(The fourth paragraph should have read, “…a record 121 countries and regions…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Hiroshima Mayor Urges World Leaders to Work for Nuclear Abolition Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called on policymakers around

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is considering visiting Australia and India around Aug. 18-20 to discuss defense cooperation, Defense Ministry officials said Thursday. In Australia, Koizumi is expected to hold trilateral defense ministers’ talks with Richard Marles of

Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated Thursday that her administration “firmly maintains as a policy direction” the country’s three nonnuclear principles–not possessing nuclear weapons, not producing them and not allowing them into its territory. At a press conference

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s SBI Shinsei Bank has said it will establish a framework to collaborate with more than 20 regional banks on large-scale loans. According to its announcement on Wednesday, SBI Shinsei Bank will consider syndicated loans worth around 100

Sendai, Miyagi Pref., Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Frequent bear sightings in human settlements are casting a shadow over three major festivals in the Tohoku northeastern Japan region that are a symbol of Japanese summer. Organizers are working to strengthen patrols and take other

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino have agreed to enhance cooperation to ensure a stable operating environment for the Panama Canal. During a meeting in Panama City on Wednesday local time, Motegi and

Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called on policymakers around the world to show determination and implement policies for nuclear abolition, in an annual peace declaration Thursday, the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city.

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average dived over 1,300 points Thursday morning, due to selling of artificial intelligence-related issues including semiconductor names. At 10:46 a.m., the index of 225 major issues listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s Prime

Hiroshima, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui called on policymakers around the world to show determination and implement policies for nuclear abolition, in an annual peace declaration Thursday, the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city.

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan Broadcasting Corp. President Tatsuhiko Inoue has apologized for the public broadcaster’s failure to allow an employee who was sexually assaulted by a cast member in one of its programs to work in another department after a leave

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Liquefied petroleum gas has been cited as the probable cause of the deadly explosion that occurred at a shopping facility shortly after last week’s powerful earthquake in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto. The industry ministry said Wednesday

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Liquefied petroleum gas has been cited as the probable cause of the deadly explosion that occurred at a shopping facility shortly after last week’s powerful earthquake in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto. The industry ministry said Wednesday

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Weathernews Inc. is rolling out on Thursday the global version of its weather app in 57 languages, including English, Chinese and Hindi, Jiji Press has learned. The app, dubbed Weathernews, is expected to help promote early preparations

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Weathernews Inc. is rolling out on Thursday the global version of its weather app in 57 languages, including English, Chinese and Hindi, Jiji Press has learned. The app, dubbed Weathernews, is expected to help promote early preparations

Tokyo, Aug. 6 (Jiji Press)–A planned consumption tax cut in Japan will require the government to secure alternative revenue sources to cover costs related to social security measures. But no specific ways to make up for the expected loss of revenue have

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Six of seven major Japanese automakers reported improved consolidated earnings for April-June, recovering from lower profits or net losses recorded a year earlier due to the impact of the U.S. high tariff policy, according to their latest earnings

(Adnkronos) – Icelandic authorities have ordered the expulsion of the 21 passengers of a ship belonging to animal rights activist Paul Watson’s foundation, which was boarded last week during a protest against whaling. The Icelandic police told AFP today.  The Bandero was

(Adnkronos) – An Indian parliamentary committee today asked Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, to apologize for temporarily removing a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. India is the largest market for the social media giant in terms of users, with hundreds of millions

Osaka, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A man armed with a knife died after being shot by an Osaka prefectural police officer who had repeatedly warned him to drop the weapon in the city of Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan. Around 7 p.m.

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Nippon Paper Industries Co. President Akira Sebe on Wednesday lamented the deaths of nine people in an accident in which a chimney collapsed at its plant in Kumamoto Prefecture following last week’s major earthquake. “We take

(Adnkronos) – Taiwan today kicks off its annual military exercises. Named ‘Han Kuang’, the exercises, which aim to prepare the island for a possible invasion by China, will take place until August 14 and include realistic combat scenarios to train troops and

Kumamoto, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Over 7,100 people remained at evacuation centers in Kumamoto Prefecture as of Wednesday, eight days after a massive earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture. The prefectural government and others have urged those living in their cars or staying

(Adnkronos) – The malfunction of an Israeli-managed well in the West Bank has caused a severe water crisis, affecting the villages of Beit Iba, Tell, Qusin, Beit Wazan, Sarra, Jit, and several villages in the Jenin area, in the northern West Bank,

Hiroshima, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A memorial ceremony was held in Hiroshima on Wednesday for South Korean victims of the U.S. atomic bombing of the western Japan city in the closing days of World War II, hosted by a group of South Koreans

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Wednesday approved 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 the impact of inflation. After the

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–U.S.-based plant factory operator Oishii Farm Corp. opened a research and development facility for plant factories in Hamura, western Tokyo, on Wednesday. Oishii Farm, which produces and sells strawberries in the United States, aims to accelerate research on

(Adnkronos) – Mexican influencer César Gastélum was shot dead while broadcasting live on TikTok. The murder occurred last night, as he was filming a video with two friends outside a fast food restaurant in Tres Ríos, in the northern city of Culiacán,

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Bank of Japan’s Policy Board was divided at its June 15-16 meeting over whether to stop reducing its government bond purchases, minutes of the meeting showed Wednesday. According to the minutes, one board member argued that there

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan has lodged a protest after Russia notified Tokyo that it would conduct military exercises near the disputed northwestern Pacific islands from Wednesday. According to Japanese government officials, Russia said that live-fire drills would be held until Monday

(The second paragraph from the bottom should have read, “…Nankai Electric Railway Co.’s…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Knife-Wielding Man Dies after Being Shot by Osaka Police Osaka, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A man armed with a knife died