Ivory Coast 2 Japan 1

Like 40% of the water supply, he had simply disappeared, but Environment Minister Phil Hogan still dominated the Dáil — for all the wrong reasons. From Big Phil to Feck-It-Up Phil in the space of a couple of months, few ministerial careers have threatened to disappear down the drain so quickly.

Stephen Fry has dropped plans to film in Japan for a new BBC series following a furore caused by his panel show 'QI'.

TSUTOMU Yamaguchi, the only person officially recognised as a survivor of both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings at the end of World War II, has died at age 93.

Outspoken conservative Taro Aso took power as Japan's prime minister today after he overcame opposition forces in the split parliament, tasked with rejuvenating the ailing ruling party ahead of elections.