Toyama, Dec. 19 (Jiji Press)–Loved by many children in Japan for decades for its colorful covers featuring photographs of insects and plants, the Japonica Gakushucho school notebook series has gone through a revamp to now feature illustrations on the covers. Under the

New York, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution Thursday condemning North Korea’s human rights violations, including its abductions of Japanese and other foreign nationals. The General Assembly endorsed a similar resolution for the 21st consecutive year. The resolution,

(Adnkronos) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced sanctions against two judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing them of “illegitimate harassment” against Israel. Haaretz reports that the measures target Gocha Lordkipanidze, a Georgian citizen, and Erdenebalsuren Damdin, of

(Adnkronos) – In a hypothetical duel for the White House in 2028, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would narrowly beat Vice President JD Vance. This is what emerges, for the first time in a poll conducted for The Argument magazine, which gives the young

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Prosecutors in the criminal trial of Tetsuya Yamagami for the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe carefully sought to prove the defendant’s responsibility for the attack, appearing to partly hope to dispel conspiracy theories. Rumors, such

(Adnkronos) – Large-scale drone attack in eastern Sudan. A military source told AFP, accusing paramilitaries. The attacks, according to the source, hit an important power plant, three people were killed, and blackouts are reported in the country, which is the scene of

(Adnkronos) – The march through the streets of Brussels by thousands of farmers from all over Europe to protest against European agricultural policy was broken up following unrest and clashes. Shortly after its start, around 12:30 PM near the Gare du Nord,

(Adnkronos) – As Morocco prepares to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations – with the first match on Sunday 21 – the government has come under fire for its repression of “Gen Z 212” youth protests, with hundreds of demonstrators arbitrarily

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–A senior Japanese government official told reporters Thursday that the country should possess nuclear weapons, given the increasingly severe security environment surrounding the country. The official said, however, that it will be difficult to review Japan’s nuclear policy

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s smartphone software competition promotion law came into full effect Thursday to regulate major information technology companies in the smartphone operating system market. The law prohibits Google LLC and Apple Inc. from blocking the use of other companies’

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro held a teleconference on Thursday and shared grave concerns over a recent incident in which a Chinese military jet aimed its radar at Japan Air Self-Defense Force

(Adnkronos) – Turkey will return the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, purchased ten years ago, in an attempt to convince US President Donald Trump to approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the country. Haaretz writes, citing Bloomberg. Last week, US

(Adnkronos) – Australian police announced they had stopped two cars in Sydney following a report that “a violent act might have been planned.” “At this time, police have not identified any connection to the ongoing investigation into the Bondi terrorist attack,” the

(Adnkronos) – The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has indicted seven alleged members and one supporter of a far-right cell largely composed of young people accused of planning violent attacks against migrants. The prosecution accused the defendants, some of whom are teenagers, of

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The number of people leaving Japan for overseas travel during the year-end and New Year holidays is projected to reach 1 million, up 31.5 pct from a year earlier, according to a survey by JTB Corp. The figure

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan will host its first summit with five Central Asian nations from Friday, aiming to deepen cooperation with the resource-rich region and strengthen supply chains. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will chair the two-day meeting in Tokyo and

Nara, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors on Thursday sought a life sentence for Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with fatally shooting former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a homemade gun in the western city of Nara in July 2022. In the

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People agreed at a meeting of their tax panel chairs on Thursday to raise the taxable income threshold from the current 1.6 million yen to 1.78

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese internal affairs minister Toranosuke Katayama, who served as co-chief of the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), died of old age at a hospital in Tokyo on Thursday. He was 90. Katayama, a native of

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and ruling parties decided Thursday to implement a planned income tax hike in January 2027, as part of efforts to secure funding for increased defense spending. The decision, which will be included in the ruling

Nara, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors on Thursday sought a life sentence for Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with fatally shooting former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the western city of Nara in July 2022. In the 15th hearing of the

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito held a meeting with visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday. In addition to the 20-minute meeting, Emperor Naruhito and the Kazakh leader had an hour-long luncheon at the

Washington, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Bipartisan U.S. senators on Wednesday introduced a resolution expressing support for Japan and condemning China’s economic and military pressure amid Tokyo-Beijing tensions over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a potential Taiwan contingency. The resolution criticizes Beijing

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling bloc and opposition Komeito on Thursday agreed to pay a monthly fee of 5,200 yen per student to make public elementary school meals free, starting in fiscal 2026. A survey by the education ministry showed that

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Two helicopters of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force were hit by laser beams over Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the GSDF has said. There was no damage to the helicopters or injuries to crew members on

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its policy interest rate by 0.25 percentage point to a 30-year-high of 0.75 pct on Friday, its first increase since January. Policymakers at the central bank apparently think that companies

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Thursday welcomed the United States’ decision to extend Japan’s import permit for the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia’s Far East. “The extension of an exemption from sanctions has been

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People agreed at a meeting of their tax panel chairs on Thursday to raise the taxable income threshold from the current 1.6 million yen to 1.78

(Adnkronos) – The Russian Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) thwarted “a terrorist plot” that targeted an administrative building in Volgodonsk, Rostov region, in southern Russia. The FSB reported this to Tass, adding that they arrested a student with 10

(Adnkronos) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stated that his government will crack down on hate speech following Sunday’s deadly shooting at Bondi Beach, which targeted a Jewish festival. Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire during a ceremony