Finding on Dialects Casts New Light on the Origins of the Japanese People

New research suggests that the Japanese language is not descended from that of the hunter-gatherers who first inhabited the islands some 30,000 years ago.

Tokyo Issues Tap Water Warning for Infants

Infants in and around Tokyo should not drink tap water, a Tokyo official said Wednesday, after radioactive iodine was detected in the capital’s water supply.

Japanese Scramble to Avert Meltdowns as Nuclear Crisis Deepens After Quake

Japanese officials said Sunday they presumed partial meltdowns had occurred at two crippled reactors and that they were facing serious cooling problems at three more.

On Edge of Disaster, Town Reels From Tsunami

The scenes of destruction in one sleepy town are especially frightening because they are far from the worst-hit areas.

Japan probes possible WWII prisoner experiment site

Excavations are beginning at the site of a former medical school in Japan which could yield evidence of war-time experiments on prisoners.

Fewer Japanese Students Studying Abroad

The falling number of Japanese youth eager to study overseas appears to be more than just an enrollment trend.

In Text Messages, Signs of a Rigged Sumo Fight

Police recently found text messages on confiscated cellphones that link as many as 13 wrestlers in match-fixing schemes, triggering a public outcry over corruption in Japan’s national sport.

Opinion: Toilet Worship

Toilets hold a special place for the Japanese.

Leading in 3-D TV, Breaking Japan’s Glass Ceiling

Toshiba is a rare example of a company tapping what some economists call Japan’s least used resource: women.

Facebook Wins Relatively Few Friends in Japan

As Goldman Sachs pours $450 million into Facebook, Japan, with a large and growing online advertising market, is a big hole in Facebook’s global fabric.