Japan
Follow the latest Japan news, videos, and analysis from ABC News.
June 9, 2025 at 11:49 AM

Japan’s Osaka Expo halts water shows over high bacteria levels

Organizers of the Expo 2025 in Osaka have suspended its popular daily fountain shows and closed a shallow pool area due to pneumonia-causing bacterial contamination that required cleaning and safety checks by the health authorities
June 9, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Chironomid midges are seen at the site of the Wold Exposition in Osaka, western Japan on May 21, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
June 9, 2025 at 8:24 AM

Explosion at a US air base in southern Japan injures 4 Japanese soldiers

Japanese officials say an explosion at a storage site for unexploded ordnances at a U.S. military base on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa injured four Japanese soldiers
June 9, 2025 at 8:24 AM
This photo shows a gate at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, southern Japan, on July 12, 2024. (Juntaro Yokoyama/Kyodo News via AP)
June 6, 2025 at 2:46 AM

Private Japanese lunar lander heads toward a touchdown in the moon's far north

A private lunar lander from Japan has crashed into the moon
June 6, 2025 at 2:46 AM
People await the update on ispace's private lunar lander’s attempt to touch down on the moon Friday, June 6, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan. (Kyodo News via AP)
June 6, 2025 at 1:31 AM

A private company wants to build a city on the moon. But it has to land a probe first

A private space exploration company based in Japan, ispace, wants to see people living on the moon by 2040.
June 6, 2025 at 1:31 AM
The moon 'supermoon' is seen over the stadium during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group D match between China and England at Hindmarsh Stadium on August 01, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Naomi Baker - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
June 5, 2025 at 4:30 AM

Japan's annual births fall to record low as country's 'silent emergency' deepens

The number of newborns in Japan fell below 700,000 for the first time since records began in 1899
June 5, 2025 at 4:30 AM
People walk along a pedestrian crossing at a shopping street Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
June 4, 2025 at 10:26 PM

South Korea's new president vows to bolster ties with US, Japan

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung says he’ll pursue dialogue with North Korea while bolstering a trilateral partnership with the U.S. and Japan
June 4, 2025 at 10:26 PM
South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung bows as he delivers a speech after taking his oath during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 4, 2025. (Anthony Wallace/Pool Photo via AP)
June 4, 2025 at 12:05 PM

Japan's emperor, family pray for the victims of the island battle 80 years ago

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his family have prayed for all the war dead in one of the bloodiest battles of World War II fought on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa 80 years ago
June 4, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Japan's Emperor Naruhito, center, Empress Masako, left, and their daughter Princess Aiko, second left, stand in front of the Cornerstone of Peace monument walls on which the names of all those who lost their lives during the Battle of Okinawa, at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, Okinawa prefecture Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Japan Pool/Kyodo News via AP)
June 4, 2025 at 5:26 AM

2 Japanese men were killed in northern China in a business dispute, police say

Chinese police say two Japanese men were killed last month in the port city of Dalian because of a dispute with a Chinese business partner
June 4, 2025 at 5:26 AM
An aerial view shows the central area in Dalian, China, in 2006.(Kyodo News via AP)
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 AM

Trump touts US Steel-Nippon deal, but offers few details about merger he once opposed

President Donald Trump touted a "blockbuster agreement" between U.S. Steel and Japanese company Nippon Steel that he said would keep the U.S. steelmaker in Pittsburgh.
May 31, 2025 at 3:19 AM
President Donald Trump delivers remarks at U.S. Steel Corporation's Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pa., May 30, 2025.
May 31, 2025 at 1:32 AM

Exploring centuries-old Kabuki theater in Japan and their booming Kawaii culture 

ABC News’ Juju Chang alongside Broadway’s Don Darryl dives into the culture of Japan with a rare glimpse inside the world-renowned Kabuki theater, Kabukiza.
May 31, 2025 at 1:32 AM
VIDEO: Exploring centuries-old Kabuki theater in Japan and their booming Kawaii culture 
May 30, 2025 at 3:19 AM

Japan says China will resume Japanese seafood imports it halted over water discharge

Japan says China will resume imports of Japanese seafood that it banned in August 2023 over the discharge of wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea
May 30, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Japan's Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi attends a press conference at the ministry in Tokyo Friday, May 30, 2025. (Kyodo News via AP)
2 months ago

'Star Wars' Celebration 2025 unites fans in Japan

"GMA" shares the latest updates as stars, creators and fans from around the world gather in Japan for "Star Wars" Celebration 2025.
2 months ago
VIDEO: 'Star Wars' Celebration 2025 unites fans in Japan
3 months ago

This Black-owned bakery in Japan has been in business for over 30 years

After coming to Japan on a one-way ticket, Kyle Sexton opened a successful bakery, Kyle's Good Finds, a Tokyo staple for more than three decades.
3 months ago
After coming to Japan on a one-way ticket, Kyle Sexton opened a successful bakery, Kyle's Good Finds, a Tokyo staple for more than three decades.
3 months ago

