Japan Department Stores Association Sept. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 422,112 M. Yen Up 2.6 pct Clothing 98,184 Up 0.8 Personal Articles 71,618 Up 2.0 Sundry Goods 103,023 Up 6.4 Household Goods 14,672 Up 4.5 Foodstuffs 106,319 Up 2.1 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Department Stores Association Sept. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 125,021 M. Yen Up 5.7 pct Clothing 28,541 Up 5.8 Personal Articles 22,615 Up 1.1 Sundry Goods 34,610 Up 10.3 Household Goods 5,087 Up 3.3 Foodstuffs 27,107 Up 7.1 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Chain Stores Association Sept. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 1,114,850 M. Yen Up 0.2 pct Foodstuffs 824,400 Up 0.3 Clothing 40,727 Down 1.0 Sundries 104,302 Up 2.5 Furniture and Interior Goods 55,863 Down 2.5 Home Electric Appliances 2,629 Up 3.5 Note: Year-on-year

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–Incoming Okinawa Governor Genta Koja has called on the Japanese government to resume the Okinawa Policy Council by year-end to discuss U.S. military base issues and economic development measures between the central and prefectural governments. He

Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–New Japanese agriculture minister Kazuo Yana said in a recent interview that the top focus of his agricultural policy will be ensuring appropriate prices for agricultural products. “With prices of production materials rising, it is difficult for farmers

Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield, a key long-term interest rate, briefly climbed to a new 30-year high of 3.115 pct on Friday. The yield on the latest 383rd issue of 10-year JGBs hit the highest level

Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on Tuesday to meet with people affected by a powerful earthquake in July, according to a plan approved by the government at a cabinet meeting Friday.

Yokosuka, Kanagawa Pref., Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–At 92, Kaori Kusakari shares her life with Purin, a 12-year-old male cat who has been by her side for years, at a rare elderly nursing home in Japan that allows pets to stay with their

Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health care system is often held up abroad as a model of universal coverage. But universal does not mean uniform: patients undergoing the same expensive treatment can pay very different amounts themselves depending on which insurer they

Tokyo, Sept. 25 (Jiji Press)–Spending related to “oshikatsu,” or activities to support “oshi” or one’s favorite idols, characters or celebrities, is growing in Japan despite a fall in the proportion of people who engage in such activities, an online survey has shown.

(Adnkronos) – S&P Global Ratings confirms the solidity of Webuild’s credit profile. The agency has concluded its annual review of the Group and confirmed the BB+ rating with a stable outlook. The judgment is based on the most recent performance data and

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Democratic Reform Party said Thursday that the new Japanese opposition party has started its activities with 18 member lawmakers who departed from the Centrist Reform Alliance. The 18, all House of Representatives lawmakers, are former members of

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Immigration Services Agency will boost cooperation with other government divisions to crack down on illegal foreign workers. Starting as early as October, agency officials will join land ministry inspections of demolition and construction sites. The land ministry

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Shin Ohashi won gold in the men’s 200-meter breaststroke at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, setting a new world record of 2:04.83. The17-year-old, who also won the men’s 100m breaststroke at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, said:

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–A project team of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party compiled on Thursday a draft proposal calling for the introduction of a permit system for the acquisitions of land near facilities deemed critical for national security. In the draft,

Narita, Chiba Pref., Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Heavy rain from Typhoon Dujuan, the 25th typhoon of the year, has flooded a total of 884 residential buildings above or below floor level in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, the prefectural government said Thursday. The

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–An expert panel under Japan’s National Police Agency in a proposal compiled Thursday called for an early introduction of remote analysis of smartphones used by members of “tokuryu” loosely organized anonymous criminal groups. The panel highlighted the need

New York, Sept. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, at a foreign ministers’ meeting on maritime safety in New York on Wednesday, highlighted the importance of free and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Many restaurant chains, food makers and convenience store operators in Japan are offering new seasonal food products featuring eggs made to resemble a full moon ahead of the “tsukimi” mid-autumn moon-viewing season. This year’s mid-autumn moon, which takes

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. said Thursday that its subsidiary preparing to launch a digital bank has received a banking license, with operations expected to begin between January and March 2027. MU Digital Bank Establishment Preparation Co. received

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–The average price of existing condominiums in Tokyo in August dropped 0.2 pct from the previous month to 112.74 million yen per 70 square meters, down for the first time in 28 months, real estate research firm Tokyo

Mito, Ibaraki Pref., Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors sought a 21-year prison term Thursday for a man accused of murdering his former girlfriend, a pregnant manicurist, in the city of Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, late last year. The defense argued that

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–A hotel in Tokyo uses suitcases left behind by guests as planters for vegetables and herbs in its rooftop garden. In 2022, Hotel Niwa Tokyo in Chiyoda Ward started a project titled eco-Niwa, which promotes the recycling of

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Lineups of return gifts offered for donations made under Japan’s “furusato nozei” hometown tax donation program may noticeably change as the internal affairs ministry is set to tighten rules for some items in October. The ministry will introduce

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–The government of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to ramp up the country’s defense capabilities in its southwestern region following the election of a conservative governor in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, for the first time in 12

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield, a key long-term interest rate, climbed to a fresh 30-year high of 3.075 pct on Thursday. According to Japan Bond Trading Co., the yield on the latest 383rd issue of 10-year

Chicago, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese food makers are accelerating their investment in the United States, such as by building new factories and expanding existing facilities, amid the growing popularity of Japanese cuisine among U.S. consumers. Japanese makers are also seeking a tailwind

Washington, Sept. 23 (Jiji Press)–Families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea urged the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday to raise the abduction issue if the president holds a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The Association

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–An All Nippon Airways plane carrying 152 passengers made an emergency landing at Naha Airport in Japan’s southernmost Okinawa Prefecture on Wednesday night due to a possible engine malfunction. Three of the passengers suffered minor injuries

Tokyo, Sept. 24 (Jiji Press)–The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield, a key long-term interest rate, climbed to a fresh 30-year high of 3.055 pct on Thursday. According to Japan Bond Trading Co., the yield on the latest 383rd issue of 10-year