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Hana Wakimoto hits her tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round of the LPGA Japan Classic in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on Thursday. Wakimoto leads the event after two rounds.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Nov 1, 2024

Outsider Wakimoto keeps two-shot lead at LPGA Japan

Japan's world No. 236 Wakimoto carded a 4-under-par 68 for 13-under score at Seta Golf Course.
Democratic Party for the People chief Yuichiro Tamaki’s personal YouTube channel has more than 326,000 subscribers, by far the highest number among party leaders.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 1, 2024

How Japan’s new kingmaker party won over young voters

The Democratic Party for the People's election gains can be traced to two different factors: its youth-oriented policies and skillful use of social media platforms.
The Meteorological Agency said that, as of 2:10 p.m Saturday, a total of 188 observation points in western and central Japan had recorded their largest-ever 24-hour rainfall for November
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2024

Western and central Japan drenched by record rainfall for November

The heavy rains saw the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, issue the highest-level alert and urge nearly 190,000 residents to evacuate to shelters.
The United Nations Headquarters in New York City
JAPAN
Nov 2, 2024

U.N. panel adopts nuclear abolition resolution proposed by Japan

The resolution mentioned the selection of Nihon Hidankyo, the winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, and comes amid a tense security environment.
Nobuaki Koga, former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, speaks about receiving this year's Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
JAPAN
Nov 3, 2024

Japan recognizes 3,987 people in autumn honors

Among the recipients are Nobuaki Koga, the former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, and former Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa.
Members of the Lower House panel on the Constitution discuss issues related to constitutional amendments in June.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 5, 2024

Push for constitutional amendments in Japan wanes after election

The number of Lower House seats held by the parties positive toward constitutional amendments fell short of the 310 needed to put them up for a national referendum.
Takeo Akiba, secretary-general of Japan's National Security Secretariat, meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 5, 2024

Japanese and Chinese diplomats discuss bilateral summit

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed a willingness to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month in Brazil.
Takao Doi, a former astronaut and professor at Kyoto University, holds an engineering model of LignoSat wooden satellite during an interview at the university on Oct. 25.
JAPAN
Nov 5, 2024

World's first wooden satellite, developed in Japan, heads to space

The palm-sized satellite is tasked to demonstrate the cosmic potential of the renewable material as humans explore living in space.
Since October, patients have been asked to pay more for brand-name drugs prescribed by medical institutions if the patents have expired.
JAPAN
Nov 6, 2024

Japan raises out-of-pocket costs for off-patent drugs

With the increases, the government aims to reduce health care costs by encouraging greater use of generic drugs.
The National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo's Chuo Ward. A study by researchers at the hospital aims to determine whether restoring a healthy intestinal environment can enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 6, 2024

Japan explores intestinal flora transplants for cancer treatment

A study aims to determine whether restoring a healthy intestinal environment can make drugs used in the treatment of esophageal and stomach cancers more effective.
The body of Claudio Worm, a German university student who went missing in Wakayama Prefecture, has been found.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Nov 6, 2024

Body of missing German tourist found off Wakayama coast

The 21-year-old's body was discovered off the Takurazaki coast after an individual alerted the Wakayama Coast Guard at around 2.50 p.m. on Nov 1.
Interim spent nuclear fuel storage facility in the city of Mutsu, Aomori Prefecture
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2024

Japan's first interim spent fuel storage facility starts operations

The facility is scheduled to take in a total of eight casks by March 2027.
Defense equipment such as tanks and ships often require time to build, leading the government to conclude contracts spanning multiple fiscal years.
JAPAN
Nov 7, 2024

Japan's future payment obligations for defense goods balloon

An increase in such obligations may put constraints on spending to procure new equipment and build facilities, resulting in budget rigidity.
The outcome of the U.S. election may mark the beginning of the end of the era of “American exceptionalism” and should concern its allies such as Japan.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 7, 2024

What does Trump's victory mean for Japan?

