Japan to protect celebrity voices against AI use
World 17:37 26/04/2026TOKYO -- An expert panel under Japan's Justice Ministry agreed Friday that the voices of individuals should be protected under publicity and portrait rights, amid a rise in the unauthorized use of celebrities' voices by generative artificial intelligence.
Zoom ordered to pay damages for violating Japan firm's trademark
World 17:37 26/04/2026TOKYO -- Tokyo District Court on Friday ordered U.S. videoconferencing technology firm Zoom Video Communications Inc. and its sales agent in Japan to pay a total of about 182 million yen in damages for violating the trademark of Japanese electric musical devise developer Zoom Corp.
Japan to launch H3 rocket June 10
World 17:37 26/04/2026TOKYO -- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said Friday that it will launch an H3 rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on June 10.
Firefighters in northern Japan struggle to contain blazes as over 3,000 people evacuated
World 14:24 26/04/2026OTSUCHI, JAPAN -- More than 1,000 firefighters in northern Japan battled to contain two wildfires for a fourth straight day on Saturday, as the blazes pushed closer to residential areas and forced more than 3,000 residents to evacuate.
Vietnam Yosakoi Festival opens in Ninh Binh ahead of Japanese PM Takaichi's visit
Vietnam News 13:18 26/04/2026The Vietnam Yosakoi Festival 2026 opened in Ninh Binh Province, northern Vietnam on Saturday, featuring vibrant and energetic performances by more than 240 Vietnamese and Japanese dancers as part of activities welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's upcoming visit to Vietnam.
Honda to cease automobile sales in S.Korea at end of 2026
World 16:34 24/04/2026TOKYO -- Honda Motor Co. has said it will terminate its automobile sales in South Korea at the end of this year.
Karst plateau in western Japan named UNESCO Global Geopark
World 16:01 24/04/2026TOKYO -- Mine-Akiyoshidai, a karst plateau in western Japan, has been designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Japan passport fees going down to 9,000 yen in July
World 16:01 24/04/2026TOKYO -- Starting July, Japan will lower application fees for 10-year passports to around 9,000 yen.
Japanese firm opens $21mn tempura batter plant in Ho Chi Minh City
Economy 17:35 23/04/2026Japanese grain solution company Showa Sangyo, which was the first producer in the world to sell the tempura batter mix, officially put into service a US$21-million production facility in Ho Chi Minh City in late March, marking a significant expansion into Vietnam and the broader ASEAN market.
Forest fires continue in northeastern Japan town
World 17:10 23/04/2026OTSUCHI, IWATE PREF., -- Wildfires that broke out on Wednesday in two locations in the northeastern Japan town of Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, continued into Thursday, burning a total of about 200 hectares, according to the town government.
Multilingual alerts, pictograms proposed after foreigner accident
World 17:08 23/04/2026TOKYO -- A Japanese transport ministry affiliate on Thursday proposed the introduction of multi-language warnings and pictograms, after a foreign tourist was hit and killed by a train last August.
'Dancing in their hands': Japan wig masters set stage alive
World 15:18 23/04/2026Every actor in kabuki -- a traditional Japanese performing art celebrated for its striking makeup and elaborate costumes -- relies on one final, essential element to fully inhabit their role: the wig.
