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Tohoku University's International Research Institute of Disaster Science has started joint research with SoftBank Group Corp. to develop generative artificial intelligence technology dedicated to disaster prevention.

Japanese health minister Kenichiro Ueno on Friday urged the public to exercise caution as measles cases are increasing.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Faisal Al-Saud, affirmed the countries' close cooperation to de-escalate the conflict in Iran in a call on Thursday.

The cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi approved Friday amendments to the criminal proceeds transfer prevention law to give police stronger ammunition to crack down on money laundering by scammers.

The Japanese government Friday adopted a bill to revise the staple food law to require rice producers to make proactive efforts to align their production with demand.

Toyota Motor Corp. released two U.S.-made models in Japan on Thursday.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito should merge with the Centrist Reform Alliance fully, including at the local level, CRA leader Junya Ogawa said in an interview with Jiji Press on Tuesday.

The Japanese government adopted on Friday a bill designed to overhaul Japan's adult guardianship system for people with dementia and others, aiming to improve user convenience amid an aging society.

A Chinese maritime survey vessel that had been operating without permission in Japan's exclusive economic zone off the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture has left the area, according to the Japan Coast Guard.

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, have reaffirmed cooperation to ensure security and safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Local authorities in Japan are warning people to watch out for bears as they emerge from hibernation.

The Imperial Household Agency on Friday released a list of 1,753 guests for an upcoming spring Imperial garden party in Tokyo, including figure skating pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara, who won gold at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics earlier this year.

The number of people in Japan who plan to travel abroad during the upcoming Golden Week holiday period is expected to rise 8.5pctfrom a year earlier to 572,000, a survey by major travel agency JTB Corp. showed Thursday.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako met with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday.

Narita International Airport Corp. has abandoned its plan to open a new runway in March 2029 due to challenges in acquiring necessary land, it was learned Thursday.

The Japanese government and Okinawa Prefecture have decided to hold the first field drill to evacuate residents of the southernmost prefecture's remote islands under the civil protection law, it was learned Thursday.

Japan's industry minister Ryosei Akazawa on Thursday instructed senior officials from relevant government ministries and agencies to grasp the supply chain situation of critical products amid the ongoing military conflict between the U.S.-Israel camp and Iran.

Japan plans to keep calling for an early de-escalation of the military clashes between the U.S.-Israeli side and Iran through dialogue after U.S. President Donald Trump's closely followed speech provided no surprise on the matter.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Thursday addressed privacy concerns regarding a bill to establish a national intelligence council aimed at enhancing the government's intelligence capabilities.

Japanese police took action against 12,178 people over crimes related to "tokuryu" anonymous and transient crime groups in 2025, the National Police Agency said Thursday.

Japanese mobile communications company NTT Docomo Inc. said Thursday that it will launch a service linking smartphones directly to U.S. space business SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications network April 27.

Unification Church believers are preparing to set up a new organization following a Tokyo High Court order to dissolve the religious group, it was learned Thursday.

Tokyo stocks plummeted Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump's closely watched address dashed hopes for de-escalation in Middle East tensions, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 average briefly losing over 1,400 points.

A suprapartisan group of Japanese lawmakers promoting relations with Israel on Wednesday asked the Israeli side to seek a peace agreement with Iran.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has approved a plan to ease a rule on the deadline for installing antiterrorism facilities at nuclear power plants.

The disaster-crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Thursday began the first round of treated water discharge into the sea for fiscal 2026.

The Japanese government hopes for progress in U.S.-Iran talks, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said on Thursday.

Japan's Finance Ministry on Thursday set the coupon on the April issue of 10-year Japanese government bonds auctioned the same day at 2.4 pct, the highest level in 28 years and eight months.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday visited Astroscale Holdings Inc., a Tokyo-based space venture with advanced technology to remove space debris.

Representatives of cancer patient and other groups have submitted a request to the health ministry, calling for measures to ensure a stable supply of medical materials amid escalating Middle East tensions.