Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Wednesday declined to clarify whether Japan will participate in the Board of Peace proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump for the Gaza Strip. “We are examining the details” of the board,

Mito, Ibaraki Pref., Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Police arrested a 28-year-old man on Wednesday on suspicion of murdering his former girlfriend, a pregnant manicurist whose body was found in an apartment in the city of Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, late last year. According to

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Alleged espionage involving a former employee of Russia’s trade representation in Japan was “regrettable,” Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday. The employee was referred to Japanese prosecutors on Tuesday on suspicion of illegally obtaining trade secrets

(Adnkronos) – Premier Giorgia Meloni will take part in an inter-governmental summit with Germany and an Italy-Germany business forum Rome on Friday, her office said in a statement.  The intergovernment summit is slated for 11.30 am at the 17th-century Villa Doria Pamphili,

Seoul, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday voiced his intention to boost economic cooperation with Japan while keeping bilateral territorial and historical issues under management. In his New Year’s press conference, Lee said he wants to revive his

Yoshikawa, Saitama Pref., Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Mos Food Services Inc. on Wednesday unveiled an artificial intelligence-based system to process drive-through orders at its restaurants. The Japanese hamburger chain aims to improve store management efficiency by automating part of customer interaction with conversational

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Taro Yamamoto, leader of Japanese opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi, on Wednesday resigned from the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, due to health problems. “I’m one step away from multiple myeloma, a

(Adnkronos) – A Seoul court has sentenced former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for his involvement in the failed attempt to impose martial law in the country in December 2024. The sentence is much harsher than

Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto/Sapporo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan still needs to overcome mounting challenges to achieving its goal of 60 million annual visitors by 2030, although the number of inbound tourists topped 40 million for the first time ever last year with their consumption growing

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Rescue for people who were harmed by their parents’ religious beliefs is still insufficient in Japan although public attention grew on so-called second-generation followers after the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. An expert

Los Angeles, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–Andruw Jones, a former Atlanta Braves star who was elected to the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame on Tuesday, recalled his days playing for a club in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan. In 2013, Jones contributed

Nara, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–The man who killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was given an indefinite prison term on Wednesday for the fatal shooting with a homemade gun in the western Japan city of Nara in 2022. Nara District Court handed

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are expected to make official goodwill visits to Belgium and the Netherlands in June, with arrangements underway following invitations from both European countries, government sources said Wednesday. The Imperial Family has long-standing

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Taro Yamamoto, leader of Japanese opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi, announced on Wednesday his resignation from the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, due to health problems. “I’m one step away from multiple

Seoul, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday voiced his intention to boost economic cooperation with Japan while keeping bilateral territorial and historical issues under management. In his New Year’s press conference, Lee said he wants to revive his

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. will restart the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in the central Japan prefecture of Niigata at 7 p.m. Wednesday or later, according to company officials. It will be

Berlin, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japanese director Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s animated film “A New Dawn” has been selected for the competition category at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. The selection, announced on Tuesday, marks the first time in three years that a Japanese

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to promote Corporate Officer Keisuke Kishiura to president and chief operating officer, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Takao Kato, current president and CEO of the Japanese automaker, will become chairman and CEO.

Nara, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–A district court in western Japan on Wednesday issued an indefinite prison sentence to the man accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Nara District Court handed down the indefinite sentence to Tetsuya Yamagami,

Nara, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–A district court in western Japan on Wednesday issued an indefinite prison sentence to the man accused of fatally shooting former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Nara District Court handed down the sentence to Tetsuya Yamagami, 45,

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s national wealth grew for the fourth consecutive year to hit a record high at the end of 2024, thanks to rising land and stock prices, according to a Cabinet Office estimate. The country’s total assets, or the

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Convenience store sales in Japan hit a record high for the fourth straight year in 2025 thanks to increases in the number of stores and visitors to the country, the Japan Franchise Association said Tuesday. On an all-store

Washington, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday urged Japan to address bond market volatility, expressing concerns about a possible spillover to the United States from spikes in Japanese government bond yields. “It’s very difficult to disaggregate the market

Osaka, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–A 31-year-old Thai woman has been arrested by Japanese police for allegedly smuggling etomidate, known as “zombie cigarettes,” in a suitcase. According to Osaka Customs, this was the first case of etomidate-related police action taken at Kansai International

Tokyo, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has received an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump calling for Japan’s participation in the U.S.-led “Board of Peace” overseeing the provisional administration of the Gaza Strip, according to Japanese government officials. Tokyo

Osaka, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–A growing number of Japanese anime studios are setting up operations outside Tokyo, drawn by advantages such as easier access to local university and vocational school graduates and the potential for better work-life balance for employees. Japan’s anime

Tokyo, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. is making preparations to reactivate the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in central Japan as early as Wednesday, informed sources said Tuesday. The reactor at the plant in

(Adnkronos) – The mobilization of Minneapolis’s population against Donald Trump’s anti-migrant police operations, which are terrorizing the Minnesota city, continues. Thousands of volunteers are indeed participating in an initiative launched by a church to deliver groceries to immigrant families, who are locked

(Adnkronos) – The Syrian Ministry of Defense has announced a four-day ceasefire with the Kurds in the north of the country, following the announcement of an agreement on their stronghold of Hassaké, in the northeast of the country.  “We announce a ceasefire

Tokyo, Jan. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to call on the government to consider nationalizing remote islands whose ownership is unclear, it was learned Tuesday. An outline of a draft set of proposals on measures regarding foreigners to be