Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan is likely to keep its policy interest rate unchanged for now as it puts weight on assessing the impact on the economy and prices of its last rate hike in December 2025. The central

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Department store sales in Japan in 2025 fell 1.5 pct from the previous year on a same-store basis, marking the first decline in five years, dampened by a plunge in spending by foreign visitors, industry data showed Friday.

(Adnkronos) – European nations “have all decided to spend more” on defence and security, which also means strengthening Nato’s ‘European pillar’ and becoming “equal partners” of the United States, Italy said on Friday.   “In a changing world, where so many dangers

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Prudential Life Insurance Co. President and CEO Kan Mabara apologized Friday for more than 100 current and former employees scamming clients out of some 3.1 billion yen. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for causing great

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The dollar briefly fell below 157.4 yen from above 159.2 yen in late Tokyo trading Friday, just after a regular press conference by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda. The U.S. currency met with large-lot selling to buy

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s entry to US president Donald Trump’s Board of Peace to cement war-ravaged Gaza’s fragile ceasefire poses “constitutional issues”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Rome on Friday on the sidelines of bilateral business forum with Germany.   Trump

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The dollar briefly fell below 157.4 yen from above 159.2 yen in late Tokyo trading Friday, just after a regular press conference by Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda. The U.S. currency met with large-lot selling to buy

(Adnkronos) – The new conservative Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi – Japan’s first female prime minister, in office since late October – today dissolved the lower house of parliament, paving the way for early elections on February 8. Takaichi is leading in

Nagoya, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–An 11th request for the retrial of deceased death-row inmate Masaru Okunishi in the high-profile Nabari poisoned wine murder case nearly 65 years ago has been filed with Nagoya High Court by Okunishi’s sister and defense lawyers. Along

(Adnkronos) – The Syrian army announced last night that it had taken control of Al Aqtan prison in the Raqqa governorate, as part of the ceasefire agreement reached last week with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The agreement provides for the immediate

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Heavy snow mainly pounding the Sea of Japan coast since Tuesday has left four people dead and 26 others injured. According to data compiled by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency as of Friday afternoon, one person died

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese labor leader Tomoko Yoshino said Friday that she aims to secure wage hikes in the 5 pct range for a third consecutive year in the 2026 “shunto” spring labor talks. The president of the Japanese Trade Union

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Prudential Life Insurance Co. President and CEO Kan Mabara apologized Friday for more than 100 current and former employees scamming clients out of some 3.1 billion yen. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart for the great

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s land ministry said Friday that it has been looking into whether local governments nationwide are aware of the nationalities of residents living in public housing. The ministry will compile the survey results as early as February. It

(The second sentence of the second paragraph contained a wrong explanation about the campaign period. The sentence should have read, “The election will take place 16 days after the Lower House dissolution, the shortest such period since the end of World War

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s long-term interest rates are rising at a “significantly rapid” pace, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said Friday. At a press conference following the BOJ’s policy-setting meeting that ended earlier in the day, Ueda said the central

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Heavy snow mainly pounding the Sea of Japan coast since Tuesday has left three people dead and 12 others injured. According to data compiled by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency as of Friday morning, one person died

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The share of university students in Japan graduating in March who have accepted informal job offers increased 0.3 point from a year earlier to 84.6 pct as of Dec. 1, the labor and education ministries said Friday. By

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–A memorial service was held Friday morning at a Tokyo railway station to mark nearly 25 years since the death of a South Korean student who was hit by a train while trying to save a Japanese man.

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Friday that it will accept up 1,231,900 foreign workers for five years through the end of fiscal 2028 under specified skilled worker residency and skill development programs. The government added linen supply, distribution and

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Friday the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, was stopped early Friday morning following a problem. The reactor was reactivated only on Wednesday

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government adopted a package of measures Friday to address problems related to foreign nationals, including planned stricter rules on their acquisitions of Japanese land and nationality. The government will decide an outline of legal rules relating

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police are investigating a fatal accident in Tokyo on Thursday involving an official vehicle of the Cabinet Office, suspecting the driver ignored a red light. The six-car accident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday at an intersection

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will raise basic public pension benefits by 1.9 pct in fiscal 2026 from the previous year, the welfare ministry said Friday. Benefits under the “kosei nenkin” public pension program for corporate employees, paid on top

Japan Department Stores Association Jan. 23 Change from Prev Year Total 5,675,452 M. Yen Down 1.5 pct Clothing 1,505,820 Down 2.2 Personal Articles 937,494 Down 7.5 Sundry Goods 1,255,143 Up 2.2 Household Goods 187,225 Down 1.0 Foodstuffs 1,457,354 Down 0.4 Note: Year-on-year

Japan Department Stores Association Jan. 23 Change from Prev Year Total 1,680,607 M. Yen Down 2.9 pct Clothing 441,094 Down 2.0 Personal Articles 294,737 Down 9.1 Sundry Goods 417,674 Up 0.2 Household Goods 67,271 Down 0.1 Foodstuffs 375,323 Down 1.6 Note: Year-on-year

Japan Department Stores Association Jan. 23 Yr/Yr Change Total 190,465 M. Yen Down 0.2 pct Clothing 46,790 Down 1.1 Personal Articles 29,394 Down 6.6 Sundry Goods 44,280 Up 4.4 Household Goods 6,329 Down 3.8 Foodstuffs 54,384 Down 0.0 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Department Stores Association Jan. 23 Yr/Yr Change Total 654,272 M. Yen Down 1.1 pct Clothing 157,697 Down 4.5 Personal Articles 99,264 Down 4.3 Sundry Goods 133,677 Up 3.9 Household Goods 19,090 Down 3.8 Foodstuffs 207,943 Down 1.2 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has said that his party will question the newly formed Centrist Reform Alliance’s ability to govern during the campaign period for the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election. In

Tokyo, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s education ministry Friday certified the Institute of Science Tokyo as the second university eligible for receiving aid from a government-financed 10-trillion-yen fund aimed at supporting universities. The Institute of Science Tokyo is expected to receive over 10