Japan, Vietnam agree on maritime safety co-operation

TOKYO — Leaders of Japan and Vietnam have agreed to bolster co-operation in maritime safety and defence as they expressed shared concern over China’s growing activity in the South China Sea. Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang (CHAN DIE KWANG ... ( read original story ...)

Soccer: Nishino opts for experienced Japan World Cup squad

So the idea is to have a mix of experienced players and the young players,” Nishino said at a news conference in Tokyo, without specifying why the trio had been omitted. Ideguchi and Asano’s non-selection means that the players who secured Japan’s ... ( read original story ...)

Japan coach plays it safe in naming 23-man World Cup squad

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan coach Akira Nishino is relying heavily on veteran players with previous World Cup experience in his 23-man squad for the tournament. Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki were among almost a dozen named Thursday who ... ( read original story ...)

Olympics: Tokyo 2020 marathon to end with grueling incline

TOKYO (Reuters) - The route for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics marathon was announced on Thursday with the main feature being a steep incline to finish the race at the newly built Olympic stadium. The route will pass through many of the city’s historic and ... ( read original story ...)

Tokyo stocks open higher on hopes for Italian politics

TOKYO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks opened higher Thursday as investor sentiment improved on reports that Italy's political situation could move past a deadlock and avoid a snap election as two populist parties may unite to form a government. As of 9:15 ... ( read original story ...)

13 Tokyo metro stations added to Google Street View

Google Street View is now available for the platforms and concourses of 13 Tokyo Metro Co. subway stations in Tokyo. With the new service, which was introduced Monday, users can check underground routes at the terminals in advance. The stations are Akasaka ... ( read original story ...)

At French Open, Osaka balances tennis and PlayStation

Rattling through the first two rounds of the French Open without losing a set leaves more time for PlayStation for Naomi Osaka. And should the next big thing in Japanese tennis turn up late for her next match, it could well be because she lost track of ... ( read original story ...)

Tennis: Osaka lost in her virtual world

PARIS (Reuters) - The life of a professional athlete can seem a dream, but these days Naomi Osaka is happy to be lost in her virtual world. The Japanese 20-year-old scooted into the French Open third round on Wednesday with a quick-fire 6-4 7-5 win over ... ( read original story ...)

Japan whaling kills 122 pregnant whales for ‘research’

AUSTRALIA has blasted Japanese whalers for harpooning 122 pregnant whales in Antarctica this summer. The Courier-Mail can reveal that 95 per cent of the female whales slaughtered by the Japanese were carrying calves. Federal Environment Minister Josh ... ( read original story ...)