Feb 12 (Reuters) - Japan has agreed with the United States to accelerate talks on the first batch of deals under Japan's $550-billion investment package as some issues still need to be worked out, Trade Minister Ryosei Akazawa said on Thursday.

Japan is mounting its strongest presence at the Berlin Film Festival in years, with seven films across sections.

North Korea on Wednesday denounced Japan's new defense equipment agreement with Canada, accusing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government of accelerating a drive toward militarization.

Japanese figure skaters have been conquering Olympic events over the last two decades and following the successes of Shizuka Arakawa in the women's and Yuzuru Hanyu in the men's, Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara will be hoping to make a golden impact in the pairs at the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Colby’s visits to South Korea and Japan served to reinforce the Trump administration’s Indo-Pacific vision, in which allies’ shoulder “their fair share” of collective defense.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s governing party has secured a two-thirds supermajority in a parliamentary election.

The conservative Prime Minister’s gamble seems to have paid off.

Japan's cherry blossom season has become a victim of its own popularity. Fujiyoshida canceled its popular Cherry Blossom Festival citing overtourism as the main reason.