Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–After the Japanese ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the recent general election, legislation criminalizing the damaging of the Japanese national flag is expected to become a key focus of deliberations in the newly convened special session

(Adnkronos) – Italy opposes Hungary’s decision to block approval of a 20th package of European Union sanctions against Russia over its four-year occupation of Ukraine and the bloc’s 90 billion euro loan to Kiev, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.  “We

(Adnkronos) – Italy must “keep working constructively with the United States”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani wrote Monday after the US Supreme Court stuck down president Donald Trump’s global tariffs and he responded with 15% tariffs on all foreign imports.  “Minister @Antonio_Tajani took

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Shinya, the drummer of popular Japanese rock band Luna Sea, died Tuesday at the age of 56 after a battle with a brain tumor. Since the formation of Luna Sea in 1989, the drummer, whose full name was

(Adnkronos) – At least 26 people, including civilians, criminals, and security personnel, have died in the violence that has shaken Mexico following the killing of the leader of one of the world’s largest drug cartels, Nemesio Oseguera alias ”El Mencho”, in a

(Adnkronos) – Drone attacks carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are hitting civilian areas and essential infrastructure, including schools, markets, health facilities, and water sources, across Sudan. In the first 2 weeks of February,

(Adnkronos) – Ambassador Niccolo Fontana on Monday laid a wreath in Sulaymaniya in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq to commemorate Jalal Talabani, the country’s first president after the fall of late dictator Saddam Hussein and “a great friend of Italy”, the

(Adnkronos) – The United States has begun to withdraw from a base in Syria, in a region still under the control of Kurdish forces in the northeast of the country. A Kurdish source told Afp. A convoy of dozens of heavy trucks

(Adnkronos) – Settlers are accused of setting fire early this morning to the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq mosque in the village of Tell, south of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. Kan television reported this, explaining that military and police forces are going

(Adnkronos) – The Hong Kong Court of Appeal has upheld the imprisonment of 12 pro-democracy activists in a high-profile subversion case under a national security law imposed by Beijing. “We reject the applicants’ appeal” against the conviction and sentence, said High Court

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan will invite young and mid-level defense officials from Pacific island countries starting in fiscal 2026, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said Monday. Koizumi unveiled the initiative in a lecture he delivered at a meeting with defense ministers

(Adnkronos) – 24 hours before its start, Sanremo 2026 is preparing for an edition that has the flavor of a review and a celebration. Carlo Conti “high-fives”: his fifth Festival, announced as his last, presents itself with a cast and a production

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Members of the general public visited the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo on Monday for an event to celebrate Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s 66th birthday on the day. “I am truly grateful for your kind congratulations,” the Emperor told

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police on Monday arrested the producer of the seven-member vocal group XG and three other men on suspicion of possessing cocaine at a hotel in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, according to investigative sources. Those arrested alongside the

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Members of the general public visited the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo on Monday for an event to celebrate Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s 66th birthday on the day. “I am truly grateful for your kind congratulations,” the Emperor told

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Twenty people were rescued in the early hours of Monday after being trapped in an elevator of the Tokyo Skytree tower in the Japanese capital’s Sumida Ward for about six hours, with no reported injuries or health issues.

Verona, Italy, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan earned a record number of Winter Olympics medals, at 24, at the 17-day Milan-Cortina Games that came to an end Sunday. The Asian country clinched five golds, seven silvers and 12 bronzes, with the overall total

Tokyo, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito turned 66 on Monday, ahead of the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March and the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto earthquakes in April. “Even now, remembering the disasters pains my heart,”

Kamoenai, Hokkaido, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–The incumbent mayor of Kamoenai, Hokkaido, who is positive about a survey for selecting a nuclear waste disposal site, secured re-election in Sunday’s mayoral poll in the northern Japan village. Masayuki Takahashi, 75, fended off two challengers

Matsue, Shimane Pref., Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural government of Shimane, western Japan, and others held an annual ceremony Sunday to mark Takeshima Day, stipulated by a prefectural ordinance to assert Japan’s sovereignty over the Sea of Japan islets called Takeshima in

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–The recovery of domestic tourism among Japanese people is stalling as consumers are becoming more thrifty amid rising prices. In 2025, the number of Japanese tourists at home increased 2.5 pct from the previous year to 553.66 million,

Toyama, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–A memorial ceremony was held at Toyama College of Foreign Languages in the central Japan city of Toyama on Sunday to mark 15 years since the February 2011 earthquake in New Zealand, which killed 12 students from the

Berlin, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese director Yusuke Iwasaki’s “AnyMart” won the FIPRESCI Jury Prize in the Forum section at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. The Japanese animated film “A New Dawn” by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya missed a prize in the

Washington, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese and U.S. governments held working-level talks this week on China’s alleged secret nuclear test and North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, it was learned Saturday. The meeting, which has been regularly held since 2010 to discuss

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–Despite the U.S. Supreme Court finding President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional, Japan is expected to maintain its 550-billion-dollar investment and loan pledge to the United States under their bilateral tariff agreement. The Japanese government is closely monitoring

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)–Despite the U.S. Supreme Court finding President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional, Japan is expected to maintain its 550-billion-dollar investment and loan pledge to the United States under their bilateral tariff agreement. The Japanese government is closely monitoring

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–Ukraine may expect the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to play a role in peace negotiations over Russia’s invasion of the country, former Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Kuninori Matsuda has suggested. Matsuda, 66, served as ambassador

Suita, Osaka Pref., Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–A ceremony was held on Saturday to mark the relocation of two statues of Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the 2025 World Exposition, near the Tower of the Sun monument, the symbol of the 1970 Expo.

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese national security adviser Keiichi Ichikawa and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as national security adviser, have met in Washington, as part of preparations for a bilateral summit scheduled for March 19. At their

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will propose considering a system similar to the foreign agent registration systems of other countries including the United States and Britain, which oblige foreign agents to report their activities, Jiji Press learned Saturday.