New MSDF patrol ship

New MSDF patrol ship

Photo taken on Nov. 13, 2025, shows a new Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force patrol ship, the Tachibana, after its launch ceremony in Yokohama near Tokyo. The 95-meter vessel with an engine displacement of 1,900 tons will be commissioned in 2027.

Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, speaks during a press conference in Kobe, western, Japan, on July 20, 2025, the day of the House of Councillors election.

Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, speaks during a press conference in Kobe, western, Japan, on July 20, 2025, the day of the House of Councillors election.

Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, speaks during a press conference in Kobe, western, Japan, on July 20, 2025, the day of the House of Councillors election.

Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, speaks during a press conference in Kobe, western, Japan, on July 20, 2025, the day of the House of Councillors election.

Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, speaks during a press conference in Kobe, western, Japan, on July 20, 2025, the day of the House of Councillors election.

Japan upper house election campaign

Japan upper house election campaign

Takashi Tachibana, head of the fringe NHK Party, makes a stump speech in Kobe, western Japan, on July 3, 2025, as official campaigning begins for the July 20 House of Councillors election.

Japan politician Tachibana slashed

Japan politician Tachibana slashed

Takashi Tachibana, leader of Japanese political group "NHK Party," arrives at a police station after being slashed and attacked during a stump speech in Tokyo on March 14, 2025.

Japan: M6.6 Earthquake Hits Off Miyazaki Coast, Prompts Tsunami Advisory 3

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that on Monday, January 13, at around 21:19 JST, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Hyuga-nada Sea off the coast of Kyushu Island, Japan, at a depth of 18.6 miles (30 kilometers). A tsunami warning was also issued for Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures. A tsunami of approximately 20 cm was observed, and the warning was lifted. The video shows a car stopped on a bridge in Miyazaki City, shaking from the quake, while an alert blares inside.

Sendai restaurant to serve oysters from tsunami-hit town

Sendai restaurant to serve oysters from tsunami-hit town

SENDAI, Japan - Takeshi Komatsu (R) hands over a package of cultured oysters from Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, to Yuji Tachibana, owner and chef of a French restaurant in the prefectural capital of Sendai, on Jan. 31, 2014. Kesennuma is a port city ravaged by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

Rakuten wins negotiation right to 1st-round draft pick

TOKYO, Japan - Rakuten Eagles President Yozo Tachibana (L) shakes hands with the Pacific League professional baseball team's new manager Hiromoto Okubo in Tokyo on Oct. 23, 2013, after successfully winning the negotiation right to Saibi High School pitcher Tomohiro Anraku.

Scientist holds model of 'Hayabusa' asteroid explorer

Scientist holds model of 'Hayabusa' asteroid explorer

ASAHIKAWA, Japan - Shogo Tachibana, an associate professor at a Hokkaido University graduate school, holds a model of the "Hayabusa" (falcon) unmanned space probe that brought back dust particles from the asteroid Itokawa in 2010 in this file photo taken in Sapporo in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Sept. 18, 2014. The Hayabusa 2 asteroid explorer is set to be launched into space on Nov. 30.

Rakuten Eagles unveils new manager Okubo

Rakuten Eagles unveils new manager Okubo

SENDAI, Japan - Hiromoto Okubo (L), the new manager of the Japanese professional baseball team Tohoku Rakugen Golden Eagles, speaks at a press conference in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Oct. 14, 2014, as the club's president Yozo Tachibana looks on.

Female racing drivers promote Tottori Pref. EV facilities

Female racing drivers promote Tottori Pref. EV facilities

TOTTORI, Japan - Race car drivers Nanami Tsukamoto (R) and Urara Tachibana pay a courtesy call on Tottori Gov. Shinji Hirai at the prefectural office in Tottori City on July 11, 2014. Their racing team started making a commercial video to publicize the western Japanese prefecture's charging facilities for electric vehicles.

