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Japan's Prime Minister and president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party Fumio Kishida announces that he will not run in the party’s presidential election scheduled for late September, effectively stepping down from the premiership.
2024-08-14

A report to the Japanese National Diet revealed that from the end of World War II to 1996 over 25,000 Japanese citizens were forcibly sterilized under their eugenics law, including two nine-year-olds.
2023-06-19

The National Diet of Japan ratifies a United States–Japan trade deal. Under the deal, Japan will reduce its tariffs on U.S. beef and pork; in return, Japan will receive reductions in tariffs on certain manufactured goods.
2019-12-4

A court in Thailand awards a Japanese man paternity rights over 13 of his children from Thai surrogate mothers.
2018-02-20

The National Diet of Japan passes legislation allowing Emperor Akihito to abdicate. The abdication is to take place within three years.
2017-06-9

Thousands protest outside the Japanese parliament in Tokyo against the relocation of a U.S. military base on Okinawa Island. Residents cite noise, pollution, and crime as reasons for not wanting a new base built.
2016-02-21

Japan's upper chamber of Parliament approves controversial legislation, which the lower chamber passed in July, that expands the role of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces overseas.
2015-09-19

Fist-fights erupt between legislators in the National Diet of Japan over a security bill that would allow Japan Self-Defense Forces to fight abroad. Japan had previously sent only a small amount of troops to Iraq.
2015-09-17

The National Diet of Japan votes to lower the voting age from 20 to 18.
2015-06-17

Japan reports that two Chinese ships have entered territorial waters off the coast of the disputed Senkaku Islands.
2013-09-19