12+ hour, 21+ min ago   (182+ words) Japan's average hourly minimum wage for fiscal 2026 has marked its second-highest hike in history, reflecting rising commodity prices. All 47 prefectures have raised their minimum wage levels. The national average hourly minimum wage will be 1,177 yen, or about 7.5 dollars, starting next…...

17+ hour, 53+ min ago   (219+ words) Shirakawa Hideki, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 for his ground-breaking discovery and development of plastics that conduct electricity, has died. The University of Tsukuba says Shirakawa died at the age of 90 at a hospital in Yokohama on…...

17+ hour, 54+ min ago   (118+ words) Indonesia's central bank has welcomed a new governor. The former senior deputy head is the first woman to lead the bank. Her predecessor resigned unexpectedly in July. Nominated by President Prabowo Subianto, Destry Damayanti took office after being sworn in…...

18+ hour, 54+ min ago   (132+ words) A cross-party group of Japanese Diet members for Japan-China friendship is planning to visit China this month to help mend the strained relations between the two countries. The plan was announced on Thursday by Moriyama Hiroshi, who chairs the Japan-China…...

20+ hour, 15+ min ago   (188+ words) Japan's agriculture ministry has held a briefing for potato farmers about its response to a US request that Japan lift its ban on importing fresh American potatoes. Japan currently bans imports of raw potatoes due to concerns over pests and…...

1+ day, 16+ min ago   (70+ words) Trump wants a summit with Kim Jong Un. What would that take? nhk.or.jp Trump wants a summit with Kim Jong Un. What would that take? The leaders of the United States and North Korea haven't met since 2019. The…...

20+ hour, 11+ min ago   (170+ words) Japanese electronics maker NEC is set to launch a new cybersecurity service utilizing frontier AI programs. It comes in the face of heightened risks of cyberattacks that misuse artificial intelligence. NEC's system incorporates advanced AI developed by US startup Anthropic....

21+ hour, 35+ min ago   (331+ words) Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito will turn 93 years old this year with no major health issues. NHK has learned that the Imperial Household Agency is considering substantially scaling back a key funeral ritual when he passes away. The Emperor Emeritus has…...

22+ hour, 34+ min ago   (154+ words) A small fleet of boats in western Japan has just set sail in search of blowfish -- the first fishing of the season. The distinctive looking fish is a popular winter delicacy in this country. Before departing, fishers held a ceremony…...

21+ hour, 35+ min ago   (154+ words) A museum co-founded by American filmmaker and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas and his wife is set to open its doors to the public on September 22. Media personnel visited the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles for a…...