Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Many major Japanese companies fully accepted their unions’ pay hike demands Wednesday, when this year’s “shunto” spring labor-management negotiations reached a climax. Despite an uncertain business environment due partly to U.S. President Donald Trump’s high tariff policy and

Onagawa, Miyagi Pref., March 18 (Jiji Press)–A “kamaboko” fish cake manufacturer in a town in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Miyagi has continued to lend the local community and firms a helping hand for reconstruction from a devastating earthquake and tsunami 15

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday surged 29 yen from a week earlier to hit a record high of 190.8 yen per liter, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The jump was driven

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that the country “does not plan to send at this point” Self-Defense Forces troops to the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transportation waterway that has been effectively blocked by Iran.

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan logged a custom-cleared trade surplus of 57.3 billion yen in February on a preliminary basis, the first black ink in two months, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday. Both imports and exports reached their highest levels ever for

Yokohama, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Risa Akiyama, representative director of the Japan Women Journalists Association, believes more women should be involved in determining what constitutes news value in Japan, so that perspectives different from those of men are better reflected. “Even when looking

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry has launched a new office tasked with actively engaging in the efforts to broker peace in countries in conflict. The International Peace Mediation Unit was set up within the ministry’s Foreign Policy Bureau on Tuesday,

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rose more than 1,100 points Wednesday morning, amid receding concerns over a possible crude oil supply decline related to tensions in the Middle East. At 10:13 a.m., the index of 225 selected

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Whenever a woman rises to the top position in politics, business or other fields for the first time, Japanese news organizations have traditionally highlighted the development primarily through the lens of her being the “first woman.” Prominent recent

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Surging crude oil prices stoked by escalating tensions over Iran are fueling concerns in Japan about an acceleration in price hikes for a wide range of products including daily goods. Rises in crude oil prices lead to hikes

Washington, March 17 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States does not need assistance from Japan and others for its military operations against Iran, effectively backtracking on his earlier request for nations including Japan to send warships to

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric Corp. is considering accepting external capital for its slumping automobile system and equipment unit, it has been learned. Prospective investors in the Tokyo-based subsidiary, Mitsubishi Electric Mobility Corp., are believed to include Taiwanese electronics giant

(Adnkronos) – Protecting shipping in the highly sensitive Strait of Hormuz means entering the United States-Israel war on Iran, Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said Tuesday as a growing list of nations, including many European powers, turned down US president Donald Trump’s

(Adnkronos) – Three explosive-laden drones attacked the United States embassy near Baghdad airport, Iraq. Police sources stated that an air defense system was activated. Several loud explosions were heard, according to AFP, attributable to the activation of the embassy’s air defense system

(Adnkronos) – In Tina, Sudan, on the border with Chad, violent attacks continue. 123 injured people were admitted yesterday by the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team and Chadian health authorities to a newly built hospital near the Sudanese border. 17 people died

(Adnkronos) – Initial gas deliveries have been made from from Angola’s New Gas Consortium (NGC)’s trailblazing offshore Quiluma field, a signficant milestone for the country’s energy sector, Italian major Eni said in a statement on Tuesday.  Initial gas exports from Quiluma is

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Tuesday urged Iran to immediately stop attacks on civilian facilities in Gulf countries and any acts that threaten the safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Motegi made the request during

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese and U.S. governments are considering a plan to reach an agreement at a summit on Thursday for cooperation in increasing crude oil production in Alaska, informed sources said Tuesday. As Iran is effectively blocking the Strait

(Adnkronos) – Over 36,000 Palestinians have been displaced in the West Bank in one year, an “unprecedented” number. The United Nations human rights office stated this in a document, expressing concern about the risk of “ethnic cleansing” and calling on Israel to

(Adnkronos) – Ali Larijani was killed while hiding in a shelter with his son. This was reported by Israeli TV Channel 12, according to which the Israeli raid against the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had initially been planned for

(Adnkronos) – A record number of people worldwide – nearly 45 million more – face severe hunger this year, especially in Africa and Asia if the escalating United States-Israel war with Iran lasts beyond June, destabilising the global economy and keeping oil

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–The leaders of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, the Japan Innovation Party, agreed Tuesday to aim to pass a bill to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives by 10 pct during

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–A consortium of public and private financial institutions, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, plans to provide some 900 billion yen in loans to Nippon Steel Corp. to support its acquisition of United States Steel Corp., it

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–An employee of MetLife Insurance K.K., the Japan unit of major U.S. life insurer MetLife Inc., is suspected of taking information from a company to which the employee was loaned without permission, it was learned Tuesday. This unauthorized

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–Security in the Strait of Hormuz is expected to take center stage at a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Thursday amid Iran tensions. The focus is on what

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s government has advised citizens in Afghanistan to leave the country aboard “those commercial flights still available” after an air strike by Pakistan on Monday which the Afghan government says killed hundreds of civilians and has escalated the conflict between

Osaka, March 17 (Jiji Press)–Osaka High Court ruled Tuesday that the defendant’s withdrawal of his appeal against the death sentence in the Kyoto Animation Co., or KyoAni, arson-murder case is valid. Shinji Aoba, 47, was sentenced to death by Kyoto District Court

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government decided at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to begin active cyber defense operations on Oct. 1, as part of efforts to prevent major cyberattacks. The move comes after a related law was enacted last May

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s government is keeping up “very close co-ordination with” the administration of United States president Donald Trump and will always support diplomacy to end the current war with Iran and other conflicts, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Tuesday.  “Italy

Tokyo, March 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday approved plans to raise taxi fares in central Tokyo by 10.14 pct on average, starting in late April. Taxi fares in the Japanese capital will rise for the first time since November 2022.