Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday began full-scale talks on revising the tax system for fiscal 2026, including how much to raise the country’s minimum taxable income level. “From the tax side, we must fully support efforts

Oita, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–A large-scale fire that broke out in the Saganoseki district of the southwestern Japan city of Oita on Tuesday has been brought under control, excluding on a nearby uninhabited island, the local fire department said Thursday. “We’ll continue

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings Inc. plans to help local governments cull wild bears under an emergency system introduced recently following rises in deaths and injuries from bear attacks in the country, Jiji Press learned Thursday. The company

Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Pref., Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The famed oyster industry in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, has been hit by a catastrophic blow from mass deaths at farms. Oyster farms in central Hiroshima have reported that 80-90 pct of their oysters had died,

(Adnkronos) – Croatian premier Andrej Plenkovic’s visit to Rome shows “the desire to open a new chapter” in his country’s “already solid” partnership with Italy, premier Giorgia Meloni told journalists late on Wednesday at a joint press conference.  ‘I am delighted to

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Thursday that the country has completed the delivery of Patriot Advanced Capability-3, or PAC-3, surface-to-air guided missiles to the United States. The missiles, held by the Air Self-Defense Force, were exported

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average climbed more than 2,000 points at one point Thursday, as a wave of buying swept through semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares following the overnight release of strong earnings from U.S. chip giant

Luang Prabang, Laos, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Princess Aiko visited Luang Prabang, the ancient capital of Laos, on a day trip Thursday during her official visit to the Southeast Asian country. Dressed in traditional Lao clothing, the only child of Emperor Naruhito

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Use of nail salons by men has been gradually spreading in Japan in recent years, reflecting their growing consciousness about taking care of their looks. Takako Sakashita opened what she said is the country’s first-ever men-only nail salon

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass on Thursday condemned China’s effective suspension of imports of Japanese fishery products. “Coercion is a hard habit to break for Beijing,” Glass said in a post on X. “But just as the

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japanese ruling and opposition lawmakers Thursday voiced the need to tighten regulations on social media platform businesses in the first deliberation at the House of Representatives’ Commission on the Constitution held during the current parliamentary session. In the

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to set the size of its upcoming comprehensive economic package, including large-scale tax reductions, at 21.3 trillion yen, it was learned Thursday. The government will adopt the package at a cabinet meeting as early

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan should raise interest rates to avoid future distortions as rates are currently significantly low, BOJ policymaker Junko Koeda said on Thursday. The central bank “needs to proceed with interest rate normalization” from significantly low

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Improper management of confidential documents related to antiterrorism measures has been found at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in central Japan, it was learned Thursday. The Nuclear Regulation Authority held a closed meeting

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–China and Russia have been deepening military cooperation over Taiwan and the East and South China seas, a Japanese government think tank said Thursday. In an annual report on China’s military activities, the National Institute for Defense Studies,

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Two of Japan’s three major nonlife insurance companies have reported larger consolidated net profits than a year before in the first half of fiscal 2025. The three companies’ combined net profits for April-September jumped 15.7 pct to 1,538.9

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will soon hold the first meeting of a new panel of experts to discuss ways to realize a society of orderly coexistence with foreign people, Jiji Press has learned. The inaugural meeting will likely be

Washington, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–The U.S. government said Wednesday that it has approved the sale of munitions, including precision guided glide bombs, to Japan for 82 million dollars. The munitions include the GBU-53 precision guided glide bomb with a range of some

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly jumped more than 2,000 points to climb back above 50,000 on Thursday morning. U.S. semiconductor giant Nvidia’s strong earnings and the yen’s weakening against the dollar prompted investors to step up

New York, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–The dollar topped 157 yen in New York trading Wednesday for the first time since mid-January, reflecting a significant retreat in market expectations for an additional interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve by the end

(Adnkronos) – Foreign minister Antonio Tajani, around 500 Italian firms, Italy’s trade agency ICE, private employers’ association Confindustria and other key economic players will attend a bilateral business forum in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said in a

(Adnkronos) – Foreign minister Antonio Tajani, around 500 Italian firms, Italy’s trade agency ICE, private employers’ association Confindustria and other key economic players will attend a bilateral business forum in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said in a

Tokyo, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–A 53-year-old doctor at the University of Tokyo Hospital was arrested Wednesday for allegedly taking about 700,000 yen in bribes from a medical equipment maker official in return for using the firm’s devices on a priority basis. Arrested

Tokyo, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–A 53-year-old doctor at the University of Tokyo Hospital was arrested Wednesday for allegedly taking about 700,000 yen in bribes from a medical equipment maker official in return for using the firm’s devices on a priority basis. Arrested

Oita, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–A fire that started near a fishing port in the southwestern Japan city of Oita on Tuesday evening has burned more than 170 buildings, including houses, and left one person dead. It has not yet been fully extinguished.

(Adnkronos) – The United Nations migration agency (IOM) on Wednesday hailed the Italian foreign ministry’s support to Lebanon’s businesses over the past two years, saying the aid had eased hardship in the crisis-hit country and helped curb illegal immigration.  “With support from

Tokyo, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government’s planned comprehensive economic package will likely be worth over 20 trillion yen, it was learned Wednesday. The package, including the abolition of the provisional gasoline and gas oil tax surcharges and other large-scale tax reductions,

Tokyo, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, economic and fiscal policy minister Minoru Kiuchi and Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda held talks on Wednesday and agreed on the need to balance stable prices and economic growth. “We’ll make every

London, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–The yen slipped past 156 against the dollar to hit 10-month lows in London foreign exchange trading Wednesday. Yen selling increased after Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama told reporters following a meeting with Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo

Vientiane, Nov. 19 (Jiji Press)–Princess Aiko, daughter of Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, visited an education center on unexploded ordnances in the Lao capital of Vientiane on Wednesday. Between 1964 and 1973, during the Vietnam War, the U.S. military dropped more