Fukui, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–The Fukui prefectural government, in a report released Wednesday, confirmed former Governor Tatsuji Sugimoto’s sexual harassment against a female worker and other victims. “It is evident that Sugimoto’s words and actions in question were acts of sexual harassment,”

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s program to effectively eliminate high school tuition from fiscal 2026 is heightening concerns among public high schools that a shift toward private education will increase further. Under the government’s draft budget for the fiscal year starting in

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Shinsuke Yamanaka, chief of Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, on Wednesday denounced Chubu Electric Power Co. for cherry-picking earthquake risk data for its Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan. “It is a fabrication of screening data

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Wednesday warned the public about a fake video that misused footage from his own press conference and had appeared on YouTube. Referring to the fake video, which solicited investments for a

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it has urged China to withdraw its ban on exports of dual-use goods to Japan. Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, lodged a strong protest over the

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. has said it will go private through a management buyout scheme worth about 390 billion yen. According to Hisamitsu’s announcement Tuesday, an asset management company controlled by its president and CEO, Kazuhide Nakatomi, who

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. has said it will go private through a management buyout scheme worth about 390 billion yen. According to Hisamitsu’s announcement Tuesday, an asset management company controlled by its president and CEO, Kazuhide Nakatomi, who

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies on Wednesday agreed that they will maintain close communication and cooperation regarding the situation in Venezuela, following the U.S. attack on the country. In a phone meeting among

New York, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nagasaki and Okinawa have been selected for The New York Times’ list of “52 places to go in 2026.” The U.S. daily placed the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki 17th on the list. The newspaper said

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that it has urged China to withdraw its ban on exports of dual-use goods to Japan. Masaaki Kanai, director-general of the ministry’s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, lodged a protest over the matter

Taipei, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)–Former Taiwan Premier Frank Hsieh has been appointed chairman of Taiwan’s liaison organization with Japan. Hsieh, former head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, the post equivalent to ambassador, said on Facebook that he

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–A series of powerful earthquakes struck western Japan on Tuesday, measuring up to upper 5, the fourth-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in the western prefectures of Tottori and Shimane. So far, nine people have been

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Business leaders in Japan made positive statements about continuing wage increases during a New Year event in Tokyo on Tuesday, with many hoping to achieve wage hikes at or above last year’s results in this year’s “shunto” spring

Beijing, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Tuesday announced an immediate ban on the exports to Japan of dual-use goods, which can be used for both commercial and military purposes. The move followed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remark

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–A series of powerful earthquakes struck western Japan on Tuesday, measuring up to upper 5, the fourth-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in the western prefectures of Tottori and Shimane. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency,

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, expressed hope Tuesday that the Democratic Party for the People will join the ruling coalition of his party and the Japan Innovation Party. “It is my hope that a

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged to drive the country’s economic growth during a New Year’s event hosted mainly by Jiji Press on Tuesday. “We will bring back a strong economy,” Takaichi said, expressing eagerness to “push all

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said Tuesday that it learned of fraudulent data selection on earthquake risk by Chubu Electric Power Co. in February 2025 as a result of whistleblowing. The company had cherry-picked data underestimating earthquake risk for

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Investigative sources said on Tuesday that a 39-year-old man, his wife and common-law wife who were arrested over posting secretly filmed sexual videos shared nearly 1,000 such videos and photos online. The man, Yohei Ono, 39, his wife,

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Nearly 60 pct of people in Japan do not know how to properly dispose of mobile batteries, while fires involving batteries are on the rise, a survey has shown. Some batteries discarded as garbage have started fire in

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Traffic accident deaths in Japan fell to a record low in 2025, dropping 116, or 4.4 pct, from the previous year to 2,547, the National Police Agency said Tuesday. The figure is the lowest since records began in

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Volunteers from Japan’s Children and Families Agency have launched an awareness-raising campaign to alleviate the anxiety of children who struggle to talk about their problems with adults. The campaign focuses on creating an environment in which children can

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s leading shipbuilder, Imabari Shipbuilding Co., said Tuesday that it has completed the process to acquire the second-biggest Japan Marine United Corp. The two companies account for more than half of the country’s total ship construction volume. By

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average Tuesday hit a record closing high for the first time in about two months, boosted by broad-based buying following a rise in U.S. stocks Monday. The index of 225 major issues listed

Las Vegas, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–A joint venture between Sony Group Corp. and Honda Motor Co. on Monday unveiled a prototype of its second Afeela electric vehicle model in Las Vegas on Monday. Sony Honda Mobility Inc. aims to start delivering an

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Japan aims to step up actions against the operators of “minpaku” private lodging services found to be causing disturbances in surrounding areas, Jiji Press has learned. The Japan Tourism Agency will consider reviewing its guidelines on the private

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–A series of powerful earthquakes struck western Japan on Tuesday, measuring up to upper 5, the fourth-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in the western prefectures of Tottori and Shimane. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency,

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday declined to offer a legal assessment of the U.S. attack on Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro. Japan is “not in a position to grasp detailed facts,” Chief Cabinet Secretary

Tokyo, Jan. 6 (Jiji Press)–Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, expressed hope Tuesday that the Democratic Party for the People will join the ruling coalition of his party and the Japan Innovation Party. “It is my hope that a

Silicon Valley, Jan. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda’s “Scarlet” earned three nominations for the 2026 Annie Awards, which honor excellence in animation, on Monday. The three categories in which “Scarlet” was nominated include Best Feature – Independent. “Chainsaw Man – The