Japan votes with new PM on shaky ground

Polls opened on Sunday in Japan's tightest election in years, with new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his juggernaut Liberal Democratic Party facing potentially their worst result since 2009. Opinion polls suggest the conservative LDP and its junior coalition partner risk falling short of a majority, a result that could deal

Japan to provide aid worth USD 1m to flood-hit areas

The government of Japan has decided to provide the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) with assistance worth USD 1 million in response to the flash floods in northern and south-eastern Bangladesh. Severe flooding began on August 17, 2024, due to active monsoons, causing

Six dead in Tokyo as Japan swelters in heatwave

Six people have died of heatstroke in Tokyo as Japan swelters under a rare rainy season heatwave, prompting authorities to issue a flurry of health warnings. Over the weekend, the central Shizuoka region became the first in Japan to see the mercury reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this year, far

Japan leukaemia survivor Ikee to swim at Paris Olympics

Leukaemia survivor Rikako Ikee will compete for Japan in the 100m butterfly at the Paris Olympics after missing out on an individual place at the Tokyo Games three years ago. Three-time world champion Daiya Seto will swim the men's individual medley after Japan's 27-member team for the Paris Games was announced

Japan inflation falls to 2% in January

Japanese consumer inflation slowed for the third straight month to 2.0 percent in January, government data showed Tuesday. The reading will likely stoke speculation that the Bank of Japan might soon move away from negative interest rates and its tight grip on bond yields. The year-on-year rise in prices in the world's

Japan grants $2.7mn to IOM for Rohingya refugees

The Japanese government has decided to provide the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with USD 2.7 million in assistance for the Rohingyas and host communities in Cox’s Bazar. The aid is for the implementation of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), disaster risk reduction, shelter upgrade, site management and site development and