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Masahiro Tanaka, ace pitcher of the Japanese baseball club Rakuten Eagles, smiles while speaking to reporters at the club's office in Sendai on Dec. 25, 2013, after talks with team president Yozo Tachibana. The club agreed to release Tanaka through the posting system. Tanaka told the club on Nov. 17, soon after Nippon Professional Baseball had agreed to Major League Baseball's terms on a new posting system, that he wished to move to the majors.

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Masahiro Tanaka, ace pitcher of the Japanese baseball club Rakuten Eagles, speaks to reporters at the club's office in Sendai on Dec. 25, 2013, after talks with team president Yozo Tachibana. The club agreed to release Tanaka through the posting system. Tanaka told the club on Nov. 17, soon after Nippon Professional Baseball had agreed to Major League Baseball's terms on a new posting system, that he wished to move to the majors.

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Yozo Tachibana, president of the Japanese baseball club Rakuten Eagles, smiles during a news conference at the club's office in Sendai on Dec. 25, 2013, after talks with the team's ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. The club agreed to release Tanaka through the posting system. Tanaka told the club on Nov. 17, soon after Nippon Professional Baseball had agreed to Major League Baseball's terms on a new posting system, that he wished to move to the majors.

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

Eagles allow Tanaka to go to majors through posting system

SENDAI, Japan - Yozo Tachibana, president of the Japanese baseball club Rakuten Eagles, speaks at a news conference at the club's office in Sendai on Dec. 25, 2013, after talks with the team's ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. The club agreed to release Tanaka through the posting system. Tanaka told the club on Nov. 17, soon after Nippon Professional Baseball had agreed to Major League Baseball's terms on a new posting system, that he wished to move to the majors.

Rakuten Tanaka talks could start as early as Monday

Rakuten Tanaka talks could start as early as Monday

LAKE BUENA VISTA, United States - Yozo Tachibana, president of Japanese professional baseball club Rakuten Eagles, speaks to reporters at Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Dec. 10. Tachibana said he could meet with the team's ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka as early as next Monday to talk about Tanaka's desire to play in the majors.

Human ES cell research under fire

Human ES cell research under fire

WASHINGTON, United States - Photo shows researchers Masahito Tachibana (L) and Shoukhrat Mitalipov of Oregon Health and Science University, pictured in Beaverton, Oregon, on May 16, 2013. Their report on the creation of cloned human embryonic stem cells, published in the U.S. scientific journal Cell on May 15, 2013, has come under fire for containing errors.

Japan men take silver in gymnastics

Japan men take silver in gymnastics

LONDON, Britain - An Olympics official (upper right) tells manager Yasunori Tachibana (lower left) of the Japan team that Japan was moved up to second place after receiving an appeal about Kohei Uchimura's score in the final rotation on the pommel horse in the Olympics men's gymnastics team final at North Greenwich Arena at the 2012 London Olympics on July 30, 2012.

Bamboo groves being used for regional economic development

Bamboo groves being used for regional economic development

TOKYO, Japan - A volunteer cuts down bamboo to prevent it from multiplying into huge groves in the town of Tachibana, Fukuoka Prefecture.

Toyota's April-June sales, profits hit records

Toyota's April-June sales, profits hit records

TOKYO, Japan - Takeshi Suzuki (L) and Teiji Tachibana, senior managing directors of Toyota Motor Corp., speak about the company's group earnings report for the April-June period at a press conference in Tokyo on Aug. 4.

Toyota raises wages as requested by unions

Toyota raises wages as requested by unions

TOYODA, Japan - Toyota Motor Corp. senior Managing Director Teiji Tachibana speaks at a press conference after the company's management agree to raise employees' monthly wages by 1,000 yen, fully meeting the unions' demand in the ongoing annual wage negotiations on March 15.

Ceremony held for Japan's 8th contingent of troops for Iraq

Ceremony held for Japan's 8th contingent of troops for Iraq

KUMAMOTO, Japan - Defense Agency chief Yoshinori Ono hands a flag to Takaaki Tachibana, commander of a Ground Self-Defense Forc contingency to be sent to Iraq for reconstruction assistance, during a ceremony held prior to its departure at a garrison in the southwestern Japanese city of Kumamoto on Oct. 22. ''We expect you to do wonderful jobs to build a bridge of friendship between Japan and the people in Samawah,'' Ono said.

