United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken announces that Japan and the United States will include space warfare as a trigger for the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security. 2023-01-11
The death toll from the earthquake in Hokkaido, Japan rises to 44. There are now no reports of individuals missing and the search operations have been called off. 2018-09-10
Japan lodges a formal complaint after footage appears on YouTube of a US F-16 fighter jet based at Misawa Air Base in Aomori flying at high speed and low altitude through mountains in an apparent breach of regulations. Japanese law prohibits aircraft from descending below 150 feet in non-residential areas. 2018-04-30
North Korea fires a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile which flies 2,700 km, passing over Hokkaido, northern Japan, prompting the activation of the nationwide J-Alert warning system. This is first time since 2009 that a North Korean missile has passed over Japanese territory. 2017-08-29
The National Diet of Japan passes legislation allowing Emperor Akihito to abdicate. The abdication is to take place within three years. 2017-06-9
South Korea has determined North Korea is capable of mounting a nuclear warhead on its medium-range Rodong-1 ballistic missile, which could reach all of South Korea and most of Japan, according to a senior government official. 2016-04-5
An Asiana Airlines Airbus A320 en route from South Korea to Japan skids off the runway at Hiroshima Airport injuring 20 of the 74 passengers. 2015-04-14
United States and Japanese government officials agree to put a second missile defence system in Japan. 2012-09-17
Following several decades of "official denial", Japan confirms it permitted nuclear-armed United States vessels to pass through its ports using its Cold War "secret treaties". 2010-03-9
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes off the southern coast of Japan's Ryukyu Island. 2010-02-26