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19 Marzo 2026

Japan-Germany Defense Chief Meeting Set for Sun.

Tokyo/Berlin, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told a press conference Thursday that he will hold a meeting with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, in the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, on Sunday. They are expected to
19 Marzo 2026

Nikkei Briefly Falls over 2,000 Points amid Oil Price Concern

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly shed over 2,000 points Thursday as concerns spread among investors over persistently high crude oil prices amid rising tensions in the Middle East. The index of 225 selected issues listed on
19 Marzo 2026

Japan Core Machinery Orders Down 5.5 Pct in Jan.

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted core machinery orders in January fell 5.5 pct from the previous month, after a spike driven by large-scale orders the previous month, Cabinet Office data showed Thursday. The private-sector orders excluding those for ships and
19 Marzo 2026

Stalking Cases Hit Record High in Japan in 2025

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–The number of stalking cases handled by police in Japan in 2025 hit the highest level since the antistalking law took effect in 2000, National Police Agency data showed Thursday. The figure rose by 205 from the previous
19 Marzo 2026

Japan Lower House OKs 2 Reflationists as BOJ Policymakers

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives on Thursday approved two academics regarded as reflationists as new members of the Bank of Japan’s Policy Board. At the day’s plenary meeting, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, confirmed the
19 Marzo 2026

BOJ Keeps Monetary Policy Unchanged

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan decided to keep its monetary policy unchanged at a two-day Policy Board meeting that ended Thursday. The board voted eight to one to maintain the policy of guiding the unsecured overnight call rate, Japan’s
19 Marzo 2026

Crude Oil Futures Hit 17-Year High in Tokyo

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–The benchmark Dubai crude oil futures contract for August delivery on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange, or TOCOM, briefly reached 90,000 yen per kiloliter Thursday, hitting the highest level since July 2008 on an intraday basis. Supply-related concerns rose
19 Marzo 2026

BOJ Keeps Monetary Policy Unchanged

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan decided to keep its monetary policy unchanged Thursday. At its two-day policy-setting meeting through the day, the BOJ’s Policy Board voted eight to one to maintain the policy of guiding the unsecured overnight call
19 Marzo 2026

Takaichi Arrives in U.S. for Talks with Trump

Washington, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in the United States on Wednesday night, ahead of her meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump the following day. The prime minister flew to the U.S. Air Force’s Joint Base Andrews near
19 Marzo 2026

Nikkei Sheds Over 1,600 Points in Morning

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average gave up over 1,600 points briefly in Tokyo trading Thursday morning, following overnight falls in key U.S. stock indexes. At 10:13 a.m., the index of 225 selected issues listed on the Tokyo
19 Marzo 2026

OPINION: Japan Cannot Afford to Leave Foreign Children Behind

By Nobutoshi Kobayashi Commentary Writer Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Asked where she considers home, 32-year-old Juri Afuso paused for a moment. “Japan,” she said firmly. “That’s where I come back to.” Afuso was born and raised in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, to Brazilian
19 Marzo 2026

Japanese Nationals Urged to Leave Iraq Immediately

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry has raised its travel alert to the highest Level 4 for the whole of Iraq, urging Japanese nationals in the country to leave it immediately. The move reflects the deteriorating situation in Iraq, where pro-Iran
19 Marzo 2026

Iran Tensions Overshadowing Inbound Travel to Japan

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Escalating tensions over Iran following U.S. and Israeli strikes on the country are beginning to affect foreigners’ travel to Japan. A number of flights have been canceled as airports in Middle East countries and airspace over the region
19 Marzo 2026

U.S. Report Calls Takaichi’s Taiwan Remarks “Significant Shift”

Washington, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks last year on a potential Taiwan contingency marked a “significant shift,” a U.S. government report said Wednesday. The 2026 annual threat assessment of the U.S. intelligence community, released by the Office
19 Marzo 2026

Nikkei Sheds Over 1,500 Points in Early Trade

Tokyo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average gave up over 1,500 points in early trading in Tokyo on Thursday, following overnight falls in key U.S. stock indexes. At 9:06 a.m., the index of 225 selected issues listed on the
19 Marzo 2026

German Defense Chief Pistorius to Visit Japan

Berlin, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The German government said Wednesday that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will visit Asia-Pacific countries including Japan, Singapore and Australia for nine days from Friday. The security of Europe and that of the Indo-Pacific region are closely interconnected, a
19 Marzo 2026

Navon to Become Israel’s New Ambassador to Japan

Cairo, March 19 (Jiji Press)–The Israeli Foreign Ministry has announced the appointment of foreign policy expert Emmanuel Navon, 55, as ambassador to Japan to succeed Gilad Cohen, 58. International order and geopolitics are the main research themes of Navon, who teaches international
18 Marzo 2026

USA, limits on the use of AI by the Pentagon, bill proposed

(Adnkronos) – Regulating and limiting the use of artificial intelligence by the Pentagon. This is the objective of the bill introduced by Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin, a member of the Armed Services Committee. This is reported by the Nbc broadcaster, emphasizing
18 Marzo 2026

Norway, 7 years in prison requested for crown princess’s son

(Adnkronos) – The Oslo prosecutor’s office has requested a sentence of seven years and seven months in prison for Marius Borg Høiby, son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who appears in hundreds of the so-called ‘Epstein files’, and of businessman Morten Borg,
18 Marzo 2026

Takaichi Leaves for 1st U.S. Visit as P.M. to Meet Trump

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday night departed for Washington to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on her first visit to the United States since taking office in October last year. Ensuring the safety of
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