(2nd para should have read “… vine …,” and 4th para “… batches …,” instead of as sent) Sydney, March 30 (Jiji Press)–High-end muskmelons produced in Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture have started hitting the Australian market amid growing interest in Japanese food culture

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Four Japanese crew members of vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz went ashore in the early hours of Monday Japan time, Japanese transport ministry officials said. All four

Aomori, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Four advanced F-35A stealth fighters have arrived at the U.S. military’s Misawa base in Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, marking the first deployment of the aircraft there by the U.S. military, it was learned Monday. The F-35As arrived at

Beijing, March 30 (Jiji Press)–The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday that the country will impose sanctions on Keiji Furuya, a member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party who heads a suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers seeking closer ties with Taiwan, effective immediately.

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, or parliament, at a plenary meeting on Monday passed a stopgap state budget to cover expenditures for the first 11 days of fiscal 2026, which begins Wednesday. Meanwhile,

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–A Bank of Japan policymaker at the latest monetary policy meeting stressed the importance of the central bank being proactive in raising interest rates, according to a summary of opinions at the meeting released Monday. The bank will

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs Atsushi Mimura on Monday hinted at the possibility of Japanese authorities intervening in foreign exchange and other markets after the dollar rose above 160 yen over the weekend. “There are

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese health ministry is set to begin regular vaccinations for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which can cause pneumonia in infants, on Wednesday, the start of fiscal 2026. Infants in Japan are believed to be infected with

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average sank more than 2,800 points in morning trading Monday, reflecting a surge in crude oil prices amid worsening tensions in the Middle East. At 9:13 a.m., the key index of 225 selected issues

Tokyo, March 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan Post Co. and other organizations are promoting wider use of a service known as Digital Address, which uses a seven-character alphanumeric code to identify physical locations. If adopted on a broad scale, the system could help solve

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan marked the 10th anniversary of the implementation of its landmark national security legislation on Sunday, as the scope of activity of its Self-Defense Forces continues to expand. The rapidly deteriorating situation involving Iran since late February has

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan adopted its fiscal 2026 campaign policy at a regular party convention on Sunday, stopping short of specifying when it will decide whether to merge into the Centrist Reform Alliance. A draft

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–One in four children in Japan have used generative artificial intelligence in elementary or junior high school classes, according to a recent private survey. The survey also showed that one in five children think that AI will make

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan adopted its fiscal 2026 campaign policy at a regular party convention on Sunday, stopping short of specifying when it will decide whether to merge into the Centrist Reform Alliance. A draft

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by hemophilia patients in Japan who contracted HIV through the administration of untreated blood products. Tomomi Goto, 53, who currently leads a group of plaintiffs

Ebino, Miyazaki Pref., March 29 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department on Sunday searched locations related to a Ground Self-Defense Force member accused of trespassing into the the Chinese Embassy in the Japanese capital this month, according to informed sources. The locations included

Ebino, Miyazaki Pref., March 29 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department on Sunday searched locations related to a Ground Self-Defense Force member accused of trespassing into the the Chinese Embassy in the Japanese capital this month, according to informed sources. The locations included

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)–Now that the Japanese government’s fiscal 2026 budget bill will likely not be enacted by the end of fiscal 2025 on Tuesday, some in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are looking to pass the budget on April 7.

Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan has revised its estimate of the so-called neutral interest rate, a key concept in monetary policy management, to 1.1 pct to 2.5 pct in nominal terms for the final quarter of 2025, compared with

Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Digital Agency has formally selected Sakura Internet Inc. and four major U.S. companies as service providers for the “government cloud” common information system infrastructure for central and local governments for fiscal 2026. This decision, announced on Friday,

Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Meteorological Agency said Saturday that its sample Somei-Yoshino cherry tree at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward has reached full bloom. The announcement came three days earlier than average and two days earlier than last year.

Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)–One month after the United States and Israel began attacking Iran, concerns are growing in Japan that soaring crude oil prices could lead to even higher food and other prices, putting additional strain on businesses and households. Iran’s

Shizuoka, March 28 (Jiji Press)–Shizuoka Prefecture’s special committee has approved environmental conservation measures for a section in the central Japan prefecture of the planned Chuo Shinkansen high-speed magnetic levitation train line. The committee approved all 28 measures proposed by Central Japan Railway

Tokyo, March 28 (Jiji Press)–East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, on Saturday fully opened Takanawa Gateway City, a large-scale redevelopment district in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. Three new facilities, including a cultural facility and luxury rental housing, were opened in the district.

London, March 27 (Jiji Press)–The 12 member countries of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the European Union said in a joint statement on Friday that they will lead efforts to reform the World Trade Organization. The joint statement

Cernay-la-Ville, France, March 27 (Jiji Press)–The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major countries adopted a joint statement at their two-day meeting near Paris, France, through Friday, calling for safe ship navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. “We reiterated the absolute

New York, March 27 (Jiji Press)–The dollar climbed to top 160 yen for the first time in about 20 months in New York foreign exchange trading Friday. The U.S. currency rose to around 160.20 yen temporarily, attracting safe-haven buying amid growing concerns

New York, March 27 (Jiji Press)–The dollar climbed to top 160 yen for the first time in about 20 months in New York foreign exchange trading Friday. The U.S. currency attracted safe-haven buying amid growing uncertainty over the Middle East situation, market

Cernay-la-Ville, France, March 27 (Jiji Press)–Foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major countries agreed Friday to aim for an early resolution of the situation over Iran, which is in conflict with the United States and Israel, while maintaining close communication. On

Tokyo/Kyoto, March 27 (Jiji Press)–Rohm Co., Toshiba Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. have agreed in principle to start discussions on integrating their power semiconductor operations, the three Japanese firms said Friday. They intend to survive intensifying global competition by unifying their technologies