Senior vice minister to leave LDP for new party ahead of election

Senior vice minister to leave LDP for new party ahead of election

Mineyuki Fukuda, a senior vice minister of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, meets with reporters at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2017. Fukuda tendered his resignation from the LDP and said he will run in the general election expected in October with a new party being organized by lawmakers close to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Senior vice minister to leave LDP for new party ahead of election

Senior vice minister to leave LDP for new party ahead of election

Mineyuki Fukuda, a senior vice minister of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government, meets with reporters at the Liberal Democratic Party's headquarters in Tokyo on Sept. 25, 2017. Fukuda tendered his resignation from the LDP and said he will run in the general election expected in October with a new party being organized by lawmakers close to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Abe Cabinet member to join new opposition force

Abe Cabinet member to join new opposition force

Mineyuki Fukuda (L), a senior vice minister of the Cabinet Office, and independent House of Representatives lawmaker Masaru Wakasa, a close aide to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, shake hands in Tokyo on Sept. 24, 2017. Fukuda said he will leave the ruling bloc to run in the general election expected in October with a new party being organized by those close to Koike. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

MSDF, Maritime agency boats pursue ''unidentified'' vessel

MSDF, Maritime agency boats pursue ''unidentified'' vessel

TOKYO, Japan - In a drill to deal with maritime intruders in the Sea of Japan, an ''unidentified'' ship (C, foreground) tries to flee from the destroyer Mineyuki (R) of the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) and the patrol vessel Echigo (L) of the Maritime Safety Agency. The joint exercise off the Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, took place Nov. 30. The photo was provided by the MSDF.