Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s government and ruling bloc plan to extend a corporate tax break program for companies relocating their headquarters functions from Tokyo’s 23 special wards to regional areas for two years until the end of March 2028, Jiji Press

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. may post a consolidated net profit of 2 trillion yen earlier than the currently expected period of around 2030, President Toru Nakashima has said. On the back of brisk domestic business, the

Iwata, Shizuoka Pref., Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co. plans to release a 125 cc moped model meeting new emissions rules in March, its president, Motofumi Shitara, has said. The company hopes to make sure that “people find it easy to

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to introduce a permit system for scrap yard operations as part of efforts to tighten regulations in the sector, informed sources have told Jiji Press. The permit system is being considered in response to

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Honda Motor Co. plans to reduce vehicle production at some plants in Japan and China from late this month through early January due to a shortage of semiconductors, company officials said Wednesday. In Japan, the company will suspend

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and British Defense Secretary John Healey have shared serious concerns over China’s moves, including a recent joint flight by Chinese and Russian bombers off the Pacific coast. In a videoconference held Wednesday, Koizumi

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The extraordinary Diet session, which concluded on Wednesday, exposed instability in the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October, while her cabinet maintained high approval ratings. During the session, Takaichi occasionally jeopardized her

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–More than half of cases reported to Japanese police of sexual deepfakes targeting those aged under 18 were created with the involvement of students from the same schools as the victims, National Police Agency data have shown. This

(Adnkronos) – Australian police have formalized very serious charges against Naveed Akram, considered responsible for the most serious terrorist attack in the country’s history. The young man will face 59 charges, including 15 murders and a terrorism charge. According to investigators, he

(Adnkronos) – “Oil and product export operations continue normally. Tankers connected to Pdvsa operations continue to sail in full safety.” Thus, the Venezuelan national oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) states that Donald Trump’s announcement of a blockade of all tankers departing

(Adnkronos) – Pakistan claims to have been the victim of a web disinformation campaign after the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia. “When the attack occurred,” some media were quick to claim that one of the attackers was from Pakistan, the other born

(Adnkronos) – The Hungarian parliament has approved a law that risks sending Budapest mayor Gergely Karacsony, from the opposition, to prison, as it could force the cash-strapped municipality to take out loans under unclear conditions. A few weeks ago, Karacsony, from the

(Adnkronos) – Taiwan reports the first transit of the new Chinese aircraft carrier Fujian in the Taiwan Strait since it ‘entered service’. “The People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier Fujian (CV-18) passed through the Taiwan Strait yesterday,” Taipei’s Ministry of Defense announced

(Adnkronos) – Japan is “always open” to dialogue with China. This was stated by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, considered a hawk, after tensions between the two countries triggered by her previous statements on Taiwan. Today, Kyodo news agency reports, Takaichi spoke

(Adnkronos) – ”If Kyiv refuses to negotiate on the merits” of ceding Ukrainian territories, ”Russia will achieve the liberation of the territories by military means”. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by Ria Novosti. 

(Adnkronos) – Employees of the Louvre Museum in Paris voted “unanimously” this morning for a second day of strike. This was announced by the trade unions Cfdt T (Confédération française démocratique du travail) and Cgt (Confédération générale du travail). “The strike notice

(Adnkronos) – Thousands of people took to the streets in central Tunis to commemorate the beginning, fifteen years ago, of the so-called Jasmine Revolution which sparked the Arab Springs. On this day, in 2010, the street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi immolated himself in

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plan to allocate 264.7 billion yen for the development of Okinawa Prefecture in the fiscal 2026 budget, an increase of 500 million yen from the previous year, informed sources

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. said Wednesday it will purchase British drinks giant Diageo PLC’s alcohol business in East Africa for 465.4 billion yen. The deal covers beer and spirits operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, where beer demand

Nagoya, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. on Wednesday released a new version of its RAV4 SUV, the first model to use the Japanese automaker’s Arene software platform for better safety. The RAV4 underwent its first full redesign in about six years.

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday expressed her intention to continue talks with China to improve deteriorating bilateral relations over her remarks on a Taiwan contingency. “We want to continue frank dialogue and comprehensively promote a mutually

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo climbed to second place for the first time in global city power rankings released by a Japanese think tank Wednesday, buoyed by a surge in the number of visitors to Japan. London ranked first, while New York

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-November is estimated to have totaled 39,065,600, already exceeding the annual record high of about 36.87 million marked last year, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The 11-month figure

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–SBI Shinsei Bank made a comeback to the Tokyo Stock Exchange after a hiatus of some two years on Wednesday, in one of the largest stock listings this year. After fetching the first quotation of 1,586 yen apiece,

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese office and household goods supplier Askul Corp. resumed Wednesday shipping operations using its logistics system after a two-month hiatus caused by a cyberattack. For the time being, shipments will be made from the company’s two logistics centers

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese labor leader Tomoko Yoshino has expressed opposition to a proposal by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration to give legal validity to the use of former surnames after marriage. The plan “would not be a full-fledged solution (to

(Adnkronos) – The Premier of New South Wales in Australia, Chris Minns, declared after the funeral of Rabbi Eli Shlanger, murdered in the Bondi Beach massacre, that he will propose changes to gun ownership policy. “Parliament will discuss urgent changes next week,”

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, aborted the launch of an H3 rocket on Wednesday after detecting a ground equipment anomaly. The launch was halted just before the rocket’s scheduled liftoff at 11:11 a.m. from the Tanegashima

Tokyo, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged Wednesday to hold talks with China to improve deteriorating bilateral relations. “We want to continue frank dialogue and comprehensively promote a mutually beneficial relationship (with China) based on common strategic interests,” Takaichi

Maebashi, Gunma Pref., Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Former Maebashi Mayor Akira Ogawa announced her comeback bid on Wednesday, saying she will run in the Gunma prefectural capital’s mayoral election to be held next month due to her resignation over hotel visits with a