Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–The public approval rate for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet dropped 4.5 percentage points from the previous month to 59.3 pct in March, a Jiji Press survey showed Thursday. The fall followed the revelation that Takaichi, who

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–Business sentiment among major Japanese companies in January-March was positive for the third straight quarter, a government survey showed Thursday. The business survey index for companies with capital of 1 billion yen or more stood at plus 4.4,

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–The dollar hit a two-month high above 159 yen in Tokyo trading Thursday, lifted by safe-haven buying amid concerns over a possible prolonged Iran conflict. At 1 p.m., the greenback stood at 159.02-03 yen, up from 158.23-24 yen

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police confirmed 226 cases of damage from ransomware attacks in 2025, the second-highest annual total, data from the National Police Agency showed Thursday. The number of ransomware attacks, in which perpetrators use a computer virus to encrypt

Washington, March 11 (Jiji Press)–The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump opened investigations into trade acts, policies and practices in 16 major trading partners including Japan, China and the European Union as he seeks to impose new tariffs. The probes under Section

Saitama, March 12 (Jiji Press)–A male leukemia patient between 10 and 19 died and two other young male patients are unconscious after spinal injections of anticancer drugs at a hospital in the city of Saitama, near Tokyo, hospital officials have said. The

New York, March 11 (Jiji Press)–Tadashi Yanai, chairman and CEO of Uniqlo clothing chain operator Fast Retailing Co., was the richest Japanese and ranked 32nd on the Forbes’ 2026 ranking of the world’s richest people. Yanai, with a net worth of 61.8

Minamisanriku, Miyagi Pref., March 12 (Jiji Press)–Jin Sato, who served as mayor of Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, for 20 years, has been traveling across Japan to deliver lectures since stepping down in November 2025, hoping to share lessons on disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Washington/Berlin, March 11 (Jiji Press)–The leaders from the Group of Seven major countries on Wednesday welcomed an agreement reached by member countries of the International Energy Agency to release 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves to curb soaring crude oil

Ishinomaki, Miyagi Pref., March 12 (Jiji Press)–In Ishinomaki, a Pacific coastal city in northeastern Japan, Miki Takahashi begins work before dawn, following the rhythm of the sea she chose more than a decade ago. Now 38, the woman from an inland area

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–Business sentiment among major Japanese companies worsened in January-March, a government survey showed on Thursday. The business sentiment index for companies with capital of 1 billion yen or more stood at plus 4.4, down from plus 4.9 for

Tokyo, March 12 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. will maintain the goal of decommissioning its disaster-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan in 2051, a senior TEPCO official in charge of the decommissioning project has indicated. “There’s

(Adnkronos) – Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of Iran, suffered a fractured foot, a hematoma around his left eye, and facial lacerations due to the Israeli-American air raid on February 28 that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and five other

(Adnkronos) – The Iranian army will not allow ”the passage of a single liter of oil” through the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated by the spokesman for Iran’s central command of military operations, Khatam Al-Anbiya, in a note re-launched by state

(Adnkronos) – The Madrid government has definitively withdrawn the Spanish ambassador to Israel, Ana Salomon, reducing the level of relations with Tel Aviv. This was reported by the El Pais website, specifying that the decision, taken at the last Council of Ministers,

(Adnkronos) – The White House believes it can tolerate an increase in oil prices for weeks longer before it becomes a serious political problem. According to sources close to the administration cited by Politico, President Donald Trump’s team considers a possible rise

(Adnkronos) – At least 570 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon since the war between Israel and the United States against Iran extended to the Land of Cedars on March 2. This was stated by the Ministry of Health

(Adnkronos) – Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has approved Scotland Yard’s request to ban the “particularly controversial” al-Quds march, which was scheduled for Sunday in central London, to “prevent serious public disorder.” According to British police, “extreme tensions” could have occurred during the

(Adnkronos) – Access to water resources and their sustainable management are the “cornerstones” of the government’s aid to Africa and its five-billion euro blueprint to spur the continent’s economic development, Italy’s deputy foreign minister Edmondo Cirielli said on Wednesday.   “Access to

(Adnkronos) – The director of the Italian government’s overseas agency AICS, Marco Rusconi, on Wednesday outlined 58 development projects worth some 57 million euros at an event held at the Senate upper house of parliament, AICS wrote on X.  Rusconi presented the

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese national baseball team, nicknamed Samurai Japan, won all four of its pool-stage games in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, advancing to the quarterfinals in the United States. On Tuesday, Samurai Japan defeated the Czech Republic 9-0

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan will release its oil reserves as early as Monday amid soaring crude oil prices, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday. “As oil tankers continue to be virtually unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, oil imports

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, will increase fares by an average 7.1 pct on Saturday, marking the first full-scale fare revision since the privatization of Japan National Railways in 1987, excluding changes due to consumption tax

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–A container ship owned by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has been damaged while anchored in the Persian Gulf, it was learned Wednesday. The Japanese and other crew members were unharmed. The ship is able to sail on

Saitama, March 11 (Jiji Press)–Two members of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force have recounted the experience of risking their lives during a hydrogen explosion at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in March 2011. “When the situation becomes

(Adnkronos) – Italian and Chinese companies will be encouraged to team up on joint film projects under an accord that also aims to foster cultural exchange and grow the national film industry after the cabinet approved a bill ratifying and implementing the

Osaka, March 11 (Jiji Press)–A large underground pipe rose about 13 meters from the ground at a construction site in the western Japan city of Osaka on Wednesday. At around 6:50 a.m., police received a call about the pipe protruding from the

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that the government will release its oil reserves as early as Monday amid soaring crude oil prices. Takaichi also said that the government will keep retail gasoline prices around 170 yen

(Adnkronos) – The United Nations World Food Programme has appealed for fresh funds to keep helping 700,000 people forced to flee their homes since Israel began bombing the south of the country in retaliation for drone and missile attacks against the Jewish

Tokyo, March 11 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese government-chartered flight carrying South Korean nationals, along with Japanese evacuees from the Middle East, arrived at Narita International Airport near Tokyo on Wednesday. This marked the first application of a memorandum of understanding, signed by the