Kumamoto, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that the government will designate last week’s major earthquake in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto as a disaster of extreme severity to provide more state aid for efforts to restore infrastructure

(Adnkronos) – Donald Trump will be in California tomorrow for a fundraiser, the first stop on a two-day West Coast tour that will take him to Nevada on Wednesday, a state traditionally oriented towards Democrats but where the tycoon secured a key

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Five major Japanese banking groups’ combined net profits increased 42.3 pct from a year earlier to 1,956.4 billion yen in April-June, according to their latest earnings reports released by Monday. The profit growth reflected improved lending margins on

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s two major air carriers saw their profits fall for April-June amid soaring aviation fuel prices due to tensions in the Middle East, although both posted record-high sales, according to their latest earnings reports. ANA Holdings Inc., the

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Seismic activity along the Hinagu fault zone remains elevated a week after a powerful earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, leading the Meteorological Agency to warn of possible strong shaking and tsunami waves. Five quakes measuring lower 5

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Monday virtually approved Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April. The LDP’s tax system

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering concluding an economic partnership agreement with Ecuador, officials said Monday. Japan expects an EPA with Ecuador, rich in crude oil and natural gas, to help strengthen supply chains as the war in the

Seoul, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–The proportion of people in South Korea who have a good impression of Japan rose 1.9 percentage points to 54.3 pct in 2026 from the previous year, a survey by East Asia Institute, a think tank in South

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–“Furusato nozei” hometown donations to earthquake-hit municipalities in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto have exceeded 730 million yen, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday. This figure represents the total amount of donations made through four major

Saitama, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–A Vietnamese national in his 30s has made a statement suggesting he killed a 91-year-old woman of Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, according to investigative sources. Acting on the man’s statement, the Saitama prefectural police searched a forested

Hikawa, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Authorities in Hikawa, a town in Kumamoto Prefecture, on Monday started accepting disaster waste, following a massive earthquake that struck the southwestern Japan prefecture on Tuesday. Residents formed a long line of cars to dispose of

Hikawa, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday visited Kumamoto Prefecture for the first time since the southwestern prefecture was hit by a major earthquake Tuesday. After arriving, she boarded a Ground Self-Defense Force helicopter and inspected

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–The dollar plummeted briefly below 155.50 yen for the first time in roughly three months in Tokyo trading Monday, after Japanese and U.S. authorities intervened to buy the Japanese currency in concerted action Friday, U.S. Eastern time. The

(Adnkronos) – Iran has executed two of its citizens, accusing them of having sent sensitive military information and security coordinates to Israel during the twelve-day war in June and in the current conflict with Iran. The accusations are detailed by the Iranian

(Adnkronos) – Iran has executed two of its citizens, accusing them of having sent sensitive military information and security coordinates to Israel during the twelve-day war in June and in the current conflict with Iran. The accusations are detailed by the Iranian

(Adnkronos) – Two crew members died following an in-flight collision between two helicopters involved in firefighting operations in Greece. The victims are a Danish pilot and a Greek fire department liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on board the

(Adnkronos) – Two crew members died following an in-flight collision between two helicopters involved in firefighting operations in Greece. The victims are a Danish pilot and a Greek fire department liaison officer. A British pilot and another Greek coordinator on board the

Kumamoto, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Temperatures reached 40.3 degrees Celsius in the city of Kumamoto on Monday, topping 40 degrees for the first time on record in the namesake southwestern Japan prefecture, adding to the plight of local residents hit by a powerful

Kumamoto, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Temperatures reached 40.3 degrees Celsius in the city of Kumamoto on Monday, topping 40 degrees for the first time on record in the namesake southwestern Japan prefecture, adding to the plight of local residents hit by a powerful

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry is asking municipalities and education boards across the country to consider providing supplementary learning materials for elementary and junior high school students that are currently purchased by parents, to reduce household financial burdens. In a

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry is asking municipalities and education boards across the country to consider providing supplementary learning materials for elementary and junior high school students that are currently purchased by parents, to reduce household financial burdens. In a

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Liberal Democratic Party members are concerned that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food could negatively affect the ruling party’s performance in the 2028 House of Councillors election. Under the plan,

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Liberal Democratic Party members are concerned that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to cut the consumption tax rate on food could negatively affect the ruling party’s performance in the 2028 House of Councillors election. Under the plan,

Hiroshima, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–A tour offering views of reconstruction in Hiroshima, a city in western Japan, following the U.S. atomic bombing 81 years ago aboard a streetcar that survived the blast started on Sunday. The tour uses Hiroshima Electric Railway Co.’s

Hiroshima, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–A tour offering views of reconstruction in Hiroshima, a city in western Japan, following the U.S. atomic bombing 81 years ago aboard a streetcar that survived the blast started on Sunday. The tour uses Hiroshima Electric Railway Co.’s

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–BYD Co.’s entry is set to intensify competition into Japan’s electric minivehicle market, still a niche in the country’s passenger-vehicle segment. The Chinese electric vehicle giant last week launched the Racco in Japan, becoming the latest entrant in

Saitama, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–A Vietnamese national in his 30s has made a statement suggesting he killed a 91-year-old woman of Iruma, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, according to investigative sources. Acting on the man’s statement, the Saitama prefectural police searched a forested

Japan Automobile Dealers Association Aug. 3 Yr/Yr Change Total 276,679 units Up 9.7 pct Over-2,000-c.c. Cars 155,822 Up 6.3 Smaller Cars 86,756 Up 17.4 Trucks 32,881 Up 6.0 Buses 1,220 Up 94.0 -Brand- Daihatsu 2,953 Up 44.3 Honda 34,144 Up 15.5 Lexus

Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association Aug. 3 Yr/Yr Change Total 140,484 units Up 1.6 pct Passenger Cars 108,884 Up 2.9 Trucks 31,600 Down 2.9 -Brand- Suzuki 46,522 Down 2.1 Daihatsu 40,673 Down 2.7 Mitsubishi 6,240 Up 2.0 Subaru 1,035 Down

Tokyo, Aug. 3 (Jiji Press)–Local chapter members of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan expressed opposition on Sunday to a proposed three-way merger with two other opposition parties, the Centrist Reform Alliance and Komeito. Sunday’s meeting brought together senior members of the