Latest Japan government News

Japan, Greece step up security ties as 'strategic partners'
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, agreed on Monday to strengthen their security, defense and economic ties and pledged to cooperate in responding to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other threats in Europe and Asia. ...
Japan ex-soldier sues gov't, colleagues over sexual abuse
TOKYO (AP) — A former Japanese soldier who reported being sexually abused by military colleagues said Monday she has filed a damage suit against five perpetrators and the government because she feels their earlier apologies were empty. Rina Gonoi went public with her experience...

Automakers Renault, Nissan to make cross-shareholdings equal
TOKYO (AP) — Nissan and Renault have agreed to equalize the stakes they hold in each other, both sides said Monday, ironing out a source of conflict in the Japan-French auto alliance. Up to now, Renault Group has held a 43.4% stake in Nissan Motor Co., potentially giving it a...

Source: Dutch, Japanese join US limits on chip tech to China
WASHINGTON (AP) — Japan and the Netherlands have agreed to a deal with the U.S. to restrict China's access to materials used to make advanced computer chips, a person familiar with the agreement told The Associated Press on Sunday. The person declined to be identified because the...

Japan firm opens whale meat vending machines to push sales
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — A Japanese whaling operator, after struggling for years to promote its products amid protests from conservationists, has found a new way to cultivate clientele and bolster sales: whale meat vending machines. The Kujira (Whale) Store, an unmanned outlet that...

Japan launches intel satellite to watch N. Korea, disasters
TOKYO (AP) — Japan successfully launched a rocket Thursday carrying a government intelligence-gathering satellite on a mission to watch movements at military sites in North Korea and improve natural disaster response. The H2A rocket, launched by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.,...

Kishida prioritizes arms buildup, reversing low birthrate
TOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday that Japan faces the severest security environment in the region since the end of World War II and pledged to push a military buildup under a newly adopted security strategy, as well as tackle rapidly declining births so the country can...

Japan refiles request to list divisive gold mine on UNESCO
TOKYO (AP) — Japan has formally resubmitted documents seeking to obtain UNESCO World Heritage recognition for a controversial former gold mine that has added to diplomatic frictions with South Korea over Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula and its wartime actions. Japan's...

Japan marks record trade deficit on soaring energy imports
TOKYO (AP) — Japan recorded a record high trade deficit for 2022 of 19.97 trillion yen ($156 billion) as energy imports surged, the Finance Ministry said Thursday. The deficit was the biggest since Japan began keeping comparable records in 1979, the ministry said. ...

Biden and Kishida discuss Japan 'stepping up' security
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held wide-ranging talks at the White House on Friday as Japan looks to build security cooperation with allies in a time of provocative Chinese and North Korean military action. The two administrations...
