Kobe, July 14 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese inquest panel has decided that public prosecutors’ decision not to indict Takashi Tachibana, head of a political group criticizing Japan Broadcasting Corp., or NHK, over his alleged intimidation of a local assembly member in 2024 was

Tokyo, July 14 (Jiji Press)–The head of Japan’s suprapartisan National Council on Social Security on Monday presented a revised draft of a new benefit program for low- and middle-income workers. The council resumed discussions for compiling an interim report at the day’s

(Adnkronos) – Three British citizens, one French woman, one Belgian and one Spaniard are the first of the 13 identified victims of the massive fire near Almeria in Andalusia, southern Spain. Local authorities announced this after the first autopsies were conducted and

Saiki, Oita Pref., July 13 (Jiji Press)–Four people were injured and sent to hospital after a knife attack near a Tsutaya rental video store in the city of Saiki in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Oita on Monday morning, investigative sources said.

(Adnkronos) – The Yemeni government recognized by the international community has ordered the closure of Yemen’s airports following reports from the capital Sana’a, which has been in the hands of the Houthis since 2014. “The Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority (Cama) informs

(Adnkronos) – Lebanon views with “cautious optimism” the sixth round of direct negotiations with the Jewish state mediated by the US, scheduled for tomorrow in Rome. This is reported by the online version of the Qatari newspaper Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed, citing official Lebanese

(Adnkronos) – There is a phrase, spoken by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Davos on January 20th, that captures the state of the international system better than many analyses: the world has emerged from “a pleasant fiction” and entered “a harsh

(Adnkronos) – Rome on Monday underlined its unwavering commitment to Serbia’s European Union membership bid and the opening of negotiating Chapter Three, saying it is part of Italy’s strong support for the European integration of the western Balkans.  “Italy supports the opening

(Adnkronos) – Italy welcomed European Commission vice-president Raffaele Fitto’s appointment on Monday as special representative for Cyprus, saying it reflects the bloc’s commitment “at the highest level” to the divided island’s reunification – an issue that is “absolutely crucial for Europe” and

(Adnkronos) – North Korean Premier Pak Thae Song expressed hope for a further strengthening of bilateral relations with China, at the end of his three-day visit to Beijing, during which he participated in the celebrations for the 65th anniversary of the friendship

(Adnkronos) – The internationally recognized Yemeni government has declared that it hit the capital Sana’a’s airport after a dispute related to the arrival of an Iranian plane carrying a Houthi delegation, the Shiite rebel group supported by Tehran that controls the capital

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese and Vietnamese defense ministers affirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral security cooperation on Monday in support of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with his Vietnamese counterpart, Phan Van Giang, at

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese House of Councillors special committee is set to vote on a bill Wednesday to revise the Imperial House Law, after the major ruling and opposition parties broadly agreed the schedule. Yoshihiko Isozaki, the Liberal Democratic Party’s

(Adnkronos) – The Nato summit last week in Ankara “has strengthened relations between Europe and the United States,” Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday, adding that this “is certainly a positive development”.   “Controversy is unhelpful at such a delicate

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is becoming more cautious about the Middle East situation, following U.S.-Iran retaliatory strikes. If the situation in the region deteriorates, negotiations under a U.S.-Iran memorandum aimed at ending the conflict may be affected. Japanese Chief

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese House of Councillors special committee is set to vote on a bill Wednesday to revise the Imperial House Law, after the major ruling and opposition parties broadly agreed the schedule. Yoshihiko Isozaki, the Liberal Democratic Party’s

(Adnkronos) – The inclusion of Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni on a hit-list of targets in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatatollah Ali Khamenei is “unacceptable,” foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Monday.  “This is unacceptable, it is an

(Adnkronos) – A Togolese-flagged civilian cargo ship was hit by a Russian attack while engaged in unloading mineral fertilizers in the port of Odesa, causing the death of three crew members and injuring five others. This was reported by the Ukrainian Deputy

(Adnkronos) – The Strait of Hormuz is an international waterway, and the resumption of free and safe passage is in the interest of all countries. This is how Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian commented in Beijing on the new tensions between

Yamaguchi, July 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese flying car developer SkyDrive Inc. on Monday demonstrated a high-speed test flight of its electric aircraft over the Seto Inland Sea, western Japan, marking another step toward its goal of launching commercial sightseeing services in 2028. The

(Adnkronos) – The European Union and Great Britain have imposed sanctions on Russia due to cyberattacks in Europe, for which they have accused the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency. Brussels announced the imposition of sanctions on nine individuals and four entities, while

(Adnkronos) – At least one dead and seven injured is the toll of the US attack against a military site in Na’in county, central Iran. This was reported by the deputy governor of Isfahan province with responsibility for security, Akbar Salehi, quoted

(Adnkronos) – The Iranian Revolutionary Guards claimed attacks against Bahrain and Oman, stating that they destroyed radar systems in Oman and hit US military installations on the southern outskirts of Manama. “In addition to striking US military installations and infrastructure in Juffair,

New York, July 12 (Jiji Press)–Of hundreds of Russian spies expelled from Western countries shortly after Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, dozens are now operating from Japan, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing Western intelligence and government

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s parliament Monday passed into law a bill to establish a disaster management agency, which will act as the government’s command center for disaster reduction measures and responses. The bill was approved by a majority vote at a

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–The Diet, Japan’s parliament, on Monday enacted bills designed to strengthen measures against false information about elections on social media. The bills to revise the public offices election law and the information distribution platform law were approved at

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–Nippon Paint Holdings Co. said Monday that it has offered to acquire the decorative paints business of Dutch paint maker Akzo Nobel NV for 7.5 billion euros. The move came after a joint offer made in April by

Saiki, Oita Pref., July 13 (Jiji Press)–Four people were injured and sent to hospital after a knife attack near a Tsutaya rental video store in the city of Saiki in the southwestern prefecture of Oita on Monday morning, investigative sources said. All

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–New Supreme Class Cabin private compartments will be introduced on Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed train services in Japan in October. Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai, which runs the Tokaido trains, and West Japan Railway Co.,

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)–Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. became Japan’s most valuable company by market capitalization for the first time Monday, thanks to expectations for earnings growth amid an improved business environment following the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes. On