Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that the establishment of a ceasefire is a prerequisite for the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces troops to the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transportation waterway that has been effectively blocked

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–An international research team including Japan’s Yamashina Institute for Ornithology said Wednesday that it has discovered a new bird species in the Tokara Islands of Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan. The new bird, named the Tokara Leaf Warbler, or

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan surged by 29 yen from a week earlier to a record high of 190.8 yen per liter as of Monday, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The pace of increase

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Many major Japanese companies fully accepted their unions’ pay hike demands Wednesday, when this year’s “shunto” spring labor-management negotiations reached a climax. Despite an uncertain business environment due partly to U.S. President Donald Trump’s high tariff policy and

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The second round of Japanese investments and loans for U.S. projects under the two countries’ tariff agreement is expected to total about 10 trillion yen, informed sources said Wednesday. With Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and U.S. President

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito agreed Wednesday to join the National Council for Social Security for suprapartisan talks on a proposed consumption tax reduction and a refundable tax credit system. The

Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., March 18 (Jiji Press)–Local residents living in the lower reaches of the Hiji River in the western Japan prefecture of Ehime lost a damages lawsuit against the central and local governments on Wednesday over emergency dam discharges during a

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The estimated number of Chinese visitors to Japan in February fell 45.2 pct from a year earlier to 396,400, marking a decline for the third consecutive month, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the overall number

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The average unit price of new condominiums in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, came to 130.01 million yen in February, topping 100 million yen for the first time, a think tank report showed Wednesday. In Tokyo and the

(Adnkronos) – The United States Central Command stated in a communiqué that US armed forces hit Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with 2,270-kilogram bunker-buster bombs, adding that the attacks were successful. “Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles positioned in these areas

(Adnkronos) – A new Israeli attack has hit the Zuqaq al-Blat district in central Beirut, according to state media. This is the second attack in the densely populated area since this morning, without any warning. An explosion was heard throughout the capital

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Press Research Institute on Wednesday released digital copies of 68 issues of internal newsletters published before and during World War II by Domei News Agency, a government-backed news agency. The newsletters contain “powerful language intended to

Seoul, March 18 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has expressed deep gratitude for Japan’s recent assistance in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East. In a letter sent to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday, Lee thanked the Japanese

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–About 30 pct of people in their 20s and 30s in Japan believe it necessary to make “shukatsu” end-of-life planning, a survey showed Wednesday. The online survey, conducted last September by funeral firm San Holdings Inc., found that

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The estimated number of Chinese visitors to Japan in February fell 45.2 pct from a year earlier to 396,400, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the overall number of foreign visitors to Japan in February is

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese climber died after slipping down Mount Kenya in Kenya on Thursday last week local time, an official of Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Details including the victim’s age and sex as well as how the accident

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks surged on Wednesday as concerns about crude oil supplies eased following a media report that some vessels were passing through the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict between the U.S.-Israel camp and Iran. The Nikkei

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s household financial assets rose 5.3 pct from a year earlier to a record 2,351 trillion yen at the end of December 2025, up for the 12th straight quarter, Bank of Japan quarterly data showed Wednesday. The increase

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday surged 29 yen from a week earlier to hit a record high of 190.8 yen per liter, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The jump was driven

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Many major Japanese companies fully accepted their unions’ pay hike demands Wednesday, when this year’s “shunto” spring labor-management negotiations reached a climax. Despite an uncertain business environment due partly to U.S. President Donald Trump’s high tariff policy and

Onagawa, Miyagi Pref., March 18 (Jiji Press)–A “kamaboko” fish cake manufacturer in a town in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Miyagi has continued to lend the local community and firms a helping hand for reconstruction from a devastating earthquake and tsunami 15

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday surged 29 yen from a week earlier to hit a record high of 190.8 yen per liter, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The jump was driven

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Wednesday that the country “does not plan to send at this point” Self-Defense Forces troops to the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transportation waterway that has been effectively blocked by Iran.

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan logged a custom-cleared trade surplus of 57.3 billion yen in February on a preliminary basis, the first black ink in two months, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday. Both imports and exports reached their highest levels ever for

Yokohama, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Risa Akiyama, representative director of the Japan Women Journalists Association, believes more women should be involved in determining what constitutes news value in Japan, so that perspectives different from those of men are better reflected. “Even when looking

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry has launched a new office tasked with actively engaging in the efforts to broker peace in countries in conflict. The International Peace Mediation Unit was set up within the ministry’s Foreign Policy Bureau on Tuesday,

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rose more than 1,100 points Wednesday morning, amid receding concerns over a possible crude oil supply decline related to tensions in the Middle East. At 10:13 a.m., the index of 225 selected

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Whenever a woman rises to the top position in politics, business or other fields for the first time, Japanese news organizations have traditionally highlighted the development primarily through the lens of her being the “first woman.” Prominent recent

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Surging crude oil prices stoked by escalating tensions over Iran are fueling concerns in Japan about an acceleration in price hikes for a wide range of products including daily goods. Rises in crude oil prices lead to hikes

Washington, March 17 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States does not need assistance from Japan and others for its military operations against Iran, effectively backtracking on his earlier request for nations including Japan to send warships to