Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., June 22 (Jiji Press)–Iyo Bank, a regional lender in the western Japan prefecture of Ehime, hopes to help revive Japan’s shipbuilding industry, its incoming president, Takashi Sagayama, has said. The Japanese government has designated the shipbuilding industry as one

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–People in Japan’s most walkable municipalities log nearly twice as many daily steps as those in the least walkable ones, a study by a team of researchers at the University of Tokyo found. The study, published Saturday in

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average closed above 72,000 for the first time Monday, extending a record-breaking run to a sixth consecutive session. The index of 225 selected issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s top-tier Prime section rose

Kobe, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Shortages of local government-designated garbage bags persist in some areas of Japan due to concerns over supplies of petroleum products linked to turmoil in the Middle East, despite a U.S.-Iran agreement to end their fighting. Amid the shortages,

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that any cut in the consumption tax on food products and beverages would last only two years. “I want to make this clear. Two years after implementation, it will be restored,”

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police have arrested three people, including a man believed to be an executive of Cambodia-based Prince Group, one of the largest international fraud organizations in Asia, for allegedly submitting a false move-in notification, investigative sources said Monday.

Brussels, June 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Imperial couple’s stay at the Royal Castle of Ciergnon, a retreat of the Belgian royal family, as part of their trip to the European country reflects ties between the Imperial and royal families that span generations.

Brussels, June 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, on an official visit to Belgium, had dinner with Belgian King Philippe and his family at the Royal Castle of Ciergnon, a retreat of the family, on Sunday. The other participants in

Fukushima, June 22 (Jiji Press)–A Fukushima Prefecture town in northeastern Japan eased entry restrictions Monday in some areas within the so-called difficult-to-return zone, heavily contaminated following the 2011 triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The relaxed restrictions apply

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan would take “appropriate measures whenever necessary” in the foreign exchange market, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Monday, in a warning over the yen’s further depreciation against the dollar. Making the comment at a press conference after a

Chiba, June 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese sushi restaurant operator Choushimaru Co. plans to expand its U.S. joint venture business, its president, Ken Ishii, has said in a recent interview. During a test period through the end of fiscal 2027, the company plans to

Tokyo, June 22 (Jiji Press)–A growing number of Japanese railway operators are introducing artificial intelligence-based systems to help prevent accidents involving trains at level crossings. The technology can automatically detect and report abnormalities, such as stalled vehicles or people trapped on the

Tokyo, June 21 (Jiji Press)–While geopolitical risks surrounding the Middle East have eased for now following the U.S.-Iran agreement on a memorandum to end their hostilities, the impact on prices in Japan from crude oil and naphtha the country procured at elevated

Sapporo, June 21 (Jiji Press)–Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Sunday expressed a negative view on extending the current session of the Diet, the country’s parliament, now set to end on July 17. Speaking at a convention of

Monterrey, Mexico, June 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan powered past Tunisia 4-0 in the second group-stage match for both teams at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday. In the Group F game, the Japanese men’s national soccer team secured its

Tokyo, June 21 (Jiji Press)–Boasting an ancient wine tradition dating back over 2,000 years, Slovakia, a somewhat “hidden gem” among wine producers, is working to make a mark in the Japanese market. A Slovak association of grape growers and wine producers in

Tokyo, June 21 (Jiji Press)–The cause of Friday’s fire at an elementary school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward is believed to have been accidental, with no third-party involvement, according to police sources. It was also found that an electric heater and multiple air

Matsue, Shimane Pref., June 21 (Jiji Press)–A member of the squad of FIFA match officials appointed for the ongoing FIFA World Cup also works as an employee of a city government in western Japan. Those working with Jun Mihara, 45, at the

(Adnkronos) – The majority of Israelis believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should leave politics and not run again in new national elections. This is revealed by a Channel 12 poll, according to which 59% of respondents believe Netanyahu should not run

(Adnkronos) – At least 7 dead and several injured is the toll of a double bomb attack that occurred in the Bannu district, in northwestern Pakistan, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to police reconstruction, a first explosion caused by a device

(Adnkronos) – Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi will travel to Tehran today for talks with senior Iranian officials. This was reported by the Irna news agency. According to Al Arabiya, citing anonymous Arab sources, the Pakistani Interior Minister’s objective is to closely

Yubari, Hokkaido, June 20 (Jiji Press)–Yubari Mayor Tsukasa Atsuya said Saturday that pay cuts for city government employees, which have been in place ever since the northern Japan city fell into insolvency 20 years ago, will be scrapped at the end of

Brussels, June 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrived in Belgium on Saturday, following the conclusion of their state visit to the Netherlands. Landing at the Melsbroek Air Base of the Belgian Air Force near Brussels, the Imperial couple kicked

Kobe, June 20 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese prosecution inquest committee has ruled that the prosecutors’ decision not to indict Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito on charges of violating the public offices election law was appropriate. The No.1 Prosecution Inquest Committee in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture,

Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)–Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, 31, said in an Instagram post Saturday that he and his wife, Mamiko, 29, have welcomed their second child. “We are again overjoyed to experience this wonderful day in our lives together.

Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Saturday that it has completed the second round of the fiscal 2026 treated water release into the Pacific Ocean from its crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, a day later

Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has released a draft revision of its Artificial Intelligence Basic Plan, indicating its policy of enhancing cooperation with foreign government agencies and AI developers to address risks such as the misuse of AI. The government

Amsterdam, June 19 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, currently on a state visit to the Netherlands, planted a cherry tree at a park near Amsterdam on Friday. At a monument in the Cherry Blossom Park for the victims of the

Paris, June 19 (Jiji Press)–Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki on Friday promoted Japanese rice at a supermarket near Paris. As part of a Japanese food fair held at the supermarket in Claye-Souilly, Suzuki handed out “onigiri” rice balls made from Japanese rice

Tokyo, June 20 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has decided to raise the fees for visas for foreign nationals by revising a related cabinet order. The decision, made at a cabinet meeting on Friday, marks the first revision of the visa fees in