Yamato, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Fans of the popular Japanese video game “Touken Ranbu” have helped save a centuries-old sake brewery in Kumamoto Prefecture after a major earthquake in the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month prompted cancellations of orders and

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Finance Ministry plans to seek a record 36,638.6 billion yen in debt-servicing costs in its budget request for fiscal 2027, which starts next April, it was learned Tuesday. The figure is up by 5,362.8 billion yen from

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will continue measures to keep retail prices of regular gasoline at around 170 yen per liter amid ongoing instability in the Middle East, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday. Takaichi told reporters that she has

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry Tuesday unveiled a policy of seeking a record 8,775 billion yen under the government’s general-account budget for fiscal 2027 to focus on developing human resources in growth fields, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors. The figure

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Finance Ministry and the Financial Services Agency plan to include tax incentives for retail Japanese government bonds in their fiscal 2027 tax reform proposals, informed sources said Tuesday. The ministry and the agency aim to attract more

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Isao Kurauchi on Tuesday resigned as head of the Fukuoka prefectural assembly in southwestern Japan, as an assembly member and as chief of the National Association of Chairpersons of Prefectural Assemblies. Speaking to reporters in Tokyo, the 72-year-old

(Adnkronos) – The United States is offering up to $10 million for information on key leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, starting with the commander-in-chief of the Pasdaran, Ahmad Vahidi. This is stated in a State Department press release referring to

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday that her government takes U.S. sanctions on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane very seriously as the measure is not compatible with its stance. The Japanese government’s response to the sanctions

(Adnkronos) – Three years in prison for “defamation of Chinese heroes and martyrs”. This is the sentence handed down in China to Gao Zhen, the ‘dissident’ artist of the ‘Gao Brothers’, known for their committed art, their criticism of the Cultural Revolution,

(Adnkronos) – Israeli far-right MP Zvi Sukkot attempted to destroy a memorial dedicated to the memory of Palestinian “martyrs” in a village in the West Bank, claiming they were “terrorists”. The incident was condemned by the Israeli army and political class. “A

Fukuoka, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka on Tuesday marked the 20th anniversary of a high-profile drunken-driving crash that killed three young siblings, with a rally held to remember the victims and vow to eradicate intoxicated driving. The event

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Forestry Agency plans to support revitalization efforts for the forestry and lumber industries through public-private cooperation. Prefectural governments will compile revitalization plans while setting up consultative bodies involving industry participants and citizens. Revitalization plans are expected to

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Tuesday that 41,174 people were sent to hospitals by ambulance for heatstroke nationwide in July, as many locations recorded temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher. The figure was the third

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s land ministry plans to propose expanding tax breaks for inherited vacant houses to cover such homes that comply with revised earthquake-resistance standards as part of fiscal 2027 tax system reform. Currently, tax breaks are applied when houses

(Adnkronos) – Eighty-five migrants were rescued this morning off Crete during a “major search and rescue operation”. The Greek news agency Ana reported that the operation took place off Kali Limenes, in southern Crete, “under the coordination of the Joint Search and

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government decided Tuesday to begin the reuse of soil generated from decontamination work following the 2011 accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in regional cities. At a meeting

Shizuoka, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Police have seized data believed to be a fake university diploma from a computer belonging to Maki Takubo, former mayor of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The Shizuoka prefectural police

Paris, Aug. 24 (Jiji Press)–A theme park inspired by the popular Japanese anime series “Dragon Ball Z” will be built near Paris, French media reported Monday. The development is part of a Saudi Arabian-led, 6-billion-euro project to build three theme parks. French

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Leaders of a private high school and the school operator will resign over a boat accident in Okinawa Prefecture that killed two people, including a female student, it was learned Tuesday. Eiji Hatta, chairperson of the board of

Fukuoka, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka on Tuesday marked the 20th anniversary of a high-profile drunken-driving crash that killed three young siblings, with a rally held to remember the victims and vow to eradicate intoxicated driving. The event

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The tax panel of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party held an informal executive meeting on Tuesday to begin discussions on details of a planned two-year cut in the consumption tax rate on food starting in April. On Aug.

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Environment Ministry on Tuesday released for the first time a set of recommended specifications for bear deterrent sprays, including a minimum spray time of six seconds and a spraying distance of 7.5 meters or more. The recommendations

Hikawa, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Local dry cleaning and laundry businesses in Kumamoto Prefecture are washing clothes free of charge for disaster evacuees after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture last month. A laundry facility affiliated with the White

Japan Department Stores Association Aug. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 488,901 M. Yen Up 5.1 pct Clothing 118,823 Up 3.9 Personal Articles 83,155 Up 10.1 Sundry Goods 111,451 Up 10.7 Household Goods 15,856 Up 3.0 Foodstuffs 131,042 Up 0.2 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Department Stores Association Aug. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 148,875 M. Yen Up 9.0 pct Clothing 36,314 Up 9.0 Personal Articles 27,190 Up 11.4 Sundry Goods 38,536 Up 16.9 Household Goods 5,602 Up 5.0 Foodstuffs 34,368 Up 2.2 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Police Agency on Tuesday published an annual report highlighting the performances of its National Cyber Department and the department’s efforts to implement active cyberdefense measures. The white paper on police listed the development of a recovery

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday adopted guiding principles on intellectual property protection for generative artificial intelligence operators, calling on such businesses to disclose an outline of data and methods used to train their AI tools. The Principles Code,

Japan Chain Stores Association Aug. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 1,091,952 M. Yen Up 0.1 pct Foodstuffs 788,875 Up 0.1 Clothing 47,306 Down 1.8 Sundries 104,563 Up 3.3 Furniture and Interior Goods 58,879 Up 3.0 Home Electric Appliances 3,919 Up 23.5 Note: Year-on-year

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Companies are turning to artificial intelligence and sensor technology to improve the efficiency of indoor farming in Japan as the country faces a growing shortage of farmers. Oishii Farm Corp., which runs a strawberry factory in the United

Tokyo, Aug. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s government adopted an ordinance Tuesday to raise fees for foreigners to renew and change their residency status to up to 75,000 yen from a uniform 6,000 yen at present, effective in October. New fees for people who