Okayama, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The Okayama branch of Hiroshima High Court ruled Thursday that the July election for Japan’s House of Councillors was held in a state of unconstitutionality due to vote-value disparities. It is the ninth ruling to find that the

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The approval rating for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet stands at 63.8 pct, the second highest for a fledgling Japanese administration, the results of a Jiji Press poll showed Thursday. The rating is surpassed only by the 72.8

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–About 60 pct of respondents support a proposal by Japan’s ruling camp for a 10 pct cut in the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed.

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the ruling coalition are considering a plan to raise the so-called departure tax from the current 1,000 yen per person to 3,000 yen or more to fund measures against overtourism, informed sources said Thursday.

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Amid a rise in cybersecurity risks, the head of Australia’s QBE Insurance Group Ltd. on Thursday emphasized the need for cyber insurance. Group CEO Andrew Horton said that cybersecurity risks have “dramatically changed” over the past 20 years

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–A Jiji Press public opinion poll showed Thursday that 75.1 pct of respondents highly rated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s summit diplomacy with the United States, China and South Korea thus far. Those who gave low scores accounted

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Thursday that it will provide support to households and medical workers struggling with elevated prices as part of a planned economic package. “What is important is to implement necessary policies and budgets without hesitation

New York, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Group of Seven foreign ministers reaffirmed their cooperation in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, at their two-day meeting in Canada’s Niagara region that ended Wednesday. “An immediate ceasefire is

Kyoto, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The Kyoto prefectural police department on Thursday arrested a 61-year-old former policeman of the western Japan prefecture on suspicion of defrauding an elderly person with dementia out of her bank card and bankbook. The former officer, Masato Takeuchi,

Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–A new winery facility is set to open Saturday in a northeastern Japan district heavily damaged by the March 2011 tsunami, raising hopes that it will help liven up the struggling community. Moriumius Marine & Food,

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The approval rating for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet stood at 63.8 pct, the second highest for a fledgling Japanese administration, the results of a Jiji Press poll showed Thursday. The rating was surpassed only by the 72.8

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Wednesday criticized a social media post by Chinese diplomat Xue Jian that slammed remarks made by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over Taiwan. The post was “extremely inappropriate,” Motegi said at an online

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday that it is difficult at the moment to specify a schedule for carrying out reform of political donations from corporations and other organizations. “This is an issue related to freedom of

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Asahi Breweries Ltd. said Thursday that its sales dropped by nearly 10 pct in October from a year earlier, after parent Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. was hit by a cyberattack on Sept. 29 that caused a computer system

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s producer prices in October rose 2.7 pct from a year earlier, reflecting higher prices for food and copper, the Bank of Japan said Thursday. The producer price index, which measures the cost of goods traded between businesses,

Shizuoka, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police on Thursday sent public prosecutors papers on actor Ryoko Hirosue, 45, for alleged negligent driving resulting in injury in a car accident on an expressway in April. Her car rear-ended a large trailer truck in a

Kyoto, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–The Kyoto prefectural police department on Thursday arrested a 61-year-old former officer of the police department in the western Japan prefecture and a woman on suspicion of defrauding an elderly dementia patient out of her bank card and

Akita/Takizawa, Iwate Pref., Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police deployed teams of officers to the country’s northeast on Thursday to cull bears to protect locals amid a wave of attacks. The police have revised rules to enable officers to use rifles to kill

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has pledged to continue supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction in cooperation with the international community, including the framework of the Group of Seven major powers. Also at a 20-minute meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii

Tome-Acu, Brazil, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–An agricultural method in the Amazon rainforest region spread by Japanese immigrants in northern Brazil has attracted attention as a way of preventing global warming. Teeming with rich biodiversity, the Amazon rainforest is known as “the lungs

Paris, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai promoted sake and folk crafts from his western Japan prefecture in Paris over two days through Wednesday. The visit to the French capital was arranged based on Hirai’s wish for his prefecture to deepen

Incheon, South Korea, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese and South Korean governors have affirmed the importance of working together in addressing an array of issues of mutual concern. At a joint meeting of Japan’s National Governors’ Association and the Governors Association of the

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), have agreed to reach a conclusion by year-end on a proposed hike in patients’ out-of-pocket expenses for prescription medicines similar to over-the-counter

(Adnkronos) – A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Paphos region in western Cyprus. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) announced that the earthquake’s epicenter was recorded at a depth of 14 kilometers. The tremor was strong enough to be felt in parts of

(Adnkronos) – Kazakhstan’s parliament has approved a law banning the “promotion of pedophilia and/or non-traditional sexual orientations” in public spaces and media, a measure that mirrors anti-LGBTQ+ regulations introduced in Russia. The text – which will now have to be examined by

(Adnkronos) – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet accused the Thai army on Facebook of opening fire on civilians in Prey Chan village, on the border between the two countries, causing one death and three injuries. According to the Ministry of Information in

(Adnkronos) – Spanish police reported arresting nine people and dismantling a criminal network that used artisanal drones with ”exceptional range” to transport hashish from Morocco to Spain. The drones, explained the Spanish Civil Guard in a statement, departed from southern Spain to

(Adnkronos) – The Algerian presidency has decided to grant a pardon to the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has been in prison since November 16 of last year. The Algerian presidency announced this, explaining that it had ”accepted” the request for pardon

(Adnkronos) – France has been commemorating for days with a series of events the terrorist attacks of November 13 in Paris and Saint-Denis, which ten years ago killed 132 people, including our compatriot Valeria Solesin, and injured over 350. Tomorrow, on the

Liberty, North Carolina, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that it will invest an additional 10 billion dollars in the United States over the next five years to strengthen its production of electrified vehicles. The announcement came at an