Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Payments for popular water buffalo cart rides on southernmost remote islands in Japan will become smoother thanks to a contactless technology. From Oct. 23, contactless payments by credit and debit cards as well as smartphone apps will be

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association has agreed with the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, or NPB, to introduce paternity and other special leave for players from the 2026 season. The agreement was reached at the two groups’ meeting

London, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–Sumo wrestlers toured central London on Tuesday ahead of a five-day grand tournament at the Royal Albert Hall in the British capital, starting Wednesday. Yokozuna professional sumo grand champion Onosato and other wrestlers walked around Big Ben, posing

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japanese retailer Aeon Co. said Tuesday that its consolidated net profit rose 9.1 pct in its fiscal first half ended in August to 4,048 million yen thanks to increased sales of its Topvalu private brand products and cost

Nagoya, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–E-sports, in which competitors face off in computer games, will return as an official medal event at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, following its debut at the 2022 Games in Hangzhou, China. Co-hosted by

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and her husband for dinner at the Imperial Palace on Tuesday evening. The Swedish couple visited Japan mainly for the World Exposition in the western Japanese city

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has bid farewell to a talking doll of Myaku-Myaku, the official mascot of the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, that had been placed in his office before the event began. “You played a

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli Defense Forces (Idf) confirmed that they shot and killed five Palestinians in the Shejaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, who had gotten too close to troops who had withdrawn beyond the Yellow Line as stipulated by the peace

(Adnkronos) – Two French citizens, whose identities have not been disclosed, have been sentenced to several years in prison for “espionage” on behalf of France and Israel. This was reported by Mizan, a news agency linked to the Iranian judiciary, specifying that

(Adnkronos) – Israel’s two-year war in Gaza against Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has led to numerous suicides among soldiers returning from the front and among the civilian population, while it has left hundreds of thousands of Israelis with post-traumatic stress disorder, a

(Adnkronos) – The 20 living Israeli hostages freed from over two years of captivity in Gaza by Islamist Palestinian group Hamas on Monday can return to “normal life” after 3-4 months of “hard work” with psychotraumatology experts and Eye Movement Desensitisation and

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese men’s national soccer team, dubbed Samurai Blue, achieved its first victory over Brazil on Tuesday, winning 3-2 in an international friendly at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo. The match featured a come-from-behind effort by Japan, ranked 19th

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–Sanae Takaichi, the new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Tuesday apologized to the party’s lawmakers over Komeito’s withdrawal from the coalition with the LDP. “This is my responsibility,” Takaichi said in a closed-door meeting with

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People agreed Tuesday to hold a meeting of their leaders on Wednesday. The move comes as attention is focused

Washington, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday raised its forecast for global economic growth in 2025 to 3.2 pct, up 0.2 percentage point from its July estimate. The upward revision reflects the smaller-than-expected impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. said Tuesday that personal information may have been breached in a recent cyberattack on the Japanese food and beverage group. It is unclear whether the affected information includes data about customers and business partners.

(The second paragraph should have read “…Tuesday…” instead of as sent.) CDP, DPFP, Nippon Ishin Chiefs to Meet Wed. Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the

Nagano, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–Nagano District Court on Tuesday sentenced Masanori Aoki, 34, to death for the May 2023 murders of four people in Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. Giving the defendant capital punishment as requested by prosecutors, Presiding Judge Masashi Sakata said,

(Adnkronos) – An unspecified number of Palestinians were injured by Israeli army fire in the Halawa area of Jabaliya al-Balad, in northern Gaza. A source from Gaza’s emergency services told Al Jazeera. 

(Adnkronos) – A United Nations humanitarian convoy was hit by Russian armed forces in the Kherson oblast, southern Ukraine. Local Ukrainian authorities stated this, adding that there were no casualties in the attack. “The occupiers deliberately targeted OCHA trucks with drones and

(Adnkronos) – US President Donald Trump could have a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before the Apec summit, which will be held at the end of the month in the city of Gyeongju, in southeastern South Korea. This was stated

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Daito Trust Construction Co. will gradually introduce to construction sites across the country separate portable restrooms for men and women and larger unisex ones, Jiji Press learned Tuesday. As Japanese-style unisex toilets are mostly used at construction

(Adnkronos) – Two Palestinians were reportedly injured by Israeli fire in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. This was reported by al-Jazeera, citing sources from the Nasser Medical Complex. 

(Adnkronos) – US President Donald Trump will attend the ceremonial signing of a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia during the upcoming Asean summit. This was announced by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan to reporters during a press conference in Kuala Lumpur. 

(Adnkronos) – Italy and “priority” export country Canada have agreed to extend their already flourishing trade relations, especially in the defence technologies, electric vehicles and batteries, infrastructure, aerospace, critical raw materials and renewables sectors, according to a foreign ministry statement.  At talks

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–The Diet, Japan’s parliament, will elect a new prime minister to replace Shigeru Ishiba on Oct. 21, a senior official at the ruling Liberal Democratic Party said Tuesday. Yoshihiko Isozaki, the LDP’s Diet affairs chief in the House

(Adnkronos) – Italy has signalled its readiness supply more humanitarian and medical assistance “immediately” and to help rebuild war-shattered Gaza, foreign minister Tajani said on Monday after world leaders signed attended a ceasefire deal signing ceremony in Egypt and talks on Gaza’s

(Adnkronos) – Italy can send more paramilitary Carabinieri police officers to the occupied Palestinian territories to help train the Palestinian Authority police force, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said late on Monday.  “Our Carabinieri already operate in the Palestinian territories and have been

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)–A record 91.5 pct of Japanese companies have raised or plan to raise wages this year amid rising inflation and manpower shortages, a labor ministry survey showed Tuesday. The proportion grew from 91.2 pct in the previous year,