Uber Japan said Wednesday that it has launched a new service to allow children aged 13 to 17 to safely use taxis, including on their way to extracurricular activities.Por 時事通信社

The Japan Fair Trade Commission on Thursday approved a business improvement plan submitted by Tokyo-based housing equipment seller Hashimoto Sogyo Ltd.Por 時事通信社

"Kin," meaning gold or money, was picked Thursday as the kanji character to represent events in Japan in 2024.Por 時事通信社

The Japanese public is divided over whether Democratic Party for the People chief Yuichiro Tamaki should resign after the opposition party suspended him over his extramarital affair, according to a Jiji Press poll conducted earlier this month.Por 時事通信社

Japan's House of Representatives on Thursday passed the government's supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2024, which will finance the first comprehensive economic policy package compiled under the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.Por 時事通信社

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties were widely divided Thursday over whether to ban donations from companies and organizations to political parties, a key issue in revising the political funds control law again.Por 時事通信社

A Japanese district court on Thursday ruled a 28-year-old woman not guilty of murdering in 2018 her then husband, a wealthy businessman nicknamed the "Don Juan of Kishu."Por 時事通信社

Public support for Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's cabinet in December dipped 1.9 percentage points from the previous month to 26.8 pct, a Jiji Press opinion poll showed Thursday.Por 時事通信社

Japan is considering raising the annual income cap for dependent children with part-time jobs, including university students, under a special tax deduction program from 1.03 million yen to 1.5 million yen, it was learned Thursday.Por 時事通信社

The policy chiefs of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its coalition partner, Komeito, and opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai ()削除 on Thursday agreed to start discussions on free education, which is Nippon Ishin's flagship policy.Por 時事通信社

The House of Representatives is expected to pass on Thursday evening the Japanese government's draft supplementary budget for fiscal 2024, which will finance the first comprehensive economic package compiled under the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.Por 時事通信社

The holding company of Coincheck Inc. debuted on the Nasdaq Global Market on Wednesday, making it the first Japanese cryptocurrency exchange to be listed in the United States.Por 時事通信社

Nobuhiro Torii, executive vice president of Japanese beverage giant Suntory Holdings Ltd., will be promoted to its president to succeed Takeshi Niinami, it was learned Thursday.Por 時事通信社

The opening ceremony of a special exhibition commemorating the awarding of this year's Nobel Peace Prize to the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, was held at the Nobel Peace Center in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Wednesday.Por 時事通信社

Hibakusha atomic bomb survivors from the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, visited a high school in Oslo on Wednesday to share their experiences with students.Por 時事通信社

A forum on nuclear disarmament was held Wednesday at the University of Oslo in Norway in commemoration of this year's Nobel Peace Prize won by the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo.Por 時事通信社

Japan on Thursday put into effect revised cannabis and narcotics control laws that criminalize the use of cannabis and impose a penalty of up to seven years in prison for the crime.Por 時事通信社

Three co-chairs of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, met with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Oslo on Wednesday, the day after the Japanese hibakusha group received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, agreed Wednesday that relations between the two countries remain important.Por 時事通信社

The Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Unions said Wednesday that it plans to seek monthly pay-scale hikes of 12,000 yen in next year's "shunto" spring wage negotiations.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday expressed his willingness to meet with members of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, which received this year's Nobel Peace Prize.Por 時事通信社

Nissan Motor Co. said Wednesday that it will replace Chief Financial Officer Stephen Ma with Jeremie Papin, currently chair of the Americas, effective on Jan. 1.Por 時事通信社

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling coalition and the opposition Democratic Party for the People reached a deal Wednesday to ensure the passage of the government's supplementary budget bill for fiscal 2024 during the ongoing extraordinary Diet session.Por 時事通信社

The Japanese government and the ruling camp are considering a plan to start raising corporate and tobacco taxes in April 2026 to boost the country's defense spending, informed sources said Wednesday.Por 時事通信社

The group of Tokyo metropolitan assembly members from the Liberal Democratic Party is suspected of failing to report some of its income from sales of fundraising event tickets, it was learned Wednesday.Por 時事通信社

