Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Tuesday that it will start releasing national oil reserves equivalent to 30 days of domestic consumption, or about 8.5 million kiloliters, in stages from Thursday. The government also decided to additionally allocate 800.7 billion

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, all opposition parties, agreed Tuesday to join on Wednesday a recently launched suprapartisan forum to discuss consumption tax reductions and measures related to social security. The

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Justice Ministry held the first meeting of its expert panel on prostitution control Tuesday, with participants discussing making it a crime to pay for sex. The panel will talk about the introduction of punishments against those who

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Various aspects of generative artificial intelligence are set to be taken up in Japanese high school textbooks that will be used from fiscal 2027. The education ministry said Tuesday that a total of 220 textbooks for 11 subjects

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government stresses the need for an early de-escalation of the situation over military clashes between the U.S.-Israeli side and Iran in a draft of its planned Diplomatic Bluebook 2026 released Tuesday. “The peace and stability of

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Tuesday that it has completed the seventh and final round of treated water release into the sea for fiscal 2025 from its crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The average monthly pay for full-time workers in Japan rose 3.1 pct from the previous year to 340,600 yen in 2025, posting a record high for the fourth consecutive year amid continued wage hikes, government data showed Tuesday.

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–A visit by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, to Iwate and Miyagi prefectures has been postponed as the couple have persistent cold symptoms, the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday. They had been slated

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. and others said Tuesday that their tender offer for Toyota Industries Corp., the original company of the Toyota group, has been completed successfully. The Toyota camp offered to buy Toyota Industries shares at 20,600 yen

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Malaysian counterpart, Anwar Ibrahim, agreed Tuesday to cooperate to ease tensions in the Middle East. During their 15-minute phone conversation, Takaichi emphasized the need to work with the international community to

(Adnkronos) – The confirmed death toll from a plane crash yesterday in Colombia is 66, where a military transport plane with 128 people on board, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after takeoff. This was reported by Bogota’s Defense Minister, Pedro Sanchez, according to

(Adnkronos) – Polls open in Denmark for early legislative elections. Social Democratic Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is aiming for a third consecutive term. The spotlight is on Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen, from the center-right, who emerged as the main rival during

(Adnkronos) – With 54 votes in favor and 45 against, the United States Senate has confirmed Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin as the new Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Mullin, a representative in the House for 10 years and a senator

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo High Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling sentencing a 47-year-old former MUFG Bank employee to nine years in prison for allegedly stealing customers’ assets worth 390 million yen from safe deposit boxes. The high court

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. and others said Tuesday that their tender offer for Toyota Industries Corp., the original company of the Toyota group, has been completed successfully. The Toyota camp offered to buy Toyota Industries shares at 20,600 yen

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Nippon Sheet Glass Co. said Tuesday that it will go private in an effort to rebuild its management. The maker of glass for construction and automotive use is slated to be delisted from the stock market in November

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–A visit by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, to Iwate and Miyagi prefectures has been postponed as the couple have persistent cold symptoms, the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday. They had been slated

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government adopted a bill to tighten the law against the fraudulent use of mobile phones at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, in response to a surge in investment fraud and romance scam cases. The bill calls

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, all opposition parties, agreed on Tuesday to join the National Council on Social Security, a suprapartisan forum to discuss consumption tax relief, starting on Wednesday. The

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks rebounded on Tuesday, after two consecutive sessions of heavy losses, as the international crude oil market fell amid eased concerns about the situation in the Middle East. The Nikkei 225 stock average closed at 52,252.28, up

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Tuesday that it will allocate 800.7 billion yen from its fiscal 2025 reserves to take steps aimed at curbing fuel prices. The government will earmark 794.8 billion yen to bolster its fund for subsidies

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday instructed ministries and agencies to draw up measures to ensure stable supplies of petroleum products, such as naphtha, amid the escalating conflict between the U.S.-Israeli forces and Iran. At the day’s

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–An expert panel under the National Council on Social Security, a suprapartisan body to discuss a proposed consumption tax cut and a refundable tax credit system, held its first meeting on Tuesday. The 12-member panel will sort out

Japan Department Stores Association March 24 Yr/Yr Change Total 132,630 M. Yen Up 3.0 pct Clothing 34,326 Up 4.4 Personal Articles 22,153 Down 2.4 Sundry Goods 35,330 Up 8.1 Household Goods 4,572 Down 10.2 Foodstuffs 28,223 Up 1.5 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Department Stores Association March 24 Yr/Yr Change Total 432,015 M. Yen Up 1.6 pct Clothing 109,816 Up 1.6 Personal Articles 69,958 Up 0.4 Sundry Goods 97,943 Up 3.9 Household Goods 12,201 Down 7.5 Foodstuffs 115,850 Up 0.7 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s consumer price inflation decelerated for the third straight month in February, falling below 2 pct for the first time since March 2022, as government subsidies and a gasoline tax cut pushed down energy prices, a government report

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to designate more underground facilities as temporary emergency shelters that will protect people in case of armed attacks. The country will make maximum use of underground spaces, which are safer, the government said. Some

Washington, March 23 (Jiji Press)–An exhibition of haiku poems and drawings themed on cherry blossoms by Japanese and U.S. elementary school children began at the Japan Information and Culture Center in Washington on Monday. The event, which will run until April 10,

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has begun preparing a stopgap budget in case that its fiscal 2026 budget bill is not enacted by March 31, the end of fiscal 2025, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tuesday. This will be the

Tokyo, March 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan will this month begin prioritizing for heart transplants patients who are at high risk of dying within one month without the procedure. The Japanese Circulation Society and the Japanese Society for Heart Transplantation said Monday that they