Sharp, essential news and analysis from Malaysia.
Record rainfall across Japan's Chiba Prefecture has killed eight people and forced over 100,000 residents to evacuate. Chiba City recorded 348mm of rain in just 12 hours—triple its monthly average—stranding thousands at Narita Airport.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Kumamoto Prefecture on Monday following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that killed 38 people on Tuesday. The region faces compounding challenges from extreme heat, water shortages, and overcrowded emergency shelters as recovery efforts begin.
South Korean dessert brand Tokyo Berry has drawn criticism for allegedly copying the packaging design of Japan's popular Tokyo Banana confectionery, with consumers claiming the similarities are misleading.
UNESCO has inscribed Japan's Asuka-Fujiwara archaeological cluster as a World Heritage site, recognizing 19 ancient locations that document the emergence of Japan's centralized state. This marks Japan's 27th World Heritage designation.
A resurfaced 2002 debate clip shows Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi defending Japan's wartime aggression in China as self-defence, triggering fierce domestic criticism and raising questions about her historical understanding.
Japan's lower house has approved a historic revision to the 1947 Imperial House Law, permitting male descendants of former imperial branch families to be adopted and allowing female members to retain imperial status after marriage.