US Navy sailor indicted in Japan over deadly vehicle crash, Navy says

The sailor was "involved in a motor-vehicle incident with a Japanese national on Sept. 18, 2024," a Navy spokesperson said.
3 months ago
The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, U.S., March 3, 2022.
4 months ago

Trump says Japan has agreed to invest heavily in US Steel

President Trump announced Japan would be investing in U.S. Steel instead of owning it entirely.
4 months ago
President Trump announced Japan would be investing in U.S. Steel instead of owning it entirely.
4 months ago

Trump meets with Japanese prime minister as tariff threat looms large

Donald Trump is meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in a high-stakes visit for a key ally that depends on the United States for security and trade.
4 months ago
President Donald Trump waves as he greets Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba upon arrival outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Feb. 7, 2025.
4 months ago

Trump meets with Japanese prime minister amid tariff threat

ABC News’ Karen Travers and Politico’s Rachel Bade report on what’s at stake in the meeting, as well as where the House Republican budgets talks stand.
4 months ago
VIDEO: Trump meets with Japanese prime minister amid tariff threat
4 months ago

Sinkhole swallows truck in Japan, trapping driver inside

Authorities say the driver, a man, was inside the cab and is in communication with firefighters.
4 months ago
Firefighters work to rescue a truck driver after his vehicle was swallowed up by a sinkhole at a prefectural road intersection, in the city of Yashio, Saitama Prefecture on Jan. 28, 2025.
5 months ago

Tsunami advisory lifted after strong earthquake hits Japanese coast

The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake’s preliminary magnitude at 6.8.
5 months ago
Miyazaki city daytime aerial view from airplane
5 months ago

Lawsuit alleges Biden blocked US Steel-Nippon Steel merger for political reasons

The Biden administration blocked the deal over alleged national security concerns.
5 months ago
Signage for Nippon Steel Corp. outside the Marunouchi Park Building, which houses the company's headquarters, in Tokyo, March 25, 2024.
5 months ago

US Steel acquisition by Japan’s Nippon blocked

Domestic steel production is essential to U.S. security, Biden said.
5 months ago
Steelworkers Pat Cole, Jason Murphy and Ray Terza, rally outside the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh, supporting the takeover by Japan's Nippon Steel, on Sept. 4, 2024.
7 months ago

Why there still isn't any snow on Japan's Mount Fuji

One of the most iconic active volcanoes in the world is missing a major aspect of its famous view: snow.
7 months ago
The Fuji mountain at the Six Hours of Fuji in Gotemba, Japan, Sept, 13, 2024.
7 months ago

Japan’s Mount Fuji breaks 130-year record for no snow in October

Typically, snow begins forming on Mount Fuji around Oct. 2, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
7 months ago
Typically, snow begins forming on Mount Fuji around Oct. 2, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
8 months ago

US WWII bomb explodes at Japanese airport

A U.S. bombshell, likely dropped during WWII, exploded near a runway at a Japanese airport, causing nearly 90 flight cancellations.
8 months ago
9 months ago

Japan flexes in Taiwan Strait, sending warship through disputed waters

A Japanese destroyer passed through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, marking the first time a modern Japanese warship has navigated this strategically sensitive waterway.
9 months ago
Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida speaks during the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty at UN headquarters in New York City, Sept. 23, 2024.
10 months ago

Radio station shakes during Japan earthquake

A local radio station's office could be seen vigorously shaking in footage captured during a strong earthquake that rocked the coast of southern Japan on Thursday.
10 months ago
VIDEO: Radio station shakes during Japan earthquake
10 months ago

7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes coast of Japan

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 has rocked the coast of southern Japan.
10 months ago
Police officers stand guard near a building damaged following an earthquake in Miyazaki, southwestern Japan, August 8, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo.
1 year ago

Japan's Fumio Kishida stresses Ukraine aid, US world role in speech to Congress

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed Congress, praising U.S. leadership on the world stage as "indispensable" amid threats from Russia and China.
1 year ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol, April 11, 2024, in Washington.
1 year ago

Biden and Japanese PM hold press conference ahead of state dinner

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed a range of topics during their bilat including defense partnerships, economic cooperation and the wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Biden and Japanese PM hold press conference ahead of state dinner
1 year ago

Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan

ABC News’ Becky Worley follows 11 Lahaina students impacted by the Maui wildfires as they travel to Japan and learn how a community there recovered from their own life-changing disaster.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Maui 808: Lahaina students find hope in Japan
1 year ago

US, Japan to make 'historic' announcements at summit: Official

President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hold talks on Wednesday.
1 year ago
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shakes hands with President Joe Biden during a joint press conference at Camp David, August 18, 2023.
1 year ago

Trapped pod of orcas off Japan appears to have escaped sea ice

A pod of killer whales, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
1 year ago
In this Jan 6, 2024, photo shared by a local Japanese wildlife organization, Wildlife Pro LLC, shows a pod of at least 10 killer whales struggling in a small gap between ice flows off the coast of Japan.
1 year ago

Killer whales trapped by sea ice in Japan have seemingly escaped

A pod of orcas, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
1 year ago
A pod of orcas, which appeared to be trapped in drift ice off the coast of Japan, has seemingly escaped, a local official told ABC News.
1 year ago

