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Japan to allow military use of space: lawmakers (AFP) (May 9)

Japanese lawmakers (pictured here on April 9) voted Friday to allow the military use of space, breaking a decades-old taboo in the officially pacifist country which has an increasingly ambitious space programme.(AFP/File/Toshifumi Kitamura) AFP - Japanese lawmakers voted Friday to allow the military use of space, breaking a decades-old taboo in the officially pacifist country which has an increasingly ambitious space programme.

US Marine gets two years in Japan sex case: military (AFP) (May 9)

AFP - The US military said Friday it had given a Marine a two-year prison term and dishonourable discharge for sexual misconduct with a Japanese woman, even though he was cleared of charges of gang-rape.

Japan set to open up defense use of space (Reuters) (May 9)

A rocket carrying a probe is pictured blasting off from the island of Tanegashima, about 1,000 km (620 miles) south of Tokyo, on September 14, 2007. (Kyodo/Reuters) Reuters - Japan cleared the way for a law allowing non-aggressive military use of space on Friday, overturning a decades-old policy of limiting space development to peaceful uses.

Marine guilty of wrongful sexual contact of Japanese woman (AP) (May 9)
AP - A U.S. Marine accused in an alleged gang rape of a Japanese woman last year was sentenced to two years in prison Friday for "wrongful sexual contact and indecent acts" but cleared of rape, the U.S. military said.

China's Hu tells Japan not to fear (AFP) (May 8)

Chinese President Hu Jintao (top) poses with ballet dancers as they visit the Matsuyama Ballet company in Tokyo. Hu said Thursday that Japan had nothing to fear from his country's rise and engaged in a round of ping-pong diplomacy, but he faced protests over Beijing's rule in Tibet.(AFP/POOL/Issei Kato) AFP - Chinese President Hu Jintao said Thursday that Japan had nothing to fear from his country's rise and engaged in a round of ping-pong diplomacy, but he faced protests over Beijing's rule in Tibet.

Campus protests as China's Hu courts Japan public (Reuters) (May 8)

Pro-Tibet supporters participate in an anti-China rally outside the Waseda University while Chinese President Hu Jintao was on a visit to the university in Tokyo May 8, 2008. (Issei Kato/Reuters) Reuters - Chinese President Hu Jintao, on a symbolic visit to cement warming ties with Japan, urged the two Asian powers to look to the future as partners not rivals, but protests outside even as he spoke suggested some bumps ahead.

Released Japanese sorry over Yemen kidnapping (AFP) (May 8)

Yemeni soldiers inspect the scene of a bomb blast in Marib in April 2008. Japan on Thursday thanked Yemen for its quick action in securing the release of two Japanese women taken hostage by tribesmen, as relatives back home eagerly waited to hear from them.(AFP/File) AFP - Two Japanese women, who were released within hours of being kidnapped in Yemen, apologised Thursday for worrying people back home and said they felt no threat to their lives.

Japan mulls copyright charge for iPod buyers (AFP) (May 8)

A pedestrian walks past an iPod display at the Apple Store in central Tokyo in 2006. Japan is considering a copyright fee for buyers of iPods and similar portable audio players, as well as hard disc video recorders, an official has said.(AFP/File/Toshifumi Kitamura) AFP - Japan is considering a copyright fee for buyers of iPods and similar portable audio players, as well as hard disc video recorders, an official said Thursday.

Chinese president faces criticism over Tibet in Japan (AP) (May 8)

Chinese President Hu Jintao, center left, is welcomed by former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone , center right, prior to a breakfast meeting with former prime ministers at a hotel in Tokyo Thursday, May 8, 2008. (AP Photo/Toru Yamanaka, POOL) AP - China's president faced hundreds of protesters and sharp criticism of his Tibet policy outside an elite Tokyo university Thursday, signaling the tensions underlining a visit meant to showcase warm Japan-China ties.

Chinese president Hu says his country no military threat (AFP) (May 8)

Chinese President Hu Jintao (top) poses with ballet dancers as they visit the Matsuyama Ballet company in Tokyo. Hu said Thursday that Japan had nothing to fear from his country's rise and engaged in a round of ping-pong diplomacy, but he faced protests over Beijing's rule in Tibet.(AFP/POOL/Issei Kato) AFP - Chinese President Hu Jintao, on a visit to repair ties with Japan, pledged Thursday that his country would never become a military threat.