Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–New forms of subscription services have expanded beyond the realm of entertainment in Japan, branching into industries such as gaming, hotels and cars amid a shift in consumer attitudes. The business model, in which subscribers pay a monthly

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese consumers have expressed worries about rising prices of goods ahead of the Feb. 8 general election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament. A 31-year-old company worker who visited

(Adnkronos) – The United States has announced further sanctions against the Iranian regime in an attempt to deprive Tehran of the resources needed to oppress its people. According to a note from the US Treasury Department, the sanctions have been imposed on

(Adnkronos) – Kosovo prosecutors announced that over 100 election officials have been arrested on charges of “falsifying election results” in a direct attempt to “subvert” last month’s vote. “We are talking about an organization and a direct intention to subvert the results

(Adnkronos) – The United Nations Human Rights Council has voted to extend the ‘Fact-Finding Mission’ on Iran, established due to the repression of protests that erupted in the country. The decision was adopted with the approval of a resolution that extends the

(Adnkronos) – Luigi Vignali is Italy’s new ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Geneva, the foreign ministry wrote Friday on X, congratulating the diplomat on his appointment.  Italy will play a key role in promoting

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is banking on the personal popularity of its leader, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, for the Feb. 8 election for the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, the Centrist Reform Alliance, a new party formed by

(Adnkronos) – Italy and Germany on Friday underscored their support for embattled Ukraine and for war-devastated Gaza and agreed to hold regular dialogue “on international and security issues of common interest,” according a strategic cooperation document signed in Rome by Italy’s premier

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–A total of about 1,230 people are planning to run in the Feb. 8 election for Japan’s House of Representatives, fewer than the 1,334 candidates in the previous 2024 Lower House election, a Jiji Press survey showed Friday.

(Adnkronos) – Iraqi Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani told Emmanuel Macron that European countries must repatriate ISIS detainees who have been transferred from Syria to Iraq as part of a United States operation. In a phone call with the French president, Sudani “stressed

(Adnkronos) – Israeli forces have demolished three Palestinian structures that, according to what was declared, had been built illegally on the outskirts of the village of Shuqba, in the central West Bank. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports this, explaining that the Civil

(Adnkronos) – Today, Minnesota is striking against Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant police campaign. It’s called “Day of Truth and Freedom,” the day of truth and truth, the general strike called by unions and other groups, to invite workers to abstain from work and

Osaka, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Osaka prefectural police department punished a total of 35 personnel Friday over suspected assault on targets of investigation during a site search. The police of the western Japan prefecture took disciplinary measures, such as dismissals, against 12

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday she wants to secure a fresh public mandate through a snap general election to advance shifts in key policies. Earlier in the day, the Takaichi cabinet issued a statement following the

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan is likely to keep its policy interest rate unchanged for now as it puts weight on assessing the impact on the economy and prices of its last rate hike in December 2025. The central

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Department store sales in Japan in 2025 fell 1.5 pct from the previous year on a same-store basis, marking the first decline in five years, dampened by a plunge in spending by foreign visitors, industry data showed Friday.

(Adnkronos) – European nations “have all decided to spend more” on defence and security, which also means strengthening Nato’s ‘European pillar’ and becoming “equal partners” of the United States, Italy said on Friday.   “In a changing world, where so many dangers

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Prudential Life Insurance Co. President and CEO Kan Mabara apologized Friday for more than 100 current and former employees scamming clients out of some 3.1 billion yen. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for causing great

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The dollar briefly fell below 157.4 yen from above 159.2 yen in late Tokyo trading Friday, just after a regular press conference by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda. The U.S. currency met with large-lot selling to buy

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s entry to US president Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to cement war-ravaged Gaza’s fragile ceasefire poses “constitutional issues”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Rome on Friday on the sidelines of bilateral business forum with Germany.   Trump

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The dollar briefly fell below 157.4 yen from above 159.2 yen in late Tokyo trading Friday, just after a regular press conference by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda. The U.S. currency met with large-lot selling to buy

(Adnkronos) – The new conservative Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi – Japan’s first female prime minister, in office since late October – today dissolved the lower house of parliament, paving the way for early elections on February 8. Takaichi is leading in

Nagoya, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–An 11th request for the retrial of deceased death-row inmate Masaru Okunishi in the high-profile Nabari poisoned wine murder case nearly 65 years ago has been filed with Nagoya High Court by Okunishi’s sister and defense lawyers. Along

(Adnkronos) – The Syrian army announced last night that it had taken control of Al Aqtan prison in the Raqqa governorate, as part of the ceasefire agreement reached last week with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The agreement provides for the immediate

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Heavy snow mainly pounding the Sea of Japan coast since Tuesday has left four people dead and 26 others injured. According to data compiled by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency as of Friday afternoon, one person died

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese labor leader Tomoko Yoshino said Friday that she aims to secure wage hikes in the 5 pct range for a third consecutive year in the 2026 “shunto” spring labor talks. The president of the Japanese Trade Union

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Prudential Life Insurance Co. President and CEO Kan Mabara apologized Friday for more than 100 current and former employees scamming clients out of some 3.1 billion yen. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for the great

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s land ministry said Friday that it has been looking into whether local governments nationwide are aware of the nationalities of residents living in public housing. The ministry will compile the survey results as early as February. It

(The second sentence of the second paragraph contained a wrong explanation about the campaign period. The sentence should have read, “The election will take place 16 days after the Lower House dissolution, the shortest such period since the end of World War

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s long-term interest rates are rising at a “significantly rapid” pace, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said Friday. At a press conference following the BOJ’s policy-setting meeting that ended earlier in the day, Ueda said the central