Challenging the norm: The fight against racial profiling in Japan’s policing

Japan’s justice system, known for pre-trial detentions and forced confessions, is facing a pivotal lawsuit against racial profiling spearheaded by a naturalized citizen.
1 year ago
Syed Zain, left, and other plaintiffs of a lawsuit filed in Tokyo District Court stand together in front of the Tokyo District Courthouse in Tokyo Monday, Jan. 29, 2024. A civil lawsuit filed Monday in the Japanese court is demanding an end to what it calls racial profiling by police.
1 year ago

Lawsuit alleges racial profiling by Japan police

The suit against the National Police Agency and local governments in Tokyo and Aichi seeks monetary damages and legal recognition that racial profiling violates Japanese law.
1 year ago
The suit against the National Police Agency and local governments in Tokyo and Aichi seeks monetary damages and legal recognition that racial profiling violates Japanese law.
1 year ago

2 passenger planes collide at Japanese airport

Two passenger planes have collided in Hokkaido, Japan, according to Japanese media reports.
1 year ago
A Korean Air plane, left, and Cathay Pacific aircraft, right, are seen after a collision at northern Japan's New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, Jan. 16, 2024.
1 year ago

2 planes collide at Japanese airport

Two passenger planes collided at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, in the northern part of the country, at approximately 5:30 p.m. local time, according to Japanese media reports.
1 year ago
VIDEO: 2 planes collide at Japanese airport
1 year ago

North Korea tests ballistic missile, Japan and South Korea say

The launch appeared to have been a shorter-range ballistic missile based on its flight time, officials said.
1 year ago
People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on Jan. 14, 2024.
1 year ago

Warning lights were not working on runway during plane crash in Japan: Officials

It is unclear if that contributed to the crash at Haneda Airport when a Japan Airlines plane struck a Coast Guard aircraft.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Warning lights were not working on runway during plane crash in Japan: Officials
1 year ago

Investigation underway into deadly crash at Tokyo airport

A passenger plane burst into flames after colliding with a small plane on the runway.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway into deadly crash at Tokyo airport
1 year ago

Runway warning lights were broken at time of Japan Airlines plane fire: Report

The warning lights telling pilots if a runway is clear were not working at the Haneda Airport the night a Japan Airlines plane caught fire, according to aviation data.
1 year ago
An aerial view shows burnt Japan Airlines' Airbus A350 plane after a collision with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan January 3, 2024.
1 year ago

Investigation underway in deadly plane collision in Tokyo

Japan Airlines Flight 516 carrying 379 people collided with a Japanese coast guard plane on Tuesday, killing five on the coast guard jet.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Investigation underway in deadly plane collision in Tokyo
1 year ago

Japan Airlines plane bursts into flames with 379 people on board

A Japan Airlines plane landed while on fire at Haneda Airport on Tuesday.
1 year ago
Japan Airlines' A350 airplane is on fire at Haneda international airport in Tokyo, Japan Jan. 2, 2024.
1 year ago

After fiery collision at Tokyo airport, experts warn runway incursions are rising

A commercial flight with hundreds on board erupted in flames after it struck a small plane at Haneda Airport the day after a strong earthquake struck the country.
1 year ago
VIDEO:  After fiery collision at Tokyo airport, experts warn runway incursions are rising
1 year ago

Aftershocks rattle Japan as death toll rises after powerful earthquake

At least 55 people are dead after a massive earthquake struck the west coast Monday, according to The Associated Press.
1 year ago
A firefighter looks up the rubble and wreckage of a burnt-out marketplace following earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
1 year ago

Japan Airlines plane collides with airliner on runway

A desperate search is underway after a powerful earthquake rocked the western region of Japan. ABC News’ Matt Gutman reports from Tokyo.
1 year ago
VIDEO: 5 Japanese Coast Guard members dead after Tokyo runway collision
1 year ago

7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast

The race for survivors is underway as the death toll reaches 48.
1 year ago
VIDEO: 7.6 magnitude earthquake hits Japan's coast
1 year ago

5 Japan Coast Guard crew members are dead after airport crash

Japan Airlines says 379 passengers got out safely after their plane collided with a Coast Guard plane on a runway and burst into flames.
1 year ago
VIDEO: Five Japanese coastguard crew members are dead after airport crash
1 year ago

At least 8 dead after powerful earthquake strikes Japan, triggering tsunami warning

At least eight people have died after a powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck Japan on Monday, officials said.
1 year ago
A house is damaged by an earthquake in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan, Monday, Jan. 1, 2024.
1 year ago

Japan Airlines plane bursts into flames with 379 people on board, all escape

The flight, JL516, which was travelling from Chitose, Hokkaido, may have struck a Japan Coast Guard plane as it was landing, officials told Japanese broadcaster NHK.
1 year ago
The flight, JL516, which was travelling from Chitose, Hokkaido, may have struck a Japan Coast Guard plane as it was landing, officials told Japanese broadcaster NHK, saying it was a preliminary assessment.