(1)Japan wins gold in women's synchronized swimming

(1)Japan wins gold in women's synchronized swimming

ROME, Italy - The Japanese women's synchronized swimming team performs at the Rome Open Synchronized Swimming Competition on June 8. The Japanese team, consisting of Emiko Suzuki, Saho Harada, Naoko Kawashima, Kanako Kitao, Ayako Matsumura, Masako Tachibana, Erika Komura and Takako Konishi, won the gold medal.

Tachibana, Takeda win World Grand Prix duet

Tachibana, Takeda win World Grand Prix duet

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Miho Takeda (L) and Miya Tachibana are about to jump into the pool at the synchronized swimming World Grand Prix meet Yokohama International swimming pool on Sept. 18. Tachibana and Takeda, who won the duet silver at the Athens Olympics, took advantage of the absence of their Russian archrivals to win the duet final at the meet.

(2)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

(2)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

ATHENS, Greece - Japan's Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda start their synchronized swimming duet performance at the Athens Games Aug. 25.

(4)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

(4)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

ATHENS, Greece - Japan's Miya Tachibana and Miho Takeda perform their synchronized swimming duet at the Athens Games Aug. 25.

(3)Russia wins gold in Olympic synchronized duet

(3)Russia wins gold in Olympic synchronized duet

ATHENS, Greece - The Russian pair (C) of Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova, who won gold in the synchronized swimming duet, are flanked by the Japanese silver medalists (L), Miya Tachibana and Miho Takeda, and U.S. bronze medalists Anna Kozlova and Alison Bartosik at the Olympic Aquatic Centre Aug. 25.

(1)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

(1)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

ATHENS, Greece - Japan's Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda show off silver medals they won in the synchronized swimming duet at the Athens Games Aug. 25.

(3)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

(3)Japan wins silver in Olympic synchronized duet

ATHENS, Greece - Japan's Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda perform their synchronized swimming duet at the Athens Games Aug. 25.

Tachibana, Takeda 2nd to Russians in free routine prelims

Tachibana, Takeda 2nd to Russians in free routine prelims

ATHENS, Greece - Japan's Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda perform a women's duet free routine Aug. 24 in the synchronized swimming preliminary of the Athens Olympics. They took second after Russia's Anastasia Dadydova and Anastasia Ermakova and advanced to the finals.

Takeda, Tachibana 2nd after duet technical routine

Takeda, Tachibana 2nd after duet technical routine

ATHENS, Greece - Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda from Japan perform the duet technical routine in the synchronized swimming competition in the 2004 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatic Center in Athens on Aug. 23.

(1)Japan's sychronized swimmers practice in Athens

(1)Japan's sychronized swimmers practice in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Top Japanese synchronized swimmers -- Miya Tachibana (front) and Miho Takeda -- practice for their duet event in Athens on Aug. 8.

(1)Tachibana, Takeda win Japan Open

(1)Tachibana, Takeda win Japan Open

TOKYO, Japan - Reigning world silver medalists Miya Tachibana (fore) and Miho Takeda win the free routine duet final to claim their seventh straight title at the Japan Open at Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Pool on May 5.

(2)Tachibana, Takeda win Japan Open

(2)Tachibana, Takeda win Japan Open

TOKYO, Japan - Reigning world silver medalists Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda wave at audiences on the podium after winning the free routine duet final to claim their seventh straight title at the Japan Open at Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Pool on May 5.

Japanese pair second at synchronized swimming Olympic qualifier

Japanese pair second at synchronized swimming Olympic qualifier

ATHENS, Greece - Japanese pair Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda perform the free routine in the synchronized swimming Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens on April 16. They placed second and earned their tickets to the Olympics this summer.

