Lawyers

• Japan's Abe keeps allies in key posts in cabinet shake-up

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe retained close allies in key posts in a cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, playing it safe as he refocuses on the economy after enacting divisive security legislation that dented his popularity.

• Japan's Abe asks Biden for investigation of possible U.S. spying

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday for an investigation into possible spying on high-level Japanese government and corporate officials following WikiLeaks' release last week of a list of spying targets, Japan's top government spokesman said on Wednesday.

• Islamic State deadline on Japanese captives passes with no word on fate

  Japan said on Friday it was still trying to secure the release of two Japanese hostages held by Islamic State militants after a deadline to pay ransom for their release passed.

• Nine Japanese said to have joined Islamic State

  Nine Japanese nationals have joined Islamic State, Japan's former air force chief, Toshio Tamogami, quoted a senior Israeli government official as saying, but the government's top spokesman said on Friday it had not confirmed the information.

• North Korea probe on Japan abductees in early stage: Japan government

  North Korea has told Japan it can only give a preliminary report on the status of its investigation into the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang decades ago and of other missing Japanese, the government spokesman in Tokyo said on Friday.

• North Korea ready to give Japan report on abductees: Kyodo

  North Korea is ready to provide Japan with initial findings from a special investigating team that looked into the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang's agents decades ago, Kyodo news agency quoted a North Korean diplomat as saying.

• Japan PM Abe appoints China-friendly lawmakers to key posts

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe picked two veteran lawmakers with friendly ties to China for top party posts on Wednesday in an apparent signal of hope for a thaw in chilly ties with Beijing and a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.