Latest News

2 Maggio 2026

Japan to Support Vietnam’s Crude Oil Procurement

Hanoi, May 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Vietnamese counterpart, Le Minh Hung, agreed Saturday to position economic security cooperation as a pillar of their countries’ bilateral relations, including Japan’s public-private support for Vietnam’s crude oil procurement. At their
2 Maggio 2026

Iwate Town Declares Forest Fire under Control on 11th Day

Otsuchi, Iwate Pref., May 2 (Jiji Press)–The northeastern Japan town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, declared Saturday that the forest fire that broke out on April 22 has come under control. According to the prefectural government, the fire burned about 1,633 hectares, making
2 Maggio 2026

Memorial Park Opens 15 Years after Fukushima Disaster

Fukushima, May 2 (Jiji Press)–A memorial park dedicated to mourning the victims of the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster opened in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Saturday. The Fukushima March 11 Memorial Park was jointly established by the Japanese government
2 Maggio 2026

Hidankyo Official Calls A-Bombs Devil’s Weapons in NPT Speech

New York, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Jiro Hamasumi, secretary-general of the Japan Confederation of A-and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, delivered a speech at the 2026 review conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in New York on Friday, saying that atomic bombs
2 Maggio 2026

Japan Ministers Visiting Overseas during Golden Week Holiday

Tokyo, May 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and 10 members of her cabinet are visiting overseas during the ongoing Golden Week holiday period through next week. During their trips, the ministers are expected to focus on promoting Japan’s economic security,
2 Maggio 2026

Hurdles Remain after Start of Emergency Contraception OTC Sales

Tokyo, May 2 (Jiji Press)–Psychological and financial hurdles remain high for junior and senior high school girls in buying emergency contraception three months after it became available over the counter in Japan. Emergency contraception can prevent unwanted pregnancy with a high probability
2 Maggio 2026

FOCUS: Japan Resolved to Prop Up Yen thru Intervention

Tokyo, May 2 (Jiji Press)–Desperately hoping to stop the yen’s rapid depreciation, the Japanese government and the Bank of Japan apparently implemented their first currency market intervention in about two years on Thursday afternoon. Earlier that day, the dollar was trading above
1 Maggio 2026

JR West Announces Foray into Banking Biz

Osaka, May 1 (Jiji Press)–West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, announced Friday a capital and business tie-up with the Resona Holdings Inc. group to make its first foray into the banking business as early as fiscal 2027, starting next April. The
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Starts Additional Release of State Oil Reserves

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Japan started releasing on Friday additional state oil reserves equivalent to about 20 days of domestic consumption, amid crude oil procurement concerns brought on by the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The reserves will be
1 Maggio 2026

Ceremony Held on 70th Anniv. Of Minamata Disease Recognition

Minamata, Kumamoto Pref., May 1 (Jiji Press)–A ceremony to remember Minamata disease victims was held in the southwestern Japan city of Minamata on Friday, the 70th anniversary of the official recognition of the neurological disorder caused by polluted industrial wastewater. The event,
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Seen Having Conducted Yen-Buying Intervention Thurs.

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the Bank of Japan are believed to have conducted a yen-buying, dollar-selling market intervention on Thursday night, it was learned Friday. The amount of the intervention has been estimated at around 5-6 trillion yen.
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Seen Having Conducted Yen-Buying Intervention Thurs.

