Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government Tuesday released a package of measures to eliminate serious lithium-ion battery fires by 2030, following a series of ignition incidents involving the batteries whose use is spreading fast. In the package, drawn up by central

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit Japan as a state guest from Feb. 8 to 10, the Japanese government said Tuesday. It will be the first Japan visit by a UAE president

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The number of children on waiting lists for “gakudo hoiku” after-school care facilities in Japan fell by 1,356 from a year before to 16,330 as of May 1, the first decline in four years, the Children and Families

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government at a cabinet meeting Tuesday adopted a comprehensive strategy on regional revitalization designed to realize a strong economy, a goal set by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration. The strategy, which covers five years from fiscal

Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese nongovernmental organization is giving medical assistance on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, where deadly floods have caused heavy damage with many local residents still evacuated. According to the Indonesian disaster countermeasure agency, the total number of

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government has a “free hand” over whether to intervene into the foreign exchange market to stem the yen’s recent rapid depreciation, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Tuesday. Katayama told a news conference that the government will

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Tuesday adopted a new cybersecurity strategy for the next five years, stipulating the creation of a system enabling the police, the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces to work together in neutralizing critical attacks.

Japan Chain Stores Association Dec. 23 Yr/Yr Change Total 1,096,343 M. Yen Up 2.8 pct Foodstuffs 749,647 Up 2.7 Clothing 58,593 Up 1.5 Sundries 104,511 Up 3.9 Furniture and Interior Goods 69,100 Down 3.6 Home Electric Appliances 4,242 Up 5.1 Note: Year-on-year

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese government bodies including the Immigration Services Agency on Tuesday proposed capping the combined number of foreign workers with specified skilled worker status and under a planned new skill development and employment program at 1,231,900 through the end

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–As prices keep rising, 98 pct of struggling families with children in Japan said they have been suffering economic hardship since the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey by nonprofit organization Kidsdoor shows. “We want the central and local governments

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government at a cabinet meeting Tuesday adopted its first basic plan on the development and utilization of artificial intelligence. The basic plan stipulates that Japan will “create reliable AI” while balancing technological innovation and risk management,

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Debate over reforming Japan’s retrial system has intensified following the landmark acquittal in October 2024 of Iwao Hakamata, now 89, who was wrongfully convicted of a 1966 murder and spent about 48 years in custody. It took 43

Washington, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–Bipartisan members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced a draft resolution condemning China’s “coercive actions against Japan” that followed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on a potential Taiwan contingency. While urging China to “cease its

Kobe, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural police department of Hyogo, western Japan, has sent papers on nine male officers to public prosecutors for alleged illegal gambling at online casinos. On Monday, the police department imposed penalties on the nine officers, such as

Seoul, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung may visit China and Japan next month, it has been learned. In a television program Monday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said that work is underway for Lee to visit China as

Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Emeritus Akihito, the father of Emperor Naruhito, turned 92 on Tuesday. The former Emperor was diagnosed this May with silent myocardial ischemia, a condition in which blood flow to the heart muscles falls below sufficient levels,

(Adnkronos) – The Israeli government has approved the closure of the Army radio station, Galei Tsahal, ignoring the objections of the attorney general, who stated that the move would threaten media freedom. Founded in 1950, Galei Tsahal is – according to a

(Adnkronos) – Missile tests have been reported in several western and central provinces of Iran. According to the Fars news agency, citing local witnesses, the tests were conducted in Khorramabad, Mahabad, Isfahan, Tehran, and Mashhad. Also today, the commander-in-chief of the Iranian

(Adnkronos) – Iran reiterates that its missile program has defensive purposes and serves to deter any attacks, specifying that the existence of its arsenal cannot be subject to discussion. “Iran’s missile program was developed to defend Iranian territory, not to negotiate,” said

(Adnkronos) – The partial release of documents related to the Epstein case risks turning into a political boomerang for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The extensive redactions and the limited number of files published – in apparent contrast to the

(Adnkronos) – U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna (Democrat, California) and Thomas Massie (Republican, Kentucky), co-authors of the “Epstein Files Transparency Act,” have announced their intention to initiate “contempt of Congress” proceedings against Attorney General Pam Bondi, accusing her of failing to comply with

(Adnkronos) – Cuba’s already precarious economic situation risks reaching the brink of collapse with the blockade on Venezuelan oil that Donald Trump’s United States is trying to impose. The operations to intercept tankers loaded with Venezuelan crude oil, launched in recent days

(Adnkronos) – A knife-wielding man was injured in Grenoble by police officers who were chasing him and against whom the suspect lashed out. Police intervened at the request of driving school employees, where the man had entered, threatening those present with the

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government decided Monday to move up a planned overhaul of the pay structure for Self-Defense Forces personnel to fiscal 2027, a year earlier than scheduled, as it seeks to address chronic staffing shortages. The decision was

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is considering allocating a total of 3,069.3 billion yen under its fiscal 2026 budget for policies linked to the industry ministry, a 1.5-fold increase from the fiscal 2025 initial budget, it was learned Monday. The

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–Kazuhiro Sugita, who was Japan’s longest-serving deputy chief cabinet secretary with a tenure of eight years and nine months, has died, it was learned Monday. He was 84. Sugita held the top bureaucrat post from the start of

Taipei, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–Koichi Hagiuda, executive acting secretary-general of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on Monday agreed to strengthen Japan-Taiwan relations, according to the Taiwanese presidential office. In a meeting at the Taiwanese presidential office in

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government and ruling parties began considering tightening the requirement for acquiring Japanese nationality to 10 years of residency or longer in principle, compared with the current five years, informed sources said Monday. By extending the necessary

Shizuoka, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–Japanese public prosecutors issued a summary indictment on Monday to actor Ryoko Hirosue, 45, over alleged negligent driving resulting in injury in a car accident on an expressway in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, in April. Meanwhile, the prosecutors

Tokyo, Dec. 22 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is expected to compile a state budget for fiscal 2026 with record general-account expenditures of over 120 trillion yen. The spending for the year from next April will top the current all-time high of 115,197.8