Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp. said Monday the parent of leading Japanese discount store operator Don Quijote Co. will acquire midsize supermarket chain Olympic Group Corp. Olympic will become a wholly owned subsidiary of PPIH on July 1

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese industry of power semiconductors, used in electric vehicles and other products, is undergoing realignment, with manufacturers seeking consolidation to compete with foreign rivals. Rohm Co., Toshiba Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. launched discussions on integrating their

(4th para should have read “… evidence be …,” instead of as sent) Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s retrial and wrongful conviction experts released a joint statement Monday opposing a government council’s controversial proposal on retrial system reform. The proposal by the

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese retrial and wrongful conviction experts released a joint statement Monday opposing a government council’s controversial proposal on retrial system reform. The proposal by the Legislative Council, which advises the justice minister, is saddled with “serious problems,” the

Tokyo, April 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s industry ministry has requested major oil wholesalers to sell fuel directly to medical institutions and public transportation operators affected by crude oil supply disruptions amid the worsening situation surrounding Iran. Designating hospitals and other institutions as critical

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Monday urged Iran to ensure safe navigation for all ships, including vessels related to Japan, in the Strait of Hormuz. He made the request in phone talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Monday proposed that the Budget Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, hold a vote on the government’s fiscal 2026 budget bill on Tuesday.

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Many people in the Japanese rice industry expect prices for the staple food to fall over the next three months amid rising inventories, an industry group said Monday. The diffusion index for rice price outlooks stood at 27

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, visited Fukushima Prefecture on Monday to inspect the reconstruction efforts following the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear accident 15 years ago. This is the first time

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–The chief of Japan’s opposition Democratic Party for the People has suggested that he will urge Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to convene a meeting of party leaders to discuss economic measures that he believes should be formulated in

Tomioka, Fukushima Pref., April 7 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, on Tuesday visited a facility commemorating the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the subsequent nuclear accident, in Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture. The Historical Archive Museum of

Tokyo, April 7 (Jiji Press)–Ten Japanese companies, including food makers and retailers, said Monday that they will jointly set up an organization to enhance cybersecurity. The organization will work on analysis and sharing of information about signs of and damage from cyberattacks,

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering imposing limits on public prosecutors’ appeals against court decisions to open retrials, as part of a bill to revise the retrial system, it was learned Monday. The move comes after many members of

(Adnkronos) – Cheng Li-wun, the leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), landed at Shanghai airport to begin a mission she herself called ”historic for peace” between Taipei and Beijing. This was reported by the Xinhua news agency, emphasizing that it

Tokyo, April 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is expected to visit Australia during the Golden Week holiday period from late this month to meet with her counterpart, Anthony Albanese, sources said Sunday. She is also considering a trip to Vietnam,

Tokyo, April 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday denied a reported naphtha supply shortage and her reported refusal to attend parliamentary deliberations, complaining about media reports not based on facts. In an X post, Takaichi said there was a

(The sixth paragraph should have read, “To the Middle East,…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) INTERVIEW: Japan Should Lead Efforts toward U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Tokyo, April 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan should take a proactive role in realizing an early ceasefire over

By Sakurako Nakagawa Chiayi, Taiwan, April 5 (Jiji Press)–Futuristic skyscrapers, popular bubble tea shops and lively night street markets–talking of a trip to Taiwan, many would imagine visiting Taipei. However, the southern city of Chiayi, which hosted this year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival,

By Sakurako Nakagawa Chiayi, Taiwan, April 5 (Jiji Press)–Taiwanese artist Wang Wen-chih, who created one of the highlights of this year’s Taiwan Lantern Festival, has expressed hope for cultural exchanges with Japan through art, recalling his experience at art festivals there. For

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Two elementary school sisters from Tokyo have discovered a rare cicada fossil dating back about 300,000 years by breaking open a rock sold as a souvenir by a museum. The Middle Pleistocene fossil was found by Maho Shinomiya,

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–A liquefied petroleum gas carrier affiliated with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has become the second Japan-linked vessel that crossed the Strait of Hormuz under a de facto blockade, it was learned Saturday. The ship is the Indian-flagged LPG

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–The second son of Chizuo Matsumoto, former leader of the now-defunct Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government to seek damages for an attempted inspection of his home, Jiji Press learned Friday. The 32-year-old

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–A liquefied petroleum gas carrier affiliated with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. has become the second Japan-linked vessel that crossed the Strait of Hormuz under a de facto blockade, it was learned Saturday. The ship is the Indian-flagged LPG

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Members of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party have voiced opposition to a bill to reform the retrial system that the government is considering submitting. At an LDP meeting to check a draft of the bill, objections were raised

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–An investigative group of lawyers has blasted the University of Tokyo over recent corruption scandals, urging the prestigious national university to reform its governance system. “The self-correcting function is seriously lacking in the organization as a whole,” the

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Self-Defense Forces conducted weapons protection missions 11 times in 2025 to safeguard foreign military ships and aircraft, the Defense Ministry has said. The foreign military asset protection activities were carried out under national security-related laws for the

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Children and Families Agency has established a system to subsidize costs required for procedures to seize salaries and assets to secure child support payments from former spouses. The subsidy system was created in line with the revised

Washington, April 3 (Jiji Press)–The International Monetary Fund recommended on Friday that the Bank of Japan continue to gradually raise its policy rate toward a neutral level to bring down underlying inflation. The BOJ should “continue to move the policy rate toward

Tokyo, April 4 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is planning to consider carefully whether it will ask companies and the general public to cut back on electricity and petroleum product consumption, several government sources said Friday. Amid concerns over a possible prolonged military

(Adnkronos) – The scandal over the misappropriation of European agricultural subsidies has led to multiple resignations at the highest political levels in Greece. The Minister of Civil Protection and Agriculture, as well as an Undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, resigned today