Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industry ministry plans to establish a council to consider abolishing loss-making Cool Japan Fund Inc., a public-private fund aimed at promoting Japanese culture and products overseas, or merging it with another fund, informed sources have said. The

Namur, Belgium, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito on Wednesday expressed gratitude for the warm welcome he and his wife, Empress Masako, received from the Netherlands and Belgium during their state visits to the two European countries. “I am really happy and

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Police Agency said Thursday it will begin reviewing a mandatory driving skills test for drivers aged 75 or older with a history of traffic violations after a follow-up study found them more prone to accidents. The

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, occurred around

(The 10th paragraph should have read, “…will be raised to…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Interim Draft on 2-Year Food Tax Cut Presented Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–The head of a Japanese suprapartisan council on social security on Wednesday

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A male worker at Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been indicted on charges of stalking a subordinate in her 20s, including following her and entering her home without permission, Jiji Press learned Thursday. The man,

Kyoto, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A research group including Kyoto University has developed Buddharoid, a humanoid robot equipped with artificial intelligence that responds to people’s concerns from a Buddhist perspective. In addition to engaging in voice-based dialogue, the robot can perform gestures and

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s bellwether Nikkei 225 stock average briefly shot up over 2,000 points Thursday morning, as issues linked to artificial intelligence and semiconductors gathered hefty buying. At 10:02 a.m., the index of 225 major issues on the Tokyo Stock

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s three megabanks have become eligible to use a cutting-edge artificial intelligence tool of U.S. technology giant Google LLC, Japanese financial services minister Satsuki Katayama said. She revealed this at a press conference after a meeting with senior

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, occurred around

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, occurred around 7:30 a.m. at a

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor struck around 7:30 a.m., according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The seismic

(Adnkronos) – Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori has gained an insurmountable lead in the presidential runoff in Peru against left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez, thus putting herself on the sure path to the presidency. Keiko, who is running for president for the fourth time,

(Adnkronos) – Schools closed and recommendations for the population to avoid travel in much of Great Britain due to red-level weather alerts for heat. Today and tomorrow, temperatures could reach 40° in some areas of England and Wales, due to a “heat

(Adnkronos) – Donald Trump suddenly canceled today’s scheduled signing of a construction bill, stating that he will not do so until Congress approves the Save America Act, the law aimed at imposing greater controls and limitations on the electoral process, which the

(Adnkronos) – Keir Starmer will remain in the House of Commons as an MP even after resigning as prime minister. His spokesperson announced this to journalists, denying speculation that Starmer might also resign from his parliamentary seat.  Starmer wants the next Labour

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling coalition submitted a bill on Wednesday to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives by 10 pct, which is included in the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Canadian counterpart, David McGuinty, reaffirmed Wednesday that their countries will strengthen bilateral security cooperation. During their meeting in Tokyo, the two ministers welcomed the elevation of the Japan-Canada relationship to a

Dallas, Texas, June 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese men’s national soccer team, nicknamed Samurai Blue, arrived in Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday night local time, just before its final group stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Sweden. The team trained in

(Adnkronos) – In the Netherlands, euthanasia has been performed on a child under 12 years old. This is the first case since the Dutch government expanded, in February 2024, the legislation authorizing euthanasia for minors aged between one and twelve years suffering

(Adnkronos) – Two more deaths by drowning in France, ravaged by record heat. The victims, Bfmtv reports, are a child and an adolescent, who died yesterday. In Bègles, a six-year-old child died after wandering away from his parents and was later found

(Adnkronos) – A camel struggling to stand on its feet, exhausted, to the point of ‘crying’. From China, the sad story of a camel that seems to be forced to ‘work’ among tourists until exhaustion is making its way around the world.

(Adnkronos) – A 34-year-old woman has woken from a pharmacological coma more than a week after she was attacked by a shark while swimming near the shore of a well-known Sydney beach. The family of Leah Stewart, who was attacked by a

(Adnkronos) – Over 500 women and children have died or suffered potentially avoidable harm at Nottingham’s “toxic” university hospital trust due to “deep-rooted systemic failures.” This is revealed by what is considered the largest maternity inquiry in the history of the British

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–SoftBank Group Corp. Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son said Wednesday he will continue to lead the company for the next 10 or 15 years. Son, 68, had previously indicated his intention to pass the torch to the next

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–A teacher has said she was drying laundry in the music preparation room where a fire started last week in an elementary school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward, police sources said Wednesday. Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Wednesday projected that public-private investments in 17 strategic fields under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “responsible and proactive” fiscal policy will exceed 370 trillion yen by fiscal 2040. The projection was presented at the day’s

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Japan Innovation Party coalition on Wednesday submitted a second capital establishment bill to the House of Representatives. The bill had initially included a provision enabling a prefecture-wide referendum on the JIP’s so-called Osaka metropolis

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Six Japanese ruling and opposition parties jointly submitted bills on Wednesday to regulate the use of social media during elections, including obliging social media operators to take measures to reduce disinformation and other negative implications. The parties include

Tokyo, June 24 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo District Court on Wednesday decided to put a prosecutor on criminal trial for alleged inappropriate interrogation methods used against a company president. Hiroshi Horiki, a prosecutor formerly with the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s special investigation squad,