China announces anti-dumping probe into Japanese chip-related chemical

China has announced it will launch an anti-dumping probe into imports of a chemical from Japan used mainly for semiconductor production.

The Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday that the investigative authority will study to what extent the price of a chemical called…[Read more]

Japan condemns China’s dual-use export ban as rare earth curbs loom

Japan called China’s ban on dual-use exports for its military “absolutely unacceptable” on Wednesday, amid a looming threat of broader curbs on vital rare earths in an escalating dispute between Asia’s top two economies.
Dual-use items are goods, software or technologies that…[Read more]

Japan’s Department Stores Close for New Year, Giving Their Employees a Break

Most major department stores were closed for the New Year, as they sought to give their employees a holiday break. When they reopened for their first sales of the year, shoppers flocked to the stores.

All Sogo & Seibu Co. stores were closed on New Year’s Day, and the…[Read more]

More than 100 shelter overnight in Japan shrine due to heavy snow

More than 100 people have had to shelter in a shrine on a mountain top in Japan after heavy snowfall cut off access by road.

Around 130 people were forced to spend the night in the halls and lobbies of the Mitsumine Shrine in the Saitama prefecture on Friday after the roads around…[Read more]

How you can help fight homelessness in Germany this holiday season

Homelessness is a growing concern across Germany, with the problem becoming especially acute during the cold winter months. But there are a number of practical ways for residents to make a meaningful difference.

Homelessness in Germany has reached alarming levels, with over half…[Read more]

Germany: Merz says 2026 can be a ‘year of new beginnings’

Chancellor Friedrich Merz touched on war in Ukraine, increased defense spending, changing ties to the US, technological upheaval, industrial stagnation, sluggish reforms, migration and more in his New Year’s address.

Friedrich Merz began his first New Year’s TV address to the nation with…[Read more]

German far-right lawmaker charged with making Nazi salute

Prosecutors in Berlin have filed charges against the far-right Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) Matthias Moosdorf for allegedly greeting another party member with the banned Nazi salute during a parliamentary session, they said in a statement on Monday.
The Bundestag lower house of…[Read more]

Germany deepens commitment to Ukraine’s defence in 10-point plan

Germany will deepen its commitment to Ukraine’s defence through joint ventures, further market integration and possible federal investment guarantees under a 10-point plan unveiled on Monday during President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s Berlin visit.
European leaders have sought to send a…[Read more]

Member of far-right AfD party charged with making Nazi salute at Reichstag

MP allegedly greeted a party colleague at German parliament building ‘with a heel click and a Hitler salute’

Berlin prosecutors say they have charged a member of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party with making a Nazi salute in parliament.

The suspect alle…[Read more]

Japan sends letter to UN after China’s 2nd letter on Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks

Japan has sent a second letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres rebutting China’s assertions regarding remarks that Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae made about Taiwan. This comes after China sent Guterres a second letter about the issue.

Takaichi told…[Read more]

Soaring Costs Creating Choppy Waters for Urban Development Projects as Old Ways Reaching Limits

Soaring construction costs are forcing developers to review their plans for urban development projects, with some slashing building sizes or even starting from scratch before seeking approval to begin breaking ground.

Urban development projects often…[Read more]

Japan’s economy minister says up to BOJ to decide ‘specific monetary policy means’

Japan’s economic revitalisation minister, Minoru Kiuchi, called on the central bank to closely communicate with the government in setting monetary policy on Friday, but did not voice opposition to a near-term interest rate hike.
Asked about growing prospects of an…[Read more]

Germany rejects US security strategy’s ‘outside advice’

The US strategy outlines US President Trump’s “America First” view, signaling a shift from Washington’s global role, and sharply criticizes European allies. Berlin said it doesn’t need a lecture on freedom of expression.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has pushed back against…[Read more]

German leaders plan to cut red tape in just 200 steps

When it comes to tackling bureaucracy, why stop at just a measure or two? Premiers of Germany’s 16 states want to go further — so they drafted a 200-point plan to ease the country’s bureaucratic burdens.

The leaders of Germanys’s 16 states on Thursday agreed on a 200-point plan to modernize g…[Read more]

Direct UK-Germany rail link plans advance
Cross-Channel train operator Eurostar and Germany’s state-owned rail operator, Deutsche Bahn (DB), have signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at introducing direct rail connections between the UK and Germany.

The companies announced the step on Thursday, amid German President Frank-Walter…[Read more]

Japan manufacturers’ union to target $77 monthly base pay hike next year

A Japanese labour union group representing major manufacturers said on Wednesday that it would seek an increase of at least 12,000 yen ($77) in monthly base pay for next year, the same target as this year.
The Japan Council of Metalworkers’ Unions (JCM) is considered a…[Read more]

Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Closing Ceremony Held in Shibuya

The closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, sponsored by The Yomiuri Shimbun and others, was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday.

This was the first time in its 100-year history that the Deaflympics were held in Japan. About 280,000…[Read more]