Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s current account surplus expanded to 17,429.2 billion yen in January-June, hitting a record for the first half thanks to growing exports of semiconductors to Asia, the Finance Ministry said Monday. The surplus in the current account, the

New York, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Twelve-year-old violinist Sora Iwai from earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York after winning the top prize in the under-18 division of an international music competition. Iwai, an elementary school sixth grader

New York, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Twelve-year-old violinist Sora Iwai from earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York after winning the top prize in the under-18 division of an international music competition. Iwai, an elementary school sixth grader

Nagano, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Shuichi Abe won a fifth term as governor of the central Japan prefecture of Nagano in an election Sunday, defeating his sole contender. Abe, 65, won support mainly from prefectural assembly members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s public and private sectors are stepping up joint efforts to revive the nation’s struggling shipbuilding industry. Last year, the transport ministry drew up a road map for revitalizing Japan’s shipbuilding sector, setting a target of doubling shipbuilding

Tokyo, Aug. 10 (Jiji Press)–The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, the country’s only national organization of hibakusha atomic bomb survivors and the 2024 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, marked on Monday 70 years since its

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–About 250 people joined a memorial mass held at Urakami Cathedral in the city of Nagasaki on Sunday, which marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city. At the cathedral, many Christians

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–About 250 people joined a memorial mass held at Urakami Cathedral in the city of Nagasaki on Sunday, which marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city. At the cathedral, many Christians

Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–The U.S. Forces Japan on Sunday airlifted a total of about 33,000 bottles of drinking water for victims of a recent powerful earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan. A KC-130 aircraft of the U.S. military transported the

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Many people gathered at a park in the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki on Sunday to mourn the victims of the U.S. atomic bombing of the city exactly 81 years ago, wish for the abolition of nuclear weapons

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki in this year’s peace declaration on Sunday reiterated the atomic-bombed city’s call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, describing them as an absolute evil. The theory of nuclear deterrence, advocated mainly by nuclear weapons

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was urged on Sunday to officially recognize more hibakusha survivors of the Aug. 9, 1945, U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki. Some people who were exposed to radiation from

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday stopped short of commenting on possible reshuffles of her cabinet or the lineup of executives at her ruling Liberal Democratic Party. “My cabinet is now making maximum efforts in response to

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–An 87-year-old hibakusha expressed her anger at world leaders on Sunday, the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki, at a time when the international situation is increasingly severe in spite

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday stopped short of commenting on whether she will reshuffle her cabinet or the lineup of executives at her ruling Liberal Democratic Party. “I have nothing to say at the moment (on

Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Orix Buffaloes pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano, who has earned a total of 258 saves in Japanese and U.S. career, will retire at the end of this season, the Japanese professional baseball team said Sunday. The 42-year-old right-hander has played

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–About 250 people gathered and offered prayers at a memorial mass held at Urakami Cathedral in the city of Nagasaki on Sunday, which marked the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city. At

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–High school students in the city of Nagasaki who serve as peace ambassadors and work on a campaign to collect signatures for nuclear abolition held a rally on Sunday, the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki in this year’s peace declaration on Sunday reiterated the atomic-bombed city’s call for the abolition of nuclear weapons, describing them as an absolute evil. The theory of nuclear deterrence, advocated mainly by nuclear weapons

Osaka, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–The No. 3 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Oi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, has stopped automatically after an alarm went off, the company said in the small hours of Sunday. While the cause

Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Environment Ministry plans to draw up guidelines in fiscal 2027 to help foster reliable reuse companies so that consumers can buy and sell used items with a sense of safety. As disputes between customers and some malicious

Nagasaki, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–A hibakusha survivor of the atomic bombing of the southwestern Japan city of Nagasaki has said that world leaders should work to avoid wars instead of war preparations as she is concerned that global reliance on nuclear deterrence

Tokyo, Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has started considering reshuffling her cabinet and the executive lineup at the Liberal Democratic Party possibly in September, with the treatment of Shunichi Suzuki, current secretary-general of the ruling party, believed to be

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 9 (Jiji Press)–A space for children to play was set up at an evacuation shelter in Kumamoto Prefecture after a powerful earthquake that struck the southwestern prefecture on July 28 forced nurseries and after-school care services to suspend

Hikawa, Kumamoto Pref., Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Volunteers have fully started their activities in the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kumamoto, which was hit hard by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake late last month. While the prefectural government initially called on volunteers to refrain from visiting

Jinsekikogen, Hiroshima Pref., Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Prince Hisahito, the son of Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, took part in preparing breakfast Saturday morning during the Nippon Scout Jamboree event in the town of Jinsekikogen in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan.

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, the Japan Innovation Party, face a challenge of resolving a sense of distrust on both sides nearly 10 months after they formed a governing coalition. The JIP has made tough

Kumamoto, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Generative artificial intelligence is increasingly utilized to assist relief efforts in the wake of a powerful earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, late last month. Meanwhile, AI is believed to have been used to create fake videos that

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–A roughly two-minute video of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to earthquake-stricken Kumamoto Prefecture on Monday has sparked controversy, with some saying that it is like a promotional video for the country’s leader. The video was created

Tokyo, Aug. 8 (Jiji Press)–Three major brewers in Japan posted year-on-year growth in consolidated revenue in January-June, on the back of strong sales of beer and other products, according to their earnings reports released Friday. Suntory Holdings Ltd. saw its revenue increase