(The second paragraph should have read, “…Japan Innovation Party…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Japan Lower House OKs FY 2025 Extra Budget Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives on Thursday passed the government’s draft supplementary budget

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s policy toward China lacks strategy, University of Tokyo professor Tomoko Ako said Thursday, at a time when tensions between the two countries are rising due in part to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark over a possible

Hachinohe, Aomori Pref., Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–A 70-meter-high steel tower of NTT East Inc. in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, has been found damaged after a powerful earthquake that struck Monday night, prompting the government of the city to order 48 nearby households to

(Adnkronos) – The planned India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC) to foster connectivity and economic integration between Asia and Europe is “a priority for Italy”, which is striving “to achieve this goal quickly”, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said in Mumbai on Thursday.  

(Adnkronos) – Pakistan’s former intelligence chief, Faiz Hameed, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on charges of violating state secrets and abusing his authority. This was announced by the Islamabad army. Hameed led Pakistani intelligence during the government of then-Prime

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–A series of earthquakes with magnitudes of 7 or 8 may occur after a 7.5-magnitude quake struck off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture, part of Japan’s Tohoku northeastern region, on Monday, a research institute has said. Fumiaki

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Nearly 40 pct of people in Japan support Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remarks on a Taiwan contingency, which angered China, a Jiji Press survey showed Thursday. In the interview survey, 39.5 pct of respondents said that the

(Adnkronos) – Italy’ foreign minister Antonio Tajani on Thursday sent congratulations to Switzerland’s former president and foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, on his appointment as vice-president of the government.  “Congratulations to @ignaziocassis on his appointment as Vice President of the Swiss Federal Council,”

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is considering visiting the Middle East, including Israel and the Palestinian region, in mid-January 2026, informed sources said Thursday. During the visit, Motegi is expected to meet with senior government officials and exchange

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The powerful earthquake that struck off Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on Monday night has highlighted problems nursing homes there face in coping with disasters. After the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued an advisory that warns of a

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s House of Representatives on Thursday passed the government’s supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2025, which will finance the first comprehensive economic policy package compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. At a plenary meeting of the lower chamber

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the ruling coalition are considering allowing companies to deduct 7 pct of capital spending from corporate tax to help spur domestic investments, people familiar with the matter said Thursday. Under the plan, companies will

Seoul, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that ordered Nippon Steel Corp. to pay a total of 100 million won, or about 11 million yen, in damages to South Korean plaintiffs for wartime labor,

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–A UNESCO intergovernmental committee decided Thursday to add six items from Japan, including Murakami Festival in the city of Murakami, Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, to the U.N. agency’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. This marked the first registration of

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Over 40 pct of people in Japan support restarting nuclear power plants nationwide, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday. The survey found that 44.7 pct of respondents were in favor of bringing nuclear plants back online, while

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japanese fighter jets joined U.S. bombers in exercises over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, the Japanese Joint Staff said Thursday, in what was seen as a coordinated move aimed at countering military threats from China and Russia.

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet fell 3.9 percentage points from the previous month to 59.9 pct in December, a monthly survey by Jiji Press showed Thursday. The approval rate dipped after logging the second-highest

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and ruling parties are considering raising the minimum taxable income threshold from the current 1.6 million yen to 1.68 million yen in 2026, it was learned Thursday. The minimum taxable income level represents the combined

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Business sentiment among major Japanese companies was positive for the second straight quarter in October-December, a government survey showed Thursday. The business sentiment index for companies with capital of 1 billion yen or more as of Nov. 15

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Thursday proposed a draft financial support plan for oyster farmers affected by the mass deaths of farm-raised oysters in the western prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama and Hyogo facing the Seto Inland Sea. Attending a meeting

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet fell 3.9 percentage points from the previous month to 59.9 pct in December, a monthly survey by Jiji Press showed Thursday. The approval rate dipped after logging the second-highest

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japanese national security adviser Keiichi Ichikawa and his German counterpart, Gunter Sautter, on Wednesday agreed to enhance cooperation between their countries, including on supply chains. Ichikawa apparently explained Tokyo’s stance on Beijing’s coercive actions, including China’s use of

Stockholm, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese scientists Shimon Sakaguchi and Susumu Kitagawa received the 2025 Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine and Chemistry, respectively, at the award ceremony in Stockholm on Wednesday evening. Sakaguchi, a 74-year-old distinguished honorary professor at the University of

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s labor ministry has decided to enforce on Oct. 1, 2026, a revised law obliging companies to prepare measures against customers’ harassment of their employees through abusive behavior. The decision, made Wednesday, affects the revision of the comprehensive

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nissan Motor Co. has announced plans to equip a wide range of models, from small cars to luxury vehicles, with the next-generation version of its ProPilot driver-assistance system, which adopts autonomous-driving technology. The system will use cutting-edge

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and the ruling coalition are considering limiting tax deductions for “furusato nozei” hometown donations by individuals with annual income of 100 million yen or higher, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Under the furusato

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–The dollar was weaker below 156 yen in Tokyo trading on Thursday morning, following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision overnight to cut interest rates. At noon, the U.S. currency stood at 155.77-77 yen, down from 156.65-65 yen at

Tokyo, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Over 20 pct of major cities in Japan prohibited voters from taking photographs at polling stations in the House of Councillors election in July, a Jiji Press survey found. Of the 52 polled major cities, 12, or 23

New York, Dec. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was ranked third on Forbe’s 2025 list of the world’s 100 most powerful women, released Wednesday. The U.S. business magazine said decisions by Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, “will shape East

New Delhi, Dec. 11 (Jiji Press)–Around 50 government officials, researchers and others from Japan and India held a meeting in New Delhi to discuss the promotion of economic security cooperation between the two countries. At the meeting on Wednesday, hosted by the