Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan has lodged a protest after Russia notified Tokyo that it would conduct military exercises near the disputed northwestern Pacific islands from Wednesday. According to Japanese government officials, Russia said that live-fire drills would be held until Monday

(The second paragraph from the bottom should have read, “…Nankai Electric Railway Co.’s…,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Knife-Wielding Man Dies after Being Shot by Osaka Police Osaka, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A man armed with a knife died

(Adnkronos) – A 12-meter long, 4,500 kg SpaceX rocket has crashed on the Moon. Scientists stated that the rocket’s speed at the time of impact was approximately 8,700 km/h and that it created a new crater near the illuminated edges of the

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli Defense Forces distributed leaflets in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the West Bank, stating that “Israeli security forces have launched a large-scale operation against terrorists”. The Palestinian Al-Quds network reported that Israeli forces raided the headquarters of the

(Adnkronos) – Floods and landslides caused by torrential monsoon rains have killed over 100 people in India since the beginning of July and forced thousands to leave their homes. According to a report published today, at least 87 people have died in

Washington, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan and the United States last week started working-level talks on Tokyo’s host nation support for U.S. forces in Japan, people familiar with the matter told Jiji Press on Wednesday. The U.S. government during preliminary talks indicated that

Osaka, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Osaka prefectural police have arrested eight Vietnamese men on suspicion of possessing stimulant drugs at a commercial building in the western Japan prefecture, it was learned Wednesday. The suspects, including 23-year-old Phan Van Huy, unemployed and with

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Nippon Paper Industries Co. President Akira Sebe on Wednesday lamented the deaths of nine people in an accident in which a chimney at a plant collapsed following last week’s major earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture. “We take

Osaka, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A man armed with a knife died after being shot by an Osaka prefectural police officer who had repeatedly warned him to drop the weapon in the city of Kawachinagano in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan. Around 7 p.m.

Kumamoto, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–A shelter accepting evacuees and their pets together was set up at a veterinarian school in the city of Kumamoto, southwestern Japan, immediately after last week’s massive earthquake. Kyushu Animal Academy made part of its facility available for

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo stocks soared Wednesday on buying inspired by Tuesday’s rises in U.S. equities amid receding concerns over the Middle East turmoil, lifting the benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average above 66,000. The index of 225 major issues listed on

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Nippon Steel Corp. said Tuesday that it swung to profit in its fiscal first quarter ended in June thanks to improved profitability at United States Steel Corp. The Japanese steelmaker logged a consolidated net profit of 75.2 billion

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Wednesday approved a plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April as a measure to cushion the impact of inflation. The plan

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Companies are expanding relief efforts in earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, rushing to supply cooling equipment, emergency power and necessities to evacuees. Addressing the heat wave is a top priority at a time when temperatures have topped 40

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Ministry of Finance upgraded its economic assessments of the Kanto eastern and Tokai central regions in a quarterly report for July released Wednesday. The ministry, however, deferred its assessment of the Kyushu southwestern region following an earthquake

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Most Bank of Japan policymakers cited receding risks of a significant economic downturn at the June 15-16 policy meeting, in which the central bank decided an interest rate hike, according to minutes of the meeting released by the

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The manager of Kinparo expressed both resolve and worries after last week’s major earthquake severely damaged the century-old “ryokan” Japanese-style inn in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. Founded in the Hinagu hot spring resort in Yatsushiro in

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to make a decision Wednesday afternoon on a plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April as a measure to cushion

Hiroshima, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The parents of an Iranian boy killed by an airstrike, now on a visit to Hiroshima, are set to attend Thursday’s annual ceremony to honor the victims of the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the western

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese companies agreed to raise monthly wages by an average of 5.37 pct through pay scale hikes and regular raises in the 2026 “shunto” spring labor-management wage negotiations, the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, has said. According

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has expressed support for a world without nuclear weapons after his proposal for debates without any taboos on nuclear policy sparked controversy, including among hibakusha atomic bombing survivors. “I strongly sympathize with the

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government plans to make a decision Wednesday afternoon on a plan to lower the consumption tax rate on food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from next April as an anti-inflation measure. The

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–The number of people rushed to hospitals for heatstroke in earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, in the week through Sunday totaled 309, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The figure was up 89 from the previous

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass will not attend this year’s peace ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to honor the victims of the 1945 atomic bombings of the cities, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has said. Aaron Snipe,

Chiba, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Right-hander Naoya Masuda of the Chiba Lotte Marines has become the fifth player in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, or NPB, to record 250 career saves. Masuda, 36, notched his second save of the season in Tuesday’s home

Washington, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that Washington will help Japan stabilize the yen, and that he believes the Bank of Japan will take necessary measures, including a possible interest rate hike. “I’m not going to prejudge

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s key Nikkei 225 stock average on Wednesday briefly firmed more than 2,200 points to retake 66,000 during trading hours for the first time in nearly two weeks. The index of 225 major issues listed on the Tokyo

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Experts have called on the Japanese government to consider countermeasures against economic coercion, apparently having China in mind. At Tuesday’s meeting of an expert panel on the government’s plan to update its three key security-related documents by year-end,

Tokyo, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s inflation-adjusted real wage index rose 1.6 pct year on year in June, up for six months in a row, thanks to higher wages and slower growth in prices, labor ministry data showed Wednesday. Nominal wages per worker,

Kumamoto, Aug. 5 (Jiji Press)–Chipmaking plants in Kumamoto Prefecture are gradually restarting operations following their suspensions caused by the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck the southwestern Japan prefecture late last month. Production is expected to return to the levels before the quake by