Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to set aside around 122.3 trillion yen in general-account spending under its fiscal 2026 budget, a record high for the second straight year following 115,197.8 billion yen in the previous year’s initial budget, people

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government under then Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa was in trouble dealing with a strong U.S. request for support during the 1994 North Korea nuclear crisis, diplomatic records revealed Wednesday. The Hosokawa government had to respond to

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan took a cautious stance toward granting Russia full membership of the Group of Seven at the 1994 summit in Naples, Italy, due to a long-standing bilateral territorial dispute, newly released documents showed Wednesday. Diplomatic records declassified by

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–China repeatedly urged Japan to address its concerns related to Taiwan ahead of then Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa’s visit to China in March 1994, according to Japanese diplomatic records disclosed Wednesday. Concerned about possible deterioration in Japan-China

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Former Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa has recounted how shocked he was to hear a U.S. view that there was over a 50 pct chance of a Korean Peninsula contingency during the 1994 North Korea nuclear crisis. In

Tsu, Mie Pref., Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural government of Mie, central Japan, is considering stopping hiring foreign nationals, in order to protect confidential information, officials said Wednesday. Prefectural officials cited concerns about leaks of agricultural production information and residents’ personal data,

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Cases of abuse against people with disabilities in Japan reached a record high of 3,770 in fiscal 2024, the welfare ministry said Tuesday, citing an increase in consultations and reports to local governments. The total, confirmed by prefectural

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Hyogo prefectural police executives have been punished over gifts and other favors from a company commissioned to provide services to the western Japan police, Jiji Press learned Wednesday. A police station chief received gifts from the company, while

(The second sentence in the final paragraph should have read, “…full-scale…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Japan to Adopt Record 122.3-T.-Yen FY 2026 Budget Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is in the final stages of work to

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese and U.S. officials held the second round of talks Tuesday on which U.S. projects will receive Japanese funding as part of a trade agreement between the two countries, the Japanese government said Wednesday. Under the deal, Japan

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Masashi Ozaki, Japan’s most successful male professional golfer, better known by his nickname “Jumbo Ozaki,” or simply “Jumbo,” died of sigmoid colon cancer Tuesday at the age of 78. A native of the southwestern prefecture of Tokushima, Ozaki,

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama and health minister Kenichiro Ueno agreed Wednesday to raise medical service fees by 2.22 pct in fiscal 2026, the first increase in 12 years. Katayama and Ueno agreed to increase the main portion

Hachinohe, Aomori Pref., Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–NTT East Inc. has said there is no risk of its steel tower damaged by a powerful earthquake earlier this month collapsing in the event of another major temblor. The Japanese telecommunications carrier announced Tuesday it

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to lower passport application fees by up to 7,000 yen, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has announced. It aims to submit a passport law amendment to next year’s ordinary parliamentary session, slated to begin in

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The United States has informed Japan of its hope to additionally use heavy weapons, such as antitank missiles and rocket launchers, in the Marine Corps’ live-fire training at five firing ranges of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force. The notification

(Adnkronos) – “Greenland is our country, our decisions are made here.” Thus, the premier of the Danish autonomous island territory, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, replied to Donald Trump, who reiterated last night that the United States needs Greenland for “national security.” In a Facebook

(Adnkronos) – Half of British voters believe Keir Starmer will be replaced as prime minister by the end of 2026. This emerges from a YouGov poll for Sky News, which indicates a climate of growing unease even among Labour ranks, fueled by

(Adnkronos) – The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, announced that an agreement had been reached with Moscow to extend gas supplies from Russia for three months, until March 31, “so that people can be safe and sleep peacefully” during the winter. Gazprom

(Adnkronos) – Russia claims control of two more localities in Ukraine, one in the Kharkiv region and another in the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, Prylipka, in the Kharkiv region, and Andriivka, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, are

(Adnkronos) – Iranian naval and ground forces are ready to face any scenario and the Islamic Republic has not yet used its true missile power. This was emphasized by Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for the Tehran Army, claiming that during the

(Adnkronos) – Amidst the increasingly military escalation with Venezuela, Donald Trump once again turns his arrows against Gustavo Petro, with new accusations and threats against Colombia’s first leftist president. “We love Colombians, but the new leader is a troublemaker, and he better

Fukui, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Atomic Energy Agency said Tuesday that about 20 milliliters of water containing radioactive tritium leaked at its Fugen advanced converter reactor in the city of Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. The leak occurred when a

Hiroshima, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–A Japan-U.S. research institute said Tuesday it will analyze the genomes of children of hibakusha who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 to understand the impact of radiation from the bombs on the children.

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan plans to raise overall government-set medical service fees by 2.22 pct in fiscal 2026, informed sources said Tuesday. The government is set to increase the main portion of the fees, which mainly covers labor costs for medical

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. said Tuesday that it will appoint Kazuya Oyama, the current president of core subsidiary Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, as president of the parent company, marking the group’s first leadership change in about five

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan placed 24th in terms of per-capita gross domestic product in 2024 among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Cabinet Office said Tuesday. This marked the lowest position since 1994, when

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Tuesday that it will resume bilateral economic aid for Syria after 15 years of suspension. Through its official development assistance scheme, Japan plans to support the Middle Eastern country, now led by the interim

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology said Tuesday that it will conduct a test to excavate the deep seabed off Minamitorishima, a remote Tokyo island, and collect clay-like sediment rich in rare earths. The test, to

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Income inequality in Japan was the largest in 2023, reflecting an increase in elderly households earning less than working-generation households, a welfare ministry survey showed Tuesday. The Gini coefficient, a common measure of income inequality ranging from zero

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police on Tuesday dismissed a 43-year-old inspector who was arrested for allegedly leaking investigative information to a group believed to have illegally brokered women it scouted on the street to sex parlors and hostess bars across Japan.