Hikawa, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Volunteers have fully started their activities in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto, which was hit hard by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake late last month. While the prefectural government initially called on volunteers to refrain from visiting

Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Pref., Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Prince Hisahito, the son of Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, took part in preparing breakfast Saturday morning during the Nippon Scout Jamboree event in the town of Jinsekikogen in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan.

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, the Japan Innovation Party, face a challenge of resolving a sense of distrust on both sides nearly 10 months after they formed a governing coalition. The JIP has made tough

Kumamoto, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Generative artificial intelligence is increasingly utilized to assist relief efforts in the wake of a powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, late last month. Meanwhile, AI is believed to have been used to create fake videos that

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–A roughly two-minute video of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to earthquake-stricken Kumamoto Prefecture on Monday has sparked controversy, with some saying that it is like a promotional video for the country’s leader. The video was created

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Three major brewers in Japan posted year-on-year growth in consolidated revenue in January-June, on the back of strong sales of beer and other products, according to their earnings reports released Friday. Suntory Holdings Ltd. saw its revenue increase

Jakarta, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–A number of Indonesians have names inspired by Japanese manga and anime, with 16 people, for example, confirmed to be named “Doraemon,” the name of an earless robotic cat and a lead character of the blockbuster anime series

Osaka, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural and municipal governments of Osaka, western Japan, have adopted a plan to realign the prefectural capital’s current 24 wards into four special wards under the so-called Osaka metropolis administrative reform project. The decision was made at

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Amusement parks across Japan, including Tokyo Disney Resort, are raising their admission fees to offset rising labor, electricity and other costs and ease overcrowding during peak seasons. As of last month, 32 of the 101 amusement park facilities

Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Pref., Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Prince Hisahito, the son of Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, took part in preparing breakfast Saturday morning during the Nippon Scout Jamboree event in the town of Jinsekikogen in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan.

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Foreign Ministry has protested against a South Korean maritime research vessel’s activities in Japan’s exclusive economic zone near islets in the Sea of Japan claimed by Tokyo and effectively controlled by Seoul. Masaaki Kanai, director-general of

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–A report from an expert panel under Japan’s Justice Ministry stipulates that the right of voice should be protected in the same way as that for portraits. The panel has discussed issues related to civil liability over the

Kumamoto, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–The death toll from a powerful earthquake that hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, late last month has increased by one to 39, the prefectural government’s disaster response headquarters said Saturday. Of the total, 36 people died directly due

(Adnkronos) – Mexico and Peru have re-established diplomatic relations, interrupted last November at the initiative of Lima, which had accused the government of Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum of interference in internal affairs. The foreign ministries of the two countries announced this in

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Frozen food maker Nichirei Corp. on Friday lowered its net profit projection for the year through December to 20.4 billion yen from 25.2 billion yen, due to costs related to a recent cyberattack and turmoil in the Middle

Sapporo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Sapporo District Court on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for his role in a high-profile group assault case in the northern Japan prefecture of Hokkaido in 2024. The life sentence for Yuto Kawaguchi, who was 18

(Adnkronos) – Turkey has clarified that the defense pact signed in Jeddah with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan “is not directed against any particular country”. This was stated on X by the Turkish Presidency’s Director of Communications Burhanettin Duran after the signing of

(Adnkronos) – Spanish police announced they had dismantled what they described as one of the largest criminal networks involved in migrant trafficking across the Mediterranean, arresting 78 people and seizing 18 high-speed boats. According to a statement, the network allegedly used the

(Adnkronos) – In the last day, Russian attacks have caused at least nine deaths and 89 injuries across Ukraine. This was reported by the country’s regional authorities. Moscow’s forces struck the Dnipropetrovsk region almost 80 times, killing five people and injuring sixteen

Hiroshima, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Prince Hisahito, the son of Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, offered flowers at a cenotaph for atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park on Friday, a day after the 81st anniversary of the U.S.

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japanese tax authorities on Friday dismissed a 25-year-old official for allegedly defrauding a wealthy elderly woman he was auditing of a large amount of cash and evading taxes on gambling winnings obtained with the stolen money. The Kantoshinetsu

(Adnkronos) – At least two civilians were killed and 14 injured in bombings by Houthi rebels against residential areas and refugee camps in the Yemeni government-controlled city of Marib. This was announced by Yemen’s Health Minister, Qasim Buhaibeh, on X.  

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s current economic expansion phase has likely reached 73 months, tying the postwar record set by the Izanami boom from February 2002 to February 2008. On Friday, the Cabinet Office reported that the composite index of coincident economic

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund said Friday that its investment profits in April-June reached a quarterly record high of 24,089.5 billion yen, thanks to rises in domestic and foreign stock prices. In the quarter, the GPIF posted an

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Personnel Authority on Friday called for raising monthly salaries for government employees by an average 3.51 pct, or 15,056 yen, and their annual bonuses to 4.7 months of salary, up 0.05 month, for fiscal 2026, which

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s calorie-based food self-sufficiency rate in fiscal 2025 fell 1 percentage point from the previous year to 37 pct, dragged down by declining rice consumption, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said Friday. Although the rate also

(Adnkronos) – The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in the Saudi city of Jeddah. Saudi media reported the news. The visit will be an occasion for a summit of the three major Sunni-majority powers in the region, Turkey, Saudi Arabia,

(Adnkronos) – Russian forces attacked Ukraine using 147 drones last night: Ukrainian air defenses destroyed or neutralized 114 of them, according to a statement published on Telegram by the Ukrainian air force. “Impacts from 29 drones were recorded in 15 locations and

(Adnkronos) – Three Ukrainian drones crashed onto the roof of a Wildberries logistics warehouse in Ekaterinburg, east of Moscow. No one was injured, Sverdlovsk region governor Denis Pasler told Max channel. “Three drones crashed onto the roof of a logistics center. People

Tokyo, Aug. 7 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government decided Friday to designate the July 28 massive earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture as a disaster of extreme severity to increase state aid for the restoration of roads and other infrastructure, as well as agricultural facilities.