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22 Gennaio 2026

New Centrist Party Launched with 165 Lawmakers

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new Japanese political party, was formally launched Thursday with 165 House of Representatives lawmakers from the two founding opposition forces–the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, a former ally of the ruling
22 Gennaio 2026

Inspection of Chubu Electric HQ over Data Fraud to Start Mon.

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said Thursday it will begin an on-site inspection of Chubu Electric Power Co.’s headquarters Monday over earthquake risk data falsification for the firm’s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in the central prefecture of Shizuoka. In
22 Gennaio 2026

New Centrist Party Launched with Over 170 Lawmakers

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new Japanese political party, was formally launched Thursday with some 170 House of Representatives lawmakers from the two founding opposition forces–the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, a former ally of the
22 Gennaio 2026

TEPCO to Stop Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Reactor after Problem

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. will begin work to stop the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, on Thursday night, the company said. The stoppage comes after TEPCO suspended
22 Gennaio 2026

Japan Supermarket Sales Up for 6th Straight Year

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese supermarket sales in 2025 rose 2.2 pct from the previous year on a same-store basis, marking the sixth consecutive year of growth, the Japan Chain Stores Association said Thursday. All-store sales reached 12,867.5 billion yen. Although consumers
22 Gennaio 2026

Japan Aviation Unions to Seek 12,000-Yen Pay Scale Hike

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Federation of Aviation Industry Unions said Thursday that its member unions will request a pay scale hike of at least 12,000 yen, or 4 pct, per month in the 2026 “shunto” spring wage negotiations. The umbrella
22 Gennaio 2026

Ex-Kadokawa Chairman Found Guilty of Tokyo Games Bribery

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo District Court on Thursday sentenced an 82-year-old former chairman of major publisher Kadokawa Corp. to two and a half years in prison, suspended for four years, in a high-profile bribery case related to the Tokyo Olympics and
22 Gennaio 2026

Former Japanese Shogi Master Hifumi Kato Dies at 86

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese shogi master Hifumi Kato died of pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo on Thursday. He was 86. The native of Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, was the first junior high school student to become a professional shogi
22 Gennaio 2026

LDP to Endorse 37 Candidates Involved in Slush Fund Scandal

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party will officially endorse 37 candidates involved in its high-profile slush fund scandal in the Feb. 8 general election. The individuals are included in the party’s initial list of official candidates for the House
22 Gennaio 2026

Ex-PM Abe’s Killer to Decide Whether to Appeal Next Week

Osaka, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–The man sentenced to life in prison over the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plans to decide next week whether to appeal, a professor said after meeting with him Thursday. Defendant Tetsuya Yamagami, 45,
22 Gennaio 2026

Japan Govt Keeps Economic View Unchanged in Jan.

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government kept its economic assessment unchanged in a monthly report released Thursday. “The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, while the effects caused from the U.S. trade policies are seen mainly in the automotive
22 Gennaio 2026

Japanese, S. Korean Defense Ministers May Meet on Jan. 30

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, may meet in Japan on Jan. 30, Japanese government sources said Thursday. Tokyo and Seoul are working to arrange Ahn’s visit to Japan late this month,
22 Gennaio 2026

Japan Crude Steel Output Falls to 57-Year Low in 2025

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Crude steel production in Japan in 2025 fell to its lowest level in 57 years because of sluggish domestic construction demand and falling prices, the Japan Iron and Steel Federation said Thursday. Annual output fell for the fourth
22 Gennaio 2026

TEPCO Halts Control Rod Removal at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Reactor

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Thursday it has suspended the removal of control rods from the No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, after an alarm sounded during the
22 Gennaio 2026

2026 POLLS: DPFP Chief Tamaki to Assess New Centrist Party

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, has indicated that he will carefully assess developments surrounding a new party formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, also opposition parties, before deciding
22 Gennaio 2026

Immunotherapy Effective against Esophageal Cancer: Study

Kyoto, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy eradicated esophageal cancer in about 70 pct of patients when combined with immunotherapy in a clinical trial, Kyoto University Hospital said. Very few patients developed serious side effects, the hospital in Kyoto, a
22 Gennaio 2026

Nikkei Rallies as Tensions over Greenland Ease

Tokyo, Jan. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rallied on Thursday, reflecting eased concerns about tensions between the United States and Europe regarding Greenland. The index of 225 selected issues listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Prime section closed up
22 Gennaio 2026

Japan’s Chain Store Sales in Dec.:

Japan Chain Stores Association Jan. 22 Yr/Yr Change Total 1,268,815 M. Yen 0.0 pct Foodstuffs 882,195 Up 1.2 Clothing 54,485 Down 6.9 Sundries 123,387 Up 3.6 Furniture and Interior Goods 77,136 Down 9.3 Home Electric Appliances 3,721 Up 0.3 Note: Year-on-year changes
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