Beijing  - China's Hu Jintao is due next week to make the first visit by a Chinese president to Japan in 10 years.

Tokyo  - Japanese home electronics company Panasonic reported a record net profit for the year that ended in March, the company announced Monday.

Tokyo  - Japan's traditional Nakizumo, or crying sumo, festival took place Sunday as babies competed to bawl the loudest in the arms of sumo wrestlers as a prayer to the gods for good health.

Nagano, Japan  - An event meant to bring the Olympic spirit to the site of the torch relay leading up to the Beijing games ended up disappointing the citizens of Nagano, Japan, as they were bombard