Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Most moss spores germinated normally after spending about nine months in outer space, a team of researchers in Japan said Friday, confirming that mosses can survive for an extended period in the harsh space environment. The team’s findings

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), on Friday agreed to finalize a plan to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives within a year. At

Melbourne, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Signatory countries to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, decided at a ministerial meeting Friday to launch membership talks with Indonesia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay. The 12 signatories, including Japan,

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday criticized China’s decision to put off a meeting between the Japanese, Chinese and South Korean cultural ministers because of remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about a Taiwan conflict. Beijing’s rhetoric “threatens

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government on Friday adopted a comprehensive economic package worth some 21.3 trillion yen in state funds, aiming to achieve a strong economy through strategic fiscal spending. The first economic package compiled under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi,

Nara, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuya Yamagami, on trial for the 2022 murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said in Nara District Court on Thursday that he should not have lived to his current age of 45, given the consequence of

By Riku Nagata Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The history of Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, the oldest in Japan, is intertwined with that of the country’s involvement in World War II, which ended 80 years ago. Today, the zoo in the Japanese capital’s Taito

By Riku Nagata Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Following the end of World War II, Ueno Zoo worked tirelessly to rebuild itself after losing popular animals such as elephants to wartime culling. Enlivened by the Children’s Zoo and the monkey train, Ueno Zoo

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Three of Japan’s four major life insurance companies enjoyed insurance premium income growth in April-September, their earnings reports have shown. All the four–Nippon Life Insurance Co., Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. and Dai-ichi Life

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Minister of Finance Satsuki Katayama on Friday hinted that Tokyo may conduct a foreign exchange intervention following the recent depreciation of the yen. “We will take appropriate action as necessary in response to excess volatility and disorderly

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will provide all households with children aged zero to 18 with a support allowance of 20,000 yen per child as a one-time measure, the Children and Families Agency said Friday. The support allowance, a pillar

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s core consumer price index in October rose 3.0 pct from a year earlier, up for 50 consecutive months, the internal affairs ministry said Friday. The core CPI, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, stood at 112.1 against

Washington, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The United States remains committed to Japan’s defense, State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Piggott said on Thursday. “Our commitment to the U.S.-Japan Alliance and to Japan’s defense, including the Japan-administered Senkakus, is unwavering,” he said on X,

Beijing, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Chinese Commerce Ministry spokeswoman He Yongqian has warned that her country may increase economic pressure on Japan, urging Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her comments regarding a potential Taiwan contingency. At a press conference on Thursday,

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average briefly dropped more than 1,200 points on Friday morning, pressured by overnight falls in all three U.S. major stock gauges. At 9:12 a.m., the Nikkei index stood down 1,264.260 points, or 2.54

Tokyo, Nov. 21 (Jiji Press)–With Friday marking one month since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, the new Japanese leader’s plain speaking is proving to be both an asset and a liability. A government source said that Takaichi’s straight talk has been

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japanese athletes swept the podium in the men’s hammer throw at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Thursday, led by Riki Toyama, 21, who claimed the gold medal with a throw of 60.19 meters, his personal best. Masatoshi Morimoto,

(Adnkronos) – The European Union must be a “party” in any negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s 45-month-old military occupation of Ukraine, which is also a “security barrier” for the continent, Italy said on Thursday.  “Europe will also have to play its role,

(Adnkronos) – The Sahel is “a priority” for Italy and needs a greater European presence to help stabilise the coup-hit region and shield civilians from worsening security threats posed by a growing Islamist militant presence, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday. 

(Adnkronos) – Italy already trains Palestinian police officers in the occupied West Bank and could also train a future Gaza Strip police force from neighbouring Egypt or Jordan, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Thursday.  ‘We have always been willing to play

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday began talks to update the country’s three key national security documents by the end of 2026, as declared by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The LDP plans to draw up related proposals

Nara, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuya Yamagami, on trial for the 2022 murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said in Nara District Court on Thursday that he should not have lived to his current age of 45, given the consequence of

(Adnkronos) – Italy backs the use of frozen Russian assets for a 140 billion euro loan from the European Union to embattled Ukraine, but legal experts must first identify a fail-safe mechanism for such a loan, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass voiced support Thursday for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, at a time when China is taking a hard-line stance against her and Japan following her recent remarks on a possible Taiwan contingency.

Beijing/Seoul, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–A meeting of culture ministers from Japan, China, and South Korea, scheduled for Monday in Macau, has been postponed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference Thursday. Mao said that the foundation and atmosphere for

Nara, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuya Yamagami, on trial for the 2022 murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said in Nara District Court on Thursday that he should not have lived to his current age of 45, given the consequence of

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Improper management of confidential documents related to antiterrorism measures has been found at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in central Japan, the Nuclear Regulation Authority said Thursday. No information from the documents has

(Adnkronos) – Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani is taking part in a European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels centred on Ukraine, especially financial support, helping the war-ravaged country meet its energy needs, and on the latest package of EU sanctions

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–The average unit price of new condominiums put up for sale in Tokyo’s densely populated 23 special wards in October topped 150 million yen due to strong sales of high-priced properties, a think tank said Thursday. The average