Maebashi, Gunma Pref., Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–Akira Ogawa, the former mayor of Maebashi who stepped down over controversial hotel visits with a married male municipal official, and four other people filled their candidacies on Monday for a mayoral election set for Jan.

Tokyo, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–A bluefin tuna fetched a record 510.3 million yen in New Year’s tuna auction at the Toyosu market in Tokyo on Monday morning. The closely followed annual event began at 5:10 a.m. with the sound of a bell.

Tokyo, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average jumped over 1,400 points in morning trading Monday, the first trading day of 2026 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, led by gains in semiconductor-related shares. The index of 225 selected issues listed

Tokyo, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average jumped over 1,400 points in morning trading Monday, the first trading day of 2026 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, led by gains in semiconductor-related shares. At 10:34 a.m., the index of 225

Seoul/Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from around Pyongyang at around 7:50 a.m. Sunday, the South Korean military said. Japan’s Defense Ministry said that at least two ballistic missiles were launched from North Korea

Ise, Mie Pref., Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, on Sunday criticized the U.S. military operations against Venezuela. “It is extremely doubtful whether the U.S. action can be justified under international law,” Noda

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is facing difficulties regarding how to respond to the U.S. military operations against Venezuela. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday that her government will work to help stabilize the situation

Ise, Mie Pref., Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japanese opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda on Sunday criticized the government’s draft fiscal 2026 budget with record general-account spending of some 122.3 trillion yen. “Larger spending could fuel inflation,” Noda, chief of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)—Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to compile by March an action plan aimed at reducing large amounts of clothing waste from households. The action plan is expected to include measures that should be taken by consumers, local governments and

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is facing difficulties over how to respond to the U.S. strike on Venezuela. In a statement released Sunday, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura said that Tokyo will work to help stabilize the situation in

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–A shop in Tokyo that sells specialties from Ishikawa Prefecture is supporting reconstruction following a powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in the central Japan prefecture two years ago. The shop, Yaesu Ishikawa Terrace, which opened two

Berlin, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–Matcha is in short supply as the Japanese green tea is at the center of a global boom. In addition to the popularity of matcha lattes and ice cream, there is also growing public interest in the traditional

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s government and ruling coalition may consider a possible review of the country’s three nonnuclear principles during work to update its three key national security-related documents within this year. The principles prevent Japan from possessing, producing or letting

Seoul/Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from around Pyongyang at around 7:50 a.m. Sunday, the South Korean military said. Japan’s Defense Ministry said that at least two ballistic missiles were launched from North Korea

Seoul/Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired projectiles presumed to be ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from around Pyongyang on Sunday, the South Korean military said. Japan’s Defense Ministry said that ballistic missiles were launched from North Korea. At least

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–While Japan’s two governing parties share the goal of revising the country’s Constitution, differences between their stances are now becoming evident. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is seeking a realistic approach in amending the supreme law. In contrast,

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. is slated to reactivate the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power station in central Japan as early as Jan. 20. This will mark the first time for TEPCO to bring

Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan plans to compile as early as this spring a new perspective on the country’s security legislation, which tolerate its exercise of the right to collective self-defense. The party may consider

Seoul/Tokyo, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired projectiles presumed to be ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan from around Pyongyang on Sunday, the South Korean military said. Japan’s Defense Ministry also said that objects that could be ballistic missiles were launched

Seoul, Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)–North Korea fired apparent ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Sunday, sources in the South Korean military said. They were launched from around Pyongyang, the sources said. According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, at least two projectiles

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Saturday set up a liaison office at the Foreign Ministry following a U.S. attack on Venezuela. The office is headed by Motoyuki Ishize, director-general of the ministry’s Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau. The

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref., Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–Business closures are continuing at a rapid pace in areas hit hard by the powerful Noto Peninsula earthquake two years ago, especially in the Okunoto region in the peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan. This is

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–Japan Railways Group companies are set to continue talks on the fate of loss-making local lines with regional communities concerned. While the number of users of those unprofitable local lines is unlikely to recover amid falling populations in

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese business leader has called on the government to take measures to support small companies, which face an increasingly tough business environment. In an interview with media organizations including Jiji Press, Ken Kobayashi, head of the Japan

Wajima, Ishikawa Pref., Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–A facility serving as a cafeteria and supermarket is supporting the livelihoods of people affected by a powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in central Japan two years ago. Sumika Shibata, 60, one of those

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–Top Japanese business leader Yoshinobu Tsutsui has sounded cautious about the yen’s depreciation against other major currencies while expecting Japan’s economy to follow “a moderate upward trajectory” this year. “Exchange rates reflect the strength of a nation,” Tsutsui,

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Innovation Party is bound to face a real test this year as to whether it can produce results as a member of the country’s ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party. The JIP replaced Komeito

Beijing, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–A spokesperson at China’s Ministry of National Defense has issued a statement rebutting concerns shown by Japan, the United States and other countries over Beijing’s recent large-scale military drills conducted around Taiwan. The Chinese military is ready to

Beijing, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to maintain its hard-line stance toward Japan this year, following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark over Taiwan last November. Also concerned over Tokyo’s security policy, China will unlikely

Tokyo, Jan. 3 (Jiji Press)–The main focus of Japanese politics in 2026 will be whether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will dissolve the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, for a general election to stabilize her administration. The Liberal