TOKYO – A Japanese minister resigned on Monday following allegations over his ties to the Unification Church, which is under renewed scrutiny after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Metro Manila  — Suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gerald Bantag is among around 160 “persons of interest” in the killing of veteran broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, the country’s police chief said Monday.

TOKYO – The number of people subject to compensation for mental illness caused by stress at work increased more than 60 percent in Japan over the decade through fiscal 2019, a white paper on death and suicide from overwork said Friday.

TOKYO – The Japanese government on Wednesday lifted its last remaining warnings against nonessential trips abroad over COVID-19 after downgrading its travel advisories for 76 countries and areas, including Australia and Taiwan.

MANILA, Philippines — The family of slain radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa on Tuesday expressed “reservation” that the confessed assassin was the real killer and lawmakers said the police should ensure a tight case against those responsible for the killing.

TOKYO – Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday sent a ritual offering to the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo, a source of diplomatic friction with some Asian neighbors who view it as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism.

MANILA, Philippines — The “highly immune-evasive” XBB Omicron subvariant could possibly enter the Philippines amid the country’s opened borders, an infectious disease expert warned Friday.

TOKYO – The Japanese government said Thursday it will scrap in principle health insurance cards in fall 2024 and integrate them into the “My Number” national identification system.

Metro Manila — The Chinese Embassy late Tuesday denied Senate President Migz Zubiri’s earlier announcement that the country is on the tourist blacklist of China.

TOKYO – As Japan throws open its doors to visitors after more than two years of pandemic isolation, hopes for a tourism boom face tough headwinds amid shuttered shops and a shortage of hospitality workers.