World’s richest economies enjoy biggest pay raise in a decade

As candidates jostle for the top leadership, analysts fear the country's challenges are too big and voters too impatient for any leader to remain in office long enough to make a tangible difference.

Taro Kono may be the favorite with members of the Liberal Democratic Party, but factional politics mean that Fumio Kishida is likely to emerge as Japan's new prime minister, say experts.

Fumio Kishida belongs to the ruling party's establishment but is a stronger advocate for change than his predecessor Yoshihide Suga, Martin Fritz reports from Tokyo.

New Prime Minister Fumio Kishida faces many economic challenges, not least the impact of the pandemic. However, major policy changes are not expected, at least in the short term.

With less than 1,000 days to go until Euro 2024 kicks off, the UEFA unveils the logo for the European Championship at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. This is the first time that the Germany will host the European competition, which will take place from June 7 to July 7, 2024. Only West Germany hosted the competition in 1988.

President Emmanuel Macron announces a plan worth 30 billion euros ($35 billion) to re-industrialise France, saying the country should reclaim its crown as a global leader in innovation. The spending was to address "a kind of growth deficit" for France brought on by insufficient investment in the past, he told an audience of company leaders and university students.

As climate change contributes to more powerful Pacific storms, a new research center wants to better understand the threats they pose and utilize the energy they generate to help Japan reach zero carbon emissions.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is seeking a mandate for his policies in the October 31 parliamentary election. Meanwhile, the opposition has vowed to close Japan's income gap.

Mount Aso volcano spews a giant column of ash thousands of metres into the sky, after the late-morning eruption in southwest Japan. The active volcano ejected hot gas and ash as high as 3,500 metres (11,500 feet), and sent stones tumbling down its grassy slopes.

A Netflix-funded anime academy in Tokyo trains the next generation of cartoon artists as global demand for the genre soars. Japan is facing a shortage of skilled animators, in part because most face years toiling in low-paying jobs to learn the ropes, meaning much of the painstaking frame-by-frame drawing work is outsourced overseas.

Japan is holding a parliamentary election, which is the first big test for the new prime minister. A poor showing for the ruling party could threaten a return to the country's history of revolving-door premiership.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Liberal Demorats are expected to retain enough seats to keep power, but the new administration will need to get the economy back on track while navigating regional security challenges.