Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito should merge with the Centrist Reform Alliance fully, including at the local level, CRA leader Junya Ogawa said in an interview with Jiji Press on Tuesday. “Prolonged stagnation…could sink them

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government adopted on Friday a bill designed to overhaul Japan’s adult guardianship system for people with dementia and others, aiming to improve user convenience amid an aging society. The bill is also aimed at enabling the

Naha, Okinawa Pref., April 3 (Jiji Press)–A Chinese maritime survey vessel that had been operating without permission in Japan’s exclusive economic zone off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture has left the area, according to the Japan Coast Guard. The Chinese ship

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is looking at revising the unique rank titles used by the Self-Defense Forces in fiscal 2026. Under the proposal, the current titles would be replaced by more widely recognized Japanese

Seoul, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, have reaffirmed cooperation to ensure security and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In a roughly 20-minute phone call Thursday, the two foreign ministers discussed

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–Local authorities in Japan are warning people to watch out for bears as they emerge from hibernation. According to the Environment Ministry, the number of bear attack victims in fiscal 2025 had reached 237 by February, the highest

Tokyo, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The Imperial Household Agency on Friday released a list of 1,753 guests for an upcoming spring Imperial garden party in Tokyo, including figure skating pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who won gold at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–The number of people in Japan who plan to travel abroad during the upcoming Golden Week holiday period is expected to rise 8.5 pct from a year earlier to 572,000, a survey by major travel agency JTB Corp.

(Adnkronos) – Moldova has decided to finalize its withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), a Russia-dominated group that united nine of the fifteen former Soviet republics. The termination of the 1991 founding agreement, the associated protocol, and the 1993 statute

(Adnkronos) – Austria has rejected the US request to allow its military aircraft to overfly Austrian territory as part of the war against Iran. This was stated by Colonel Michael Bauer, spokesman for the Austrian Ministry of Defense. “There have indeed been

(Adnkronos) – Russia is preparing to send a second oil tanker to Cuba, Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilyov announced on the occasion of the Energoprom-2026 Forum. “Yesterday there was an important meeting in St. Petersburg with a delegation from Havana. Cuba is under

(Adnkronos) – Iraq’s oil export revenues for March decreased by over 70% compared to February, according to Ali Nizar, director of the State Oil Marketing Organization (Somo), the Iraqi state company responsible for oil sales. In the month immediately following the outbreak

(Adnkronos) – A fire broke out near Mashhad airport in northeastern Iran after a raid struck a fuel depot located near the facility. Iranian media reported this. 

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako met with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday. During their 20-minute talks, the two sides discussed cultural exchanges between Japan and France, according

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Narita International Airport Corp. has abandoned its plan to open a new runway in March 2029 due to challenges in acquiring necessary land, it was learned Thursday. After meeting with transport minister Yasushi Kaneko in Tokyo on the

(Adnkronos) – The air defenses of the United Arab Emirates announced that they intercepted 19 ballistic missiles and 26 drones launched from Iran today. Since the beginning of the war, the Emirati defense has intercepted 457 ballistic missiles, 19 cruise missiles, and

(Adnkronos) – Moscow and Cairo could start discussions to create an energy hub in Egypt, Russian President Vladimir Putin anticipated after meeting Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty at the Kremlin. Putin stressed that Russia and Egypt already have many projects, several of

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and Okinawa Prefecture have decided to hold the first field drill to evacuate residents of the southernmost prefecture’s remote islands under the civil protection law, it was learned Thursday. With a Taiwan contingency in mind,

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industry minister Ryosei Akazawa on Thursday instructed senior officials from relevant government ministries and agencies to grasp the supply chain situation of critical products amid the ongoing military conflict between the U.S.-Israel camp and Iran. At the

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–High crude oil prices stemming from rising tensions in the Middle East are dampening corporate sentiment in Japan, with the Bank of Japan’s “tankan” quarterly survey for March showing that both large manufacturers and nonmanufacturers expect their business

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Japan plans to keep calling for an early de-escalation of the military clashes between the U.S.-Israeli side and Iran through dialogue after U.S. President Donald Trump’s closely followed speech provided no surprise on the matter. Prime Minister Sanae

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday addressed privacy concerns regarding a bill to establish a national intelligence council aimed at enhancing the government’s intelligence capabilities. The planned council “will not unnecessarily infringe on citizens’ privacy,” Takaichi said

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police took action against 12,178 people over crimes related to “tokuryu” anonymous and transient crime groups in 2025, the National Police Agency said Thursday. In a report on organized crimes released the same day, the NPA pointed

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese mobile communications company NTT Docomo Inc. said Thursday that it will launch a service linking smartphones directly to U.S. space business SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications network April 27. The service enables sending and receiving text messages, as

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Unification Church believers are preparing to set up a new organization following a Tokyo High Court order to dissolve the religious group, it was learned Thursday. When the new organization will be established has not yet been decided,

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks plummeted Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump’s closely watched address dashed hopes for de-escalation in Middle East tensions, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 average briefly losing over 1,400 points. The index of 225 selected issues listed

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks plummeted Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump’s closely watched address dashed hopes for de-escalation in Middle East tensions, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 average briefly losing over 1,400 points. The index of 225 selected issues listed

(Adnkronos) – Peach Aviation Limited, Japan’s first low-cost airline, introduces its new logo, which will be followed by a livery renewal in spring 2027. For this important renewal, the company has chosen internationally renowned designer Oki Sato as its creative partner. Jiji

Tokyo, April 2 (Jiji Press)–A suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers promoting relations with Israel on Wednesday asked the Israeli side to seek a peace agreement with Iran. A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz will undermine people’s lives, former Japanese Defense

(Adnkronos) – The United States has revoked sanctions against Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez, according to the US Treasury Department website, in a further sign of rapprochement between Washington and Caracas, three months after the raid that led to the capture of