Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to make a decision Wednesday afternoon on a plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April as a measure to cushion

Hiroshima, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The parents of an Iranian boy killed by an airstrike, now on a visit to Hiroshima, are set to attend Thursday’s annual ceremony to honor the victims of the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the western

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese companies agreed to raise monthly wages by an average of 5.37 pct through pay scale hikes and regular raises in the 2026 “shunto” spring labor-management wage negotiations, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, has said. According

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has expressed support for a world without nuclear weapons after his proposal for debates without any taboos on nuclear policy sparked controversy, including among hibakusha atomic bombing survivors. “I strongly sympathize with the

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to make a decision Wednesday afternoon on a plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April as an anti-inflation measure. The

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The number of people rushed to hospitals for heatstroke in earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in the week through Sunday totaled 309, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The figure was up 89 from the previous

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass will not attend this year’s peace ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to honor the victims of the 1945 atomic bombings of the cities, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has said. Aaron Snipe,

Chiba, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Right-hander Naoya Masuda of the Chiba Lotte Marines has become the fifth player in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, or NPB, to record 250 career saves. Masuda, 36, notched his second save of the season in Tuesday’s home

Washington, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that Washington will help Japan stabilize the yen, and that he believes the Bank of Japan will take necessary measures, including a possible interest rate hike. “I’m not going to prejudge

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s key Nikkei 225 stock average on Wednesday briefly firmed more than 2,200 points to retake 66,000 during trading hours for the first time in nearly two weeks. The index of 225 major issues listed on the Tokyo

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Experts have called on the Japanese government to consider countermeasures against economic coercion, apparently having China in mind. At Tuesday’s meeting of an expert panel on the government’s plan to update its three key security-related documents by year-end,

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wage index rose 1.6 pct year on year in June, up for six months in a row, thanks to higher wages and slower growth in prices, labor ministry data showed Wednesday. Nominal wages per worker,

Kumamoto, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Chipmaking plants in Kumamoto Prefecture are gradually restarting operations following their suspensions caused by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month. Production is expected to return to the levels before the quake by

(Adnkronos) – IDF soldiers, led by Shin Bet, launched an operation in the Nablus area, West Bank, and during the operation, arrested a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant, “who was operating to promote terrorist activities.” Tsahal reported this in a Telegram post. The

(Adnkronos) – A man about 75 years old was seriously injured after being stabbed in Tel Aviv. ‘The Times of Israel’ reports, citing rescue services. The man was transported to Sourasky Medical Center to receive necessary treatment. Police have not yet released

(Adnkronos) – The death toll in Israel’s war against Gaza, from October 7, 2023 onwards, has risen to 73,377 dead and 174,230 injured. This is according to data released by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Two Palestinians were killed and 10 injured

(Adnkronos) – Hundreds of firefighters are engaged in the southeastern part of the Netherlands to combat a forest fire that spread overnight to cover 100 hectares of territory. The fire broke out around noon yesterday in a nature reserve near the village

Kumamoto, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–More than 7,500 people remained at evacuation shelters in Kumamoto Prefecture as of Tuesday, a week after the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that damaged over 13,000 residential buildings in the southwestern Japan prefecture. Daytime temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius in

(Adnkronos) – Qatar, the mediating country, explained that efforts for a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Iran and the United States continue, but without direct talks planned between the two parties. “We can confirm that efforts are ongoing with all parties,”

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday presented the People’s Honor Award to retired speed skating star Miho Takagi. After bringing home a total of 10 Olympic medals, including two golds, throughout her speed skating career, the most by any

Kashima, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–One week after a massive earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, exhaustion levels are reaching their peak for many of the 7,500 or so people living in evacuation centers in the southwestern Japan prefecture. In the city of

(Adnkronos) – French and British ships rescued 157 migrants after their boat caught fire during an attempt to cross the Channel. Local authorities told Afp. “A small boat caught fire at the border of French and British waters, forcing its occupants to

(Adnkronos) – Three cancer patients die on average every day in the Strip due to complications of the disease and lack of essential care, as thousands of patients cannot leave the enclave for diagnosis or treatment abroad. This was reported by the

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Planned domestic capital investment by major Japanese companies in fiscal 2026 is up 19.7 pct compared with the previous year’s actual spending, a survey by the Development Bank of Japan showed Tuesday. The increase comes as many businesses

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. on Tuesday revised up its full-year net profit forecast from 3 trillion yen to 3.25 trillion yen, reflecting the yen’s further weakening, as well as progress in securing alternative export routes to the Middle East.

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday presented the People’s Honor Award to retired speedskating star Miho Takagi. After bringing home a total of 10 Olympic medals throughout her speedskating career, the most by any female Japanese athlete competing in

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda at their meeting in May to buy Japanese government bonds if necessary to curb rising long-term interest rates, informed sources told Jiji Press Tuesday. It is unusual

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Immigration Services Agency released a draft ministerial ordinance Tuesday to introduce a five-year period of stay for holders of Type 2 specified skilled foreign worker status from early January next year after seeking public comments. Holders of

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–The 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, last week had affected 53 cultural properties, including those at World Heritage sites, as of Monday, the Cultural Affairs Agency said. The affected assets, located in Kumamoto and neighboring

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Defense Ministry has emphasized the urgent need to prepare for what it calls new ways of warfare leveraging drones and artificial intelligence technology in an annual white paper adopted Tuesday. The 2026 report, submitted by Defense Minister