The US is preparing to announce the "toughest and most aggressive" economic sanctions against North Korea, boosting pressure on the regime during the Winter Olympics, Mike Pence has said.

Donald Trump has said North Korea is "a threat to the civilised world" and vowed that the US "will not stand" for Pyongyang menacing America or its allies.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged to tackle what he called Japan's two national crises: the military threat from North Korea and an ageing and shrinking population.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has dissolved the lower house of parliament, paving the way for a snap election on October 22.

Latest:: North Korea's has claimed to have launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile in what is seen as a potential game-changing development in its push to militarily challenge Washington.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe have discussed joint economic projects on disputed islands which could pave the way for the countries to finally sign a peace treaty.

His blunder is the latest in a string of remarks and scandals that have plagued the government in recent months.

Japan is ending its peacekeeping mission in troubled South Sudan after five years, prime minister Shinzo Abe has announced.

US President Donald Trump will host Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Mar-a-Lago this weekend.

Japan's prime minister has offered "sincere and everlasting condolences" for the US service members who died when his country attacked Pearl Harbour, catapulting America into the Second World War.

Shinzo Abe’s courtship of Vladimir Putin has so far yielded little for Japan, writes Brahma Chellaney.

Donald Trump has confirmed he will leave a key trade pact as he defended his worldwide business interests.

International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach praised Rio's "marvellous Games" during a closing ceremony marked by colour, music and rain at the Maracana Stadium.

As Barack Obama prepares to become the first American president to visit Hiroshima, Yuriko Koike heralds statesmen who have promoted peace and put their countries’ needs first 

Army troops and other rescuers rushed to save scores of trapped residents after two strong earthquakes in south-western Japan killed at least 41 people, injured about 1,500 and left hundreds of thousands without electricity or water.

After a freeze of more than three years, the leaders of South Korea and Japan resumed formal talks focusing on North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear bombs, and a long-running dispute over Japan’s wartime atrocities.

The 1997 cult classic Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee is free on Steam until 6pm today.

Public support for Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has fallen after the passage of controversial national security bills,

Tom Hardy plays twin brothers Reggie and Ronnie Kray in Legend (18s), a stylish account of how the infamous villains rose to prominence during London’s Swinging Sixties.

Japan’s economy shrank at an annualised pace of 1.6% between April and June as exports slumped and consumers cut back spending, adding pressure on prime minister Shinzo Abe to step up his policy drive to lift the economy out of decades of deflation.

Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe says Japan inflicted “immeasurable damage and suffering” during World War II and he reaffirmed previous official apologies for his country’s role in the conflict.

A power plant operator will restart a reactor in southern Japan today, the first under new safety requirements following the Fukushima disaster and a milestone for the nation’s return to nuclear power.

Forgiveness benefits everyone: For seven decades, Japan has been a peaceful contributor to the global community, says Yuriko Koike

Survivors of the US’s atomic bombing of Nagasaki, during World War 2, gathered to mark its 70th anniversary yesterday.

Nikkei’s $1.3bn (€1.18bn) purchase of the Financial Times from Britain’s Pearson marks the culmination of decades of attempts by the Japanese household name to break into mainstream English-language media.

South Korea has expressed deep regret that Japan’s leader did not repeat his predecessors’ apologies for the country’s aggression during the Second World War.

PlayStation Plus subscribers can download their free games for March right now. Check out the games that are free to download this month.

A deadline is approaching in the Middle East for Jordan to release an Iraqi prisoner or face the death of a captured Jordanian air force pilot, according to the latest threat apparently issued by the Islamic State group.

Jordan has said it is ready to swap an Iraqi woman it is holding for a Jordanian pilot captured in December by extremists from the Islamic State group.

In the past, Japan has acquiesced to terrorist demands. But recent threats by Islamic State jihadists have exposed Japan’s lack of options, writes Yuriko Koike

“What has my child done wrong?...There’s no more time.”

Japan’s deputy foreign minister has expressed hope that his fellow countryman and a Jordanian pilot held by Islamic militants will return home “with a smile on their faces” as criticisms mounted over the government’s handling of the crisis.

Japan has sought help from Jordan and other countries in its race to save a hostage held by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, with no signs of progress on securing his release.

From the prime minister to ordinary people, Japanese were shocked at a video purportedly showing one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group had been killed.

Under fire Japanese PM leads calls for release of second hostage

Japan’s prime minister said he was left “speechless” by a video purportedly showing one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State group had been killed.

Japan promised not to give up “until the very end” on efforts to rescue two Japanese hostages threatened with beheading by Islamic militants, after a deadline passed with no word from the captors.