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.

Heavy snowfalls batter north, northeast of Japan

Weeks after Tokyo announced a doubling of military spending, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida traveled to Washington to boost security ties. The rising threats of China, North Korea and Russia topped the agenda.

Public anger is growing after a Tokyo court ruled that despite seismologists' warnings, TEPCO officials could not have anticipated the powerful earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

Although Japan is the only G7 country where same-sex marriages are illegal, there have recently been some positive changes for the LGBT community. Last November, Tokyo's metropolitan government introduced partnership certificates that entitle gay couples to certain public services that were once reserved for straight couples.

Japan faces an existential threat with its birth rate at an all-time low, yet the island nation has still to fully embrace immigration as a solution to the population decline. To tackle the problem, the government has slowly turned to bringing in foreign workers. We take a closer look.

Police are trying to confirm the identities and nationalities of the two men. They were caught in an avalanche in the Nagano region.

With looming threats from China and North Korea, Japan has approved a military buildup that's one of its largest defense shakeups since World War II. East Asian countries are responding to the challenges of the changing status quo in the region.