Ito, Shizuoka Pref., Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–The city assembly of Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Friday passed a second no-confidence motion against scandal-hit Mayor Maki Takubo, resulting in her removal from office on the same day. All 20 assembly members attended the day’s

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industrial production in September rose 2.2 pct from the previous month, up for the first time in three months, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Friday. The rise was led by strong exports of semiconductor-manufacturing

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–The core consumer price index for Tokyo’s 23 wards rose 2.8 pct in October from a year before, up for the 50th consecutive month, the internal affairs ministry reported Friday. The index excluding volatile perishables stood at 111.0

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering holding a ministerial meeting to discuss policy on foreigners as soon as early next week, government officials said Friday. Ministers are expected to discuss tightening rules on land acquisition by foreigners and strengthening

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday approved an ordinance to enforce the revised Civil Code, which includes the introduction of a new joint child custody system for divorced parents, on April 1 next year. A system of statutory child

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Yoshihiko Noda, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said Friday that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may dissolve the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, for a snap election on the

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Friday warned against the yen’s “one-sided, rapid” fall in the currency market following the Bank of Japan’s decision Thursday to keep interest rates unchanged. “Very one-sided, rapid fluctuations are being seen right

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted job-to-seeker ratio stood at 1.20 in September, flat from the previous month, the labor ministry said Friday. The number of effective job seekers fell by 0.8 pct and that of effective job openings by 0.7

Tokyo, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly soared more than 1,000 points to exceed 52,000 for the first time ever on Friday morning, boosted by the yen’s weakening. At 9:50 a.m., the Nikkei index was up 1,065.84 points,

Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, have agreed to enhance economic security cooperation between their countries. In their meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Thursday, Motegi and Wong shared concerns about

New York, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–The dollar briefly climbed as high as 154.45 yen in New York trading Thursday, its highest level in about eight and a half months, as yen selling accelerated amid receding expectations for an early interest rate hike

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s military mission in Niger plays a “crucial” role in the government’s strategy in the West African country and in the Sahel region, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Friday during a visit to troops at the mission’s military base.  “Your

(Adnkronos) – Pending the final result of the elections in the Netherlands – while the D66 liberals regain the lead and surpass the PVV populists by 15,000 votes – the postponement of the start of the process of forming the new coalition

(Adnkronos) – The governments of Portugal and Spain have agreed to open the first direct Lisbon-Madrid high-speed rail line, with service starting by 2034, officials said. The rail link would be ready by 2030 and would begin with a five-hour service, according

Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese trade minister Ryosei Akazawa on Thursday expressed strong concern over China’s stepped-up rare earth export controls. He showed the concern at a meeting in South Korea with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, the Japanese minister

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. said Thursday that it expects to log a consolidated operating loss of 275 billion yen in the fiscal year through next March, due to the impact of high U.S. tariffs and sluggish sales reflecting intense

(Adnkronos) – Niger – an African migration hub facing diverse security threats at its borders – is vital for the stability of the Sahel region, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday during a visit.  “Niger is a crucial country for stability,

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Thursday that it posted a group net loss of 712.3 billion yen for April-September, marking a record net loss for the first-half period. The company recorded its first net loss in

(Adnkronos) – The crisis in North Darfur is escalating into a humanitarian catastrophe. Save the Children urgently calls on all parties to agree to a ceasefire and allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access. In a statement, the organization recounts mothers who, after

(Adnkronos) – A Polish MiG-29 fighter intercepted a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, in the second such incident this week. This was announced by Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Yesterday, the Polish army had stated that on Tuesday too, Polish

(Adnkronos) – A twist at the French National Assembly where, with 185 votes in favor and 184 against, a resolution proposed by the Rassemblement National (RN) against the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement was approved. “It’s a day that can be defined as historic

(Adnkronos) – The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has called for unity to combat organized crime, in his first public statement on the police operation in two favela areas in the north of Rio de Janeiro, which caused more

Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at their first meeting Thursday agreed to advance bilateral relations in a future-oriented and stable manner. Takaichi, who took office last week, and Lee confirmed

Nagasaki, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki on Thursday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s order for the Defense Department to restart nuclear tests, calling it as “absolutely unacceptable.” “The act tramples on people’s grueling efforts to achieve a world without nuclear

Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Ministers from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum member economies concluded their two-day meeting in South Korea on Thursday, falling short of adopting a joint statement due to difficulties in coordinating views on free trade and

Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at their first meeting Thursday agreed to advance bilateral relations in a future-oriented and stable manner. Takaichi, who took office last week, and Lee confirmed

(Adnkronos) – Italy wants to boost the stability and security of Niger – a regional migration hub – the government said Thursday as foreign minister Antonio Tajani and interior minister Matteo Piantedosi visited Niamey on the last leg of a three-day trip

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan kept its policy interest rate unchanged Thursday as it hopes to spend some more time assessing the impact of the U.S. high tariff policy, while raising its outlook for Japan’s gross domestic product growth

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–The volume of rice imported into Japan by the private sector in April-September totaled 86,523 tons, up 208-fold from a year earlier amid soaring rice prices, government data showed Thursday. Private-sector rice imports from the United States surged

Tokyo, Oct. 30 (Jiji Press)–Three Japanese high courts ruled Thursday that the July 20 election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparities. The rulings by Tokyo, Nagoya and