Tokyo, Jan. 1 (Jiji Press)–In his New Year’s message on Thursday, Japanese Emperor Naruhito reflected anew on the preciousness of Japan’s peace today. After recalling the tragedies of World War II last year, which marked the 80th anniversary of the war’s end,

(Adnkronos) – Chinese leader Xi Jinping is ready to maintain “close” contacts with Russian President Vladimir Putin for “continuous new progress” in bilateral relations. The official Chinese agency Xinhua reports a New Year’s greeting message from Xi to Putin in which the

(Adnkronos) – Israel’s High Court of Justice has blocked with an interim order the investigation by the State Comptroller and Ombudsman, Matanyahu Englman, into internal responsibilities for the failure to protect against the bloody attacks of October 7, 2023, by Hamas.  

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese business delegation will postpone a planned visit to Beijing, the Japan-China Economic Association said Wednesday. Representatives from the association, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry were scheduled to

Wajima, Ishikawa Pref., Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–The proportion of households that received additional financial support on top of basic disaster relief for rebuilding homes damaged by the Jan. 1, 2024, earthquake stands at only about 30 pct in six municipalities in the

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–Yomeishu Seizo Co. has canceled preferential negotiation rights it granted to U.S. investment fund KKR to take the Japanese company private, according to the herbal health tonic maker. KKR had planned to launch a tender offer to acquire

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese business delegation will postpone a planned visit to Beijing, the Japan-China Economic Association said Wednesday. Representatives from the association, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry were scheduled to

Wajima, Ishikawa Pref., Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–Over 18,000 people are still living in temporary housing two years after a massive earthquake in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan left about 700 people dead or unaccounted for. While infrastructure restoration

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has conveyed its concerns to China over its military exercises around Taiwan, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said in a statement released Wednesday. “The recent military exercises conducted by the Chinese military around Taiwan

(Adnkronos) – The first documents for the peace plan will be ready in January. Meanwhile, Ukraine hopes that Donald Trump will agree to send American soldiers to secure the end of the war with Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky reiterates that he is ready

(Adnkronos) – Russia has a new objective in the war with Ukraine. Moscow is trying to isolate the Odesa region from the rest of the country, particularly by conducting attacks against infrastructure. The strategy appears clear, based on information released by Ukrainian

(Adnkronos) – “We have always provided aid to Ukraine and will continue to do so as long as necessary: for us it is a battle for freedom. Then, of course, we hope the war ends as soon as possible, which is why

(Adnkronos) – Chinese military ships and Coast Guard units of the Asian giant mobilized for the large-scale military exercises near Taiwan are leaving the waters around the island. This was announced by Taiwan’s Coast Guard, which is de facto independent, but for

(Adnkronos) – The former minister and presidential candidate for Mas in the last Bolivian elections, Eduardo del Castillo, has been released. He had been detained yesterday as he was about to board a flight from Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz, bound

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Liberal Democratic Party’s loss of Komeito as its coalition partner is causing a headache for the main ruling party, as their electoral cooperation provided the LDP with the votes needed to beat opposition candidates in head-to-head

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration has begun studying legislation aimed at preventing information theft by foreign entities. While the measure has gained support from lawmakers, including opposition party members, concerns remain that the government could strengthen its

Tokyo, Dec. 31 (Jiji Press)–Few members of Japan’s conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party, even those who are considered relatively liberal, dare to openly criticize their ultraconservative leader, Sanae Takaichi, also prime minister, amid unabated high public support for her. Now that the

Tokyo, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)–Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended his Christmas and New Year’s greetings to U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders, but not to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The Russian presidential office on Tuesday announced a list

(Adnkronos) – “China ignores the international community’s expectations for peace and insists on undermining regional stability with military intimidation.” This is the denunciation from Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te (William Lai), as China continues its large-scale military maneuvers around Taiwan, a de facto

(Adnkronos) – Russia claims control of other localities in the Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. According to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, Russian media report, Lukyanovskoye, in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Bohuslavka, in the Kharkiv region, are in the hands

(Adnkronos) – Blackouts are reported in the Ukrainian regions of Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv due to Russian attacks. This was reported by Ukrenergo, the operator of Ukraine’s power grid. “Over the past day, the enemy continued its attacks against the energy sector

(Adnkronos) – Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has granted pardon to 22 political prisoners. This was reported by the Belta news agency, referring to the decree signed by Lukashenko. 

(Adnkronos) – Iranian university students have joined the ongoing anti-government demonstrations in Iran, starting from their universities and taking to the streets in the capital Tehran and in Isfahan, in the center of the country. Local media report this, while videos of

Tokyo, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average is expected to continue rising in 2026 after topping 50,000 in 2025 thanks partly to the popularity of stocks of firms related to artificial intelligence. Some brokers expect the Nikkei to exceed

(Adnkronos) – Night curfew in Latakia after violence reported yesterday in Alawite-majority neighborhoods in this coastal city of post-Assad Syria. The curfew imposed by the authorities will be in effect from 5 PM to 6 AM tomorrow.  The toll reported by Syrian

Tokyo, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)–The year-end balance of bank notes in circulation in Japan is estimated at 120,606 billion yen, falling for the third straight year amid the rise of cashless payments, according to Bank of Japan data released Tuesday. A stack

Tokyo, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Communist Party leader Tetsuzo Fuwa died of acute cardiac failure at a Tokyo hospital Tuesday. He was 95. Known as one of the party’s “theoretical pillars,” Fuwa established a realistic and flexible approach for the JCP

(Adnkronos) – 110 arrests were made in a massive operation against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Istanbul, Turkey. The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office announced this, explaining that the operation was conducted by the police’s anti-terrorism unit, according to the Anadolu news agency.

Beijing, Dec. 30 (Jiji Press)–Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday criticized Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, apparently mentioning her remarks from November regarding a possible Taiwan contingency. The incumbent Japanese leader openly challenged China’s territorial sovereignty, Wang, a member of the

(Adnkronos) – Anti-Houthi forces have declared a state of emergency in Yemen after Saudi military air raids against arms shipments originating from the United Arab Emirates and destined for the militants. The state of emergency includes, among other things, a 72-hour ban