Latest News

9 Aprile 2026

Classmates of N. Korea Abductee Gather, Hoping for Return

Niigata, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Classmates of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese national abducted by North Korea decades ago, gathered Thursday at their alma mater in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, praying for her return. The tranquil spring day recalls April 10, 1977, when Megumi’s
9 Aprile 2026

Japan Crown Princess Attends Nursing College Ceremony

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Crown Princess Kiko attended a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the National College of Nursing in Kiyose, Tokyo, on Thursday. The school was established by the health ministry in 2001 to foster nursing staff for the
9 Aprile 2026

Hokkaido Returns Rifle to Hunter after Court Ruling

Sunagawa, Hokkaido, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The Hokkaido prefectural government on Thursday apologized and returned a hunting rifle to a 77-year-old hunter following a Japanese Supreme Court ruling finding the revocation of his hunting gun license to be illegal. Haruo Ikegami, head of
9 Aprile 2026

Univ. of Tokyo to Directly Run Hospital after Scandals

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The University of Tokyo will put its hospital under the direct control of the university headquarters by the end of June at the earliest as part of reform efforts following corruption scandals involving doctors at the university. The
9 Aprile 2026

Japan Police Unveil Model Crime Victim Handbook

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Police Agency on Thursday unveiled a model of a handbook to be issued to crime victims in an effort to ease their burden. The NPA instructed prefectural police departments across the country to use the model
9 Aprile 2026

Ex-Governor Higashikokubaru Announces Candidacy in Miyazaki Race

Miyazaki, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Former Miyazaki Governor Hideo Higashikokubaru said Thursday that he intends to run in a gubernatorial election in January in the southwestern Japan prefecture. “Miyazaki needs a game changer to stem its decline,” Higashikokubaru, 68, said at a press
9 Aprile 2026

Mizuho to Raise Long-Term Prime Rate to 3 Pct

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Mizuho Bank said Thursday it will raise its long-term prime lending rate by 0.2 percentage point to 3 pct, its highest level in about 29 years, effective Friday. The move by the Japanese bank comes in response to
9 Aprile 2026

Ministop Posts 3rd Straight Annual Loss

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Ministop Co. on Wednesday posted a third straight year of net loss for the year that ended in February, hurt by the fallout of a scandal involving falsified expiration dates for handmade prepared foods sold by the Japanese
9 Aprile 2026

Japan to Add 17 Airports, Ports for Defense Use

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has decided to add 17 airports and ports to its list of designated facilities to allow the Self-Defense Forces and the Japan Coast Guard to use them from peacetime onward as part of efforts to
9 Aprile 2026

Calls for Extra Budget Already Begin to Grow among Parties

Tokyo, April 9 (Jiji Press)–Calls for a supplementary budget have already begun to grow among Japanese ruling and opposition parties, following the enactment of the government’s fiscal 2026 budget this week. The annual budget includes 1 trillion yen in reserve funds, but
8 Aprile 2026

Russia Irked by Japan Firm’s Investment in Ukrainian Company

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko on Wednesday lodged a protest with Japan over a Japanese firm’s investment in a Ukrainian defense-related company that handles interceptor drones. The protest came during a meeting between Rudenko, who is in
8 Aprile 2026

Japan, S. Korea Defense Chiefs Agree to Keep Working Together

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu-back, agreed Wednesday to continue cooperation between their countries and among the two plus the United States over issues including those related to North Korea. In an
8 Aprile 2026

Japan, Australia Foreign Chiefs to Cooperate for Hormuz Safety

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, on Wednesday affirmed bilateral cooperation to ensure safe ship navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. In their phone talks, the two ministers welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreement
8 Aprile 2026

Japan Average Pump Price Falls to 167.40 Yen

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday fell 2.80 yen from a week earlier to 167.40 yen per liter, down for the third straight week, industry ministry data showed Wednesday. The pump price
8 Aprile 2026

3 Workers Die after Scaffolding Collapse in Kanagawa

Kawasaki, Kanagawa Pref., April 8 (Jiji Press)–Three workers died after scaffolding at the Keihin District of JFE Steel Corp.’s East Japan Works in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, collapsed Tuesday, local authorities have said. A total of five workers, all men, were
8 Aprile 2026

Takaichi’s Tax Cut Plan Draws Industry Opposition

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Industry representatives have raised objections to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to reduce the consumption tax rate on food to zero for two years. At a working-level meeting of the National Council on Social Security on Wednesday,
8 Aprile 2026

Japan Economy Watcher Sentiment Falls to 4-Year Low in March

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Sentiment among so-called economy watchers in Japan fell to the lowest level in about four years in March, reflecting tensions over Iran, a Cabinet Office survey showed Wednesday. The seasonally adjusted diffusion index that shows the current sentiment
8 Aprile 2026

Japan, Australia Agree to Deepen Defense Ties

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his visiting Australian counterpart Richard Marles agreed Wednesday to deepen bilateral defense cooperation to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region. At their meeting in Tokyo, the ministers mainly discussed the tensions in
8 Aprile 2026

42 Japan-Linked Ships Still Stranded in Persian Gulf

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–While the United States and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire agreement, 42 Japan-linked ships still cannot leave the Persian Gulf due to Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has suggested that it will allow
8 Aprile 2026

Takaichi Asks Iranian Pres. for Early De-escalation

Tokyo, April 8 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked Iran to de-escalate the tensions in the Middle East at an early time, in a roughly 25-minute phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday. Takaichi also called on the Middle