Japan: JAXA Successfully Launches Next-Generation H3 Rocket Into Space 2

JAXA (The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) launched its new flagship H3 rocket into space in a second attempt on Saturday, February 17, and announced that it confirmed the rocket has reached orbit as planned. The H3 lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima at 9:22 a.m., JST.

Freed Japanese student arrives home safely

Freed Japanese student arrives home safely

OSAKA, Japan - Satoshi Nakamura, a 23-year-old student at Yokohama National University who was kidnapped in Iran in October, arrives at Kansai International Airport on June 17. Nakamura was released on June 12 after being held for eight months.

Japanese student freed in Pakistan to be moved to Tehran

Japanese student freed in Pakistan to be moved to Tehran

OSAKA, Japan - Kiyotaka Nakamura speaks to reporters in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, on June 15 after his 23-year-old son Satoshi, who was kidnapped in southeastern Iran in October, was freed on June 14 in Pakistan.

Japan official visits Iran again to ask for student's release

Japan official visits Iran again to ask for student's release

TEHRAN, Iran - Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera arrives at a Tehran hotel on Nov. 4. He made his second visit to Iran to seek the support of the Iranian government in obtaining the early release of Satoshi Nakamura, a 23-year-old Japanese college student kidnapped in southeastern Iran in October.

Japanese student kidnapped in Iran safe, senior official says

Japanese student kidnapped in Iran safe, senior official says

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera speaks about Satoshi Nakamura, a male Japanese college student kidnapped in Iran about three weeks ago, after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Istanbul. Onodera talked with Mottaki during a dinner held in Istanbul for a foreign ministerial meeting on the stabilization of Iraq.

Top Japanese official leaves for Iran on kidnapped student case

Top Japanese official leaves for Iran on kidnapped student case

NARITA, Japan - Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera speaks to reporters at Narita International Airport, northeast of Tokyo, on Oct. 16 before leaving for Iran to seek further cooperation from Tehran in information gathering and the early release of Japanese college student Satoshi Nakamura, who was kidnapped in southeastern Iran earlier this month.

Rental business for Harley bikes in Okinawa

Rental business for Harley bikes in Okinawa

NAHA, Japan - Satoshi Nakamura, president of Naha Central Hotel, shows off his line-up of Harley-Davidson bikes for rental. The hotel will launch a new Harley rental business on Feb. 1, targeting aging baby-boomers from mainland Japan eager to ride a big Harley on the southern islands. A 1450 cc Harley Fat Boy goes for 15,750 yen in rental fees.

Air Do approved for operation

Air Do approved for operation

Masaki Nakatani (C), president of Hokkaido International Airlines, known as Air Do, receives a license from Satoshi Iwamura, head of the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Transport Ministry, on Oct. 26 to approve air services between Tokyo and Sapporo. Akira Nakamura (R), the company's chairman, stands behind Nakatani. The carrier plans three round trip flights daily on the domestic route, beginning Dec. 20, with fares to be set initially at 16,000 yen one way, 36 percent lower than regular ticket prices offered by existing airlines.

Japan official visits Iran again to ask for student's release

Japan official visits Iran again to ask for student's release

TEHRAN, Iran - Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera arrives at a Tehran hotel on Nov. 4. He made his second visit to Iran to seek the support of the Iranian government in obtaining the early release of Satoshi Nakamura, a 23-year-old Japanese college student kidnapped in southeastern Iran in October. (Kyodo)

Freed Japanese student arrives home safely

Freed Japanese student arrives home safely

OSAKA, Japan - Satoshi Nakamura, a 23-year-old student at Yokohama National University who was kidnapped in Iran in October, arrives at Kansai International Airport on June 17. Nakamura was released on June 12 after being held for eight months. (Kyodo)

Japanese freed in Pakistan, reunites with father in Tehran

Japanese freed in Pakistan, reunites with father in Tehran

TEHRAN, Iran - Satoshi Nakamura (L), a 23-year-old Japanese who was kidnapped while traveling in Iran last October, and his father Kiyotaka attend a news conference in Tehran on June 16, two days after he was released by his kidnappers in Pakistan. (Kyodo)

Japanese tourist freed in Pakistan arrives in Tehran

Japanese tourist freed in Pakistan arrives in Tehran

TEHRAN, IRAN - In this video image, Satoshi Nakamura (L), 23, a Japanese traveler kidnapped by bandits in southeastern Iran in October and freed June 14 in Pakistan, arrives at a Tehran airport June 15, where he was received by a Japanese Embassy official. (Kyodo)

Japanese tourist freed in Pakistan flies to Tehran

Japanese tourist freed in Pakistan flies to Tehran

TEHRAN, Iran - Satoshi Nakamura (C), a 23-year-old Japanese student, is surrounded by reporters after arriving at Tehran's Mehrabad airport on June 15. Nakamura, who was kidnapped by bandits in southeastern Iran in October, was freed on June 14 in Pakistan. (Kyodo)

Japanese student freed in Pakistan to be moved to Tehran

Japanese student freed in Pakistan to be moved to Tehran

OSAKA, Japan - Kiyotaka Nakamura speaks to reporters in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, on June 15 after his 23-year-old son Satoshi, who was kidnapped in southeastern Iran in October, was freed on June 14 in Pakistan. (Kyodo)

Rental business for Harley bikes in Okinawa

Rental business for Harley bikes in Okinawa

NAHA, Japan - Satoshi Nakamura, president of Naha Central Hotel, shows off his line-up of Harley-Davidson bikes for rental. The hotel will launch a new Harley rental business on Feb. 1, targeting aging baby-boomers from mainland Japan eager to ride a big Harley on the southern islands. A 1450 cc Harley Fat Boy goes for 15,750 yen in rental fees. (Kyodo)

Japanese student kidnapped in Iran safe, senior official says

Japanese student kidnapped in Iran safe, senior official says

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera speaks about Satoshi Nakamura, a male Japanese college student kidnapped in Iran about three weeks ago, after talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Istanbul. Onodera talked with Mottaki during a dinner held in Istanbul for a foreign ministerial meeting on the stabilization of Iraq. (Kyodo)

Top Japanese official leaves for Iran on kidnapped student case

Top Japanese official leaves for Iran on kidnapped student case

NARITA, Japan - Senior Vice Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera speaks to reporters at Narita International Airport, northeast of Tokyo, on Oct. 16 before leaving for Iran to seek further cooperation from Tehran in information gathering and the early release of Japanese college student Satoshi Nakamura, who was kidnapped in southeastern Iran earlier this month. (Kyodo)

Air Do approved for operation

Air Do approved for operation

Masaki Nakatani (C), president of Hokkaido International Airlines, known as Air Do, receives a license from Satoshi Iwamura, head of the Civil Aviation Bureau of the Transport Ministry, on Oct. 26 to approve air services between Tokyo and Sapporo. Akira Nakamura (R), the company's chairman, stands behind Nakatani. The carrier plans three round trip flights daily on the domestic route, beginning Dec. 20, with fares to be set initially at 16,000 yen one way, 36 percent lower than regular ticket prices offered by existing airlines. ==Kyodo