Yoshihiko Noda

• Japan's Cabinet resigns to make way for new Prime Minister

  Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Cabinet resigned on Wednesday to clear the way for a vote in parliament to formally install the nation's new leader, Shinzo Abe, a conservative whose nationalist positions have in the past angered Japan's neighbours.

• Japan election candidates make final pitches

  Hundreds of candidates vying for a seat in Japan's parliament made their final pitches to voters Saturday, ahead of an election expected to see the return of the country's old guard.

• Japan opposition LDP set to win solid election majority: polls

  Japan's conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) looks on course to win a surprisingly solid majority in a December 16 parliamentary election, media polls showed on Thursday, returning to power with a hawkish former premier at the helm.

• Japan leaders in Fukushima as poll campaign starts

  Japan's election campaign kicked off Tuesday with leaders of the two biggest parties in Fukushima, setting the tone for a poll likely to be dominated by the future of nuclear power after last year's atomic disaster.

• Man with knife holds five people hostage in Japan bank: Media

  A man with a knife demanding that Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's government resign was holding five people hostage on Thursday in a small bank, media reported.

• Prime Minister holds bilateral talks with Japanese, Brunei leaders

  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday held bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.

• Japan to set course for December 16 election and seventh PM in six years

  Japan is set to dissolve parliament's lower house on Friday for a December 16 election that is likely to return the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to power with a conservative former prime minister at the helm.

• Japan to hold general election on December 16

  Japan will hold a general election on December 16, a senior governing party official confirmed Wednesday, putting an end to months of speculation over the date of polls.

• Prime Minister to visit Japan to discuss security cooperation

  Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay a four-day visit to Japan to discuss security cooperation in maritime and cyberspace with Japan Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday.

• Japan Prime Minister signals election can wait, defies opposition

  Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda made clear on Monday he is in no rush to go to the polls, speaking of unfinished business and the risk of a "political vacuum" in a speech likely to anger the opposition, which has been urging him to keep a promise to call an election soon.

• Japan justice minister "mob ties" scandal new headache for Yoshihiko Noda

  Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is waiting for a doctor's report before deciding the fate of his justice minister who has admitted contacts with members of the Yakuza crime syndicate, a senior official was quoted as saying on Monday.

• Japan's prime minister reshuffles cabinet, names new finance minister

  Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, naming Koriki Jojima, a senior member of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), as new finance minister.

• China hits back at Japan PM's statement on islands

  China has hit back at a comment by Japan's prime minister that his nation will not compromise in their territorial dispute over small islands. Both sides have met this week in an attempt to mend ties frayed by the spat over the island group in the East China Sea known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

• Japan, China leaders meet amid tension over islands

  Chinese President Hu Jintao said on Sunday Japan should not make a "wrong decision" over a territorial dispute when he met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda after weeks of tension between the neighbours, media reported.

• Criticism hits Japan's plan to restart nuclear reactors

  Japan's plan to restart two offline nuclear reactors came under fire today from media and environmental groups amid doubts over the safety of atomic power after the Fukushima accident.