Otsu, Shiga Pref., Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–The organizers of a large fireworks festival planned for Aug. 22 in three cities in Shiga Prefecture, western Japan, have announced the event’s cancellation, it was learned Monday. According to local fire authorities, fireworks event organizers

(Adnkronos) – Taiwan has launched its first mobile network slowdown exercise, a new civil defense measure designed to prepare the population for possible communication disruptions in the event of war, cyberattacks, or natural disasters. The South China Morning Post reports that the

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has begun considering incorporating domestically developed artificial intelligence into the Self-Defense Forces’ command and control system, informed sources have said. The government hopes the move will speed up and improve the accuracy of decision-making by

(Adnkronos) – At least 19 Palestinians have been arrested in various areas of the West Bank. This was reported by the Wafa news agency, to which a security source stated that ten of them were arrested in the village of Marah Rabah,

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government said Monday that it has decided to apply the law on postdisaster livelihood reconstruction aid to all areas of the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto, which was hit by a powerful earthquake late last month. Under

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese e-commerce and mobile phone operator Rakuten Group Inc. on Monday posted its first January-June consolidated operating profit in seven years. Its operating profit came to 50.4 billion yen in the first-half period, against a loss of

(Adnkronos) – An explosion occurred during the night in front of a house in the municipality of Evere, Brussels. There are no injuries, one person, in a state of shock, was assisted on site. The blast – which occurred around 3:45 AM

Kumamoto, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Over 6,000 people are still living at evacuation centers following a massive earthquake that struck the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto almost two weeks ago. As of 2 p.m. Monday, a total of 39 deaths had been confirmed

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Monday that her government is preparing to apply the law on postdisaster livelihood reconstruction aid to all areas of the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto, which was hit by a powerful earthquake late

Kumamoto, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–A massive earthquake that rocked the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto two weeks ago has highlighted difficulties supporting evacuees who opt to stay in their vehicles, rather than at evacuation centers or their own homes. Local municipalities are

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Food delivery service providers in Japan are increasingly allowing customers to order items at prices equivalent to those in physical stores, aiming to increase the number of users by dispelling the belief that such services are costly. In

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Video clips of interrogations were played at Tokyo District Court on Monday in a damages lawsuit against the government for alleged improper interrogations filed by a company president indicted for fraud. Litigant Naoyuki Ikuta, 52, the head of

Nagano, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Newspaper publisher Shinano Mainichi Shimbun and trading firm Hachijuni Link Nagano Co., both in the central Japan prefecture of Nagano, announced Monday a business alliance to expand overseas sales channels for local specialties and increase visitors from abroad.

(Adnkronos) – Twelve people were killed in a drone attack launched by Ukraine against the city of Nizhny Kamsk, in western Russia. The Russian news agency RIA reported this, adding that 39 people were injured. Previously, the Russian Ministry of Defense had

(Adnkronos) – One person has died and five others were injured following a collapse in the Sukari gold mine, Egypt’s largest, according to authorities. A statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Petroleum said that “the incident occurred inside a tunnel during underground

Kumamoto, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Over 6,000 people are still living at evacuation centers following a massive earthquake that struck the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto almost two weeks ago. As of 7:30 a.m. Monday, a total of 39 deaths had been confirmed

Uki, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Efforts are underway in Kumamoto Prefecture to provide children with developmental and intellectual disabilities with places to stay during the day and relieve stress, after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month.

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Ministry officials have begun to use social media under their own names to combat misinformation, after the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s “hometown” project to promote exchanges between Japanese and African cities came under undue attack. JICA

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Corporate bankruptcies with liabilities of at least 10 million yen in Japan in July rose 6.9 pct from a year before to 1,028, the highest level for the month in 13 years, Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd. said Monday.

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average on Monday briefly rose back above 67,000 for the first time since July 23, buoyed by robust investor appetite for artificial intelligence-related stocks. The index of 225 major issues listed on the

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Police are increasing vigilance in Kumamoto Prefecture, following reports of scam attempts targeting local residents affected by a major earthquake that jolted the southwestern Japan prefecture last month. A special unit comprising over 300 police officers

Nagasaki, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Officials of Nihon Hidankyo, or the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, renewed their call for a world without nuclear weapons, on the 70th anniversary of its establishment Monday. At a press conference held near the

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–About 250 people joined a memorial mass held at Urakami Cathedral in the city of Nagasaki on Sunday, which marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city. At the cathedral, many Christians

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Mizuho Bank said Monday it will raise its long-term prime lending rate by 0.1 percentage point to 3.25 pct, the highest level in about 30 years, effective Wednesday. The increase in the long-term prime, a benchmark for interest

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Bank of Japan policymakers in July expressed their views that interest rate hikes should be accelerated, given upside risks to inflation, a summary of opinions at the latest monetary policy meeting showed Monday. “It cannot be said that

Ayase, Kanagawa Pref., Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force’s P-1 patrol aircraft has left the Atsugi air base in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, for Djibouti to take part in an antipiracy mission. This is the first time for the

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s current account surplus expanded to 17,429.2 billion yen in January-June, hitting a record for the first half thanks to growing exports of semiconductors to Asia, the Finance Ministry said Monday. The surplus in the current account, the

New York, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Twelve-year-old violinist Sora Iwai from earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York after winning the top prize in the under-18 division of an international music competition. Iwai, an elementary school sixth grader

New York, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Twelve-year-old violinist Sora Iwai from earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York after winning the top prize in the under-18 division of an international music competition. Iwai, an elementary school sixth grader

Nagano, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Shuichi Abe won a fifth term as governor of the central Japan prefecture of Nagano in an election Sunday, defeating his sole contender. Abe, 65, won support mainly from prefectural assembly members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party