Ex-Japan Envoy Pins Hopes on Signs of Ceasefire in Ukraine War
Saturday, February 22,2025,04:51

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--With Monday set to mark three years since the start of Russia's full-fledged aggression against Ukraine, former Japanese Ambassador to Ukraine Kuninori Matsuda has pinned high hopes on moves toward negotiations on a ceasefire in the conflict. "We are seeing signs of a ceasefire and the beginning of a momentum," he told a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, addi... .. read more..

Ishikawa Pref. Warned of Significant Heavy Snow Again
Saturday, February 22,2025,04:47

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a significant heavy snow warning again for the central prefecture of Ishikawa shortly after 5:30 a.m. Saturday. A strong winter pressure pattern brought heavy snowfall mainly to the Sea of Japan side of the Tohoku northeastern region and the Hokuriku central region, which includes Ishikawa. The agency warned of major tra... .. read more..

LDP to Actively Use Social Media for Election Victory
Saturday, February 22,2025,04:20

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has worked out a draft of its 2025 policy platform calling for, among other things, promoting the use of social media as part of its efforts to win this summer's election for the House of Councillors. Achieving a victory in the election for the upper chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, is the most important chal... .. read more..

Taiwan Pres. Lai Meets with Widow of Ex-Japan PM Abe
Saturday, February 22,2025,04:14

Taipei, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te has met with Akie Abe, wife of the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in Taipei. Lai told Akie at the meeting Friday that Taiwan aims to protect the values of freedom and democracy, and deepen its friendship with Japan, inheriting the philosophy and spirit of the former Japanese leader, according to the Taiwanese pr... .. read more..

Japanese Princess Kako May Visit Brazil in June
Saturday, February 22,2025,03:20

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Preparations are underway for Princess Kako, the second daughter of Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, to make an official visit to Brazil in June, informed sources have said. With the two countries marking the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife are slated to visit J... .. read more..

Japan Eyeing IT to Help Those Needing Assistance in Disasters
Saturday, February 22,2025,01:30

Tokyo, Feb. 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan is increasingly adopting information technology to help those in need of assistance in times of disasters, such as the elderly and people with disabilities. Under such initiatives, data on safety confirmation and evacuation management, previously done mainly with paper, are digitalized to make it easier for local governments to collaborate with care manage... .. read more..

Nissan May Seek Investment from Tesla: FT
Friday, February 21,2025,14:57

(The fourth paragraph should have read "...a full takeover of Nissan by Hon Hai..." instead of as sent.) Nissan May Seek Investment from Tesla: FT London, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Nissan Motor Co. may seek investment from Tesla Inc., the Financial Times reported Friday, citing multiple sources. According to the report, former Tesla outside board member Hiromichi Mizuno is leading efforts to... .. read more..

Japan Picks Area off Hokkaido's Tomakomai for CO2 Storage
Friday, February 21,2025,14:48

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan's industry ministry said Friday that it has designated an area off Tomakomai in the northernmost region of Hokkaido as a district where captured carbon dioxide may be stored. The designation is the first under the CO2 capture and storage business law enacted in May last year. The ministry also began inviting applications for CO2 capture and storage operati... .. read more..

Japan Ruling Bloc Concedes More over Income Tax Threshold
Friday, February 21,2025,14:00

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling bloc made another concession in its talks with the opposition Democratic Party for the People on Friday over a review of the annual income tax threshold, currently set at 1.03 million yen. In the talks, the tax policy head of Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party's coalition partner, proposed setting an income cap of 8.5 million yen for planned ta... .. read more..

Japan, Ukraine Confirm Cooperation of Their Police
Friday, February 21,2025,13:25

Kyiv, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan and Ukraine confirmed cooperation of their police forces Friday as they marked the start of use of forensic vehicles provided by the Japanese government and the U.N. Development Program in May last year. National Police of Ukraine chief Ivan Vyhivskyi and others attended a related ceremony in Kyiv. "Japan will continue its unwavering support to Ukraine,"... .. read more..

Ruling Bloc, Nippon Ishin Draft Document of Agreement on Budget
Friday, February 21,2025,12:42

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling coalition and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) on Friday drafted a document of agreement on revisions to the government's fiscal 2025 budget bill. Nippon Ishin is expected to hold internal discussions on whether the document is acceptable on Tuesday after the three-day weekend. Sounding positive about si... .. read more..

Japan Told to Pay 2.2 B. Yen over U.S. Base Noise in Okinawa
Friday, February 21,2025,12:09

Naha, Okinawa Pref., Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Fukuoka High Court's Naha branch Friday ordered the Japanese central government to pay 2.2 billion yen in damages for noise pollution from the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma air station in Okinawa Prefecture. In the lawsuit, about 3,000 residents living near the base in the city of Ginowan in the southernmost prefecture claimed that they suffered from ... .. read more..

Japan Govt Compiles 1st Strategic Plan on Midsize Biz
Friday, February 21,2025,11:19

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government Friday drew up its first strategic plan focusing on midsize businesses, pledging over 1 trillion yen in aid measures. The so-called growth vision for companies with up to 2,000 employees includes a target of raising the number of such businesses from some 9,000 at present to 11,000 by 2030. The government aims to facilitate investments an... .. read more..