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the Bank of Japan are believed to have conducted a yen-buying, dollar-selling market intervention on Thursday night, it was learned Friday. The amount of the intervention has been estimated at around 5-6 trillion yen.
1 Maggio 2026

JR West Announces Foray into Banking Biz

Osaka, May 1 (Jiji Press)–West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, announced Friday a capital and business tie-up with the Resona Holdings Inc. group to make its first foray into the banking business as early as fiscal 2027 starting next April. The
1 Maggio 2026

FOCUS: Film Commissions Boosting Local Areas in Japan

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Film commissions, set up by local governments to attract production crews for location shooting of films, dramas and other works, are contributing to local communities, about a quarter century after the first such commission was launched in Japan.
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Ranks 62nd in Press Freedom

(Typo in 4th para corrected) Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Japan ranked 62nd among 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, released on Thursday by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF. The ranking was four notches higher than the previous year. But
1 Maggio 2026

PM Takaichi Leaves Japan to Visit Vietnam, Australia

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi left Japan on Friday afternoon to visit Vietnam and Australia to affirm cooperation in the field of economic security with the two countries’ leaders. During her visit to Vietnam, Takaichi is slated to
1 Maggio 2026

Japan to Establish DMAT Secretariats in Hokkaido, Kyushu

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health ministry will establish a secretariat for the disaster medical assistance team, or DMAT, program in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido and another in the Kyushu southwestern region within fiscal 2026, which started last month. By creating
1 Maggio 2026

Japanese National among 2 Dead in Plane Crash in Australia

Sydney, May 1 (Jiji Press)–A 29-year-old Australian flight instructor and a 24-year-old Japanese student died in a plane crash at an Australian airport on Wednesday, police and others said. A Diamond DA42 twin-engine aircraft carrying the two crashed into a hangar at
1 Maggio 2026

Hiroshima Governor Calls for N-Arms Abolition at NPT Event

New York, April 30 (Jiji Press)–Hiroshima Governor Mika Yokota has highlighted the significance of abolishing nuclear weapons, at an event held on the sidelines of a review conference for the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. “The only sure way to prevent the use of
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Ex-PM Kishida, Philippine Pres. Discuss Energy Cooperation

Manila, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have discussed measures to strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries, at a meeting in Manila. Visiting the Philippines as a special envoy of Japanese Prime
1 Maggio 2026

Breakdown of Japan’s New Minivehicle Sales in April:

Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association May 1 Yr/Yr Change Total 118,582 units Down 5.7 pct Passenger Cars 91,447 Down 4.8 Trucks 27,135 Down 8.9 -Brand- Suzuki 42,559 Down 7.4 Daihatsu 37,776 Down 5.0 Mitsubishi 4,278 Down 13.1 Subaru 1,297 Up
1 Maggio 2026

Japan’s April New Auto Sales, Excluding Minivehicles:

Japan Automobile Dealers Association May 1 Yr/Yr Change Total 255,370 units Up 17.6 pct Over-2,000-c.c. Cars 145,773 Up 13.0 Smaller Cars 77,596 Up 24.9 Trucks 30,959 Up 22.8 Buses 1,042 Up 33.6 -Brand- Daihatsu 2,490 Up 67.7 Honda 27,937 Up 13.5 Lexus
1 Maggio 2026

Tokyo Inflation Slows to 1.5 Pct in April

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Inflation in central Tokyo slowed to 1.5 pct year-on-year in April from 1.7 pct in the previous month, the Japanese internal affairs ministry said Friday. The pace of growth in the core consumer price index for Tokyo’s densely
1 Maggio 2026

Japan Delivers Joint Statement at NPT Meeting

New York, April 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan announced in New York on Thursday that 115 nations and regions have taken part in a joint statement calling for promoting education on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. Tomiko Ichikawa, Japan’s disarmament ambassador, delivered the statement at
1 Maggio 2026

Japanese Tennis Star Nishikori Announces Retirement

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–Japanese professional tennis star Kei Nishikori said on social media Friday that he will retire from competition at the end of this season. Nishikori, 36, who was formerly ranked fourth in the world in men’s tennis singles and
1 Maggio 2026

Japan to Raise Auto Liability Insurance Premiums

Tokyo, May 1 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese government advisory panel on Thursday approved a plan to raise compulsory automobile liability insurance premiums by 6.2 pct on average, effective on Nov. 1, the first hike in 13 years. The decision by the Compulsory Automobile
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