makes the remarks in visit to command office for East China Sea, saying they must crack down on criminal activities and safeguard the maritime economy.

From countries joining China’s agricultural monitoring system to Hong Kong’s children suffering from mental disorders, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

Japan’s outdated corporate culture is driving many young Japanese to look to Europe and other Western countries for better work-life balance.

The accusations, which centre on unlimited funds to win over members of the IOC who chose the host city for the 2020 Games, will weigh on PM Fumio Kishida ‘politically at a time when he can ill afford it’.

Tokyo’s decision to ground the aircraft follows a crash involving a US Osprey on Wednesday, that killed at least one of the eight crew members.

A shop worker in Tokyo fended off two would-be robbers using a modern version of the ‘sasumata’, a spear fork weapon that dates back to the 1300s.

Airbnb plans to partner with businesses and local governments to encourage homeowners to invest in renovations.

The Osprey aircraft which can operate like a helicopter or fixed-wing plane, has suffered a string of fatal crashes recently, including an accident in August that killed three people in Australia.

The scandal at Nihon University has fuelled anger among the Japanese public, prompting the resignation of a top official and its 83-year-old American football team to be disbanded.

Traditional arts and crafts are alive in Kanazawa, a Japanese city filled with Edo-era homes, museums – and workshops for making everything from sweets and porcelain to gold leaf work.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will ‘simply refuse’ to discuss the matter after his late father’s admission to the abductions in 2002 proved a ‘disastrous miscalculation’.

On a rare state visit to Tokyo, Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong also agreed to work on defence equipment and technology transfers and start discussing Japanese military aid.

Vehicles registered with Russian diplomatic plates had accumulated more than 2,300 unpaid parking tickets in the five years to 2022, according to Japanese media.

While Line app owner LY Corp has flagged the data breach, it has reassured that the information hacked does not include bank account and credit card records, or chat messages.

A Japanese security report warns that a contest between the US and a partnered China and Russia will ‘accelerate’ as Beijing, Moscow seek ‘non-democratic international order’.