Paris, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai promoted sake and folk crafts from his western Japan prefecture in Paris over two days through Wednesday. The visit to the French capital was arranged based on Hirai’s wish for his prefecture to deepen

Incheon, South Korea, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japanese and South Korean governors have affirmed the importance of working together in addressing an array of issues of mutual concern. At a joint meeting of Japan’s National Governors’ Association and the Governors Association of the

Tokyo, Nov. 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), have agreed to reach a conclusion by year-end on a proposed hike in patients’ out-of-pocket expenses for prescription medicines similar to over-the-counter

(Adnkronos) – A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Paphos region in western Cyprus. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) announced that the earthquake’s epicenter was recorded at a depth of 14 kilometers. The tremor was strong enough to be felt in parts of

(Adnkronos) – Kazakhstan’s parliament has approved a law banning the “promotion of pedophilia and/or non-traditional sexual orientations” in public spaces and media, a measure that mirrors anti-LGBTQ+ regulations introduced in Russia. The text – which will now have to be examined by

(Adnkronos) – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet accused the Thai army on Facebook of opening fire on civilians in Prey Chan village, on the border between the two countries, causing one death and three injuries. According to the Ministry of Information in

(Adnkronos) – Spanish police reported arresting nine people and dismantling a criminal network that used artisanal drones with ”exceptional range” to transport hashish from Morocco to Spain. The drones, explained the Spanish Civil Guard in a statement, departed from southern Spain to

(Adnkronos) – The Algerian presidency has decided to grant a pardon to the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who has been in prison since November 16 of last year. The Algerian presidency announced this, explaining that it had ”accepted” the request for pardon

(Adnkronos) – France has been commemorating for days with a series of events the terrorist attacks of November 13 in Paris and Saint-Denis, which ten years ago killed 132 people, including our compatriot Valeria Solesin, and injured over 350. Tomorrow, on the

Liberty, North Carolina, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that it will invest an additional 10 billion dollars in the United States over the next five years to strengthen its production of electrified vehicles. The announcement came at an

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–A 43-year-old inspector at Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department was arrested Wednesday for allegedly leaking investigative information to a group believed to have illegally brokered women it scouted on the street to sex parlors and hostess bars across Japan.

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday called on Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda to make regular reports at government panel meetings. “It is important that appropriate monetary policy management be conducted to achieve both strong economic

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–The Naha branch of Fukuoka High Court ruled on Wednesday that the July 20 election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, was conducted “in a state of unconstitutionality” due to vote-value

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. said Wednesday it will introduce an “AI concierge” service for customer consultations on wealth management, in collaboration with U.S. artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. The new service will first be offered at a digital

Kashiwazaki, Niigata Pref., Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi met on Wednesday with the mayors of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa, which host Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, as he plans to decide as early as this month whether

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Two new private-sector members of a key Japanese government panel Wednesday called on the government to compile a fiscal 2025 supplementary budget worth at least 14 trillion yen to fund upcoming comprehensive economic measures. The two members said

Kobe, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–The Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office on Wednesday dropped an election fraud case against Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito and the head of a public relations firm, citing insufficient evidence. The prosecutors office and the Kobe prefectural police department

By Waka Ota Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Recreational vehicles are attracting ever-rising attention in Japan, not just as campers but as evacuation shelters, traveling hotels and business offices. According to the Japan Recreational Vehicle Association, the number of such vehicles owned in

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Family courts in Tokyo and Okinawa Prefecture have rejected claims for Japanese citizenship filed by four Japanese descendants living in the Philippines. The four, aged 79 to 82, were born to Japanese fathers and Filipino mothers, and became

(Adnkronos) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani achieved a “great victory” in the general elections held yesterday. Sources close to the Iraqi prime minister, who is seeking a second term, reported this. “Al-Sudani’s list for reconstruction and development achieved a great

(Adnkronos) – The death toll from typhoon Fung-wong, which hit the Philippines, has worsened, with 27 dead, 36 injured, two missing, and over 800,000 people evacuated in 15 regions. This brings the total death toll from typhoons Fung-wong and Kalmaegi in the

(Adnkronos) – Colombian President Gustavo Petro has suspended all intelligence information exchanges with the United States in response to Washington’s attacks on vessels that, according to the US, were allegedly used for drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific, in which at

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s average retail price of regular gasoline inched down 0.1 yen from a week earlier to 173.5 yen per liter as of Monday, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The average price at the pump is expected to continue

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo police have obtained an arrest warrant for the mother of a Thai girl on suspicion of violating the child welfare law by forcing the daughter to work at an erotic massage parlor, investigative sources said Wednesday. The

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Wednesday that a proposed supplementary budget will include spending to help local governments address attacks by bears. “We’ll compile a package of measures soon and implement them using a supplementary budget,”

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–A project team of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Wednesday compiled an urgent proposal for measures to address bear attacks. The measures include the employment of people with hunting licenses as “government hunters,” training of former Self-Defense

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi agreed to strengthen cooperation in security and economic matters with his British and Canadian counterparts, Yvette Cooper and Anita Anand, in separate meetings in Canada. Motegi is visiting Canada to attend a Group

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Russia’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it has banned 30 more Japanese nationals from entering the country indefinitely. The measure is retaliation against Japan’s sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. It was Moscow’s first decision to

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party began internal discussions Wednesday on a proposal to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, or parliament. The party agreed with its new

Tokyo, Nov. 12 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will promote disaster prevention, disaster management minister Jiro Akama said in an interview on Tuesday. “Upgrading disaster simulation and risk assessment will lead to the promotion of disaster prevention,” said Akama, who took office last