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16 Febbraio 2026

Takaichi Sets Eyes on Diplomacy with Firm Govt Footing

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Following her ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is poised to use the firm base of her administration to support her diplomacy. Next month, she
16 Febbraio 2026

Man Pleads Not Guilty to Triple Murder in Saitama Pref.

Saitama, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–A 43-year-old man accused of murder and other charges Monday pleaded not guilty to killing three members of a family at a house in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in December 2022. In the first hearing of
16 Febbraio 2026

Centrist Reform Alliance to Name Shina as Secretary-General

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Junya Ogawa, leader of the Centrist Reform Alliance, plans to appoint Takeshi Shina as secretary-general of the main Japanese opposition party, people familiar with the matter said Monday. Shina, 59, is a former member of the Constitutional Democratic
16 Febbraio 2026

Japan Oct.-Dec. GDP Up Annualized 0.2 Pct

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s real gross domestic product in October-December last year rose 0.1 pct from the previous quarter, posting an annualized gain of 0.2 pct, the government said Monday. The result, which marked the first rise in two quarters after
16 Febbraio 2026

Victim Families Conditionally Ease Stance on N. Korea

(5th para should have read “… several …,” instead of as sent) Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Families of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea have decided to soften their hardline stance on the authoritarian state on condition that the Japanese government brings
16 Febbraio 2026

Japan to Update Free, Open Indo-Pacific Vision

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government is working to update its vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Monday. The vision “needs to be evolved in the most appropriate way to adapt to changing times”
16 Febbraio 2026

Woman-Related Dispute May Be Behind Osaka Stabbing

Osaka, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–A dispute stemming from alleged harassment of a woman may have triggered an incident in the western Japan city of Osaka at the weekend, in which a teenage male was stabbed to death and two others were injured,
16 Febbraio 2026

Hamburger Chain Lotteria Changes Name to Burger One

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Lotteria Co. changed its name to Burger One Co. on Monday, the Japanese hamburger chain owned by restaurant operator Zensho Holdings Co., said. Starting in April, the company will change the name of all its stores to “Zetteria.”
16 Febbraio 2026

TOKYO REPORT: A Decade On, Japan Steadily Warms to Same-Sex Partners

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–A decade has passed since Tokyo’s Shibuya and Setagaya wards introduced Japan’s first “partnership system” in November 2015, offering public recognition to LGBTQ+ and other sexual-minority couples. Since then, the system has spread across the country. Such systems
16 Febbraio 2026

Japan Oct.-Dec. Real GDP Up Annualized 0.2 Pct

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted gross domestic product in October-December last year rose 0.1 pct from the previous quarter in price-adjusted real terms, up for the first time in two quarters, the government said Monday. At an annual rate, the
16 Febbraio 2026

Japanese Speed Skater Takagi Wins 2nd Medal at Milan-Cortina

Milan, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Miho Takagi won bronze in the women’s 500-meter speed skating event at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Sunday, clinching her second medal at the ongoing Winter Games. She secured bronze in the women’s 1,000-meter event Monday. With the
16 Febbraio 2026

Centrist Party to Carefully Study Joining National Congress

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–A senior official of the Centrist Reform Alliance has suggested that the Japanese opposition party will carefully consider whether to join a proposed national congress for talks on issues including a possible consumption tax cut to zero for
16 Febbraio 2026

Japan Oct.-Dec. Real GDP Up Annualized 0.2 Pct

Tokyo, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s seasonally adjusted gross domestic product in October-December last year rose 0.1 pct from the previous quarter in price-adjusted real terms, up for the first time in two quarters, the government said Monday. At an annual rate, the
16 Febbraio 2026

Microsoft, NTT, Others to Form Tech Alliance

Munich, Feb. 16 (Jiji Press)–Microsoft Corp., NTT Inc. and other major technology firms from around the world are planning to form an alliance to boost the credibility of cross-border technologies. A total of 16 companies from 11 countries announced the planned launch
15 Febbraio 2026

Japan’s Horishima Wins Silver in Dual Moguls

Milan, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Ikuma Horishima won the silver medal in the men’s freestyle skiing dual moguls at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday, the 10th day of the Games in Italy. It was his second medal in the Games after
15 Febbraio 2026

Yoshimura to Remain JIP Leader

Osaka, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–Members of the Japan Innovation Party have voted not to hold a leadership election despite the party’s sluggish results in the Feb. 8 parliamentary election, a move that allows Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura to remain its leader, officials
15 Febbraio 2026

17-Year-Old Killed, 2 Others Injured in Osaka Stabbing

Osaka, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–Three 17-year-old boys were attacked in a stabbing in the Dotonbori downtown area in the western Japan city of Osaka around midnight Sunday, with one of them confirmed dead later at a hospital. One of the other two
15 Febbraio 2026

Motegi Rebuts Chinese Criticism of Japan as Groundless

Munich, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Saturday criticized his Chinese counterpart for making groundless comments critical of Japan at an international conference in Germany. The claims made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Munich Security Conference
15 Febbraio 2026

Japan’s Nikaido Takes Silver in Ski Jumping Large Hill

Milan, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Japanese ski jumper Ren Nikaido won the silver medal in the men’s individual large hill event at the Milan-Cortina Olympics on Saturday. Nikaido earned his third medal at these Winter Games, after taking two bronze medals in the
15 Febbraio 2026

Japan Pledges 15 M. Euros in Fresh Aid to Ukraine

Tokyo, Feb. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japan will provide 15 million euros in additional assistance to Ukraine, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at an online press conference. Motegi unveiled this plan when he held talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Munich, southern
15 Febbraio 2026

G-7 Foreign Chiefs Affirm Cooperation on Ukraine, Middle East

Munich, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–The foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major democracies on Saturday confirmed their policy of closely cooperating to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and developments in the Middle East. At their meeting in Munich, Germany, they
15 Febbraio 2026

Motegi, Rubio Vow Cooperation for Takaichi-Trump Summit

Munich, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday agreed to work closely to make an upcoming summit between the leaders of the two countries an opportunity to demonstrate the unwavering Japan-U.S. alliance.
14 Febbraio 2026

China’s Foreign Minister Raps Japan at Security Conference

Munich, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi again criticized Japan at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Friday over Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks from last year regarding a possible Taiwan contingency. Responding to a moderator’s question about
14 Febbraio 2026

TEPCO Fixes Instrument Glitch at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa N-Plant

Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Saturday it has fixed a malfunction found in a measuring instrument for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, by replacing parts. Due
14 Febbraio 2026

EXCLUSIVE: Japan Governance Code Aims to Spur Growth Investment

Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s revised corporate governance code is expected to encourage listed companies to redirect accumulated cash and deposits to growth investment, informed sources told Jiji Press on Saturday. The board of directors “should constantly check whether cash and deposits
14 Febbraio 2026

Kanagawa Police to Revoke 2,700 Traffic Violations

Yokohama, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–The prefectural police department of Kanagawa, south of Tokyo, is set to cancel about 2,700 traffic violations that are believed to have been based on documents allegedly falsified by some officers, investigative sources said Saturday. The police department
14 Febbraio 2026

Shizuoka Police Raid Ousted Ito Mayor’s Home

Ito, Shizuoka Pref., Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Shizuoka prefectural police have raided the home of former Ito Mayor Maki Takubo, who faces allegations of falsifying her academic background, investigation sources said Saturday. At the former mayor’s residence, located in an area of the
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