Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–Central Japan Railway Co., or JR Tokai, and West Japan Railway Co., or JR West, said Wednesday that they will start offering Supreme Class premium private compartments on their Shinkansen bullet trains on Oct. 1. A private compartment

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–A commission of Japan’s House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, or parliament, on Thursday passed a bill to revise the law on national referendums for amending the Constitution. At a meeting of the Lower House

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet fell by 5.1 percentage points from the previous month to 54.3 pct in June, hitting the lowest level since she took office last October, a monthly survey by Jiji

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–The number of people who met with mountaineering accidents in Japan rose 226 from the previous year to 3,623 in 2025, highest on record dating back to 1961, National Police Agency data showed Thursday. The number of accidents

Delft, Netherlands, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, currently on a state visit to the Netherlands, visited Deltares, a water-related research institute in Delft, southwest of Amsterdam, with Dutch King Willem-Alexander on Wednesday. The Emperor, who studies water issues as his lifework,

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–The chair of a Japanese suprapartisan panel has presented a proposal to lower the consumption tax rate on food to virtually zero pct to effectively fulfill Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s campaign pledge of a zero pct food tax

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Japan declined to join the U.S. military operation against Iran when he asked whether Tokyo wanted to participate. At a press conference following the Group of Seven summit in Evian,

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Innovation Party, the junior partner in the country’s ruling coalition, on Wednesday called for the swift introduction of nuclear-powered submarines, citing China’s constant naval expansion into the Pacific. The request is part of a set of

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday welcomed a deal between the United States and Iran to end their conflict, at a press conference held at the end of her visit to Europe, which began on Saturday.

Tokyo, June 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average climbed over 1,400 points to hit a record intraday high above 71,000 in Thursday morning trading, with artificial intelligence- and semiconductor-related stocks drawing purchases following gains in these sectors in the U.S.

(Adnkronos) – Italy and allied countries are willing to take part in a multilateral naval mission to clear mines in the Strait of Hormuz and re-open the key waterway, provided a ceasefire holds in the region and given Parliament’s approval, foreign minister

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday welcomed a deal between the United States and Iran to end their conflict at a press conference held at the end of her visit to Europe, which began on Saturday.

(Adnkronos) – The British Prime Minister extends a hand to the Mayor of ‘Greater Manchester’, the very popular Labour figure Andy Burnham, who is ready to resign from the position he has held for two years, in case of an expected victory

(Adnkronos) – Israeli settlers have intensified attacks in the West Bank, setting fire to two mosques north of Ramallah and defacing them with “racist graffiti”, according to local witnesses. Settlers set fire to a mosque in Jaljilya and another in the nearby

(Adnkronos) – After Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York, Washington D.C. could also have a socialist mayor, who would be destined for a highly complex cohabitation with Donald Trump. With over 60% of the Democratic primary votes counted, Janeese Lewis George, a

(Adnkronos) – “We are evaluating proposals put forward by (UN) secretary-general (Antonio) Guterres. We believe it is crucial to build on the experience gained by strengthening existing structures, starting with the Military Technical Committee (MTC4L),” he said.  The multinational MTC4L led by

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wrapped up her first Group of Seven summit since taking office last October after seeing her proposals on economic security and China reflected in the leaders’ statements. During the three-day summit in

Evian, France, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Leaders from the Group of Seven major powers ended their three-day summit in Evian, eastern France, on Wednesday, agreeing to cooperate in the resumption of safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key crude oil transportation

Amsterdam, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, who are on a state visit to the Netherlands, attended a welcoming ceremony held at Dam Square in Amsterdam on Wednesday. The Emperor and the Empress arrived at the ceremony venue from

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s embassy and its trade office in Tehran will re-open on Friday – the day that a United States-Iran peace deal is due to be inked in Switzerland – foreign minister Antonio Tajani told members of parliament on Wednesday.  “I’m

(Adnkronos) – Diplomatic staff will “gradually” return to Italy’s embassy in Tehran following the peace deal agreed in recent days between the United States and Iran ending the three-month war that escalated through the region and led to the closure of the

Kushiro, Hokkaido, June 17 (Jiji Press)–A district court in Hokkaido sentenced the president of a local sightseeing boat operator to five years in prison on Wednesday over a deadly boat sinking in the northernmost Japan prefecture in 2022. Kushiro District Court found

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–The next session of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting will be held in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, around summer next year, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Wednesday. At the gathering, the Japanese government aims to exchange

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday it will release new models of its Kicks compact SUV on Thursday, its first redesign in six years. The Japanese automaker aims to revitalize its sales with the strategic vehicle, which has sold

Toyota, Aichi Pref., June 17 (Jiji Press)–Toyota Motor Corp.’s new president, Kenta Kon, vowed Wednesday to maintain the company’s policy of creating “ever-better cars,” championed by Chairman and former President Akio Toyoda. “We are becoming a company that is able to keep

Taipei, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Noodle chain Sukesan Udon, which originated in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, will open an outlet in Taipei, Taiwan, on Thursday, its first overseas branch. Sukesan Co., the operator of the noodle chain and a unit of major

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Tourism Agency said Wednesday that it plans to enable local governments to effectively ban “minpaku” private lodging services through ordinances if such operations pose a threat to the local living environment. The measure is aimed at

(Adnkronos) – Iraqi’s energy sector, exports, and new opportunities for investment and collaboration by Italian companies were at the centre of “very positive” talks Wednesday between Italy’s envoy Niccolo Fontana and Iraqi oil minister Bassem al-Abadi, the embassy wrote on X.  “Very

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Japan and Oman agreed Wednesday to maintain close communication to ensure free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy shipments. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi,

Tokyo, June 17 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department served a fresh arrest warrant on the president of an information technology firm Wednesday on suspicion of killing an executive of the company. Katsuya Mizuguchi, 49, is alleged to have murdered Takeshi Kamiyama, 54,