Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Restaurant sales in Japan rose 7.3 pct in 2025 from a year before, increasing for the fourth consecutive year, the Japan Foodservice Association said Monday. Spending per customer climbed, as many restaurants raised prices of menu items due

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party, intends to highlight the minor opposition party’s stance of concentrating on bettering people’s lives in Japan in the upcoming election for the House of Representatives. “At a time when soaring

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi will make abolishing the consumption tax a key pillar of its policy pledges for the Feb. 8 election of the House of Representatives, the lower parliamentary chamber, its co-chief Mari Kushibuchi said in

Osaka, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Osaka District Court on Monday found two former Osaka prefectural police officers guilty of assaulting individuals during a site search related to a major illegal sex worker scouting group in Japan. Judge Akira Kato sentenced Chikara Tokinaga, 51,

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–The dollar fell below 154 yen in Tokyo trading Monday morning to hit its lowest level in about two and a half months, amid speculation about a possible coordinated yen-buying intervention by Japanese and U.S. authorities. Later, the

Nagoya, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority on Monday began an on-site inspection of Chubu Electric Power Co.’s headquarters over earthquake risk data fraud linked to the firm’s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. During the inspection of

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Monday declined to comment on possible joint currency market interventions by Japanese and U.S. authorities. “There is nothing I can say at this point,” Katayama told reporters after the dollar plunged below

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Monday approved Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s new business turnaround plan, including cuts of 3.1 trillion yen in costs over the decade from fiscal 2025. TEPCO said the cost cuts will be achieved through

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–The dollar fell below 154 yen in Tokyo trading Monday morning to hit its lowest level in about two and a half months, amid speculation about a possible coordinated yen-buying intervention by Japanese and U.S. authorities. The greenback

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police sent papers to prosecutors Monday on a former specially appointed associate professor at the University of Tokyo’s graduate school for allegedly receiving bribes in exchange for favors related to a joint research project. The Metropolitan Police

Fukui, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–A 35-year-old independent candidate has been elected governor of Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, after his predecessor resigned for sexual harassment against prefectural government workers. Takato Ishida, a former official at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, won his first term in

Nago, Okinawa Pref., Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Nago Mayor Taketoyo Toguchi, supported by advocates of a controversial U.S. base relocation project, won his third term in Sunday’s mayoral election in Nago in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa. This will deal a major

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly tumbled more than 1,000 points to sink below 53,000 early Monday morning, as selling hit a wide range of issues amid the yen’s surge against the dollar. At 9:05 a.m., the

Tokyo, Jan. 26 (Jiji Press)–Local governments across Japan are stepping up efforts to tackle abusive behavior by residents and other individuals, introducing measures such as response manuals and assigning former police officers to government offices. According to a survey conducted in 2024

Nago, Okinawa Pref., Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Incumbent candidate Taketoyo Toguchi, supported by advocates of a controversial U.S. base relocation project, is certain to win Sunday’s mayoral election in Nago in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa. This will deal a major blow

Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito, co-leaders of the new opposition Centrist Reform Alliance, said in a joint interview on Sunday that their party will aim to secure more seats than its pre-election strength in Japan’s House of Representatives.

Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–As Japan’s ruling bloc and the opposition Centrist Reform Alliance both advocate for lowering the consumption tax on food to zero ahead of the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, smaller political parties have also announced policy pledges

(The third paragraph from the bottom should have read, “…Samizo,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) People Bid Farewell to Ueno Zoo Pandas on Final Viewing Day Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Ahead of Tuesday’s departure for China of the only

Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Communist Party leader Tomoko Tamura has said that a consumption tax reduction, a proposal in the party’s policy pledges for the upcoming general election, should be implemented together with financing measures such as a tax hike on

Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Audiences showed varied reactions to stump speeches throughout Japan by prospective candidates of the Centrist Reform Alliance, created by former rival parties just before Friday’s dissolution of the House of Representatives for a snap election. On the day

(The lead should have read, “…Liberal Democratic…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Takaichi Says to Aim for Zero Consumption Tax on Food within FY ’26 Tokyo, Jan. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also president of the ruling

Washington, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Elbridge Colby, U.S. undersecretary of defense for policy, will soon visit Japan and South Korea, the Defense Department said Saturday. The No. 3 Pentagon official will hold talks with senior government officials in both countries. The department said

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Saturday denied the possibility of newly issuing deficit-covering government bonds to realize a zero consumption tax rate on food items. “If it (the tax cut) is limited to two years, we can

(The third paragraph should have read, “…Japan Innovation Party…,” and the final paragraph should have read, “…Shinsengumi,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Japan Parties Gear Up for Election in 1st Weekend since Dissolution Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police on Saturday arrested a 62-year-old professor at the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Medicine on suspicion of accepting bribes related to a joint research project. Shinichi Sato, from Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, was arrested by Tokyo’s

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese political parties began gearing up in earnest for the upcoming House of Representatives election on Saturday, the first weekend since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, the day before.

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–LY Corp., the operator of internet portal Yahoo! Japan, has announced a ban on the resale of new “Gunpla” and other popular snap-together plastic model kits at prices exceeding retail prices for a certain period on its flea

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese political parties began gearing up in earnest for the upcoming House of Representatives election on Saturday, the first weekend since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, the day before.

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health ministry will designate eight drug ingredients as having abuse potential under law in response to rising concerns about the overdose of over-the-counter drugs among young people, it has been learned. The ministry will publicly notify the

Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s transport ministry is considering raising the leasing fees paid by Japan Railways group companies for some Shinkansen bullet train line facilities. The ministry is looking to use the higher revenue for new construction projects based on Shinkansen