Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and Komeito agreed Wednesday to launch a program in fiscal 2026 to effectively make high school education free. The agreement was reached at a meeting of

Nagoya, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai, said Wednesday that the total construction costs for its planned superfast magnetically levitated Shinkansen train line is expected to swell further to 11 trillion yen, almost double the initially projected level

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Honda Motor Co. presented Wednesday the world premiere of the prototype of the “Honda 0 alpha,” a next-generation electric SUV, at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center the day before the official kickoff of the Japan Mobility Show.

Sapporo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese court decided Wednesday to hold on Nov. 12 the first hearing of the criminal trial for tour boat operator president Seiichi Katsurada, 62, who has been charged with professional negligence resulting in deaths over the fatal

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Mazda Motor Corp. unveiled a concept model equipped with its proprietary carbon dioxide capture system at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center on Wednesday, the day before the official start of the Japan Mobility Show. Powered by a

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref., Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–The Kanazawa branch of Nagoya High Court on Wednesday ruled that the July election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, was conducted in a state of unconstitutionality due to vote-value disparities.

(Adnkronos) – The United States will partially reduce its military presence on NATO’s eastern flank. The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced this, explaining that Washington “has decided to suspend the rotation in Europe of a brigade with units present in various Alliance

(Adnkronos) – Hurricane Melissa made landfall near Chivirico, in Santiago de Cuba province, as an “extremely dangerous” Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds of over 190 kilometers per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center. The atmospheric phenomenon will move directly

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi conveyed his country’s plan to achieve its defense spending target two years ahead of schedule, during a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Tokyo on Wednesday. Japan will raise its defense

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday reaffirmed with her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, that their countries will work together on security and economy. “We would like to continue our cooperation,” including through the Quad framework among Japan,

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–The number of elementary and junior high school students in Japan who refused to go to school in fiscal 2024, which ended last March, hit a record high of 353,970, an education ministry survey showed Wednesday. The figure,

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese research team including 2025 Nobel Prize laureate Shimon Sakaguchi has developed a technique to produce regulatory T cells that suppress excessive immune activity. Sakaguchi, professor at the University of Osaka, is among those set to receive

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. unveiled Wednesday the fully remodeled Elgrand luxury minivan, which is newly equipped with a hybrid system. After undergoing the first full model changeover in about 10 years, the Elgrand became a model with the Japanese

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. will steadily introduce new models and offer existing powertrains to meet diverse customer needs on the globe while accelerating the development of automated driving technology, Nissan President and CEO Ivan Espinosa said Wednesday. The struggling

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Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s leisure-related market expanded 5.6 pct from the previous year to 75,203 billion yen in 2024, the Japan Productivity Center, a private think tank, said Tuesday. The latest figure surpassed the pre-pandemic level of 72,307 billion yen recorded

Kanazawa, Ishikawa Pref., Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–The Kanazawa branch of Nagoya High Court on Wednesday ruled that the July election of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, was held in a state of unconstitutionality in terms of vote-value

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average jumped 2.16 pct to close above 51,000 for the first time ever Wednesday, led by purchases of semiconductor-related issues. The Nikkei index rose 1,088.47 points to 51,307.65. Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest climbed

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government kept its basic economic assessment unchanged in a monthly report released Wednesday, maintaining its views on major sectors including private consumption. “The Japanese economy is recovering at a moderate pace, while the effects caused from

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed cooperation to enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance in an apparent effort to counter threats from China. In their first

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. unveiled Wednesday a prototype of a coupe model to be sold under the newly independent super luxury brand Century the day before the official start of the Japan Mobility Show 2025 in Tokyo. The leading

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi got through her first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump without a hitch just a week after her inauguration. Behind the success was her effort to foster trust with Trump by making the

Washington, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged Tuesday that giving the Bank of Japan policy space is key to stabilizing inflation expectations and exchange rates. The Japanese government’s “willingness to allow the Bank of Japan policy space will be

Suttsu, Hokkaido, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Suttsu Mayor Haruo Kataoka, who supports proceeding to the next-stage survey to select a final disposal site for high-level nuclear waste, has been re-elected for a seventh consecutive term in the northern Japan town. The 76-year-old independent

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its new coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), on Wednesday agreed to establish a joint conference to coordinate policies. The agreement is designed to help the LDP and Nippon

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average jumped over 1,000 points to exceed 51,000 for the first time ever on Wednesday morning as investors hunted semiconductor-related issues actively. The Nikkei index ended the morning session at 51,249.82, up 1,030.64

(The last paragraph should have read, ” …influx of…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) Toyota to Ship Its U.S.-Made Vehicles to Japan Washington, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp. plans to ship vehicles produced at its U.S. plants to

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average hit a record intraday high Wednesday morning, with investors heartened by higher U.S. stocks overnight amid easing concerns over trade tensions between the United States and China. At 9:37 a.m., the Nikkei

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)–A series of Japanese court rulings has found key legal provisions on gender dysphoria unconstitutional, but these decisions have not translated into practical relief for people seeking to change the gender recorded on their family registers, largely due

(Adnkronos) – At least 18 suspects and several police officers have been killed during a massive anti-drug operation in Rio de Janeiro, according to Brazilian authorities. “So far we have made 56 arrests and neutralized 18 criminals,” said Rio State Governor Claudio