Kyoto, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A ranking gang member in a first trial hearing Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the charge of shooting to death the head of the “Gyoza no Ohsho” dumpling restaurant chain in Kyoto, western Japan, in 2013. “I’m definitely

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The governors of Japan’s 47 prefectures urged the central government Wednesday to implement measures to help them cope with expected declines in local government revenues resulting from the planned abolition of the provisional gasoline and diesel tax surcharge.

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics drew to a close on Wednesday with a closing ceremony held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. In the 12-day quadrennial international sporting event for people with hearing difficulties, Japan won a record 51 medals–16

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that her recent parliamentary remarks on a possible contingency around Taiwan, which angered China, were merely a response to a question. “I answered as much as I could to what was

(Adnkronos) – A total 39 MEPS including from Italy’s governing Brothers of Italy party and from the opposition Democrats, Greens and Left Alliance and Five-Star Movement on Wednesday urged Venezuela’s authorities to release jailed aid Italian aid worker Alberto Trentini.  The European

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government’s general-account tax revenue is set to reach around 80.7 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, topping 80 trillion yen for the first time, it was learned Wednesday. The figure is around 2.9 trillion yen higher than

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “…17,000 yen…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Key Japan Labor Group to Seek Pay Scale Hike of 12,000 Yen or More Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–An umbrella body for labor unions in the

Kurume, Fukuoka Pref., Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Sumo Association unanimously decided Wednesday to promote Aonishiki to ozeki, the second-highest rank in professional sumo, from sekiwake, the third-highest rank, making him the first Ukraine-born ozeki. The decision was delivered by the association’s

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A working group of the Financial System Council, which advises Japan’s prime minister, on Wednesday broadly approved a draft report calling for crypto assets to be subject to the financial instruments and exchange law. This measure is expected

(Adnkronos) – Fincantieri has struck a “significant” accord with the United States navy for new kinds of vessels such as amphibious, icebreaking and other special missions, amid a drive to make technological excellence, manned and unmanned crafts and long-term sustainability the navy’s

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s real estate industry has begun to ban the resale of condominiums before the completion of property handover, in a move to check soaring unit prices. The Real Estate Companies Association of Japan announced Tuesday that it has

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Wednesday issued a cease-and-desist order to a group of oil companies in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture over forming a price cartel for gasoline sold at gas stations in the central

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese pop star Taichi Kokubun apologized Wednesday for a compliance violation that led to his removal from a Nippon Television Network Corp. program. “I want to express my sincere apologies to those I have hurt,” Kokubun, 51, told

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani cut the ribbon at the Milan Salone del Mobile preview event ahead of the three-day Riyadh Furniture Fair which kicks off on Wednesday, Tajani wrote on X (formerly Twitter).  “We have inaugurated the preview of

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan has seen an increase in bookstores renting out shelves to allow book lovers to sell works they want to recommend, fostering communities of such people. Such bookstores “serve as local cultural hubs, while the total number of

Kyoto, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A ranking gang member at the first trial hearing Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the charge of shooting to death the head of the “Gyoza no Osho” dumpling restaurant chain in Kyoto in 2013. “I’m definitely not the

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government left its basic view on the domestic economy unchanged for the second consecutive month, in a monthly report released Wednesday. In its report for November, the Cabinet Office said, “The Japanese economy is recovering at

(Adnkronos) – The record floods caused by heavy rains that hit Thailand have killed at least 33 people, where authorities have deployed military ships and helicopters to support civil protection rescue operations. The flood affected ten provinces in the south of the

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that she merely responded to what was asked when she made parliamentary remarks on a possible contingency around Taiwan. “I answered as much as could be said about what was asked,”

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese stocks rose on Wednesday, fueled by hopes for a U.S. interest rate cut. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average gained over 1,000 points at one point before ending the day at 49,559.07, up 899.55 points, or 1.84

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Work is underway to pave the way for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s planned visit to Japan next year to mark the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday.

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s services producer prices in October rose 2.7 pct from a year before, marking the 56th consecutive month of growth, the Bank of Japan said Wednesday. The services producer price index stood at 112.1 against the 2020 base

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Gas Co. said Wednesday that it will procure about 1 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually for 20 years from U.S. LNG supplier Global Venture Inc., starting in 2030. The Japanese company will procure LNG from

Washington, Nov. 25 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had “a great talk” with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi earlier in the day. “We have a great relationship,” Trump told reporters on the presidential plane flying to Florida, after

Japan Chain Stores Association Nov. 26 Yr/Yr Change Total 1,033,551 M. Yen Up 2.0 pct Foodstuffs 734,139 Up 1.5 Clothing 47,835 Up 0.1 Sundries 89,155 Down 2.9 Furniture and Interior Goods 58,697 Down 0.8 Home Electric Appliances 2,483 Up 3.9 Note: Year-on-year

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese chipmaker Rapidus Corp. is considering starting the construction of its second plant in as early as fiscal 2027, it was learned Wednesday. The Tokyo-based company hopes to mass-produce advanced semiconductors with a circuit line width of 2

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A code payment function will be added to the Mobile Suica and Mobile Pasmo apps, their operators have said. The function, called “teppay,” will be available on the Mobile Suica app from next autumn and on the Mobile

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese upstart political party Sanseito has submitted two bills aimed at preventing espionage, seeking tougher penalties for leaking information to foreign governments and laying out a national counterintelligence framework. Sanseito hopes to draw support from the ruling Liberal

(Typo in 3rd para corrected) Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Department store sales in Japan in October rose 4.3 pct from a year earlier on a same-store basis thanks to strong inbound travel demand, extending their winning streak to three months, according to

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly rose over 1,000 points Wednesday morning, as investors bought a variety of names in anticipation of an additional U.S. interest rate cut. The key index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s top-tier