News - Page 45

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese internal affairs minister Toranosuke Katayama, who served as co-chief of the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai), died of old age at a hospital in Tokyo on Thursday. He was 90. Katayama, a native of

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and ruling parties decided Thursday to implement a planned income tax hike in January 2027, as part of efforts to secure funding for increased defense spending. The decision, which will be included in the ruling

Nara, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors on Thursday sought a life sentence for Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with fatally shooting former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the western city of Nara in July 2022. In the 15th hearing of the

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito held a meeting with visiting Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday. In addition to the 20-minute meeting, Emperor Naruhito and the Kazakh leader had an hour-long luncheon at the

Washington, Dec. 17 (Jiji Press)–Bipartisan U.S. senators on Wednesday introduced a resolution expressing support for Japan and condemning China’s economic and military pressure amid Tokyo-Beijing tensions over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a potential Taiwan contingency. The resolution criticizes Beijing

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling bloc and opposition Komeito on Thursday agreed to pay a monthly fee of 5,200 yen per student to make public elementary school meals free, starting in fiscal 2026. A survey by the education ministry showed that

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Two helicopters of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force were hit by laser beams over Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday and Wednesday, the GSDF has said. There was no damage to the helicopters or injuries to crew members on

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its policy interest rate by 0.25 percentage point to a 30-year-high of 0.75 pct on Friday, its first increase since January. Policymakers at the central bank apparently think that companies

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Thursday welcomed the United States’ decision to extend Japan’s import permit for the Sakhalin-2 oil and gas project in Russia’s Far East. “The extension of an exemption from sanctions has been

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People agreed at a meeting of their tax panel chairs on Thursday to raise the taxable income threshold from the current 1.6 million yen to 1.78