Ailing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will remain in hospital indefinitely with stress-related stomach problems, but the government has no plans to name an acting premier, an official said today.

Regional powers applauded today’s announcement by North and South Korea that their leaders plan to meet later this month, saying it will help ease tensions and boost efforts to denuclearise the peninsula.

Japan’s scandal-embroiled agriculture minister resigned today, taking responsibility for a shattering election defeat for the ruling party.

Japan issued a tsunami alert today and told Pacific coast residents to flee to higher ground after a powerful earthquake hit off sparsely populated islands between northern Japan and the Russian Far East.