The outcome of the U.S. presidential race is a reflection of the democratic will of the American people and the countries allies must adapt to this new reality.
Fukushiro Nukaga of the Liberal Democratic Party is reappointed as speaker of the House of Representatives on Friday, following an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 8, 2024

LDP's Nukaga to be reappointed Japan Lower House speaker

The parties also agreed to name Koichiro Genba of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) as vice speaker.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a speech prior to reviewing Self-Defense Forces troops during a ceremony at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Camp Asaka, which straddles Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture, on Saturday.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 9, 2024

Ishiba vows to bolster alliance with U.S. following Trump return

Work is underway for setting up Ishiba's first face-to-face meeting with Trump, who won Tuesday's U.S. presidential election, later this month.
Shurei Sasai in Nagpur, India, on Oct. 13
JAPAN
Nov 17, 2024

Monk from Japan works to lead people in India to Buddhism

Shurei Sasai has been devoting his life to freeing people from discrimination based on the Indian caste system for more than half a century.
Solar panels installed along the coastline of Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture. Due to the relative ease of starting solar power generation, mega solar power plants have been installed rapidly across the country.
JAPAN
Nov 11, 2024

Japan to mandate solar panel recycling when lifespan ends

The number of panels reaching the end of their lifespans is projected to start rising sharply in the mid-2030s.
Last year, cashews were responsible for 279 of 6,033 allergy cases, or 4.6%, making them the seventh most common allergenic food.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 11, 2024

Japan weighs mandatory allergen labeling for cashew nuts

Cashews nuts caused 37 cases of severe anaphylactic shock last year, making them the fifth most common trigger.
A village school bus drives along an empty street in the village of Tenei, Fukushima Prefecture, in March 2023. In rural areas, more single-member households will emerge from an aging population and the eventual death of spouses in two-person households, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 12, 2024

1 in 5 people in Japan age 65 and older will be living alone in 2050

The trend resulting from rapid depopulation will affect both metropolitan and rural areas, the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research says.
A meeting between Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to take place in Lima on the sidelines of a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum on Friday and Saturday.
JAPAN
Nov 12, 2024

Ishiba and Xi to affirm mutually beneficial strategic ties

In his meeting with Xi, Ishiba plans to demand China resume imports of Japanese fishery products at an early date.
Sakie Yokota, 88, speaks during a news conference in Kawasaki on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2024

Mother of North Korea abductee laments lack of progress over issue

"I wonder why this issue has dragged on so long," said 88-year-old Sakie Yokota. Her daughter, Megumi Yokota, went missing 47 years ago.
A bear sighting warning sign in a park at a residential area in the city of Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture. Hanamaki has deployed along riverbanks artificial intelligence-equipped cameras that identify bears and alert city officials.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 13, 2024

Municipalities in Japan turn to AI and digital maps to prevent bear encounters

Akita Prefecture's online map consolidates reports of sightings and incidents while the city of Hanamaki in Iwate Prefecture has deployed cameras that identify bears.
The Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture. Tohoku Electric expects to resume power generation using the reactor within this week and says no changes will be made to its plan to restart commercial operation next month.
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2024

Onagawa nuclear reactor in northeastern Japan restarted after issue

Tohoku Electric Power expects to resume power generation using the reactor within this week.
An expert committee convened by the health ministry has proposed introducing a limit on consecutive workdays.
JAPAN / Society
Nov 13, 2024

Japan to ban employees from working for 14 consecutive days

Employers are currently required to provide one day off a week, but loopholes mean some employees can work up to 48 days in a row.
Japan Atomic Power Co.'s Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture in 2017
JAPAN
Nov 13, 2024

Tsuruga reactor formally ruled noncompliant with safety standards

The Nuclear Regulation Authority ruled the Tsuruga No. 2 reactor did not meet the safety standards after a screening process taking nearly nine years.
For patients using donanemab, it will cost them about ¥3.08 million per year. But national insurance coverage will have the government shoulder most of the cost.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 13, 2024

Japan OKs insurance coverage of Alzheimer's drug donanemab

Donanemab became the second Alzheimer's drug that targets causative deposited plaque in the brain to win the coverage after lecanemab.
This September, six years after planting, researchers successfully cultivated 12 black truffles totaling 200 grams.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Nov 14, 2024

Japan researchers achieve second success in artificial black truffle cultivation

While black truffles do grow naturally in Japan, cultivation methods are still underdeveloped, prompting ongoing research.
The Japanese government and the ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party are discussing a plan to set the date for convening an extraordinary session of parliament on Nov. 28.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 14, 2024

Japan eyes extraordinary session of parliament from Nov. 28

The session will be convened to discuss a fiscal 2024 supplementary budget that will finance a planned economic package.
Administrative Reform Minister Masaaki Taira at an autumn review session for national programs on Thursday in Tokyo.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 14, 2024

Reform minister says Japan will monitor Musk's approach to government efficiency

"We will closely follow the approach and incorporate it into our administrative reform efforts," Administrative Reform Minister Masaaki Taira noted.

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