Prime minister Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of Japan’s parliament, forcing a snap election in an apparent bid to shore up support for his scandal-plagued government so that he can pursue his policy goals.

Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi, who led the company’s transition from maker of traditional playing cards to global video giant behind the Super Mario and Pokemon video games, has died. He was 85.

JAPAN ordered an immediate safety upgrade at its 55 nuclear power plants in its first acknowledgement that standards were inadequate when an earthquake and tsunami wrecked a facility nearly three weeks ago, sparking the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

A Japanese researcher demonstrated a pair of robotic legs in Tokyo today that can negotiate stairs and could potentially find use as a wheelchair substitute.

Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo won’t have to worry about his job just yet.