JAPANS LOWER HOUSE PASSES BILLS TO GIVE MILITARY FREER HAND TO FIGHT

It complements guidelines in a bilateral agreement governing how Japanese and United States forces work together, which was signed by the two nations this year... READ MORE›

ABE ECHOES JAPANS PAST WAR APOLOGIES BUT ADDS NONE

But in a potentially contentious break with previous expressions of contrition by Japanese leaders Mr. Abe did not offer a new personal apology of his own... READ MORE›

JAPANS PARLIAMENT APPROVES OVERSEAS COMBAT ROLE FOR MILITARY

The debate often doubled as a forum for airing views about Japan's most important ally the United States... READ MORE›

MAGAZINE NAMES KYOTO WORLD'S BEST CITY FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW

Also speaking was Japan Tourism Agency Commissioner Shigeto Kubo, who said it was reward for Kyoto's efforts... READ MORE›

AS ECONOMY FALTERS MILITARY PARADE OFFERS CHANCE TO BURNISH CHINAS IMAGE

Or In order to access our Web site, your Web browser must accept cookies from NYTimes.com... READ MORE›

AUSTRALIA AND CHINA SEAL MAJOR FREE TRADE DEAL

Related Stories China and Australia have sealed a major free trade agreement, as Chinese President Xi Jinping made a rare address to parliament in Canberra... READ MORE›

JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA ARGUE OVER A CHOCOLATE-COVERED PRETZEL STICK

South Korea and Japan fight over a group of guano-covered rocky islets in the sea between them... READ MORE›

JAPAN'S EMPEROR STRIKES MORE APOLOGETIC TONE THAN ABE OVER SECOND WORLD WAR

Beijing says Japan has yet to confront atrocities it committed after invading parts of China in the 1930s... READ MORE›

STATUES PLACED IN SOUTH KOREA HONOR COMFORT WOMEN ENSLAVED FOR JAPANS TROOPS

SEOUL South Korea An unsmiling South Korean girl stares forward with an accusatory expression... READ MORE›

OBAMA ON ASIA: INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE JOBS

BEIJING President Obama arrives in Beijing on Monday for a week-long trip to three countries China, Burma and Australia for summits with other world leaders... READ MORE›

EXPERTS FAULT SOUTH KOREAN RESPONSE TO MERS OUTBREAK

Fukuda, who said transparency during an outbreak was the basis of trust, urged South Korea to continue to enforce a strong quarantine and monitoring system... READ MORE›

SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT IS OPEN TO TALKS WITH ABE

Ties between South Korea and Japan, its former colonizer, have been strained for years, largely over issues rooted in their painful history... READ MORE›

THE 'NORTH KOREA GHOST BOATS' WASHING UP ON JAPAN

A scrap of what is thought to be part of the North Korean flag flying from one of the boats is also a clue... READ MORE›

I WANT TO APOLOGISE TO ANDREA AND LAUREN... I HAD A BAD NIGHT

In its ruling on Thursday, the Gwangju court said that Mr. Kim, the chief executive of Chonghaejin Marine, had helped the Yoo family embezzle company funds... READ MORE›

ABE FACES GROWING WRATH OF OKINAWANS OVER US BASE

But as he begins to focus on the noneconomic pieces of his agenda, resistance is stirring not only in Okinawa but across Japan... READ MORE›

JAPAN PLANS LARGEST EVER DEFENCE BUDGET TO COUNTER CHINA'S REACH

Japan had been making annual cuts to its defence budget for a decade up to 2013... READ MORE›

JAPANESE PM SHINZO ABE STOPS SHORT OF NEW APOLOGY IN WAR ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

Even so, we Japanese, across generations, must squarely face history... READ MORE›

PHOTOGRAPHER S INCREDIBLE SELFIE FROM BURJ KHALIFA SHOWS WORLD AT HIS FEET

China only says some things, but does a lot." What Mr. Xi did say in Australia, though, was intended as reassurance backed by resolve... READ MORE›

What we really care about is connecting everyone in the world, Zuckerberg said at an event in Mexico City hosted by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim... READ MORE›

CHINA ENLISTS SQUAD OF TRAINED MONKEYS TO CLEAR SKIES DURING MEMORIAL PARADE

According to Wang Minghzi of China's air force Peoples Liberation Army monkeys have mastered the skills necessary to destroy birds nests... READ MORE›

AOMORI, NOT KYOTO, IS JAPAN'S TOP FESTIVAL DESTINATION

Aomori, not Kyoto, is Japan's top festival destination online survey... READ MORE›

WHO SAYS SOUTH KOREA'S MERS OUTBREAK LARGE AND COMPLEX

All of South Korea's cases have been linked to health facilities... READ MORE›

THOUSANDS PACKED INTO NORTH KOREA STADIUM CALL FOR BLOODY REVENGE ON US ON KOREAN WAR ANNIVERSARY

North Koreans gather at the Pyongyang Mass Rally on the Day of the Struggle Against the U.S... READ MORE›

HOSPITAL AT CENTER OF SOUTH KOREA'S MERS SUSPENDS SERVICES; SEVEN NEW CASES

MERS was diagnosed in South Korea on May 20 in a businessman who had returned from a trip to the Middle East and has spread through hospitals... READ MORE›

THAILAND SAYS 175 EXPOSED TO MERS PATIENT; SOUTH KOREA REPORTS NO NEW CASE

In South Korea the health ministry said that no new cases of the disease had been recorded in the country for the first time in 16 days... READ MORE›

U.S. SAYS EUROPEANS COULD HELP MORE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

David O'Sullivan, EU ambassador to Washington, said the European Union and the United States had very similar objectives, but such statements were a judgment call... READ MORE›

SCHOOLS REOPEN AS SOUTH KOREA SEEKS NORMALITY AMID MERS OUTBREAK

Chinese airlines were cutting back flight to South Korea, Xinhua news agency reported... READ MORE›

A LEGACY OF WWII, KOREAN RESIDENTS TEST NATION'S ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE NON-JAPANESE

In 1959 the North Korean government launched an effort to draw Koreans from Japan by promising them the rewards of a socialist paradise... READ MORE›

SOUTH KOREA MERS OUTBREAK IS 'LARGE AND COMPLEX', SAYS WHO, AS 14TH VICTIM DIES

The outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome in South Korea is large and complex and more cases should be anticipated experts have warned... READ MORE›

AFTER CONCESSION TO SEOUL ON FORCED LABOR MEIJI INDUSTRIAL SITES ADDED TO WORLD HERITAGE LIST

At meeting June 21 of their foreign ministers, Japan and South Korea reached a basic agreement to cooperate on heritage listings of each other's sites... READ MORE›