An aide to the Japanese premier returned home from a controversial trip to North Korea on Saturday, reportedly saying he had demanded Pyongyang's act swiftly on its kidnapping of Japanese nationals.

A Japan government panel on space policy tentatively agreed on Friday to start developing a large, next-generation rocket next fiscal year, aiming to shift the design and development of the new device to private companies to reduce costs.

An emerging Japanese nationalist political party whose co-leader, Toru Hashimoto, outraged many with remarks about Japan's wartime and modern sexual services became embroiled in more controversy Friday when a party lawmaker accused ethnic Koreans of involvement in prostitution.

Osaka's abrasive mayor on Friday hit back at U.S. criticism of his remarks on wartime sex slavery, claiming American troops abused Japanese women during their seven-year occupation.

The maverick mayor of Osaka is to meet former wartime sex slaves, reports said Thursday after he pledged to apologize to them, while insisting Japan's soldiers were not unique in brutalizing women.

A string of serious cyberattacks and cyberterrorism incidents have occurred around the world. The government should promote extensive cooperation with the United States and reinforce its countermeasures against such attacks.

An adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday, a report said, amid speculation North Korea may be trying to re-engage an old adversary amid frosty ties with China.

Experts judged on Wednesday that a reactor on Japan's west coast is located on ground at high risk of an earthquake, setting in motion a process that will likely lead to the first permanent shutdown of a nuclear plant since the 2011 Fukushima crisis.

The Japanese government on Tuesday distanced itself from comments by a prominent politician that the so-called comfort women of World War Two served a “necessary” role by keeping troops in check.

Three Chinese government ships entered the waters of disputed Tokyo-controlled islands on Monday, Japan's coastguard said, as a long-running row shows no sign of fading.