Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Monday held the second meeting of an expert panel to discuss updating the country’s three key national security documents. During the meeting, Koji Yamazaki, former chief of the Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff, called for

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The leaders and vice leaders of both chambers of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, presented their draft proposal Monday on measures to secure a sufficient number of Imperial Family members as part of efforts to ensure stable Imperial succession.

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese companies are facing a record number of shareholder proposals from so-called activist investors ahead of their annual shareholder meetings later this month. As of Friday, institutional investors had submitted a total of 139 proposals to 51 Japanese

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry is taking intensive measures to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals visiting Canada, Mexico and the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to kick off soon. For the first time, the ministry

Seoul, June 8 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on Monday mentioned the need for a bilateral acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, or ACSA, with Japan. This was the first time Lee publicly acknowledged the need for an ACSA, which facilitates the reciprocal

Asahikawa, Hokkaido, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors on Monday demanded a 27-year prison term for a woman suspected of killing a 17-year-old girl by allegedly causing her to fall from a suspension bridge in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido in 2024.

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Meteorological Agency on Monday issued a tsunami advisory for a wide stretch of Japan’s Pacific coast, from Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan to the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, following a major earthquake that struck off the

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Plaintiffs in same-sex marriage lawsuits across Japan handed about 36,000 online signatures seeking equality of marriage to the Supreme Court on Monday. They also called for the top court’s unconstitutional ruling for Civil Code and family register law

By Yuka Moriyama Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–A major Japan-Philippines friendship event was held in Tokyo’s Taito Ward from Friday to Sunday, with this year marking the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Philippine Expo

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks plummeted Monday, led by heavy selling of artificial intelligence-related issues following declines in U.S. technology shares late last week, with the key Nikkei 225 stock average briefly losing over 3,100 points. The index of 225 selected

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Small and midsize companies in Japan raised monthly wages for full-time employees by 4.29 pct, or 12,036 yen, on average in April, the start of fiscal 2026, from a year before, a survey by the Japan Chamber of

Asahikawa, Hokkaido, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Prosecutors on Monday demanded a 27-year prison term for a woman suspected of killing a 17-year-old girl in the northernmost Japan prefecture of Hokkaido in 2024. With the lay judge trial at Asahikawa District Court set to

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Times said Monday that it has selected the town of Uchiko, Ehime Prefecture, as the “Destination Region 2026,” recognizing its sustainable community development and related initiatives. The major English-language newspaper, based in Tokyo, praised Uchiko for

Ikeda, Osaka Pref., June 8 (Jiji Press)–A memorial service was held on Monday to mark the 25th anniversary of a knife attack at an elementary school in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, that left eight children dead. About 760 people attended the

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The number of corporate bankruptcies with liabilities of 10 million yen or more in Japan in May fell 8.9 pct from a year earlier to 780, marking the first drop in six months, Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. said

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese education ministry plans to launch a model project in fiscal 2027 to provide basic Japanese-language instructions for school life and classes to foreign national children. In response to an increase in the number of foreign national

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–A drug to treat kidney diseases in cats has entered its final stage before being put into practical use in Japan. An application for approval of the drug’s manufacturing and sales was submitted to the agriculture ministry in

Manila, June 8 (Jiji Press)–A decision made by Japan and the Philippines late last month to begin talks to delimit a maritime boundary between the two countries represents a “big step” forward, Makoto Seta, an expert on the law of the sea

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks plummeted Monday, led by heavy selling of artificial intelligence-related issues following declines in U.S. technology shares late last week, with the key Nikkei 225 stock average briefly losing over 3,100 points. The index of 225 selected

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–People mourned the victims of a 2008 indiscriminate stabbing incident in Tokyo’s Akihabara district on Monday, the 18th anniversary of the rampage that led to the deaths of seven people and injuries for 10 others. In light rain,

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 1.8 pct in January-March from the previous quarter in inflation-adjusted real terms, weaker than the earlier reported 2.1 pct rise, reflecting a downward revision in capital spending, revised government data

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan logged a current account surplus of 3,907.8 billion yen in April, up from the year-before surplus of 2,370 billion yen, thanks to increased corporate income from overseas subsidiaries and a trade balance returning to the black, the

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Meteorological Agency on Monday issued a tsunami advisory for a wide stretch of Japan’s Pacific coast from Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan to the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa. The advisory, issued at 9:05 a.m., also covers

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly gave up over 3,100 points on Monday morning, reflecting a drop in the U.S. market late last week. At 10:31 a.m., the index of 225 selected issues listed on the Tokyo

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Meteorological Agency on Monday issued a tsunami advisory for a wide stretch of Japan’s Pacific coast from Ibaraki Prefecture, eastern Japan, to the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa. According to the advisory issued at 9:05 a.m., tsunamis

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly gave up over 2,600 points on Monday morning, reflecting a drop in the U.S. market late last week. At 9:19 a.m., the index of 225 selected issues listed on the Tokyo

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s gross domestic product in January-March grew an annualized 1.8 pct from the previous quarter after price and seasonal adjustment, the Cabinet Office said in a revised report Monday. The growth was smaller than the 2.1 pct rise

Tokyo, June 8 (Jiji Press)–Following an October 2025 revision to Japan’s “furusato nozei” hometown donation program, which offers tax breaks to donors, the internal affairs ministry is seeking to discourage donors from focusing too much on “good deals” offered through generous return

Seoul, June 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the South Korean navy conducted their first search and rescue exercise in over eight years on Sunday. The two sides began holding the joint exercise in 1999. It previously took place in December

Shizuoka, June 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force held a large-scale live-fire exercise at the East Fuji Maneuver Area in Shizuoka Prefecture on Sunday, showcasing a Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile launcher to the public for the first time. The Type-25 HVGP missile