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8 Febbraio 2026

Ex-Vice Governor Wins Nagasaki Election

Nagasaki, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Ken Hirata, a 58-year-old former vice governor of Nagasaki Prefecture, has won the gubernatorial election in the southwestern Japan prefecture, defeating incumbent Kengo Oishi and another candidate. Voter turnout in Sunday’s election was 57.27 pct, up from 47.83
8 Febbraio 2026

Takaichi to Ask U.S. to Participate in Rare Earth Mining

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said she will ask the United States to participate in the deep-sea mining of rare earths near Minamitorishima, a remote island in the Pacific, during a Japan-U.S. summit slated for next month.
8 Febbraio 2026

Takaichi to Seek Int’l Understanding over Yasukuni Visit

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated Sunday that she will work to win the understanding of the international community, including the United States, over her possible visit to the war-related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. “We will first gain
8 Febbraio 2026

Japan LDP Seen Taking Two-Thirds Majority in Lower House

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is seen winning over 310 seats in the House of Representatives in Sunday’s election, controlling two-thirds of the all-important lower chamber of parliament. The number, a record high for the LDP, set up
8 Febbraio 2026

Taiwan Pres. Lai Congratulates Takaichi on Election Victory

Taipei, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her Liberal Democratic Party’s victory in the election for the House of Representatives on Sunday. Posting in Japanese on X, formerly Twitter, Lai said that he hopes
8 Febbraio 2026

U.S. Envoy to Japan Congratulates Takaichi over Election Win

Washington, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over her ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Sunday’s general election. “Congratulations…on an impressive win in the House of Representatives election,” Glass posted on X,
8 Febbraio 2026

Heavyweight Centrist Candidates Lose Constituency Races

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Heavyweight candidates from the opposition Centrist Reform Alliance lost their constituency races in Sunday’s election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of Japan’s parliament. Party co-secretary-general Jun Azumi failed to win back his seat in
8 Febbraio 2026

DPFP Rejects Joining Japan’s Ruling Bloc

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–The opposition Democratic Party for the People has rejected the possibility of joining Japan’s governing coalition, after the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a standalone majority in Sunday’s House of Representatives election. The DPFP will seek to
8 Febbraio 2026

Japan Ruling Bloc Seen Wnning Two-Thirds Majority in Lower House

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are seen winning at least 310 seats in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, occupying two-thirds of the 465 seats in the lower chamber of parliament.
8 Febbraio 2026

Japan Ruling Bloc Seen Wnning Two-Thirds Majority in Lower House

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, are seen winning at least 310 seats in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, occupying two-thirds of the 465 seats in the lower chamber of parliament.
8 Febbraio 2026

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Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Following is a party-by-party breakdown of seats won in Sunday’s election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan’s parliament, as of 11 p.m., with figures in parentheses showing the number of seats won in single-seat
8 Febbraio 2026

World Bank Economist Seeks Cooperation from Japan on AI

By Adriana Reinecke Washington, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–World Bank Chief Economist Indermit Gill has expressed hopes for Japan’s cooperation in addressing global economic disparities that may widen due to the uneven adoption of artificial intelligence technology. In a recent interview, Gill said
8 Febbraio 2026

Noda Hints at Resigning as Centrist Reform Alliance Co-Head

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Centrist Reform Alliance co-chief Yoshihiko Noda suggested Sunday that he may step down from the leadership post following the party’s poor result in the general election held the same day. In a program by public broadcaster Japan Broadcasting
8 Febbraio 2026

LDP Wins Mandate for Takaichi’s Policies: Suzuki

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party has won a mandate for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s policy goals in Sunday’s general election, Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said as the LDP was seen winning a standalone majority in the House of Representatives. “We’ve
8 Febbraio 2026

Osaka Governor Yoshimura, Mayor Yokoyama Secure Re-Election

Osaka, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura and Osaka Mayor Hideyuki Yokoyama secured re-election in Sunday’s polls in the western Japan prefecture and its capital. The races were timed to coincide with the country’s general election, after Yoshimura, 50, and Yokoyama,
8 Febbraio 2026

Centrists’ Exec Rules Out Split-Up after Lower House Poll

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Centrist Reform Alliance co-secretary-general Hiromasa Nakano on Sunday ruled out the possibility of the newly formed opposition party splitting up following the House of Representatives election, held the same day. Speaking in a Nippon Cultural Broadcasting Inc. radio
8 Febbraio 2026

Japan’s Prince Hisahito Attends Biotope Competition Event

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Prince Hisahito on Sunday attended a presentation event of a national competition for biotopes at schools and child care facilities, held at the Tokyo National Museum, with his father, Crown Prince Akishino. It was the second time
8 Febbraio 2026

Record 27.01 M. People Vote Early in Japan General Election

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–A record 27,017,098 people cast early votes for single-seat constituencies in Sunday’s House of Representatives election in Japan, according to the internal affairs ministry. The figure, up 1.29-fold from the previous Lower House race in 2024, was the
8 Febbraio 2026

Snowboarder Kimura Wins Japan’s 1st Milan-Cortina Gold

Milan, Feb. 7 (Jiji Press)–Snowboarder Kira Kimura won the men’s big air final at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Saturday, gaining the first gold medal for Japan in the quadrennial winter sports event that opened the previous day. Kimura, 21, earned 179.50 points,
8 Febbraio 2026

Voting Starts in General Election in Japan

Tokyo, Feb. 8 (Jiji Press)–Voting started across Japan in Sunday’s House of Representatives election, in which Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks a public mandate after her Liberal Democratic Party switched its coalition partner. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. as many parts
7 Febbraio 2026

British Museum Holding “Samurai” Exhibition

London, Feb. 7 (Jiji Press)–The British Museum in London is holding an exhibition on “samurai,” exploring the reality of the Japanese feudal-era warriors through furnishings, works of art and video images. The exhibition, set to run until May 4, showcases some 280
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