Japan takes silver in synchronized swimming duet at worlds

Japan takes silver in synchronized swimming duet at worlds

BARCELONA, Spain - Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda of Japan hold up their silver medals after coming in second in the synchronized swimming duet final at the world swimming championships in Barcelona on July 18.

Russian pair win synchronized swimming duet at worlds

Russian pair win synchronized swimming duet at worlds

BARCELONA, Spain - Anastasia Dadydova (foreground) and Anastasia Ermakova of Russia perform in the synchronized swimming duet final at the swimming world championships in Barcelona on July 18. The pair won the contest, beating Japan's defending champion pair Miya Tachibana and Miho Takeda.

Tachibana, Takeda place 2nd in world preliminaries

Tachibana, Takeda place 2nd in world preliminaries

BARCELONA, Spain - Defending champions Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda perform in the preliminary round of the synchronized swimming free routine at the world championship finals in Barcelona on July 15. They placed second behind Russian pair Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermokova.

Japan's synchronized pair finish second in Japan Open

Japan's synchronized pair finish second in Japan Open

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Japanese world champion duo Miya Tachibana (front) and Miho Takeda finished second in the Japan Open synchronized swimming championships at Yokohama International swimming pool April 6.

Tachibana, Takeda coast to 3rd straight synchro duet title

Tachibana, Takeda coast to 3rd straight synchro duet title

PUSAN, South Korea - Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda perform in the synchronized swimming duet event of the 14th Asian Games at Sajik swimming pool in Pusan on Oct. 2. The duo, who won Japan's first-ever synchronized swimming world title in Fukuoka last year, claimed a third straight Asian Games title.

Japan's Tachibana wins solo synchronized swimming

Japan's Tachibana wins solo synchronized swimming

PUSAN, South Korea - Miya Tachibana shows off her gold medal at Sajik Swimming Pool in Pusan on Oct. 1 after winning the solo synchronized swimming event of the 14th Asian Games.

Japan's synchronized swimmers lead in technical routine

Japan's synchronized swimmers lead in technical routine

PUSAN, South Korea - Japan's synchronized swimmers Miya Tachibana (L) and Miho Takeda come in first in the duet's technical routine in the Asian Games in Pusan on Sept. 30.

(2)Asian Games open in Pusan

(2)Asian Games open in Pusan

PUSAN, South Korea - Members of the Japanese delegation to the Asian Games wave to the audience during the opening ceremony at Pusan Asiad Stadium on Sept. 29. Carrying the Japanese flag is synchronized swimmer Miya Tachibana.

(1)Japanese athletes arrive in Pusan

(1)Japanese athletes arrive in Pusan

PUSAN, South Korea - Japanese synchronized swimmers Miho Takeda (L) and Miya Tachibana to take part in the Asian Games arrive at Pusan's Kimhae International Airport on Sept. 26.

Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal to begin talks on alliance

Nippon Steel, Sumitomo Metal to begin talks on alliance

TOKYO, Japan - Nippon Steel Corp. Vice President Makoto Kihara (L) and Sumitomo Metal Industries Ltd. Vice President Masaaki Tachibana speak at a media briefing in Tokyo on Dec. 12. They said Japan's biggest and fourth-largest steelmakers will start negotiations on a business alliance with a view to slashing production, distribution and material procurement costs.

(1)Tachibana, Takeda win gold in synchronized swimming duet

(1)Tachibana, Takeda win gold in synchronized swimming duet

FUKUOKA, Japan - Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda celebrate after winning gold medal in their routine in the synchronized swimming duet final at Marine Messe Fukuoka on July 20. The pair gave Japan its first-ever synchronized swimming gold medal in world championship history.

(2)Tachibana, Takeda win gold in synchronized swimming duet

(2)Tachibana, Takeda win gold in synchronized swimming duet

FUKUOKA, Japan - Miya Tachibana (R) and Miho Takeda perform in the synchronized swimming duet final at Marine Messe Fukuoka on July 20. The pair gave Japan its first-ever gold medal in synchronized swimming in world championship history.