Japanese #MeToo Icon Ito Apologizes over Her Oscar-Nominated Film
Friday, February 21,2025,10:50

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese journalist and #MeToo icon Shiori Ito has apologized for improperly using video footage in her Oscar-nominated documentary film "Black Box Diaries," which is based on her own sexual abuse experience. "I apologize to those whose consent was not obtained for the use of the footage," Ito said in a statement released Thursday. "In the latest version, all... .. read more..

Kagoshima Court Rejects Injunction against Sendai N-Plant
Friday, February 21,2025,09:27

Kagoshima, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Kagoshima District Court in southwestern Japan on Friday rejected a request for an injunction against the operation of the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture. The court, presided over by judge Toshihide Kubota, dismissed the lawsuit filed against the company and the Japanese government b... .. read more..

16.5 Pct in Japan Want Death Penalty Abolished: Survey
Friday, February 21,2025,09:18

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The share of people in Japan who believe that the death penalty system should be abolished stood at 16.5 pct, a Cabinet Office survey showed Friday. On the reason for the view, with multiple answers allowed, 71.0 pct said that executions cannot be reversed even if an error has been found. The results may have been affected by the case of Iwao Hakamata, who wa... .. read more..

10th, 11th "Constitutional" Rulings Made for Japan 2024 Lower House Election
Friday, February 21,2025,09:03

Miyazaki/Hiroshima, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Fukuoka High Court's Miyazaki branch and Hiroshima High Court both ruled Friday that the House of Representatives election last October was constitutional in terms of vote-value disparity. These were the 10th and 11th "constitutional" rulings in a total of 16 similar lawsuits filed with 14 high courts and high court branches across Japan. There have... .. read more..

Special Website Created 30 Yrs after Tokyo Subway Sarin Attack
Friday, February 21,2025,08:36

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Public Security Intelligence Agency launched a special website Friday to prevent public memory of the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult from fading. The agency hopes that the website, which features the memories of bereaved families and related photos, will help younger generations to learn about th... .. read more..

Japan's Prince Hisahito to Hold 1st Press Conference March 3
Friday, February 21,2025,07:46

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prince Hisahito, the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, will hold his first press conference March 3, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday. The prince, the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne, came of age at 18 in September last year. It is customary for Imperial Family members to hold a press confere... .. read more..

War Book for Students Gaining Attention in Japan
Friday, February 21,2025,07:01

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--With Monday marking the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a book for junior high school students is gaining attention in Japan for explaining why wars occur in an easy-to-understand way with manga and other illustrations. The book, titled "Bokura wa Senso wo Shiranai (We Don't Know Wars), was released for libraries last year by publis... .. read more..

Japan to OK Shooting of Urban Bears
Friday, February 21,2025,04:54

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese government adopted at a cabinet meeting Friday an amendment bill to permit local municipalities to give the go-ahead for shooting wild bears in urban areas. Responding to a host of attacks by such "urban bears," the government aims to implement the revised wildlife protection and management law by autumn, when bears' appetite peaks ahead of their hi... .. read more..

Japan to Maintain Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine War
Friday, February 21,2025,04:18

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--Japan will continue its sanctions on Russia over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, including through the framework of the Group of Seven major nations, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday. The top Japanese government spokesman reiterated Tokyo's criticism of Russia, saying that the aggression, which began three years ago, is "an outrage act that un... .. read more..

Japanese Panel Seeks to Tighten Screening of New Universities
Friday, February 21,2025,03:10

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--An advisory panel to the Japanese education minister Friday proposed tightening screening procedures for establishing universities as the number of students is expected to drop sharply because of an aging society. The number of people going to university in the country is estimated to fall to some 460,000 in 2040 from about 630,000 last year as the population of... .. read more..

Japanese Luxury Cruise Ship Asuka III to Enter into Service in July
Friday, February 21,2025,01:56

Tokyo, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--A new Japanese luxury cruise ship, the Asuka III, will enter into service on July 20, its operator, NYK Cruises Co., said Thursday. The ship provides more luxurious cabins and services than the Asuka II, which is currently in service, and has improved facilities so that passengers can enjoy them in a wide range of ways, said the unit of Nippon Yusen K.K., a Japan... .. read more..

School near Kyiv Seeks Peace thru Language Education
Friday, February 21,2025,01:30

Kyiv, Feb. 21 (Jiji Press)--A school near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv is enthusiastic about teaching Japanese and other foreign languages, believing that war will not happen if friendship is deepened through international exchanges. Using textbooks provided with the aid of Japan, students study hard at the school called Linguist in Irpin, which sustained severe missile attacks at the begi... .. read more..

Un pez remo, o ‘pez del fin del mundo’, aparece en México
Thursday, February 20,2025,19:04

Los peces remo son documentados de manera muy inusual por los científicos, pero uno fue visto este mes por un grupo de personas que visitaba una playa en México. .. read more..

