Japan Urges Iran to Resolve Nuclear Issue through Dialogue

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Tuesday conveyed to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, Tokyo’s strong hope that the issue of Iran’s nuclear development will be resolved through dialogue.

In their meeting in New York, the two ministers also exchanged views on the tense…[Read more]

Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba: Palestine state recognition ‘when not if’

Japan’s prime minister told the United Nations on Tuesday that Tokyo’s recognition of the State of Palestine was only a question of time, saying he was “indignant” at recent comments by Israeli officials.

Nearly 80 percent of UN members recognize the State of Palestine,…[Read more]

Event Marking 1 Year Until 2026 Asian Games Held in Nagoya as Prefecture Prepares to Host

An event marking one year until the opening of the 2026 Asian Games took place on Saturday in Nagoya.

“We want as many people as possible to watch Asian countries compete in what will be a festival of peace,” said Hideaki Omura, Aichi Prefecture gov…[Read more]

40 Years After Plaza Accord, U.S.-Japan Exchange Rate Risks Remain

Monday marks the 40th anniversary of the Plaza Accord, under which the Group of Five countries — Japan, the United States, Britan, France and then West Germany — decided to correct the excessive appreciation of the dollar through currency adjustments.

The accord was led by the…[Read more]

Osaka High Court Upholds Don Juan of Kishu’s Will

A will left by Kosuke Nozaki, the wealthy businessman known as the ‘Don Juan of Kishu,’ declaring that his entire estate of about 1.3 billion yen be donated to Tanabe City has again been recognized as valid, with the Osaka High Court upholding the earlier ruling against claims by his relatives…[Read more]

Deutsche Bahn regional transport head to become CEO, sources say

Evelyn Palla, the board member in charge of regional transport at Deutsche Bahn (DBN.UL), will become the German state-owned railway operator’s new CEO, two people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
The transport ministry and Deutsche Bahn declined to comment.

Palla, who…[Read more]

Germany updates: AfD tops poll with highest support ever

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party tops the poll with the highest support ever. Meanwhile, Kenyan athletes won both the men’s and women’s races at the Berlin Marathon. DW has the latest from Germany.

Dortmund: 400 football fans brawl in organized fight

Around 400 football…[Read more]

Delays continue at Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin airports after alleged cyber-attack

Airlines reverted to manual check-in from Friday after service provider hit by ‘cyber-related incident’

Delays continue at Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin airports after alleged cyber-attack
Airlines reverted to manual check-in from Friday after service pro…[Read more]

New Polish President’s inaugural visit to Berlin

The new Polish President Karol Nawrocki has arrived in Berlin for his inaugural visit. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier received his Polish counterpart with military honours outside Bellevue Palace. A meeting with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz for talks is the next item on Mr…[Read more]

Merz’s CDU wins election in key German state, as support for AfD surges

Nationalist AfD nearly triples share of vote in local polls in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, preliminary results show.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative party has won local elections in the country’s most populous state, while the far-right Alter…[Read more]

Germany updates: Nord Stream suspect cleared for extradition

Lawyers for suspect Nord Stream saboteur Serhii K. argued at his extradition hearing that he was a soldier “following orders” during the September 26, 2022 incident and thus the “military nature of the alleged acts entails functional immunity.”

Neither K. nor his lawyers specified who…[Read more]

LDP’s Kobayashi announces he will run in the party leadership race

Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi said Thursday he will run in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential election, days after former LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi threw his hat into the ring.
This will be Kobayashi’s second presidential attempt after…[Read more]

Tokyo, Kanagawa Prefecture Warned of Record-Breaking Short-Duration Precipitation, Meguro Ward Logs 134 Millimeters for an Hour

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a record-breaking short-duration heavy rain advisory for Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture around 2:51 p.m. on Thursday.

Meguro Ward in Tokyo recorded 134 millimeters of rainfall for…[Read more]

Japan-Philippines visiting-forces pact comes into force as defense ties blossom

Japan and the Philippines are set to intensify joint military activities after a bilateral visiting-forces agreement entered into force on Thursday — a move that could potentially also pave the way for rotational deployments by Self-Defense Force personnel to the S…[Read more]

German carmakers, trade union jointly urge EU to drop combustion engine ban

Germany’s VDA car industry association and IG Metall metalworkers’ union on Thursday urged the European Union to drop plans to ban the production of CO2-emitting vehicles from 2035, joining a chorus of sector voices warning against the move.
VDA and the union said in a…[Read more]

Merz wants proactive spy agency to match German economic might

Germany needs its BND foreign intelligence service to operate at a level that reflects the country’s size and economic weight to deal with hybrid attacks from increasingly aggressive rivals, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday.
In a speech marking the inauguration of a new head…[Read more]

Merz: “We are and will remain ready to defend ourselves”

At a joint press conference with António Costa, president of the European Council, Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a statement about the violation of Polish NATO airspace by Russian drones. Merz said that he shared the assessment of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk “…[Read more]

Was the German pension system built to bust?

Germany is growing older and the pressure on the German pension system is increasing. The younger generation won’t be able to make up the difference, and economists think the elderly should foot the bill.

“People will always have children.” This is supposedly what Chancellor Konrad Adenauer said — h…[Read more]

Why the legacy of East Germany’s prefab housing blocks is more relevant than ever

Once considered progressive, then later derided, a new exhibition is exploring the developments’ place as part of a collective experience

Communist East Germany’s high-rise prefab residential blocks and their political and cultural impact in what was one of the b…[Read more]

Germany inaugurates Europe’s fastest computer

Europe’s fastest computer, the world’s fourth-fastest computer and the most energy-efficient computer ever -superlatives abound as Jupiter is inaugurated.

Germany’s Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Hendrik Wüst, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, have inaugurated Europe’s fastest co…[Read more]