Kikuyo, Kumamoto Pref., Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–While the local economy has been boosted by the full-scale launch of operations at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.’s first Japan plant a year ago, residents remain concerned about its impact on groundwater. The world’s largest contract

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Public prosecutors on Thursday indicted a Tokyo-based advertising company called Solarie, its president, Reika Kuroki, who is also a social media influencer, and two company executives on charges of evading 157 million yen in corporate and other taxes.

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s 10 major power utilities Thursday announced plans to lower their electricity rates by over 1,000 yen for a standard household next January, thanks to a resumption of government subsidies to cushion the impact of inflation. The fee

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is set to adopt on Friday a fiscal 2026 initial budget bill that features a record-high 122.3 trillion yen in general-account spending. The expenditures are set to exceed the previous record of 115,197.8 billion yen

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda expressed confidence on Thursday that the country’s underlying inflation is steadily approaching the central bank’s 2 pct target. “The achievement of the 2 pct price stability target, accompanied by wage increases, is

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday that she is seeking to visit the United States early next year to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump. “We’re currently arranging (the visit) to meet (with Trump) as soon as

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–A Tokyo-based advertising company called Solarie, its president, Reika Kuroki, who is also a social media influencer, and two other individuls, are suspected of evading 157 million yen in corporate and other taxes, informed sources said Thursday. The

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The death a decade ago of Matsuri Takahashi, a 24-year-old rookie employee of Japanese ad giant Dentsu Inc., who committed suicide due to overwork, accelerated discussions on reforms of working practices in Japan. The incident led to the

Japan Department Stores Association Dec. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 155,861 M. Yen Down 0.1 pct Clothing 42,285 Up 0.2 Personal Articles 25,023 Down 4.1 Sundry Goods 36,299 Up 4.5 Household Goods 5,679 Down 5.0 Foodstuffs 39,983 Down 0.2 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Japan Department Stores Association Dec. 25 Yr/Yr Change Total 521,408 M. Yen Up 0.9 pct Clothing 145,417 Up 1.5 Personal Articles 81,474 Down 2.0 Sundry Goods 109,903 Up 4.2 Household Goods 16,471 Down 4.3 Foodstuffs 142,396 Up 0.5 Note: Year-on-year changes are

Shonai, Yamagata Pref., Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Bereaved people and others Thursday gathered to remember the victims of a train derailment accident that occurred in Shonai, Yamagata Prefecture, northeastern Japan, 20 years ago. Yoichi Kise, president of East Japan Railway Co., or JR

Mito, Ibaraki Pref., Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Ibaraki prefectural government said Thursday that it has confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a poultry farm, the first such case in the eastern Japan prefecture this season. The outbreak in the

Seoul, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–North Korea conducted its first test of new high-altitude long-range antiair missiles in the Sea of Japan on Wednesday, its state-run Korean Central News Agency said Thursday. The missiles accurately hit mock targets at an altitude of 200

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to scrap its target of turning the primary budget balance at the central and local governments into a surplus in a specific fiscal year. At a meeting Thursday of the Council on Economic and

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Having a dog at home likely helps alter adolescent children’s microbiome to make them happier and have better social skills, a study by a Japanese research team showed. The team’s findings, based on surveys of children and experiments

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has adopted an ordinance to enforce a revised Civil Code that will introduce joint parental custody of children after divorce, starting on April 1, 2026. At the same time, a statutory child support system will

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–Members of the Japanese government’s regulatory reform promotion council have agreed to discuss six areas, including a possible easing of work hour regulations, advocated by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, on a priority basis. At a meeting of the

Tokyo, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has revamped its action plan aimed at preventing human rights violations linked to corporate activities. The revised action plan, announced Wednesday, includes eight priority areas, such as human rights due diligence procedures, in which companies

Seoul, Dec. 25 (Jiji Press)–The South Korean navy has conducted a defense drill for the Sea of Japan islands claimed by Tokyo. The drill took place Tuesday, according to South Korean media. The navy carries out a defense drill for the islands,

Bangkok, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Thai police said Wednesday that they have arrested the mother of a Thai girl who was forced to work illegally at a massage parlor in Tokyo on charges of human trafficking. The mother, 29, has denied the charges.

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition said Wednesday that the event held in the western Japan city of Osaka is estimated to generate a profit of 32 billion yen to 37 billion yen. The strong profit

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The mother of Matsuri Takahashi, who killed herself after working excessive hours at advertising giant Dentsu Inc. 10 years ago, held a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday and called on people not to forget the issue of

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese beverage maker Sapporo Holdings Ltd. said Wednesday that it will sell its real estate operations to a consortium of U.S. investment fund Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Hong Kong-based PAG Investment Management Ltd. for 477 billion

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Wednesday upgraded its real gross domestic product growth projection for fiscal 2026 to 1.3 pct from 0.9 pct as of August, as eased inflation is expected to support private consumption and business investment. The

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting the United States in March next year for the first time since taking office in October to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, informed sources said Wednesday. Trump is

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting the United States in March next year for the first time since taking office in October to hold talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, informed sources said Wednesday. Trump is

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering requiring foreign visitors to obtain private health insurance before arriving in the country, Jiji Press learned Wednesday. The move comes in line with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s request in June. According to

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–The average retail price of regular gasoline in Japan as of Monday stood at 158 yen per liter, the lowest level in about four years and four months, thanks to government subsidies, the industry ministry said Wednesday. The

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–This year’s winter bonuses at large companies in Japan averaged 1,004,841 yen, topping 1 million yen for the first time since comparable data became available in 1981, a survey showed Wednesday. The average rose 8.57 pct from a

Tokyo, Dec. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan plans to more than double funding for its security equipment aid to like-minded countries in fiscal 2026, in view of China’s increasingly assertive actions in the East and South China Seas. The government will allocate about 18.1