Manila, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. agreed Tuesday to set up a new bilateral working group to promote defense equipment-related and technological cooperation. The two countries will step up preparations needed

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan has pledged to fully support developing Asian nations struggling amid crude oil shortages and inflation blamed on the ongoing Middle East tensions, at a series of gatherings held in Uzbekistan on Sunday and later, including an

(Adnkronos) – A panel of MPs was set to question former Icelandic Ambassador to the United States of America and the Russian Federation Albert Jonsson on Tuesday as part of its fact-finding inquiry into the geopolitical dynamics of the key Arctic region,

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Tollgates on expressways in Japan are being replaced with those accepting only vehicles equipped with an electronic toll collection system at an accelerated pace. The number of interchanges that reject toll payments with credit cards and cash is

Paris, May 5 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese traveler is among the passengers of the MV Hondius, a cruise ship on which a hantavirus outbreak occurred during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean, the operator of the vessel said Monday. A total of about

Canberra, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has vowed to take over the diplomatic policy of the late former leader Shinzo Abe, whom she respects as her mentor, during her latest tour of Vietnam and Australia. In her summit talks

(Adnkronos) – Italy and Azerbaijan want to consolidate a strategic partnership of “long-term value” that is already crucial in terms of energy and security and other fields and which they want to transform into “concrete opportunities” for both countries, premier Giorgia Meloni

Canberra, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi presented a high-quality Crown Melon from Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, to her Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, at a banquet held in Canberra on Monday. Australia removed its import ban on the Japanese muskmelon

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–A tanker loaded with Russian crude oil docked at a pier connected to Taiyo Oil Co.’s refinery in western Japan on Tuesday, officials of the Japanese oil wholesaler said. This marks the first Russian crude oil import to

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–A thin atmosphere has been found to exist on one of thousands of trans-Neptunian objects, or TNOs, small celestial bodies outside Neptune, the outermost planet in the solar system, a research team including the National Astronomical Observatory of

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–The difference of opinions remains among members of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party over a proposed revision of the Constitution. While LDP lawmakers in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, hope

New York, May 4 (Jiji Press)–China criticized Japan again for allegedly attempting to deploy nuclear weapons made by its ally on its territory, during a session Monday of the ongoing Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty review conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Police officer, and cake shop and bakery worker remained top on the lists of dream jobs among children in Japan, a private company survey has found. The survey, conducted online by major chemical maker Kuraray Co., asked children

Paris, May 5 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese is among the passengers of the MV Hondius, a cruise ship on which a hantavirus outbreak occurred during a voyage in the Atlantic Ocean, the operator of the vessel said Monday. A total of about 150

Washington, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera indicated Monday that Tokyo will keep a close watch on U.S. President Donald Trump’s possible remarks over Taiwan in his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. If Trump makes remarks deviating

Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese ruling party lawmaker Muneo Suzuki, quoting a senior Russian diplomat, has said that Moscow may arrange a meeting of the two countries’ foreign ministers in July. Suzuki, a member of Japan’s House of Councillors, the upper chamber

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan and the Asian Development Bank will provide financial support and technical cooperation to smaller companies in Asia struggling amid the unabated Middle East tension, a Japanese official said Monday. Japan and the ADB have launched a

(Adnkronos) – A “fire”, after “an explosion”, is reported on board a South Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. This is reported by the South Korean agency Yonhap, citing Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.  According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, around 8:40 PM Seoul

(Adnkronos) – Madrid is once again urging the “immediate” release of Saif Abukeshek, a Spanish citizen, who was detained last Thursday in international waters with the Global Sumud Flotilla heading towards the Gaza Strip. The Spanish consul in Tel Aviv visited the

(Adnkronos) – The elections held in India are “full of surprises,” as the BBC writes. Because while the vote count is still ongoing, the results are largely clear, with “historic turning points” that, as the Times of India writes, demonstrate a clear

(Adnkronos) – Hundreds, at least 780, are the incidents in which physical force or chemical agents were used to restrain immigrants in Ice detention centers. This is revealed by the Washington Post, citing agency documents to which Donald Trump entrusted his deportation

(Adnkronos) – Four migrants have been found dead near the Slovenian border and two other men have been hospitalized in serious condition. This was announced by the Croatian police, without providing further details on their nationalities or the circumstances of the four

Samarkand, Uzbekistan, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan and the Asian Development Bank will provide financial support and technical cooperation to smaller companies in Asia struggling amid the unabated Middle East tension, a Japanese official said Monday. Japan and the ADB have launched a

Jakarta, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, signed an agreement to expand their defense cooperation at a meeting in Jakarta on Monday. The two countries will establish a framework for dialogue between their defense

Canberra, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, offered flowers at a memorial monument to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a park in Canberra on Monday. After the event, Takaichi told reporters that she

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “…the Judiciary System Research Commission…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Critical Online Posts Increase over Japan Retrial Reform Tokyo, May 4 (Jiji Press)–Social media posts critical of the Justice Ministry’s attitude are increasing

(Adnkronos) – ‘Revolution’ in advertising in Amsterdam. In public city spaces, hamburgers and SUVs ‘disappear’, culture ‘re-emerges’. The city’s ‘backdrop’ changes, reports the BBC after the ban came into force on May 1st, making Amsterdam the first capital in the world to

(Adnkronos) – Austria has expelled three Russian embassy employees suspected of espionage, with Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Resinger promising a “change of course” in the face of “this security problem”. The Austrian government itself confirmed this to AFP in a statement.  In the

(Adnkronos) – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the stables of the Department for Presidential Affairs, where he inspected the conditions of care for the horses that have been donated to him over the years, according to reports from the Qazinform news agency.

(Adnkronos) – The United States Central Command announced on X that its forces will participate in Operation Project Freedom, announced by US President Donald Trump, to help release ships blocked in the Strait of Hormuz. It also stated that “military support for