Japan current account logs record surplus for second month

Japan logged its largest current account surplus for the second consecutive month in November, as the trade deficit narrowed while its service balance turned surplus due to increased inbound tourism after pandemic controls were lifted last year.

The current account data should offer…[Read more]

Japan lifts operational ban on world’s biggest nuclear plant

Japan’s nuclear power regulator on Wednesday lifted an operational ban imposed on Tokyo Electric Power’s (9501.T) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant two years ago, allowing it to work towards gaining local permission to restart.

Tepco has been eager to bring the world’s largest…[Read more]

French booze-free January falls flat with Macron government

France’s President Emmanuel Macron has been accused of caving in to the wine lobby by failing to lend his weight to an alcohol-free “Dry January”.

Fifty specialists on addiction wrote an open letter this week, lamenting the lack of government support for the post-festivity no-drinks…[Read more]

France drops renewables targets, prioritises nuclear in new energy bill

like other EU countries, aims to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.

The proposed text, which is slated to go before the cabinet early next month and then be submitted to lawmakers, reaffirms France’s commitment to nuclear power to ensure “energy sovereignty”.

The count…[Read more]

Plummeting temperatures plague Ishikawa quake relief effort

lummeting temperatures, rain and continued aftershocks continued to plague relief efforts in earthquake-hit Ishikawa Prefecture on Wednesday as the death toll rose to 206, nine days after a massive temblor rocked the Noto Peninsula area.
The hard-hit cities of Suzu and Wajima accounted…[Read more]

Trash into treasure: Can fishing net waste be the future of fashion?

KUJUKURI, CHIBA PREF. – In 2021, Kotaro Seki was unsatisfied with his work at a major travel agency. He was good at his job, but he felt like something was missing.
Anyone could do the job he was doing at the agency, he thought. And few were bothered — as he was — by the fact…[Read more]

Japan should aim to maintain population of 80 million by 2100: panel

Amid concerns over rapid depopulation, a private panel has proposed that Japan should aim to have a stable population of 80 million by 2100 in order to maintain economic growth.
Last April, the government released an estimate that the population would be reduced by half to about…[Read more]

Gabriel Attal becomes France’s youngest and first openly gay premier

“The president of the republic appointed Mr. Gabriel Attal prime minister and tasked him with forming a government,” read a presidential statement issued on Tuesday.

Gabriel Attal rose to prominence as the government spokesman and education minister. He is France’s first o…[Read more]

France’s new PM Attal to choose cabinet as Macron eyes political reset

French President Emmanuel Macron and his new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal worked on Wednesday to pull together a cabinet, a day after Macron appointed the 34-year-old media-savvy loyalist to breathe new life into his second term.

Attal has promised to be bold and fast to help…[Read more]

US diplomat Blinken meets Turkey’s Erdogan, kicking off Gaza diplomacy tour

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken met senior Turkish officials in Istanbul before heading to Greece, his first stops on a week-long trip aimed at calming tensions that have spiked across the Middle East since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October.

In his…[Read more]

Turkey Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia called off amid Ataturk T-shirt row

The Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahce scheduled to be played in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh was called off over an apparent disagreement about the players’ jerseys.

The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) and the two teams – who returned to Istan…[Read more]

Turkey arrests dozens suspected of spying for Israel

Turkey has reportedly detained 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel.

The authorities are still searching for 13 other people believed to have links to Israel’s Mossad security service, the Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday. Ankara has previously warned that it will not allow I…[Read more]

Turkey arrests dozens suspected of spying for Israel

Turkey has reportedly detained 33 people suspected of spying on behalf of Israel.

The authorities are still searching for 13 other people believed to have links to Israel’s Mossad security service, the Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday. Ankara has previously warned that it will not allow I…[Read more]

Japanese startup develops bug-repellent clothing

A startup in central Japan has been working on developing bug-repellent fabrics and clothing, with hopes of bringing finalized products to market by the end of March next year.
The company, Fibercraze, teamed up with firms across the country to develop textiles with microscopic holes that can be…[Read more]

Kishida looking to replace all Cabinet members from troubled faction

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is looking to remove all Cabinet members belonging to the largest faction of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party from their posts amid the deepening political funds scandal, sources said Sunday.
Some members of the faction formerly led by the Prime…[Read more]

Japan hotel operators turn historical buildings into trendy stays

OSAKA — Japanese hotel operators are rushing to develop new types of accommodations from historical buildings in the Kansai region in anticipation of more foreign tourists.

The Kansai region in western Japan, which includes Osaka, Kyoto and several other prefectures, is rich in…[Read more]

Japan Plans to Subtract ‘Blue Carbon’ from CO2 Emissions; Seaweed Said to Lock Up Carbon for Longer than Land Plants

The government plans to subtract “blue carbon” when calculating Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions for annual reporting to the United Nations from next fiscal year. Blue carbon is carbon dioxide absorbed and stored by seaweed a…[Read more]

‘Unexpected’ South Korea Court Decision in Favor of ‘Comfort Women’ Puts Damper on Improving Ties with Japan

In contrast to a recent pattern of reasonable judgments by the South Korean judiciary, the Seoul High Court on Thursday overturned a lower court ruling and ordered the Japanese government to pay compensation to former wartime comfort…[Read more]

Japan, Southeast Asian Countries to Hold 1st Online Talks to Combat Disinformation

Japan plans to hold its first online talks with Southeast Asian countries to discuss measures against disinformation on Monday, government sources said.

The talks are to strengthen cooperation with other countries as tackling disinformation has become an urgent…[Read more]

Macron hosts Hungary’s Orban in bid to unlock EU support for Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron meets Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday in a bid to break the deadlock ahead of an EU summit after the Hungarian leader threatened to block further backing for Ukraine.