Mar 14 Denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, a Japanese high court says By Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press The Sapporo High Court ruling said that not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage. Continue reading
Mar 08 Military’s Ospreys are cleared to return to flight, 3 months after latest fatal crash in Japan By Tara Copp, Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Japan says it'll join the U.S. military in returning its Ospreys to flight following the deaths of eight U.S. service members in a crash there in November. Continue reading
Mar 01 Pentagon to lift ban on V-22 Osprey flights, 3 months after fatal crash in Japan By Lolita C. Baldor, Tara Copp, Associated Press The decision follows a high-level meeting where Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin endorsed the military services' plans for a safe and measured return to operations. Continue reading
Feb 20 Ukraine PM in Tokyo says his country needs missiles, but expects new U.S. aid to come through By Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Additional long-range missiles are crucial for his country's air defense against Russia on the frontline, said the Ukrainian prime minister, speaking at a news conference the day after he attended a reconstruction conference in Tokyo co-hosted by Japan and Ukraine. Continue reading
Feb 17 Japan successfully sends new H3 rocket into orbit in key test after last year’s failed debut By Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Japan's flagship H3 rocket reached orbit and released two small observation satellites in a key second test following a failed debut launch last year, buoying hope for the country in the global space race. Continue reading
Feb 15 Japan loses spot as world’s third-largest economy, slips into recession By Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press The government reported the economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.4% in October to December, though it grew 1.9% for all of 2023. Japan's economy was the 2nd largest until 2010, when it was overtaken by China's. Continue reading
Feb 14 Analysis from Japan’s lunar spacecraft could shed light on moon’s origin By Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press A Japan space agency official says an unmanned spacecraft that landed on the moon last month has captured and transmitted data analyzing 10 lunar rocks, a greater-than-expected achievement. Continue reading
Feb 06 The Pentagon believes it has identified the problem behind fatal Osprey crash and grounding of fleet By Tara Copp, Associated Press The Pentagon believes it has identified the mechanical failure in an Osprey aircraft that led to a fatal crash in Japan and the grounding of the fleet for two months. Continue reading
Jan 25 Japan’s 1st moon lander has hit its target, but it appears to be upside-down By Mari Yamaguchi, Associated Press Japan became the fifth country in history to reach the moon when the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, or SLIM, touched down on the Moon early on Saturday. Continue reading
Jan 21 Japan has joined an elite club by landing on the moon. Here’s what others are doing By Foster Klug, Associated Press Japan landed a spacecraft on the moon Saturday, a milestone that puts the country in a club previously occupied by only the United States, the Soviet Union, India and China. Here’s a look at high-profile recent and upcoming attempts, and… Continue reading