Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday expressed eagerness to advance legislation to give legal validity to the use of maiden names. Speaking before the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, Takaichi

Osaka, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Osaka Gas Co. plans to sell 70,000 tons of liquefied natural gas a year as ship fuel through offshore supply by 2030, President Masataka Fujiwara said in a recent interview. The Japanese company will enter the offshore LNG

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A power line connecting the northern Japan island of Hokkaido and the country’s Honshu main island caught fire, Japanese industry minister Ryosei Akazawa said Tuesday. According to the power line operator, Electric Power Development Co., the fire, which

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese long-term interest rates have been rising at a somewhat rapid pace recently, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said Tuesday. The BOJ “will increase its purchases of Japanese government bonds and take other measures flexibly in an

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday disputed Beijing’s insistence that the use of radar by Chinese military aircraft on Japanese fighter jets was a “normal measure” to ensure flight safety. “Even when radar is used for area searches to

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan plans to create a ministerial post for intelligence-related matters as part of efforts to enhance its ability to collect and analyze domestic and foreign information, government officials said Tuesday. The minister would supervise an envisioned national intelligence

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–The most popular names given to babies born in Japan in 2025 were “Minato” and “So,” written with the same kanji character, for boys, and “Sui” for girls, a survey by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. showed Tuesday.

Silicon Valley, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–The latest film in the “Demon Slayer” franchise was nominated for a Golden Globe in the best animated motion picture category on Monday. The first chapter of the “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba–Infinity Castle” trilogy is one

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Mizuho Bank said Tuesday that it will raise its long-term prime lending rate for December to 2.6 pct from the current 2.45 pct, due to higher bond yields and other factors. The move, effective Wednesday, will be the

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Finance ministers from the Group of Seven major powers have released a joint statement reaffirming cooperation to diversify global supply chains for rare earth minerals. “We will continue to collaborate with international allies and industry partners to reduce

Seoul, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik has expressed his hope to visit Japan at an early date to boost exchanges between the two countries’ lawmakers. “I hope to exchange views frankly about developing future-oriented bilateral relations” with

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Justice Ministry on Tuesday proposed numerical criteria for dangerous driving offenses, including on vehicle velocities past speed limits and blood alcohol levels, under a planned revision to the law on punishment for such acts. The ministry submitted

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A hotline between Japanese and Chinese defense authorities does not appear to be working after an incident in which Chinese military aircraft directed radar at Japanese Self-Defense Forces jets, sources have said. Beijing has continued military activities in

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake mainly struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, including Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor occurred at a depth of 54 kilometers

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Fewer companies are going public in Japan in 2025 than in the previous year apparently because stock prices fell sharply in early April amid concerns about high U.S. tariffs. The number of companies going public on Japanese stock

Bangkok, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A 15-year-old junior high school girl from the northeastern Japan city of Yamagata has become the youngest-ever professional Muay Thai competitor in Thailand, where the martial art is a national sport. Airi Kadowaki, who is in her third

Beijing, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–The operator of the international ferry Jian Zhen Hao linking Shanghai with the western Japan cities of Kobe and Osaka said it has suspended passenger services on the vessel. The operator, Japan-China International Ferry Co., said Monday the

Sapporo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Hokkaido Spaceport (HOSPO), Japan’s only rocket launch site open to the private sector, which also features a runway, is steadily raising its profile. An increasing number of domestic and overseas companies are looking at using HOSPO, located in

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Empress Masako turned 62 on Tuesday, with stronger hope for peace cultivated through her visits this year to places associated with World War II. Marking the 80th year since the war ended, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake mainly struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, including Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 7.6, occurred

Stockholm, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Kyoto University professor Susumu Kitagawa, one of the three winners of this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry, said Monday that the world has shifted over to a “gas age” through his own development of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs.

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake mainly struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, including Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 7.6, occurred

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Fair Trade Commission issued a warning Monday to Snic Co., a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corp., for unreasonably keeping unchanged unit prices for subcontractors producing auto parts despite significant decreases in order volumes in violation of the

Tokyo, Dec. 9 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, including Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 7.6, occurred at

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, mainly Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 7.6, occurred

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake struck Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, mainly Aomori Prefecture, on Monday night, measuring up to upper 6, the second highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 7.6, occurred

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Taro Yamamoto won a third term as leader of Japanese opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi on Monday. The new term of the 51-year-old will run until December 2028. “I’ll work hard for the party’s next stage,” he said. The

Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan Broadcasting Corp., or NHK, will promote Executive Vice President Tatsuhiko Inoue, 68, to president to succeed Nobuo Inaba, 75, whose term expires next month, the Board of Governors of the public broadcaster said Monday. Inoue will serve

Beijing, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Beijing claimed Monday that the Chinese military activated radars on Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets for search purposes. “To activate search radar during flight training is commonly done by carrier-based aircraft of all countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry

By Yuka Moriyama Tokyo, Dec. 8 (Jiji Press)–Justin Hayhurst, the outgoing Australian ambassador to Japan, on Monday stressed the importance of continued efforts to deepen defense and security cooperation between the two nations. At the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, he