Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Friday that the government will respond “very carefully” to parliamentary questions about a potential Taiwan contingency. At a press conference on the day, Kihara admitted that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent

Miyazaki, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Fukuoka High Court’s branch in the southwestern Japan city of Miyazaki ruled Friday that the July 20 House of Councillors election was held “in an unconstitutional state” due to wide vote-value gaps. This was the 10th ruling finding

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to establish a think tank in spring 2027 featuring four divisions to strengthen its policymaking capabilities on economic security, it was learned Friday. According to multiple government sources, the divisions will respectively focus on

(Adnkronos) – Lebanon’s new envoy Carla Jazzar, has presented her credentials to president Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s embassy wrote Friday on X, wishing Jazzar well in her new assignment.  “Yesterday, the newly appointed ambassador of Lebanon to Italy, @jazzar_carla, presented her credentials to

Vientiane, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Princess Aiko visited the Lao Silk Residence, an exhibition of traditional textiles, in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on Friday, the last day of her official visit to the Southeast Asian country. After receiving an explanation that

Niigata, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi on Friday showed his tolerance of the restart of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in the central Japan prefecture. Announcing the plan at an extraordinary press conference, Hanazumi called

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average fell back nearly 1,200 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Friday, weighed down by selling focused on stocks related to artificial intelligence. The Nikkei index closed at at 48,625.88, down 1,198.06

Niigata, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi on Friday showed his tolerance of the restart of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in the central Japan prefecture. Announcing the plan at an extraordinary press conference, Hanazumi called

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Most moss spores germinated normally after spending about nine months in outer space, a team of researchers in Japan said Friday, confirming that mosses can survive for an extended period in the harsh space environment. The team’s findings

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), on Friday agreed to finalize a plan to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives within a year. At

Melbourne, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Signatory countries to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, decided at a ministerial meeting Friday to launch membership talks with Indonesia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. The 12 signatories, including Japan,

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday criticized China’s decision to put off a meeting between the Japanese, Chinese and South Korean cultural ministers because of remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about a Taiwan conflict. Beijing’s rhetoric “threatens

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday adopted a comprehensive economic package worth some 21.3 trillion yen in state funds, aiming to achieve a strong economy through strategic fiscal spending. The first economic package compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi,

Nara, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuya Yamagami, on trial for the 2022 murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said in Nara District Court on Thursday that he should not have lived to his current age of 45, given the consequence of

By Riku Nagata Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The history of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, the oldest in Japan, is intertwined with that of the country’s involvement in World War II, which ended 80 years ago. Today, the zoo in the Japanese capital’s Taito

By Riku Nagata Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Following the end of World War II, Ueno Zoo worked tirelessly to rebuild itself after losing popular animals such as elephants to wartime culling. Enlivened by the Children’s Zoo and the monkey train, Ueno Zoo

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Three of Japan’s four major life insurance companies enjoyed insurance premium income growth in April-September, their earnings reports have shown. All the four–Nippon Life Insurance Co., Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. and Dai-ichi Life

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama on Friday hinted that Tokyo may conduct a foreign exchange intervention following the recent depreciation of the yen. “We will take appropriate action as necessary in response to excess volatility and disorderly

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will provide all households with children aged zero to 18 with a support allowance of 20,000 yen per child as a one-time measure, the Children and Families Agency said Friday. The support allowance, a pillar

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s core consumer price index in October rose 3.0 pct from a year earlier, up for 50 consecutive months, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. The core CPI, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, stood at 112.1 against

Washington, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The United States remains committed to Japan’s defense, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Piggott said on Thursday. “Our commitment to the U.S.-Japan Alliance and to Japan’s defense, including the Japan-administered Senkakus, is unwavering,” he said on X,

Beijing, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian has warned that her country may increase economic pressure on Japan, urging Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her comments regarding a potential Taiwan contingency. At a press conference on Thursday,

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly dropped more than 1,200 points on Friday morning, pressured by overnight falls in all three U.S. major stock gauges. At 9:12 a.m., the Nikkei index stood down 1,264.260 points, or 2.54

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–With Friday marking one month since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, the new Japanese leader’s plain speaking is proving to be both an asset and a liability. A government source said that Takaichi’s straight talk has been

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japanese athletes swept the podium in the men’s hammer throw at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Thursday, led by Riki Toyama, 21, who claimed the gold medal with a throw of 60.19 meters, his personal best. Masatoshi Morimoto,

(Adnkronos) – The European Union must be a “party” in any negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s 45-month-old military occupation of Ukraine, which is also a “security barrier” for the continent, Italy said on Thursday.  “Europe will also have to play its role,

(Adnkronos) – The Sahel is “a priority” for Italy and needs a greater European presence to help stabilise the coup-hit region and shield civilians from worsening security threats posed by a growing Islamist militant presence, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday. 

(Adnkronos) – Italy already trains Palestinian police officers in the occupied West Bank and could also train a future Gaza Strip police force from neighbouring Egypt or Jordan, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday.  ‘We have always been willing to play

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday began talks to update the country’s three key national security documents by the end of 2026, as declared by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The LDP plans to draw up related proposals

Nara, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuya Yamagami, on trial for the 2022 murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said in Nara District Court on Thursday that he should not have lived to his current age of 45, given the consequence of