Sanae Takaichi defeats Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff election to become the next president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and prime minister-designate. She is the first female leader of the LDP and, should she be confirmed by the Diet, the first female prime minister of Japan. 2025-10-4
Japanese officials search a Kobayashi Pharmaceutical factory in Osaka after five deaths possibly linked to its dietary supplements. 2024-03-30
Japan detects possible community spread of the B.1.1.7 variant in three people from Shizuoka with no known travel history. 2021-01-18
Japan detects a new case of what is believed to be a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza at a poultry farm in Fukuoka Prefecture. This is the first confirmed case outside of Kagawa Prefecture. As a result, the prefectural government will cull 93,500 chickens at a farm in Munakata to prevent the spread of the infection. 2020-11-25
Kyushu island's Mount Aso, Japan's largest active volcano, erupts. Numerous flights serving Kumamoto Airport are canceled. 2015-09-14
Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency (消防庁) advises 2.8 million people to evacuate due to heavy flooding in the eastern region of the country. 2015-09-13
Japan reports that two Chinese ships have entered territorial waters off the coast of the disputed Senkaku Islands. 2013-09-19
Japan executes by hanging three convicted murderers, Kaoru Kobayashi, Masahiro Kanagawa and Keiki Muto. The number of death-row inmates in Japan now stands at 134. 2013-02-21
Japanese automaker Toyota announces plans to fully restore production from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in October, one month earlier than previously announced. 2011-07-7
Japanese air carrier Japan Airlines files for bankruptcy protection. 2010-01-19