London, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–A five-day grand sumo tournament in London kicked off Wednesday at the Royal Albert Hall in the center of the British capital. Some 5,400 spectators gathered at the prestigious concert hall to watch bouts of wrestlers in the

By Adriana Reinecke Washington, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–International Monetary Fund executive Vitor Gaspar has recommended that Japan create longer-term fiscal plans amid increasing risks posed by interest rate rises. “After the pandemic, interest rates have been rising, debts have been rising, (and)

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–The Tokyo metropolitan government has unveiled plans to extend its Oedo subway line and add three new stations in the expanded section in the capital’s Nerima Ward. According to the plans released Wednesday, the Oedo Line will be

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–More than 10 lawmakers from six Japanese ruling and opposition parties met on Wednesday to form a study group to discuss ways to promote the use of digital technology in politics. The group aims to come up with

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–The heads of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) are set to begin policy discussions Thursday afternoon, with in mind the possibility of forming a new governing coalition. The meeting

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–Russia has notified Japan of a plan to conduct a shooting drill near Shikotan, one of the four Russian-held northwestern Pacific islands claimed by Tokyo, between last Friday and Nov. 1, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)– Four Chinese coast guard ships temporarily sailed in Japan’s territorial waters off the Senkaku Islands in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, the Japan Coast Guard has said. According to the JCG’s 11th Regional Coast Guard

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–An increasing number of securities companies are launching services involving security tokens, or digital securities issued with blockchain technology, in Japan. Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co. announced Oct. 9 a security token service, while major brokers, including

Washington, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Wednesday that he expects the yen, which has been falling against the dollar amid Japanese political uncertainty, to settle at an appropriate level. “I think if the Bank of Japan follows proper

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–For more than half a century, the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia has been a magnet for Japanese companies, aided in part by its strategic location at the heart of Europe. Today, roughly 650 Japanese companies maintain

Washington, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on a television program Wednesday that President Donald Trump plans to visit Japan later this month. Bessent told CNBC that Trump will then travel to South Korea, where a meeting with Chinese

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuo Saito, leader of Komeito, which has announced its withdrawal from Japan’s ruling bloc, said Wednesday that his party will focus on whether a stable government can be formed in an expected parliamentary runoff vote to elect the

(Adnkronos) – Chinese customs authorities have seized over 60,000 maps in the eastern province of Shandong, accused of “incorrectly labeling” the self-governed island of Taiwan and “omitting important islands” in the South China Sea. According to China Customs, the maps – intended

(Adnkronos) – A political figure from one of the most important Sunni blocs was killed in Iraq less than a month before the legislative elections. Safa Hussein Yassin al-Mashhadani, a candidate for the November 11 parliamentary elections, was killed in the last

(Adnkronos) – The French Council of State has rejected Marine Le Pen’s appeal against her immediate ineligibility, imposed as part of her conviction for misappropriation of public funds. Le Pen, whose appeal trial will be held from January 13 to February 12,

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–The leaders of three major Japanese opposition parties met on Wednesday and agreed to continue talks between their secretaries-general regarding possible cooperation in the upcoming parliamentary vote to elect the country’s new prime minister. At the meeting, Constitutional

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni and Jordan’s King Abullah held talks in Rome on Wednesday at a high-level counter-terrorism forum which focussed on West Africa and instability and jihadism in the Sahel.   Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani also took part

Saitama, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Two female residents of an elderly care facility in Tsurugashima in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, were confirmed dead Wednesday morning hours after they were found bleeding and unconscious. At around 4:55 a.m., an emergency call from the

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan has lodged a protest through diplomatic channels over an apparent Chinese maritime survey in Japan’s exclusive economic zone off an island in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Wednesday. The protest came

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Sanae Takaichi, the new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) chief Hirofumi Yoshimura met in Tokyo on Wednesday and agreed to hold policy talks between the two parties, with

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–The number of foreign visitors to Japan in January-September exceeded 30 million, passing the line at the fastest pace ever, the Japan National Tourism Organization said Wednesday. The figure jumped 17.7 pct from the same period last year

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Major Japanese convenience store operators Lawson Inc. and FamilyMart Co. enjoyed sales growth in the March-August first half of their current business year, while Seven & i Holdings Co.’s sales declined, according to their recent earnings reports. Lawson

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has been flooded with opinions against a selective dual surname system for married couples during a recent public comment period on the issue, Jiji Press learned Wednesday. The number of comments from the public on

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–More than 500 companies and organizations will take part in the Japan Mobility Show 2025, opening Oct. 31 at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center, to showcase cutting-edge technologies, concept cars and classic vehicles. The number of exhibitors

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–At a time when overwork of teachers is attracting attention as a serious social problem in Japan, “edtech” services to help them out digitally are gaining traction. The market for edtech, or educational technology, will grow some 1.4-fold

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–The leaders of three major Japanese opposition parties met on Wednesday and agreed to continue talks between their secretaries-general regarding possible cooperation in the upcoming parliamentary vote to elect the country’s new prime minister. At the meeting, Constitutional

(Adnkronos) – Persecution and violence have diminished the number of Christians in the Middle East, but the religious minority nonetheless remains “a force for peace” in the region, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday.  “Christians in the Middle East have suffered

Tokyo, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s National Stadium, which was the main venue for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021, will be renamed the MUFG Stadium in January 2026, the facility’s management company said Wednesday. Japan National Stadium Entertainment Inc. said

Kobe, Oct. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japanese public prosecutors on Wednesday sought the death penalty for Hideaki Nozu, who has been charged with killing three members of his family with a crossbow at his home in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, in June 2020. At a

(Adnkronos) – The United States has revoked the visas of foreign citizens following their social media posts regarding the murder of Maga right-wing figure Charlie Kirk, the State Department announced. The measure affects Germans, Mexicans, Argentinians, South Africans, Brazilians, and citizens of