Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Tokyo metropolitan government said on Wednesday that it plans to shift its accommodation tax from fixed amounts to a fixed rate of 3 pct of fees in fiscal 2027. The shift is designed to align the tax

Washington, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump has advised Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to temper the tone after she angered China over Taiwan, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. During their recent telephone talks, Trump advised Takaichi not to provoke

Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–Japan is considering tightening re-entry screening for foreign nationals who have failed to pay medical bills worth 10,000 yen or more in the country, lower than the current threshold of 200,000 yen. The tightening, designed to prevent nonpayment

(The last paragraph should have read,”…people who could not visit the Expo…” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Yamada to Sell ” Human Washing Machine” Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–Home electronics retailer Yamada Holdings Co. has said it will sell

Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan said Wednesday that unrealized losses on its holdings of Japanese government bonds widened to a record 32,825.8 billion yen at the end of September. The latent losses expanded from 28,624.6 billion yen six months

Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in August brought into sharp focus the steep decline in the number of people with firsthand experience of the war. For the first time, more than half of

Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–Supermarket sales in Japan rose 2.0 pct in October from a year earlier on a same-store basis, marking the eighth consecutive month of increase, according to industry data. Sales increased after manufacturers raised product prices, although the number

Tokyo, Nov. 27 (Jiji Press)–Sales of cultivated feminized eels are beginning to spread in Japan, as the Aichi Fisheries Research Institute in central Japan and others have successfully developed a method to feminize eels. While over 90 pct of glass eels under

(Adnkronos) – US authorities have arrested the mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, the White House spokesperson, as part of the new immigration crackdown desired by the Donald Trump administration. The woman, Bruna Caroline Ferreira, was stopped in Revere, Massachusetts, and is currently

(Adnkronos) – The toll from the devastating fire that has been consuming the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in the Tai Po district, north of Hong Kong, for hours is worsening. According to the South China Morning Post, the victims have risen

(Adnkronos) – Four years and two months in prison. This is the sentence that an Istanbul court has handed down to Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli, accused of “threats” against Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Altayli, 63, can appeal. Arrested in June, Altayli

(Adnkronos) – “There’s a new word for Trumpian Republicans, who are now almost all of them (thanks to excellent policies). Are they ‘Tepublicans’ or ‘Tpublicans’?”. American President Donald Trump asked this in a post on Truth Social, joking about the possible name

(Adnkronos) – The government in Warsaw has announced its decision to rely on Swedish submarines to enhance its naval security. Polish Defense Minister Pal Jonson spoke of ”a historic day for the partnership between Sweden and Poland and for increasing security in

(Adnkronos) – In Guinea Bissau, a group of officers, presenting themselves as the “High Military Command for the Restoration of Order,” claims to have taken control of the country “until further notice.” Radio France Internationale reports this.  Rfi further reports that several

(Adnkronos) – French President Emmanuel Macron will visit China from December 3 to 5. The Élysée confirmed this, specifying that Macron will go to Beijing and then to Chengdu. A meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected.  Macron had visited China

(Adnkronos) – Brazil ”has given the world a lesson in democracy” with the prison sentence issued against former president Jair Bolsonaro. This was stated by Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. “Without too much fanfare, the Brazilian judicial system demonstrated its

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani on Wednesday urged “sustained” dialogue with the United States and “robust” security guarantees for Ukraine to achieve “a just and lasting peace” to end the conflict with Russia.  At emergency video summit with European Union

Kyoto, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A ranking gang member in a first trial hearing Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the charge of shooting to death the head of the “Gyoza no Ohsho” dumpling restaurant chain in Kyoto, western Japan, in 2013. “I’m definitely

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The governors of Japan’s 47 prefectures urged the central government Wednesday to implement measures to help them cope with expected declines in local government revenues resulting from the planned abolition of the provisional gasoline and diesel tax surcharge.

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics drew to a close on Wednesday with a closing ceremony held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. In the 12-day quadrennial international sporting event for people with hearing difficulties, Japan won a record 51 medals–16

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that her recent parliamentary remarks on a possible contingency around Taiwan, which angered China, were merely a response to a question. “I answered as much as I could to what was

(Adnkronos) – A total 39 MEPS including from Italy’s governing Brothers of Italy party and from the opposition Democrats, Greens and Left Alliance and Five-Star Movement on Wednesday urged Venezuela’s authorities to release jailed aid Italian aid worker Alberto Trentini.  The European

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government’s general-account tax revenue is set to reach around 80.7 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, topping 80 trillion yen for the first time, it was learned Wednesday. The figure is around 2.9 trillion yen higher than

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “…17,000 yen…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Key Japan Labor Group to Seek Pay Scale Hike of 12,000 Yen or More Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–An umbrella body for labor unions in the

Kurume, Fukuoka Pref., Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Sumo Association unanimously decided Wednesday to promote Aonishiki to ozeki, the second-highest rank in professional sumo, from sekiwake, the third-highest rank, making him the first Ukraine-born ozeki. The decision was delivered by the association’s

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–A working group of the Financial System Council, which advises Japan’s prime minister, on Wednesday broadly approved a draft report calling for crypto assets to be subject to the financial instruments and exchange law. This measure is expected

(Adnkronos) – Fincantieri has struck a “significant” accord with the United States navy for new kinds of vessels such as amphibious, icebreaking and other special missions, amid a drive to make technological excellence, manned and unmanned crafts and long-term sustainability the navy’s

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s real estate industry has begun to ban the resale of condominiums before the completion of property handover, in a move to check soaring unit prices. The Real Estate Companies Association of Japan announced Tuesday that it has

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Wednesday issued a cease-and-desist order to a group of oil companies in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture over forming a price cartel for gasoline sold at gas stations in the central

Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Jiji Press)–Japanese pop star Taichi Kokubun apologized Wednesday for a compliance violation that led to his removal from a Nippon Television Network Corp. program. “I want to express my sincere apologies to those I have hurt,” Kokubun, 51, told