Anthony Kuhn

Hawaiian-born Akebono was the first foreigner to win the highest ranking in Japan's national sport, sumo wrestling. He died in Tokyo this month, age 54.

President Biden is hosting a meeting with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines. It's an effort by the U.S. to build a network of alliances in the region, partly to compete with China.

President Biden hosts Japan's prime minister for a state visit highlighting tighter cooperation between their militaries. Both are shifting forces to deter potential adversaries, including China.

As the U.S. and Japan tighten their alliance and strengthen their military presence in the country's southwest Okinawan islands near China, Okinawa's long-running peace movement is in difficulty.

Southeast Asian countries could grow faster economically but they're held back by a lack of infrastructure. The region now has its first high-speed railway — in Indonesia.

Indonesia's railway is part of China's Belt and Road plan to build more than a trillion dollars worth of infrastructure. The U.S. says it's a way to mire countries in debt in order to exploit them.

A walk-out by South Korean doctors has hobbled the country's medical system. Most of them have defied a government ultimatum to return to work by Thursday.

Exit polls suggest the country's defense minister is in the lead. He has both the backing of the current president, but he also has a controversial record on human rights.

Indonesians vote for a new president on Wednesday, amid concerns about democratic backsliding, and a front-running candidate with a record of human rights abuses.

Yeonpyeong Island near the maritime border between North and South Korea has seen clashes in the past, and with military tensions running high, it's seen as a potential flashpoint.

Riding a wave of popularity of Korean cultural exports, high-end Korean eateries from Seoul to New York are winning acclaim.

As the new year begins, North Korea is signaling a major policy shift, abandoning efforts to unite with its neighbor to the South. It is even threatening to take the South by force of arms.

In South Korea's latest outburst of political violence, the country's opposition leader has been stabbed in public ahead of general elections in April 2024.

Japan's west coast suffered a series of major earthquakes and subsequent tsunami warnings on New Year's Day. Dozens of people have died, and aftershocks continue to shake the region.

As morning dawns in Japan, the country begins to survey the damage after a series of major new year's day earthquakes and subsequent tsunami warnings.

"Run philosophy" became a popular internet buzzword in recent years as political controls tighten and job prospects in China wane. Hear from some people now in Tokyo who recently fled China.

In Japan, a female former soldier's high-profile court case win is seen as both a victory for human rights, and a setback for Japan's efforts to beef up its military.

North Korea appears to be taking advantage of wars and geopolitical contests to help it make a strategic shift in its foreign policy — positioning itself in an anti-U.S. bloc of actors and nations.

The issue may come up when leaders of the two countries meet Thursday in San Francisco on the sidelines of APEC summit.

Large numbers of tourists are visiting Mt. Fuji again, causing problems with local municipalities and worry over the environment of the World Heritage site.