Shinzo Abe takes blame for loss of trust over scandal as polls dive

The education minister is the only candidate in the race to replace Jacinda Ardern, but still needs the endorsement from his Labour Party colleagues.

Hipkins officially took over the leadership role following the resignation of Jacinda Ardern last week.

Japanese citizens will once again be able to get Chinese visas, Beijing said, reversing a previous ban over COVID testing China had slammed as "discriminatory."

Israeli lawmakers have passed legislation that drastically narrows the circumstances required to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or a successor from office.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will visit South Korea on Sunday, for the first time since 2018. But while relations between the two countries have warmed in recent weeks, many South Koreans have yet to forgive Japan for its brutal occupation which ended almost 80 years ago. While survivors continue to demand apologies and compensation, Japan says it has already done enough. In early March, the South Korean government proposed a new compensation plan for victims. But this move is being met with fierce opposition from the Korean people.

At a Tokyo art institute, more than a dozen students held up mirrors to their faces while stretching the sides of their mouths upward, fully immersed in a lesson not in their usual curriculum - a smile class.

A day after securing a record-high winning margin in parliamentary elections, conservative leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been sworn in as prime minister. He has vowed to implement "deeply-needed" economic reforms.

Progressive parties have won a recent election in Thailand, but unelected lawmakers were able to block Pita Limjaroenrat from becoming prime minister.

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Little-known politician Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will serve as caretaker prime minister until elections take place. The ceremony on Pakistan's Independence Day comes amid ongoing political turmoil in the country.

In an exclusive interview with DW, Niger's new prime minister, Lamine Zeine, has signaled a readiness for talks with regional bloc ECOWAS. He warned Niger will not be forced down a political path.

Business tycoon Srettha Thavisin has been voted in after a monthslong deadlock since the May election. Srettha's Pheu Thai party is part of a multi-party coalition, including allies with the military.