Video Shows a Rare ‘Doomsday’ Fish Off the Coast of Mexico
Thursday, February 20,2025,18:25

Oarfish are rarely documented by scientists, but one was seen this month by a group visiting a beach in Mexico. .. read more..

Japan to Promote Digital Transformation for Water Systems
Thursday, February 20,2025,14:19

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese government panel agreed Thursday to promote digital transformation to tackle the aging of public infrastructure, including water supply and sewage systems. This followed a high-profile road collapse accident in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, last month, which is believed to have been caused by a broken sewage pipe. At a meeting of the digi... .. read more..

2 Ishin Politicians Quit Hyogo Special Panel Probing Governor
Thursday, February 20,2025,13:25

Kobe, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Two Hyogo prefectural assembly members of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) resigned Thursday from a special committee investigating alleged harassment by Motohiko Saito, governor of the western prefecture. The two, Minoru Kishiguchi and Makoto Masuyama, made the move following their questionable acts of providing information related to the allegations... .. read more..

Ishiba, IAEA Chief Agree to Strengthen Cooperation
Thursday, February 20,2025,13:09

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, met in Tokyo on Thursday and agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two sides. During the meeting, Ishiba and Grossi exchanged views on Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in northeastern Japa... .. read more..

Trump Vowed to Raise Abduction Issue with N. Korea: Ishiba
Thursday, February 20,2025,12:49

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to raise the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals if he meets with the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday. Noting that Trump is eager to hold talks with Kim, Ishiba said that the U.S. leader "agreed to surely raise this issue" when he met with Ishiba in W... .. read more..

Japan Domestic Paper Shipments Hit 39-Year Low in 2024
Thursday, February 20,2025,12:35

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Domestic shipments of paper and paperboard in 2024 dropped 2.9 pct from the previous year to 19.91 million tons, the lowest in 39 years, the Japan Paper Association said Thursday. The drop came as newspaper publishers ended evening editions and the trend of reducing paper use in offices continued. Domestic shipments fell for the third straight year and sank b... .. read more..

Police Protect Japanese over Overseas Fraud in 10 Cases
Thursday, February 20,2025,12:20

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese police took Japanese nationals linked to fraud based overseas into protective custody in 10 cases over the four months from Oct. 18 last year, National Police Agency sources said Thursday. Six of the 10 cases involved youths under 30. They were introduced to purported jobs overseas on online gaming and social media sites. Some of the people were forc... .. read more..

KKR Successfully Completes Tender Offer for Fuji Soft
Thursday, February 20,2025,12:12

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Fuji Soft Inc. said Thursday that U.S. investment fund KKR has successfully completed its tender offer for the Japanese system developer after a six-month takeover battle with U.S. rival Bain Capital. Fuji Soft is now expected to be delisted after an extraordinary shareholders' meeting in late April. KKR said in a statement that it had put a period to more tha... .. read more..

Machinery Maker Ebara Warned over Subcontract Law Breaches
Thursday, February 20,2025,10:26

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Thursday warned major machinery maker Ebara Corp. for receiving unfair economic benefits from subcontractors in violation of the subcontract law. According to the commission, Ebara, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's top-tier Prime section, had 176 subcontractors store a total of about 8,900 tools for making water pu... .. read more..

Norinchukin Bank President to Resign over Huge Loss
Thursday, February 20,2025,09:28

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Norinchukin Bank said Thursday that its president, Kazuto Oku, will step down as of March 31 to take responsibility for the Japanese lender's massive losses on foreign bond investments. Managing Executive Officer Taro Kitabayashi, 54, will be promoted to president on April 1 to succeed Oku, 65. For the fiscal year ending next month, Norinchukin Bank, the centr... .. read more..

Norinchukin Bank Projects Net Loss of 1.9 T. Yen
Thursday, February 20,2025,07:45

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Norinchukin Bank said Thursday it expects to incur a net loss of around 1.9 trillion yen in the fiscal year ending next month. The Japanese lender also said its president, Kazuto Oku, will step down as of March 31. Managing Executive Officer Taro Kitabayashi will be promoted to president on April 1. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] .. read more..

Trump Touts U.S.-Japan Alliance in Statement on Battle of Iwo Jima
Thursday, February 20,2025,07:27

Washington, Feb. 19 (Jiji Press)--U.S. President Donald Trump touted his country's alliance with Japan in a statement released Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima in the closing days of World War II. "In spite of a brutal war, the United States-Japan alliance represents the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," the statement said. The bloo... .. read more..

Boy to Be Sent to Family Court over Murder of Parents near Tokyo
Thursday, February 20,2025,06:10

Yokohama, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese district court on Thursday called on a family court to hear a case involving a 16-year-old boy charged with murdering his parents in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, last year. Takahira Yoshii, presiding judge at Yokohama District Court, said that educative and protective measures are appropriate for the boy. "The incident wouldn... .. read more..

Ishiba, BOJ's Ueda Discuss Economic Situation
Thursday, February 20,2025,05:49

Tokyo, Feb. 20 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda met on Thursday to discuss economic and financial situations at home and abroad. The talks took place at the prime minister's office in Tokyo before the finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of 20 major economies meet in Cape Town, South Africa, next week. The G... .. read more..