Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Expert witnesses invited by Japanese opposition parties on Thursday took issue with a government bill to reform the country’s retrial system and demanded amendments to it. At the Judicial Affairs Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government approved a basic policy for women’s empowerment on Thursday, including the goal of doubling the proportion of female engineering students in universities from 18 pct in 2025 to 36 pct in 2040. The government acknowledged

(Adnkronos) – ”Italy and Romania have been explicitly named by the NATO Secretary General as participants in the aggression against Iran. They, along with all other European countries that have supported the American-Israeli aggression against Iran, must explain to their citizens and

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have withdrawn from part of the buffer zone that had been established in southern Lebanon, near the border with northern Israel. Haaretz website reports this, citing a statement made by a US State Department official

(Adnkronos) – More than 10,000 people may have lost their lives due to the earthquake that struck Caracas in the past few hours. This is revealed by estimates released by the US Geological Survey, according to which there is a 44% probability

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Canadian defense minister David McGuinty on Thursday highlighted the importance of his country’s cooperation with Japan in the fields of artificial intelligence and critical minerals. Referring to the bilateral agreement enabling mutual exports of defense equipment that entered

Kobe, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Bank of Japan policymaker Naoki Tamura said Thursday that the central bank expects to raise interest rates “once every few months.” The BOJ “has a plan in mind of raising rates by 0.25 percentage point once every few

Nagoya, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Shareholder proposals to dismiss the president and chairman of Chubu Electric Power Co. over alleged underestimation of seismic risks linked to the firm’s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in central Japan were rejected at an annual general meeting Thursday.

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average soared to end at a new record high Thursday, powered by buying of artificial intelligence- and semiconductor-related stocks. The index of 225 major issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s top-tier Prime section

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. plans to offer buyout packages to administrative staff at five factories in Japan, including one in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, in September as part of its restructuring efforts, company officials said Thursday. How

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The Diet, Japan’s parliament, enacted a bill Thursday to introduce numerical standards for defining dangerous driving resulting in death or injury. At a plenary meeting, the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, unanimously approved the bill to revise

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The number of dementia or suspected dementia sufferers who were reported missing in Japan in 2025 fell by 776 from the previous year to 17,345, the National Police Agency said Thursday. The figure marked the second consecutive year

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan on Thursday approved a plan to join a consultative body for merger talks with the Centrist Reform Alliance and Komeito. The CDP, the largest opposition party in the House of Councillors, the

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average soared to end at a new record high Thursday, powered by buying of artificial intelligence- and semiconductor-related stocks. The index of 225 major issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s top-tier Prime section

Kobe, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Bank of Japan Policy Board member Naoki Tamura said Thursday he envisages lifting interest rates toward a neutral level around 2 pct and accelerating rate hikes without hesitation if upside risks to inflation intensify. At a meeting with

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Two Japanese nationals who were detained by Chinese authorities in Dalian, Liaoning Province, in May are employees of Fuji Electric Co., people familiar with the matter said Thursday. An official at the Japanese electronics maker said that the

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake measuring up to upper 6, the second-highest level on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, hit the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan, including Aomori Prefecture, on Thursday morning, with six people confirmed to have suffered injuries.

Japan Department Stores Association June 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 142,567 M. Yen Up 10.9 pct Clothing 37,665 Up 9.4 Personal Articles 27,329 Up 16.7 Sundry Goods 39,759 Up 16.7 Household Goods 5,703 Up 3.3 Foodstuffs 26,218 Up 3.4 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Financial assets held by households in Japan as of the end of March grew 7.1 pct from a year earlier to 2,386 trillion yen partly due to higher stock prices, the Bank of Japan said Thursday. The figure

Japan Department Stores Association June 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 468,390 M. Yen Up 8.3 pct Clothing 125,080 Up 5.6 Personal Articles 85,964 Up 16.6 Sundry Goods 113,757 Up 12.4 Household Goods 15,371 Up 3.9 Foodstuffs 102,750 Up 2.0 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s bellwether Nikkei 225 stock average briefly shot up over 3,000 points Thursday afternoon, as issues linked to artificial intelligence and semiconductors gathered hefty buying. At 2:16 p.m., the index of 225 major issues on the Tokyo Stock

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Eighteen officials of two Japanese government agencies received notice in 2025 that they had been certified to be eligible to handle critical economic security information, Jiji Press learned Thursday. The results are included in a draft of the

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industry ministry plans to establish a council to consider abolishing loss-making Cool Japan Fund Inc., a public-private fund aimed at promoting Japanese culture and products overseas, or merging it with another fund, informed sources have said. The

Namur, Belgium, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito on Wednesday expressed gratitude for the warm welcome he and his wife, Empress Masako, received from the Netherlands and Belgium during their state visits to the two European countries. “I am really happy and

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Police Agency said Thursday it will begin reviewing a mandatory driving skills test for drivers aged 75 or older with a history of traffic violations after a follow-up study found them more prone to accidents. The

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, occurred around

(The 10th paragraph should have read, “…will be raised to…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Interim Draft on 2-Year Food Tax Cut Presented Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The head of a Japanese suprapartisan council on social security on Wednesday

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A male worker at Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been indicted on charges of stalking a subordinate in her 20s, including following her and entering her home without permission, Jiji Press learned Thursday. The man,

Kyoto, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A research group including Kyoto University has developed Buddharoid, a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence that responds to people’s concerns from a Buddhist perspective. In addition to engaging in voice-based dialogue, the robot can perform gestures and

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s bellwether Nikkei 225 stock average briefly shot up over 2,000 points Thursday morning, as issues linked to artificial intelligence and semiconductors gathered hefty buying. At 10:02 a.m., the index of 225 major issues on the Tokyo Stock