Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has downgraded China’s diplomatic significance amid worsening Tokyo-Beijing ties following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “Taiwan contingency” remarks last November. The 2026 Diplomatic Bluebook, adopted at a cabinet meeting Friday, calls China “an important neighboring country,”

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–Honda Motor Co. said Friday that it will release a new compact electric vehicle model, the Super-ONE, in Japan in late May. The Super-ONE weighs 1,090 kilograms, “one of the lightest in its class among all passenger EVs

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan needs to keep the option of nuclear possession in mind as one possible scenario to strengthen its defense capabilities, Sohei Kamiya, leader of the opposition Sanseito party, said Thursday. He also indicated that it is not a

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Friday adopted a bill to introduce a permit system for scrap yard operations in a bid to tighten regulations in response to a series of troubles due to improper storage, including fires and noise pollution.

Tokyo, April 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Friday adopted a support program for the so-called employment ice age generation, planning to implement assistance measures intensively over three years through fiscal 2028. The program focuses on improving working conditions and securing housing in

Nagoya, April 10 (Jiji Press)–The Aichi prefectural government is stepping up demonstration tests aimed at launching Japan’s first commercially operated autonomous bus service on an expressway. In fiscal 2025, which ended in March, the central Japan prefecture repeatedly carried out Level 2

Akita, April 10 (Jiji Press)–A study is planned to analyze the impact of bear appearances on the daily lives and mental health of elderly residents in Akita Prefecture, which had the largest number of bear attack victims in Japan in fiscal 2025.

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese agriculture minister Norikazu Suzuki on Thursday visited Matchamon, a cafe in Tokyo that serves matcha-based drinks, exchanging views with executives of its operator about overseas expansion and impacts on tea production from the ongoing Middle East crisis.

(Adnkronos) – The Russian Supreme Court has declared the human rights organization Memorial an “extremist organization,” making it easier for authorities to prosecute its supporters. According to the Ria Novosti news agency, the Court granted the request submitted by state prosecutors to

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli security cabinet approved the creation of 34 new settlements in the West Bank during a meeting held two weeks ago. The Times of Israel reported this, specifying that the total number of new settlements established or retroactively legalized

(Adnkronos) – The corruption trial against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will resume on Sunday. This was stated by the courts’ spokesperson, a few hours after Israel lifted the state of emergency imposed during the war with Iran. “With the lifting of

(Adnkronos) – The White House has obtained a supply of European steel worth tens of millions of dollars for the new presidential ballroom project desired by Donald Trump, an intervention estimated at around 400 million in total. According to two informed sources

(Adnkronos) – The Italian Embassy in Paris presents the 4th edition 2026 of the economic report on investments, partnerships, and trade between Italy and France, prepared by the Embassy’s economic office. The new edition of the report confirms the image of two

(Adnkronos) – This autumn, Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, will host the Ai Film Festival 2026, one of the first international festivals dedicated to films made with artificial intelligence technologies, Qazinform News Agency reports. The event will bring together directors, digital creators,

(Adnkronos) – Yemeni Houthi militants have threatened an escalation in attacks against Israel and, in particular, to carry out ”surprise actions”. The leader of the pro-Iranian group, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, stated that future actions are part of a strategy that takes into account

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Outstanding bank lending in Japan hit a record high for the 10th consecutive year in fiscal 2025, thanks to strong fund demand among businesses amid higher material and labor costs, industry data showed Thursday. The combined lending balance

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Telecommunications carrier SoftBank Corp. and U.S. investment firm Blackstone Inc. are among companies that have applied to form capital tie-ups with Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., it was learned Thursday. Dozens of domestic and foreign companies are

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Yomeishu Seizo Co. said Thursday that Reno, an investment firm linked to Japanese activist investor Yoshiaki Murakami, has successfully completed its tender offer for the medical liqueur maker. The move is part of a deal to sell

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese retail giant Aeon Co. on Thursday reported a record-high consolidated operating profit of 270.4 billion yen for the year that ended in February, up 13.8 pct from the previous year. Meanwhile, rival Seven & i Holdings Co.’s

Paris, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Films by three Japanese directors–Hirokazu Koreeda, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Koji Fukada–are in competition for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, to be held in May in southern France, organizers said Thursday. It is rare for

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Fast Retailing Co., the operator of Uniqlo and other casual clothing stores, on Thursday reported record-high sales and net profit for September-February. For the first half of the business year through August, the company’s consolidated sales increased 14.8

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Omani counterpart, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, agreed Thursday to closely cooperate to ensure the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz. In their 20-minute telephone talks, Motegi

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to begin another round of state oil reserve releases amid lingering uncertainty over the Middle East, it was learned Thursday. The government determined that an additional release is necessary to ensure stable oil supplies

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Consumer sentiment in Japan declined in March, down for the first time in three months, amid growing tensions over Iran, a Cabinet Office survey showed on Thursday. The seasonally adjusted consumer confidence index, which measures sentiment among households

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday avoided clarifying whether Japan will participate in the November meeting of signatories to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Meeting with Takaichi at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo,

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Sumo Association decided Thursday to demote former yokozuna grand champion Terunofuji, now stablemaster Isegahama, and cut his pay by 10 pct for three months over his violence toward a wrestler in his stable. At the day’s

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan and eight other nations have called for peace in Lebanon in light of Israel’s continued attacks on the Middle Eastern country despite a two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran. “We call upon all sides

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is set to delay the submission to the Diet, or parliament, of a bill aimed at amending the country’s retrial system, initially scheduled for this week. The move came as the government sees the need

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling parties on Thursday proposed establishing a constitutional amendment drafting committee soon within the Commission on the Constitution in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament. At the first debate of

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Fast Retailing Co., the owner of Uniqlo and other casualwear brands, said Thursday that its consolidated revenue rose 14.8 pct to 2,055.2 billion yen in September-February from a year earlier, hitting a record high for its fiscal first-half