Japan's ruling bloc on Wednesday proposed raising the upper limit on annual income of university and other students working part-time jobs eligible for a special tax deduction program for dependent family members to 1.3 million yen from the current 1.03 million yen.Por 時事通信社

The 50 cc version of Honda Motor Co.'s "Super Cub" motorcycle has been attracting strong demand since the maker's announcement that Super Cub 50 production will end by autumn next year.Por 時事通信社

Nippon Life Insurance Co. said Wednesday that it will acquire U.S. life insurer Resolution Life Group Holdings Ltd. for roughly 8.2 billion dollars, making it the largest ever acquisition in Japan's insurance industry including nonlife insurers.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday denied that Tokyo had ever supported the idea of Russia returning only two of the four disputed northwestern Pacific islands to Japan.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prince Hisahito, the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, is set to enter the University of Tsukuba next April, informed sources said Wednesday.Por 時事通信社

The leading opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan submitted to parliament Wednesday an amendment to the government's draft fiscal 2024 supplementary budget.Por 時事通信社

Theme park Universal Studios Japan in the western city of Osaka opened the new "Donkey Kong Country" zone, based on Nintendo Co.'s Donkey Kong video game series Wednesday.Por 時事通信社

Citizens in Oslo celebrated Nihon Hidankyo's Nobel Peace Prize win Tuesday evening with chants of "no more hibakusha" in a march in the Norwegian capital.Por 時事通信社

East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, has announced plans to drastically expand the functions of its Suica smart transit card, including its smartphone app version.Por 時事通信社

The Bank of Japan's "tankan" quarterly survey for December, due out Friday, is expected to show slightly weaker business sentiment among both major manufacturers and nonmanufacturers, according to forecasts by think tanks.Por 時事通信社

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration plans to block Nippon Steel Corp.'s proposed buyout of United States Steel Corp., a media report said Tuesday.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his visiting Finnish counterpart, Petteri Orpo, agreed Tuesday to advance their countries' security cooperation after Finland joined NATO in April last year.Por 時事通信社

Nippon Life Insurance Co. plans to acquire U.S. life insurer Resolution Life Group Holdings Ltd., it was learned Tuesday.Por 時事通信社

While Japan's Nihon Hidankyo has won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, the feat came at a time when the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or NPT, framework, which has been at the center of the world's efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear arms and promote disarmament, has lost its substance.Por 時事通信社

It is important to pass on the memories of hibakusha atomic bomb survivors to avoid repeating historical mistakes, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said in an interview with Jiji Press in Oslo ahead of this year's Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Tuesday agreed to strengthen multilateral cooperation including between their countries and South Korea.Por 時事通信社

The Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, or Nihon Hidankyo, received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize at an award ceremony in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Tuesday.Por 時事通信社

Japan, the United States and the Philippines held their first maritime talks in Tokyo on Tuesday, affirming a policy of opposing any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force in the South China Sea, where China is increasing its hegemonic moves.Por 時事通信社

Tokyo remained in third place in global city rankings released by a Japanese think tank on Tuesday, retaining the spot for the ninth consecutive year.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday that an opposition-proposed ban on donations from companies and other organizations could violate Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly and association as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression.Por 時事通信社

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force said Tuesday that it will suspend flights of its fleet of V-22 Osprey transport aircraft for the time being, after the U.S. military temporarily halted flights of its own V-22 fleet.Por 時事通信社

The Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, has proposed measures to be taken by the government to achieve 1,000-trillion-yen nominal gross domestic product in fiscal 2040.Por 時事通信社

Kentaro Kitagawa, former head of the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office, will plead not guilty of raping a female prosecutor while in office in September 2018, his lawyer said Tuesday.Por 時事通信社

Japanese freelance television announcer Tomoaki Ogura, who served as host of a popular morning show for 22 years, died of bladder cancer at his home in Tokyo on Monday, his talent agency said Tuesday. He was 77.Por 時事通信社

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday again voiced his eagerness to establish an Asian version of NATO.Por 時事通信社