Two strong earthquakes struck Japan Tuesday at magnitudes of 5.4 and 4.7, according to data from the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ). The first quake struck in the Pacific Ocean about 80 miles east-southeast from Kitaibaraki at a depth of around 6 miles, 10 km, the data shows. Kitaibaraki is about 110 miles northeast of Tokyo.

The country once led the world in semiconductors and electronics, but over the years it fell behind Taiwan, South Korea and China.

Japan on Tuesday launched a scheme aimed at cutting wasteful government spending by reviewing existing subsidy projects and investment funds, a move the administration hopes will alleviate market concern over its expansionary fiscal policy.

Shohei Ohtani plans to play for Japan in next year’s World Baseball Classic. The two-way Los Angeles Dodgers star made the announcement on social media Monday night.

China is trying to impose economic costs on Japan for wading into the issue of Taiwan. But experts say the escalating dispute could ultimately hurt China too.

Early signs on Japan's annual wage negotiations for next year point to another round of solid pay hikes despite profit pressure from U.S. tariffs, bolstering the case for the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates further.

WASHINGTON >> Japan has dismissed a Chinese letter to the United Nations accusing Tokyo of threatening armed intervention over Taiwan as “inconsistent with the facts and unsubstantiated”.

The travel advisory draws attention to an unexpected problem observed in several cities and natural sites in northern Japan.