Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Self-Defense Forces conducted weapons protection missions 11 times in 2025 to safeguard foreign military ships and aircraft, the Defense Ministry has said. The foreign military asset protection activities were carried out under national security-related laws for the

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Children and Families Agency has established a system to subsidize costs required for procedures to seize salaries and assets to secure child support payments from former spouses. The subsidy system was created in line with the revised

Washington, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The International Monetary Fund recommended on Friday that the Bank of Japan continue to gradually raise its policy rate toward a neutral level to bring down underlying inflation. The BOJ should “continue to move the policy rate toward

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is planning to consider carefully whether it will ask companies and the general public to cut back on electricity and petroleum product consumption, several government sources said Friday. Amid concerns over a possible prolonged military

(Adnkronos) – The scandal over the misappropriation of European agricultural subsidies has led to multiple resignations at the highest political levels in Greece. The Minister of Civil Protection and Agriculture, as well as an Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, resigned today

(Adnkronos) – Mount Everest guides in Nepal have for years caused intoxication to their clients as part of a scam that generated $20 million in insurance fraud. The Nepalese central investigative office has accused 32 ‘sherpas’ in connection with the fraud, which

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Crude oil shippments bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, are expected to arrive in Japan from May, Japanese industry ministry officials said Friday. Japan will import crude oil shipped from ports in the United

(Adnkronos) – Donald Trump has proposed a budget for the Pentagon of 1500 billion dollars for 2027, a figure that represents a 42% increase, or 445 billion more, compared to the current budget, already considered colossal. According to what was announced today,

(Adnkronos) – The golf champion Tiger Woods reportedly told an officer he was “on the phone with the president” Donald Trump after the accident on March 27 in Florida, according to a video from the officers’ bodycam. The images, related to the

(Adnkronos) – Public transport in Islamabad will be free for all citizens. This was announced on X by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, after the government drastically increased fuel prices due to the surge in global energy costs caused by the war

(Adnkronos) – An American pilot was reportedly captured in Iran by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Pasdaran, after an F-35 was shot down. This was reported by the Tasnim news agency, while Axios had reported on the downed fighter jet and

(Adnkronos) – Kim Jong-un back in public with his ‘beloved’ Ju-ae. Kim’s daughter strokes a cat in one of the latest photos released by Pyongyang media. Kim visited several businesses about to open in a neighborhood of the North Korean capital. Also

(Adnkronos) – It’s called Pet TV. 24/7 streaming TV for dogs and cats. Conceived in China by tech giant Tencent to ‘fill’ the days of four-legged friends when their owners are away from home. And to keep them glued to the screen,

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Financial Services Agency plans to conditionally ease capital adequacy regulations for banks to encourage investment in companies, Jiji Press learned Friday. The plan is to reduce capital buffers against loss risks while still maintaining fiscal soundness, informed

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–A Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. vessel carrying liquefied natural gas has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently under a de facto blockade by Iran, it was learned Friday. This is likely the first Japanese-affiliated vessel

Osaka, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese industrial gases supplier Air Water Inc. said Friday that it had overstated its operating profit by a total of 21.2 billion yen over six years from fiscal 2019. Over the scandal, the company also said that

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–A series of fatal accidents and violations involving regenerative medicine have occurred in Japan in patient-paid care, including beauty care and cancer treatment, prompting health authorities to review related systems. Regenerative medicine, which uses cells or genes to

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–An expert panel on Friday broadly approved a draft revision of Japan’s corporate governance code presented by the Financial Services Agency and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The draft urges listed companies to examine whether they are effectively using

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will strengthen its calls for Myanmar to improve the Southeast country’s internal situation following the election of former military chief Min Aung Hlaing as president, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Friday. “It’s essential

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Prices of rice sold from March 23 through Sunday in Japan averaged 3,935 yen per 5 kilograms, down 43 yen from the previous week, marking a seventh straight weekly decline, the agriculture ministry said Friday. The average price

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks are expected to remain sensitive to news about the situation involving Iran next week, while equity indexes are likely to be also swayed by developments related to artificial intelligence and semiconductors. This week, the benchmark Nikkei

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government’s fiscal 2026 budget is expected to be enacted as early as Tuesday as the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, is now likely to pass it. The ruling Liberal

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Microsoft Corp. said Friday it will invest 10 billion dollars in Japan between 2026 and 2029 to beef up the country’s artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure capacity so important data can be kept under domestic management. With its

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will use an artificial intelligence system to help draft answers to parliamentary questions to reduce the burden on government officials, digital transformation minister Hisashi Matsumoto said Friday. “The government will take the lead and use

(The first paragraph should have read, “…to a 6.63 pct pay increase…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) UA Zensen Unions Agree 6.63 Pct Pay Hike for Part-Timers Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Member unions of UA Zensen have agreed to

(Adnkronos) – A train derails in Russia. In the Ulyanovsk region, 900 kilometers from Moscow, 22 people were reportedly injured in the derailment of a train, as announced by local authorities, who also stated that there were no fatalities in the incident. 

Hiroshima, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, which documents the world’s first atomic bombing in the western Japan city of Hiroshima in August 1945, attracted 2,580,926 visitors in fiscal 2025, hitting a record high for the third straight year, its

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Microsoft Corp. said Friday it will invest 10 billion dollars in Japan between 2026 and 2029 to beef up artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure capacity in the country and reinforce cybersecurity cooperation with the government. For the capacity

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The average value of assets of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her 18 ministers stood at 65.91 million yen as of Feb. 18, the government said Friday. The average for assets held by the ministers and their

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Communist Party requested Friday that the government play a leading role in mediating the conflict between the United States and Iran. JCP leader Tomoko Tamura submitted the request in writing at a meeting with Chief Cabinet