Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted industrial production in May rose 0.5 pct from the previous month, as production of chemicals recovered on an increase in naphtha imports, industry ministry preliminary data showed Tuesday. Naphtha imports had been sluggish because of

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–It is important for Japan to strengthen ties with emerging economies as part of efforts to diversify supply chains for critical minerals and energy sources, the Japanese government said in a white paper released Tuesday. The 2026 White

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, passed a bill to criminalize the act of damaging the national flag by a majority vote on Tuesday. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s job availability ratio slipped to 1.17 in May as new job openings fell in sectors including wholesale, retail and construction, the labor ministry said Tuesday. The seasonally adjusted effective ratio of job openings to job seekers fell

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, earned 36.41 million yen in 2025, the highest income among nine party leaders, reports showed on Tuesday. According to the 2025 reports on lawmakers’ incomes,

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–The dollar surged above 162 yen in Tokyo trading on Tuesday, hitting the highest level since December 1986. At noon, the dollar stood at 162.13-14 yen, up from 161.81-82 yen at 5 p.m. Monday. The dollar carried over

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–The average income of Japanese lawmakers in 2025 rose by 4.9 million yen from the previous year to 30.03 million yen, the Diet, the country’s parliament, said Tuesday. The top earner was Kenji Nakanishi of the ruling Liberal

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Imperial Family has long shown affection for baseball and softball, with family members occasionally appearing in the stands to watch matches. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, along with their daughter, Princess Aiko, attended the World Baseball Classic

Tokyo, June 30 (Jiji Press)–The dollar surged above 162 yen in Tokyo trading on Tuesday, hitting the highest level since December 1986. At 10:00 a.m., the dollar stood at 162.13-14 yen, up from 161.81-82 yen at 5 p.m. Monday. The dollar carried

Houston, Texas, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after losing to Brazil 2-1 in Houston, Texas, on Monday. The Japanese men’s national soccer team, nicknamed Samurai Blue, fell short in its fifth attempt to secure its

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese and Indian governments have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperating in the domestic development of artificial intelligence, Jiji Press learned Monday. The memorandum was signed by the Japanese industry ministry and the Indian Ministry of

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering extending the current Diet session by 60 days to enact key bills, it was learned Monday. The move comes as it is uncertain whether bills to establish a

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Monday held the first meeting of the Japan Foreign Investment Committee, or JFIC, which will conduct cross-ministerial reviews of foreign investments in Japanese companies, with the aim of preventing leaks of technology and information

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese ruling party lawmaker Hirofumi Nakasone on Monday expressed regret over his controversial remark that it is impossible for Princess Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, to ascend to the Imperial throne. Speaking to reporters,

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Kazuya Kamenashi, a former member of the Japanese boy band KAT-TUN, and Minami Tanaka, a Japanese freelance announcer and actor, announced Monday that they are going to get married. According to the announcement published on their respective official

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Yodobashi-Ikebukuro commercial complex at the east exit of Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo was unveiled to the press on Monday, ahead of its opening on Tuesday. The building, which previously housed Sogo & Seibu Co.’s flagship Seibu Ikebukuro

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday that Tokyo has conveyed serious concerns to China and Russia via diplomatic channels over recent joint flights by Chinese and Russian bombers near Japan. The flights were “clearly intended as

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will revise its Arctic policy in fiscal 2027, which starts next April, amid the growing importance of the region, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated on Monday. “The significance (of the Arctic) is increasing in light

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government lodged a protest with China on Monday after Beijing announced an expanded export ban on dual-use items, including rare earths, targeting Japan. The export ban on goods that can be used both for civilian purposes

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government’s regulatory reform panel Monday called for easing building standards for data centers amid the rapid development of artificial intelligence. In response, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emphasized that the government will promote reforms of regulations and

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Global vehicle sales by eight major Japanese automakers fell 2.6 pct from a year earlier to 1,966,434 units in May amid fierce competition in China and the conflict in the Middle East, data from the companies showed Monday.

Kyoto, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese prosecutors on Monday sought a life sentence for a gang member over the 2013 murder of the president of “gyoza” dumpling restaurant chain Ohsho Food Service Corp., at the 11th hearing of the trial at Kyoto District

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly entered Japan’s exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni, the country’s westernmost island in the East China Sea, asserting Beijing’s maritime rights, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday. Such acts are

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s international tourist tax, also known as the departure tax, will be raised to 3,000 yen per person from 1,000 yen, starting on Wednesday. The Japanese government decided to raise the departure tax in light of congestion and

Bangkok, June 29 (Jiji Press)–A Thai criminal court on Monday sentenced a woman to seven and a half years in prison for trafficking her daughter into sexual services at a massage parlor in Tokyo. The mother entered Japan with her then 12-year-old

Kyoto, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese prosecutors on Monday sought a life sentence for a gang member over the 2013 murder of the president of “gyoza” dumpling restaurant chain Ohsho Food Service Corp., at the 11th hearing of the trial at Kyoto District

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government indicated Monday that it will fight a lawsuit claiming that rulings by 37 judges to deny bail for a former adviser to machinery maker Ohkawara Kakohki Co., who died of cancer while facing wrongful charges,

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will revise its Arctic policy in fiscal 2027, which starts next April, amid the growing importance of the region, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi indicated on Monday. “The significance (of the Arctic) is increasing in light

Tokyo, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Chinese coast guard ships have repeatedly entered Japan’s exclusive economic zone south of Yonaguni, the country’s westernmost island in the East China Sea, asserting Beijing’s maritime rights, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday. Such acts are

New Delhi, June 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan and India share key principles and goals in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, Ashok Kumar Chawla, a former adviser on Japan at India’s External Affairs Ministry, said in an interview. India has rolled out a