Shizuoka, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Maki Takubo, former mayor of the central Japan city of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, has been referred to prosecutors for allegedly violating the local autonomy law over a scandal concerning her academic background, investigative sources said Friday. A criminal

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito will attend the Japan-Australia game in the first round of the World Baseball Classic to be played at Tokyo Dome on March 8, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday. The Emperor watched WBC games with

Hiroshima, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Eight Japanese regional banks on Friday concluded an agreement to cooperate on supporting the automotive industry in a bid to help their client auto parts makers maintain and strengthen supply chains. The banks will also pool their expertise

Silicon Valley/Beijing, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–A Chinese law enforcement official attempted to abuse ChatGPT to influence public opinion and attack Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, U.S. artificial intelligence powerhouse OpenAI has said in a report. According to the report featuring case studies

(Adnkronos) – The foreign ministry will on Monday host an Italy-Finland business roundtable entitled ‘A secure, stable and sustainable Arctic’ followed by an institutional session with addresses by foreign minister Antonio Tajani and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen, the foreign ministry said

(Adnkronos) –   Italy has praised European Union Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for implementing the bloc’s contentious free trade agreement with South American trade bloc Mercosur, which the European Parliament last month referred to the EU Court of Justice for

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to use its official development assistance to enhance economic security, a draft proposal showed Friday. The ODA will be used to address economic security concerns, including securing energy supplies and critical minerals, according to

Manila, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Philippine military said Friday that it conducted a joint maritime exercise with Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in the South China Sea for four days through Thursday. The drill was held within the

(2nd para should have ended with “… time ever.” and 3rd para with “… a decade earlier.”) Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–A growing number of local governments across Japan are making it easier for male workers to take paternity leave, a move

(Adnkronos) – “At least two people” out of the ten who were on board the speedboat, registered in Florida, involved on Wednesday in a shootout with Cuban security forces in Havana’s territorial waters, were American citizens. This was announced by a spokesperson

(Adnkronos) – The Greens secure a historic electoral victory in Manchester, marking a dramatic defeat for Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a Labour stronghold. Hannah Spencer, a Green Party councilor and plumber, came in first place in the elections for the Commons

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “…Centrist Reform Alliance members Kanae Yamamoto…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Takaichi Aims to Submit Consumption Tax Bill in Autumn Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday expressed

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani is set to hold talks with his Austrian counterpart Beate Meinl-Reisinger at the foreign ministry in Rome on Wednesday, according to a statement  At the end of the meeting, the two officials will hold a

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, on Friday agreed to allow the establishment of secondary capitals in multiple regions. During working-level talks at the Diet, Japan’s parliament, the LDP presented a

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remark Friday on an expert panel report proposing paternal-line eligibility was not made in reference to the issue of Imperial succession, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said the same day. Takaichi’s remark,

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–A total of 33,576 bags of frozen “edamame” green soybeans are subject to recall in Japan as pesticide exceeding the safety standard was detected, food maker Nissui Corp. said Friday. There has been no report of health problems

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday adopted at a cabinet meeting Friday a bill to revise legislation to make high school tuition effectively free starting in the year from April. The bill will achieve this by raising the limit

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rewrote its record closing high for the third consecutive day on Friday, despite high technology-related issues facing strong selling pressure. The index of 225 selected issues listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Friday that the public and private sectors have invested 267.6 billion yen in Rapidus Corp. The government supplied 100 billion yen and 32 companies 167.6 billion yen to the Tokyo-based company seeking to mass-produce

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Space One Co. said Friday that it will launch the No. 3 unit of its Kairos small rocket carrying artificial satellites on Sunday morning. The Tokyo-based space development startup canceled the initially scheduled rocket launch on Wednesday,

Osaka, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Former yokozuna sumo grand champion Terunofuji, now stablemaster Isegahama, used violence against Hakunofuji, a stable wrestler in the makuuchi top division of professional sumo wrestling, it was learned Friday. The 34-year-old stablemaster, whose real name is Seizan Suginomori,

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that she plans to obtain a consensus on a planned consumption tax exemption for food by this summer and submit related legislation to an extraordinary session of parliament seen to be

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry said Friday that it has approved the Institute of Science Tokyo’s 25-year plan to strengthen its research capabilities. The national institution was selected last month as the second university eligible for aid from the government’s

Osaka, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japanese cosmetics maker Mandom Corp. has completed a tender offer for its own shares conducted in partnership with British investment fund CVC Capital Partners. On Thursday, Mandom said that tendered shares accounted for about 72 pct of the

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The number of food and beverage items slated for price hikes in Japan in March is down 73 pct from the same month last year, a private research firm’s survey showed Friday. Prices of 684 products of 195

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–The core inflation rate for central Tokyo in February stood below 2 pct for the first time in one year and four months, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. The core consumer price index, excluding volatile perishables, for

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industrial production in January rose 2.2 pct from the previous month, mainly due to robust output of automobile-related products, the industry ministry said Friday. The seasonally adjusted production index for the manufacturing and mining sectors stood at

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese team of researchers has developed miniaturized testicular tissues known as testicular organoids from mouse embryonic stem cells in an experimental vessel, marking a world first. The achievement by the team, comprising University of Osaka professor Katsuhiko

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Asahi Kasei Corp. has said it will acquire German pharmaceutical developer Aicuris Anti-Infective Cures AG for some 780 million euros. The major Japanese chemical maker will obtain all outstanding Aicuris shares through a U.S. subsidiary, planning to complete

Tokyo, Feb. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Fair Trade Commission has approved the business integration of Hino Motors Ltd. and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. The commercial vehicle makers are set to become subsidiaries of Archion, a Tokyo-based holding company, on April 1.