China has sent a high-level envoy to North Korea in a bid to improve relations after US President Donald Trump urged Beijing to pressure Pyongyang to end its nuclear weapons programme.

The US has seen no need to shoot down North Korean missiles test-fired in Japan's direction, but a future missile launch that threatens American or Japanese territory will "elicit a different response from us", defence secretary Jim Mattis has said.

From Pukguksong to ‘Gangnam Style’, what do you tell your kids when the possibility of a third world war has never loomed larger, asks Catherine Shanhan.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called for more weapons tests targeting the Pacific Ocean, a day after his nation for the first time flew a ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear payload over Japan.

North Korea has fired a possible missile over northern Japan.

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.

A typhoon has slammed into northern Japan, threatening to bring floods to an area still recovering from the 2011 tsunami.

The search for a boy who disappeared after his parents reportedly left him in a Japanese forest as punishment has continued into a fifth day.

MY COLUMN of February 16 discussed the mysterious moss balls photographed on a west Cork strand by M Didier Le Goff, a Breton visitor. 

Last week, a reader wrote, “Sir, I live in West Cork since four months. I come from Brittany.

And it's made in Japan.

I’m just back from the MAD Food Symposium in Copenhagen, one of the craziest and most influential food events on the planet.

Two Russian fighters briefly intruded into Japanese airspace off the northern tip of the island of Hokkaido, defence ministry says.

A strong earthquake has struck Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, but authorities said there is no danger of a tsunami and there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Six people have died and at least 100 others have been made ill by pickles contaminated with E coli bacteria in northern Japan.

Jinxed extreme swimmer Steve Redmond was yesterday coming to terms with the prospect of returning to Ireland without completing his history-making Seven Oceans challenge.

Extreme swimmer Steve Redmond is considering a third attempt to become the first person to complete the epic Seven Oceans challenge after ferocious tides forced him to abandon the last leg in Japan yesterday.

Thousands of Japanese marched to celebrate the last of the country’s 50 nuclear reactors switching off today, shaking banners shaped as giant fish that have become a potent anti-nuclear symbol.

Marathon swimmer Steve Redmond certainly looks like a fish out of water as he gets suited and booted for his upcoming Late, Late Show appearance tomorrow.

A strong earthquake has shaken northern Japan, and regional tsunami advisories have been issued.

A strong earthquake registering magnitude 6.1 has shaken northern Japan, reports say.

Japanese whalers caught two animals along the northern coast that had traces of radiation, presumably from leaks at a damaged nuclear power plant, officials said.

Tokyo is at risk from a powerful earthquake because the recent monster shock that hit the country put more stress on a nearby geological fault line, scientists warned today.

An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale rocked Japan’s eastern coast today, unleashing a 33ft (10m) tsunami which swept boats, cars, buildings and tons of debris miles inland.

The first tsunami from an earthquake in Chile hit Japan’s outlying islands today, but while the initial waves were small and most of the Pacific islands already in its path were spared damage, officials warned a bigger surge could follow.

Small tsunami waves caused by a powerful earthquake which hit Samoa in the Pacific Ocean reached Japan today, officials said.

Ten climbers died as strong winds and rain struck two mountains in northern Japan, police said today.

WITH food shortages dominating the discussions in Japan, world leaders sparked outrage as they enjoyed a six-course lunch followed by an eight-course dinner at the G8 summit.

HEAVY security and the Japanese public’s relative political apathy gave anti-globalisation protests a much smaller profile in Japan than in many previous G8 summit meetings.

ITALY proposed increasing margin requirements on futures markets to deter speculative buying of oil, which Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said could reach $200 a barrel.

US President George Bush labelled Zimbabwe’s election a sham today as G8 leaders kicked off their annual summit.

Japan has called out more than 20,000 police officers, mobilised the coast guard and reportedly even conducted flyovers with fighter jets in a stringent security operation for the G8 summit.

Climate change, soaring oil prices and possible steps against Zimbabwe were high on the agenda as leaders from the Group of Eight economic powers gathered in Japan for their annual summit.

An earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan this morning, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. No tsunami warning was issued and no damage was reported.

Rising food prices threaten to destroy years of economic progress in Africa and drive 100 million people into poverty, a watchdog group warned today.

JAPAN took over the presidency of the Group of Eight club of the world’s leading economies yesterday, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda vowing to put a focus on climate change and environmental issues.

A strong earthquake hit near Sakhalin island in Russia’s Far East today, reportedly killing one person and sending small tsunami waves to northern Japan.

GREAT news for beer and milk lovers: A liquor shop owner in Japan’s largest dairy farming region has stopped crying about local spilt milk and started making beer from it instead.

A powerful magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck off Japan’s northern coast in the Pacific today, sparking tsunami warnings and sending thousands of residents along the archipelago’s eastern coast fleeing to higher ground, officials said.

A huge 8.3 magnitude earthquake off Japan’s northern coast sparked a tsunami warning today, sending thousands along the archipelago’s eastern coast fleeing to higher ground.

A POWERFUL undersea earthquake prompted tsunami warnings yesterday for Japan and Russia but the danger appeared to pass after a series of tiny waves hit the northern Japanese coast.