TOKYO, Dec. 30 Kyodo - About 150 people gathered in front of the Israeli Embassy in Tokyo on Tuesday to protest against Israel's airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.

TOKYO, Dec. 29 Kyodo - Nomura Holdings Inc. will not renew its official sponsor contract with the
Japanese Olympic Committee expiring at the end of this year to trim its

BEIJING, Dec. 29 Kyodo -
A senior North Korean diplomat warned Monday that his government will suspend

TOKYO, Dec. 29 Kyodo -
Japan paid money equivalent to about 200 million yen to resolve the kidnapping
of a Japanese national in Iran, a government source said Monday.

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 28 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING CASUALTIES, CORRECTING DATE OF INCIDENT IN LEAD, SUNDAY, NOT
SATURDAY AS REPORTED EARLIER; POLLING TO BE RESCHEDULED, 3RD GRAF)

TOKYO, Dec. 28 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING, CHANGING DATELINE)
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone on Sunday urged the Israelis and

JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 Kyodo -
(EDS: UPDATING CASUALTIES, 1ST GRAF; ABBAS BLAMES HAMAS, 4TH, 5TH GRAFS)
Israel launched airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip for the second

TOKYO, Dec. 28 Kyodo -
District, high and supreme courts across Japan issued 27 death sentences in
2008, down from 46 the previous year, according to a Kyodo News tally as of

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 28 Kyodo - At least 22 people were killed Saturday when a suicide bomber attacked a
polling station during a by-election for a National Assembly seat in

JERUSALEM, Dec. 28 Kyodo - Israel launched airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip for the second
successive day on Sunday, leaving 271 people dead over two days and about 900