Toru Kubota, a Japanese documentary filmmaker who was sentenced to ten years in prison in Myanmar, has expressed relief after being freed by the junta in an amnesty. Martin Fritz reports from Tokyo.

Belgium will once again be the dark horse in Qatar and their golden generation will hope to finally end the jinx and bring home the World Cup. They begin their campaign in the Middle East against Canada, a country making a return to the Mundial after a 36-year absence. Will this finally be Belgium’s year?

The Samurai of Japan refused to fall on their swords as they shocked 2014 World Cup champions Germany with a comeback 2-1 win on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Luis Enrique's Spain side staked an early claim as contenders with a clinical display as they dismantled Costa Rica 7-0.

We had our miss against Japan and must do well against Spain – Germany coach Flick

A Tokyo court upheld a ban on same-sex marriage. However, it also deemed the lack of a legal system for same-sex couples "unconstitutional" and a human rights violation.

The Unification Church has been accused of extorting huge donations from followers in return for spiritual salvation. The alleged killer of ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July claimed to be one of the group's victims.

The Japanese government is planning to offer couples extra money for having children, but with costs rising steeply and wages static, that is unlikely to be an adequate incentive, say experts.

The Philippines' Defense Ministry said it would boost its military presence following reports China embarked on fresh land reclamation projects in the South China Sea.

Heavy snowfalls batter north, northeast of Japan

A forensic pathologist and a priest are uncovering evidence of execution-style killings of people allegedly involved in the drugs trade. Exhuming remains and delivering accurate death documents, they have helped Filipino families to gather new evidence.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is visiting Beijing to seek better economic ties with China despite continued tension over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.