Taro Aso
FILE - The Olympic rings are seen during the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics on Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing. Will it be 2030, the first opening on the IOC calendar? Or might the International Olympic Committee make a double award and also name the 2034 host, which it did 4 1/2 years ago when it had two strong candidates and named Paris for the 2024 Olympics and Los Angeles for 2028. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File)
Salt Lake, Sapporo head race to 2030 Olympics, and maybe '34

By Stephen Wade May. 02, 2022 01:08 AM EDT

Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, listens to a question from a journalist during a news conference in Tokyo Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. (Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Tokyo Olympics face another problem because of its president

By Stephen Wade Feb. 08, 2021 09:31 PM EST

A man watches a TV screen showing the images of U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden during a news program of the U.S. presidential election, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
World waits nervously, impatiently for US election result

By John Leicester Nov. 04, 2020 07:49 AM EST

Yoshihide Suga bows after being elected as Japan's new prime minister at the parliament's lower house in Tokyo, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020. Suga was formally elected Wednesday as new prime minister in a parliamentary vote, replacing Shinzo Abe. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Yoshihide Suga named Japan's prime minister, succeeding Abe

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 15, 2020 08:36 PM EDT

Newly elected head of Liberal Democratic Party Yoshihide Suga poses for photos following his press conference at its headquarters after the party's leadership election in Tokyo Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. Suga was elected as the new head of Japan’s ruling party on Monday, all but assuring that he will become the country's new prime minister when a parliamentary election is held later in the week. (Nicolas Datiche/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan PM Abe, Cabinet set to resign ahead of new leadership

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 15, 2020 10:21 AM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2017, file photo, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga speaks during a press conference to announce the new line up of Cabinet at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo. Suga, a longtime loyal assistant and the public face of outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in daily media briefings, has emerged as a favorite to succeed him in an upcoming internal party vote. Suga is set to announce his candidacy and key policies later Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi, File)
Abe's assistant and spokesman seen as favorite successor

By Mari Yamaguchi Sep. 02, 2020 06:16 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 1, 2020, file photo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his official residence in Tokyo. Prime Minister Abe on Monday became Japan's longest-serving leader in terms of consecutive days in office, but there was little fanfare, as he visited a hospital for another health checkup amid concerns about his health.(Kyodo News via AP, File)
Japan's PM sets mark for days in office amid health concerns

By Mari Yamaguchi Aug. 24, 2020 03:21 AM EDT

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, speaks during a meeting of government and ruling party officials at his office in Tokyo Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Japan’s Cabinet has approved a proposed 32 trillion-yen ($296 billion) supplementary budget to help fund measures to cushion the blow to the economy from the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo News via AP)
Japan OKs funds for $1.1T stimulus to fight pandemic woes

By Mari Yamaguchi May. 27, 2020 07:26 AM EDT

The Olympic rings are seen Monday, March 30, 2020, in Tokyo. The Tokyo Olympics will open next year in the same time slot scheduled for this year's games. Tokyo organizers said Monday the opening ceremony will take place on July 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Tokyo Olympics rescheduled for July 23-Aug. 8 in 2021

By Stephen Wade Mar. 30, 2020 04:04 AM EDT