Tokyo, Dec. 1 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed her sympathies for the victims of a cyclone that struck Sri Lanka recently. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of many precious lives caused by the cyclone,” she said in

Tokyo, Dec. 1 (Jiji Press)–Dark clouds are hanging over the Japanese ruling coalition’s plan to cut the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament. Reducing Lower House seats is a key

Tokyo, Dec. 1 (Jiji Press)–Amid a summer of intense heat across many regions of Japan, fires linked to electric devices powered by lithium-ion batteries increased this year. With the arrival of winter, the use of electrically heated clothing and rechargeable hand warmers

Jakarta, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Embassy in Indonesia said Sunday that eight Japanese nationals have been stranded in the province of Aceh on the northern end of Indonesia’s Sumatra island due to torrential rains that began on Monday. All of them

Tokyo, Dec. 1 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, turned 24 on Monday. The princess has spent her days busy yet fulfilling, balancing her work at the Japanese Red Cross Society with her official duties

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese central government and Okinawa Prefecture remained apart Sunday over the planned relocation of a U.S. military base within the southernmost Japan prefecture. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara visited Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki at the

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–Takayuki Kobayashi, policy chief of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said in a television program on Sunday that Japan should work on making its economic structure self-reliant, advocating for breaking away from dependence on China. The remark came

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–Katsuya Okada of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said in a recent interview with Jiji Press that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remark on a possible Taiwan contingency “could become a path leading to war.”

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–About 60 pct of designated emergency evacuation sites in areas expected to be damaged by tsunami do not have stockpiles, a survey by Japan’s Cabinet Office showed Sunday. The rate rose to about 80 pct when limited to

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–The yen’s recent rapid depreciation against other major currencies is clearly not driven by economic fundamentals, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said in a television program on Sunday, cautioning against speculative moves on the foreign exchange market. “It’s

Tokyo, Nov. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, celebrated his 60th birthday on Sunday. In a press conference held in advance at the Akasaka East Residence in Tokyo, the Crown Prince said that he had “opportunities

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–Inui Street at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was opened to the public on Saturday for this year’s autumn leaves season. The street is accessible to the public only twice a year, during the cherry blossom and autumn

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government plans to adopt a new cybersecurity strategy next month that calls for necessary measures to address foreign threats such as election interference. A draft of the strategy noted “an increase in state-supported

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–All Nippon Airways said Saturday that it will cancel 95 domestic flights due to necessary software maintenance for its Airbus A320 and A321 jets. The cancellations are expected to affect around 13,200 people, according to the airline, a

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s All Nippon Airways canceled 95 domestic flights on Saturday due to necessary software maintenance for its Airbus A320 and A321 jets. The cancellations affected around 13,200 people. The airline, a unit of ANA Holdings Inc., decided to

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Oita, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–After a large-scale fire broke out in the Saganoseki district of the city of Oita in the namesake prefecture in southwestern Japan, many companies and prominent figures with ties to the region have announced donations and other aid

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan is set to begin full-fledged discussions on revising medical service fees, set by the government under the public health insurance program, in fiscal 2026. Medical sector organizations including the Japan Medical Association are calling for a drastic

Seoul, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–South Korea is considering bidding jointly with Japan to co-host the 2035 men’s soccer Asian Cup, according to South Korean government sources. South Korea’s sports ministry is expected to discuss the matter with the Japanese side soon, the

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–All Nippon Airways said Saturday that it will cancel 95 domestic flights due to necessary software maintenance for its Airbus A320 and A321 jets. The cancellations are expected to affect around 13,200 people, according to the airline, a

Shanghai, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese anime event that kicked off in Shanghai on Friday with a three-day schedule was canceled following an incident where a Japanese singer’s performance was forcibly interrupted at the event venue, according to Japanese entertainment firm Bandai

Tokyo, Nov. 29 (Jiji Press)–Market participants are increasingly speculating that the Bank of Japan could raise its policy interest rate in December, in light of recent remarks by senior BOJ officials indicating the central bank’s willingness to revise its monetary policy soon.

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Friday that the remains of five Ainu people will be returned from the Natural History Museum in Britain to Japan. In early fiscal 2026, which begins next April, officials from the Japanese government and

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese government panel on Friday chose “kagura,” Japanese traditional performing art, and “onsen” hot spring culture as candidates for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage designation. The choice was formally decided at a conference of related ministries and agencies

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police arrested two Chinese nationals on Friday over a series of cases in which accounts at online securities firms were hijacked and used to manipulate stock prices. It is not known whether the suspects, aged 38 and

Sapporo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki on Friday announced his support for the planned restart of the No. 3 reactor at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.’s Tomari nuclear plant in the northern Japan prefecture. “The use of nuclear power is a

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling bloc regained its majority in the House of Representatives as three independent lawmakers agreed Friday to join the Liberal Democratic Party’s parliamentary group in the lower chamber. The deal was reached at a meeting between the

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo High Court ruled Friday that Japan’s Civil Code and other provisions that do not recognize same-sex marriage are constitutional. Presiding Judge Ayumi Higashi said that the current legal provisions and the absence of a same-sex marriage system

Tokyo, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government adopted on Friday a fiscal 2025 draft supplementary budget with 18,303.4 billion yen in general-account spending to finance an economic package centered on aid for household finances and growth investments. It is the first draft

Kobe, Nov. 28 (Jiji Press)–The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office on Friday indicted Takashi Tachibana, leader of a political group criticizing Japan Broadcasting Corp., or NHK, for defaming a former Hyogo prefectural assembly member who apparently committed suicide. Tachibana, 58, was arrested